1966 Gibson ES-335 TDC Vintage Electric Guitar Cherry w/ Pat # Pickups, Bigsby B7, Case

Up for sale, a 1966 Gibson ES-335TDC in excellent condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original hardshell case. 100% original save for a professional refret and era-correct Bigsby B7 tailpiece, this ES-335TDC is authoritative and clear when strummed acoustically, and the articulate natural response of the instrument is channeled through the original Patent Sticker humbuckers. These pickups preceded Gibson's T Tops, and the Patent Stickers were made with the same materials and wound in the same range as their PAF predecessors. The guitar offers a chiming, dynamic treble snap, midrange-rich growl, and low end that is fat yet clear. The bridge pickup has great clarity and power, highlighting the treble snap of maple as a tonewood, while the broad, airy sound of the neck pickup is further thickened by the warmth and smooth attack of the semi-hollowbody construction. The guitar weighs 8lbs 3oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar and strung with 11-49 strings, spot-on intonation, and low action.The one-piece mahogany neck has a slender C-shaped profile carve at the nut with notable roundness and heft as you travel up the fretboard, measuring .795" deep at the 1st fret and .980" at the 12th. The rosewood fretboard boasts small block inlay, refretted with fretwire which has the same width as vintage wire yet with a bit more meat and crown. There's just a touch of wear beneath the plain strings on the crowns of frets 1-3, and the guitar plays cleanly in every register with a straight neck and responsive, ideally adjusted truss rod. The nut measures 1 9/16" in width, and the headstock is fitted with the original set of double line double ring Kluson Deluxe tuning machines. All of the electronics work as they should, and both humbuckers have untouched solder on the covers and original patent stickers on the baseplates. Hardware includes the original chrome pickup covers with bright plating and some strum wear across the neck pickup cover, ABR-1 Tune-o-Matic bridge with correct foundry stamp and patent number on the base, and an era-correct '60s Bigsby B7 vibrato tailpiece. The Bigsby has a smooth response with its original spring, ideal for dimensional warbles and expressive bends. All plastic parts are very tidy as well including the wide bevel pickguard and quartet of black reflector cap knobs. The orange oval Gibson Kalamazoo, MI label is also intact inside the body and extremely clean.Cosmetically, this guitar is a real stunner, and the gloss Cherry nitro lacquer finish is 100% original with no touchup or overspray. The finish exhibits prominent lacquer checking across the body, buckle rash central to the back, and a few additional minor marks on the body as a whole. The neck retains its smooth gloss finish with just a few minor marks on the profile length.The original hardshell case is included with a smooth black exterior, gold interior, functional original latches, and a modern handle.