The best ES-335's ever made by Gibson are late 58's (and a few 59's). The PAFs are a big factor but the biggest factor is the thin top. The thin top allows for more vibration and thus more resonance. That feature was...
If you're old enough to remember George Gobel, you're as old as I am (and that is old). I barely remember my father watching "Lonesome George" on the old Admiral (don't remember Admiral, either, do you?) in glorious...
It's interesting that a Les Paul is so often judged by the amount and intensity of the figuring in the maple top. A wild flame top can add $100,000 or more to the price of a burst. When most players and collectors of...
Conversions aren't for everybody. To someone with a lot of disposable funds, it's not something to consider as it's not what it is trying to be. A burst is a burst and all of the mystique and history and legendary tone...
You don't see a lot of copies of George Harrison's Les Paul known to all as "Lucy". You can read about the original on my ES-335 blog at www.es-335.com. There are lots of ways to make a Les Paul conversion. One of the...
There are about a dozen different ways to convert a Les Paul of any type to look like a burst. The range in prices is as wide as the techniques for doing the conversions. If you simply want a guitar that looks like a...
Not all conversions are created equal. In fact of all guitar types and iterations, none has the range of a "Les Paul Conversion". It can be a beat up Junior with a new maple top and all repro parts-cost you maybe...
It seems that all things Gibson from 1959 are in demand (and with good reason). But if you're looking for a 59 Les Paul Special, you need to be aware of the various incarnations of 59. They are absolutely not created...
Super clean midyear 1958 5E9A Fender Tremolux. These are sleepers in the tweed lineup for sure. The Bassmans and the Deluxes get the glory whereas the Tremolux often gets a yawn. Think of it as a Deluxe with a lot more...
57 four input 5F6 Fender Bassman. This is the one with the unusual mercury vapor rectifier tube. Rectifier tubes last a long time and if you need another they are readily available online contrary to conventional...
This might be the coolest guitar I've ever had. It is the only slab body NY pickup Coronet I've ever seen in any color other than black (which is also über cool). I rarely make use of the term "mint" but this guitar...
Epiphone guitars have been built in Asia for the past 55 years so it's hard to convince Gen X, Y, Z and Millennials that once upon a time Epiphone was a revered name among guitar makers. Even after they hit serious...
When I started taking guitar lessons when I was 12, my teacher was an old Italian gentleman who only played (and only taught) jazz. He would teach me blues or rock but he was pretty much the only teacher in town in...
There's a few good reasons why you don't see a whole lot of stop tail 59 blonde 335's. First they only made a total of 71 of them in 59 and probably close to half of them are Bigsbys. I'm sure a few got refinished and a...
Here's a double guard 1957 J-200. Before you write to me to tell me the bass side guard was added later, you should know that there are a number of these J200's with unmatched guards out there. It seems odd that Gibson...
It's getting a lot harder to find original tweed Bassmans so maybe instead of concentrating on the well regarded 5F6-A's that have gotten kind of pricey if original, you might want to look at the very underrated 5E6....
Funny how the Les Paul ended up being a $400,000 guitar while the average Duo Jet sells for under $10K. Gretsch designed the Duo Jet in 1953 to compete directly with Gibsons gold top just released in 1952. I have lately...
I always have a few ES-335's put aside for regular customers who are looking for one. There is usually a 59 that isn't listed anywhere. I also often keep a red 64 available off market as well. Feel free to call to find...