Description:
Up for sale is a 1973 Gibson ES-335TD in great player’s condition.

The Restoration, Finish & Tone Story:
This guitar has an storied history. I bought it in the mid-1980s. The orange decal was already missing at that time and a previous owner had painted the instrument black. Over the years, the guitar sustained a little damage to the back lower bout, it is documented in the pictures; and to bring it back to its former glory, the guitar was carefully sanded down to the bare wood, which beautifully revealed the original factory red underneath. I then then spent weeks meticulously refinishing the guitar to original its original Gibson specifications using professional cherry dye, classic cherry nitrocellulose lacquer, and several protective clear coats of nitrocellulose lacquer. It was an enormous amount of work. No, it was not "professionally" refinished and that is reflected in the price I am asking. Gibson would want 1500.00 to 3,000.00 to refinish it.

Acoustically, this guitar rings a magical tone with these old humbuckers and a dry, aged, woody snap that only 57 years of natural aging can produce. Plugged in, the tone is absolutely amazing. Because it was restored using a thin, historically accurate nitro finish rather than a thick modern poly coat, the vintage wood breathes and vibrates perfectly. The result is a stunning, vibrant finish that looks authentic, feels period-correct, and delivers the ultimate vintage Gibson sonic experience.

 The 1973 Proof:
Is in the pictures. The pots became so corroded, they were unusable, but, fortunately, I saved the original wiring harness and the CTS pot number is clearly stamped into the back of the pot. 13773; 73 being the year. You can see it in the pictures. There is a tiny bit of the very lightly stamped serial number visible on the upper back of the upper neck. Gibson was notoriously poor at issuing, indexing and serial number management back in those days.

Exceptional Market Value

• Affordable Vintage Entry: Norlin-era 335s offer an accessible alternative to hyper-expensive late-50s or 60s golden-era models. They deliver authentic vintage wood and aged electronics for a fraction of the cost.
• Rapidly Appreciating Investment: As players reject the historical internet stigma, these guitars are rising steadily in value. Investors and gigging musicians routinely see them fetch multi-fold returns compared to their original used purchase prices
• The Truth About Norlin-Era 335s: While internet forums love to generalize about the 1970s, player-grade vintage enthusiasts know that the ES-335 actually benefited from this era's structural upgrades.
• Why the '70s 335 Cuts Through: Don't let the corporate history fool you—this era of ES-335 is a tone monster. The structural updates from this period give the guitar an incredible upper-midrange clarity and snappy articulation that you won't find in modern, darker-sounding semi-hollows. It delivers a perfect mix of woody acoustic resonance and biting electric sustain, making it an absolute dream for recording mixes and live stages alike.
• Vintage Tone without the Fragility: Features the era's reinforced headstock volute, protecting the guitar against the notorious Gibson headstock cracks.
• Rock-Solid Tuning Stability: The multi-piece neck construction ensures the wood remains dead-straight and highly resistant to seasonal climate shifts.
• Unbeatable Sonic Clarity: Delivers the famous mid-range punch and articulation that 1970s Gibson semi-hollows are celebrated for.
• Smart Vintage Investment: Authentic, aged vintage tone woods at a fraction of the cost of 1960s models, with values steadily climbing.

Hardware & Electronics:

• Pickups (100% Original): Both humbuckers are the original factory units. The bridge pickup is a spectacular, highly resonant vintage Gibson "T-Top" patent-number humbucker reading a beautifully balanced 7.64k ohms. The neck pickup is also completely original. Both feature their authentic vintage braided metal cable sheathing (detailed photographs of the back of both pickups are included in the listing). They deliver a beautifully clear, articulate neck tone with zero mud, and a sweet, biting bridge punch.
• Original Hardware: The factory Tune-O-Matic bridge and the original multi-ply black pickguard are both present, original to the guitar, and in great shape. As well as the original trapeze bridge.
• Upgraded Pots: The original, worn-out potentiometers have been professionally replaced with premium, high-quality CTS pots. The electronics now perform flawlessly with smooth sweeps and zero scratchiness, completely ready for the stage or studio. (Note: Original pots are included).
• Upgraded Tuners: The tuners have been upgraded to period-appropriate Kluson locking tuners, offering a classic vintage aesthetic while providing vastly superior tuning stability and easier string changes. (Note: Original tuners are not included).
• Headstock & Fretboard: Features the iconic Gibson Crown headstock inlay and elegant pearloid block markers across the fingerboard.
• Nut Width: Measures the classic late-60s narrow 1 9/16 inches, making for an incredibly fast, comfortable, and unique playing experience.
• Tailpiece: Equipped with the original chrome trapeze tailpiece.

Condition & Playability:
Thanks to the upgraded CTS pots and Kluson locking tuners, this guitar is a player's dream—combining undeniable vintage mojo with modern reliability and road-worthy performance. It plays beautifully up and down the neck with a fantastic acoustic ring that translates into pure, articulate vintage bite when plugged in.

• Wear: There is some wear on the back lower bout of the body and some age checking of the nitro as seen in the pictures. This superficial damage has been fully documented with up-close photos for your review. No headstock repairs whatsoever.
• Original Frets; They still work fine but are worn from age. It will need a fret job if you plan on playing it a lot. But this is figured into the price.

• Case: Ships safely housed in a heavy-duty, high-quality SKB flight/transportation hard-shell case for maximum protection.

 Pricing & Value Justification:
Because transparency is paramount when dealing with vintage instruments, this guitar has been priced carefully according to current market standards for "player-grade" vintage Gibson instruments:

• The Valuation: A 100% untouched, collector-grade 1969 ES-335 typically commands premium market pricing.
• The Deductions: In strict accordance with vintage market appraisals, a standard 40% to 50% deduction has been applied to account for the cherry nitro refinish, along with a minor adjustment for the upgraded CTS pots and Kluson locking tuners.
• The Premium Assets: The asking price firmly reflects the presence of the highly sought-after, 100% original patent-number T-Top pickups (which carry immense standalone value), the original factory Tune-O-Matic bridge, the original pickguard, and the premium SKB transport case.

This guitar represents the absolute sweet spot for a player or gigging musician: you get the real 57-year-old tone-woods, the authentic acoustic resonance, and the legendary vintage Gibson electronics at a fraction of the collector guitar pricing. Reasonable offers are welcome, but lowball offers will be politely declined.

Ships securely packaged and fully insured. Don't miss the chance to own a rare, beautifully restored piece of Gibson transition history!