❌SOLD❌ Gibson ES335TD with Coil Tap Switch Walnut 1977

The highly innovative Gibson ES335TD was an immediate hit when it was introduced in 1958, blending the resonance, attack and decay of an archtop with the sustain and feedback resistance of a solidbody. This feedback resistance was becoming extremely important both to guitarists and guitar designers as amplifiers became ever more powerful and stage volumes rose. These new models – the ES-335, ES-345 and ES-355 – also sported the new, Seth Lover designed Humbucking pickup.

In Gibson’s naming convention, the ES-335TD identifies an Electric Spanish (where Spanish refers to how the guitar is held and played, distinct from Hawaiian) model 335, with T meaning Thinline and D Double Pickup. If there were a trailing C, that would indicate a Cherry stain finish.

Here we’re looking at a Gibson ES335TD with a coil tap (or split) switch on the treble cutaway and Trapeze, rather than a Stop tailpiece. The two-position coil switch is a modification of the standard three-position switch, and shuts off one coil on each pickup, providing a much brighter tone and lower – thus cleaner – output. This feature was added in 1977. The Trapeze tailpiece replaced the original-design stop tailpiece in 1965. The two tailpieces have a difference in both feel and resonance, but both can be highly effective.

At the time this Gibson ES335TD was built, Gibson was owned by Norlin. During this period, a number of changes were made to construction practices, largely to reduce costs and improve reliability. While the body uses the original Maple Laminate construction with a Maple center block, the neck is three-piece Maple with a Volute behind the truss rod adjustment cavity, and the head has a shallower pitch – about 14 degrees rather than 17 – to reduce stress. Also characteristic of this period, the fingerboard is rather narrow at 1.553 inches (39.467mm). In comparison, modern 335 models can be 1.7 inches (43.05mm).

This Gibson ES335TD is in overall good, and largely original, condition. The original Kluson Deluxe style tuners were replaced long ago with Schaller M6 models – long a common upgrade. The guitar plays well and has a wide range of sounds, increased by the coil tap switch.

The original Gibson hard shell case is included.