A superb 1957 Gibson ES-225TD, finished in a vibrant Sunburst and complete with a ’50s pink-lined Lifton hard case.

The ES-225 is one of those slightly under-the-radar golden-era Gibsons that offers a huge amount of vintage appeal. Produced for a short period between the mid and late 1950s, it sits as a predecessor to the ES-330, combining fully hollow thinline construction, a comfortable single Florentine cutaway body and, in TD form, a pair of P-90 pickups. Despite their rarity, they still represent excellent value compared with many other ’50s Gibsons.

This example presents beautifully, with a strong, vibrant Sunburst finish and excellent overall condition. There are no breaks or repairs, there is no added strap button hole at the heel, which is always nice to see on a guitar of this age. The only real condition point to note is a small superficial split by the jack socket. Otherwise, it's a clean and well-cared-for example with plenty of vintage character.

The neck is a real highlight. It has a gorgeous chunky profile, measuring 42.7mm at the nut, with a depth of 22.9mm at the 1st fret and 25mm at the 10th. It feels substantial in the hand but not cumbersome, and overall this guitar plays effortlessly in part thanks to a pro refret, with the original frets retained in the case.

Hardware includes the original nickel trapeze tailpiece the tuners are repro Klusons, with the original single line tuners retained in the case, albeit without buttons.

The guitar retains its two P-90 pickups, with the bridge pickup having been rewound. Output is very well balanced, with the bridge reading 8.1k and the neck 8.75k. Tonally, it does exactly what a good ’50s hollowbody Gibson should: full, rich and open, with a lovely attack, good sustain and plenty of P-90 bite when pushed. There is warmth and air from the hollow body, but still enough focus and punch to make it a very usable electric guitar; particularly with the heavier bracing under the trapeze making it less susceptible to feedback than it's 330 successor.

All in all, this is a lovely example of a short-lived and very cool golden-era Gibson model. Clean, resonant, great playing and full of character, it offers a great way into ’50s Gibson hollowbody ownership. Complete with a ’50s pink-lined Lifton hard case.