1982 GIBSON ES-347

This guitar is a higher-end ES-series semi-hollow body with features including a coil top and a TP-6 fine-tune tailpiece. 

The toggle switch on the treble horn splits the neck pickup.

The  ES-347 was first produced in late 1978 at the Gibson Kalamazoo plant, Michigan, USA. It was produced in line with the rest of the Gibson ES series, and, as the number suggests, can be placed between the higher end models, the  and . It had a maple body, back, sides and neck, and an ebony fingerboard. Gold-plated parts and block neck inlays. Functionally it was identical to the  of the same period, with the same pickups and circuitry.

According to early publicity (and it was strongly promoted), it was: "extremely versatile", and designed "for those players equally at home with many styles of music". "The ES-347TD offers increased tonal capabilities that include more brightness and sustain".

1980 publicity
Nicknamed the "hot one", the ES-347TD produces "power", "sustain"and "tonal flexibility"!

"Power" from the high output series VII Humbucking pickups
"Sustain" and "Brightness" from the maple center block, brass nut, Sustain Sisters and the maple woods
"Tonal flexibility" from the coil tap switch, tone controls and pickup selector switch

By the late seventies several thinlines (most notably the ES-335TD) were being shipped with a coil-tap switch, to allow the humbucker pickups to function in single-coil mode. This switch was initially placed on the lower cutaway bout (see the first two guitars, above), though this was soon relocated next to the other controls. The third guitar above is an option available first available in 1981; it has chrome plated hardware (initially described as nickel plated in some Gibson literature) instead of gold, and was available in some different finishes at different times, but was otherwise identical.

As previously mentioned, the ES-347TD was a product of the famous Gibson Kalamazoo plant, Michigan, USA however some time in the middle of 1981, production was moved to the newer Nashville facility. The serial number on Kalamazoo-built guitars will have a final three digits numbered between 001 and 499, the Nashville from 500 upwards.

The 1980  advertisement lists Ray Benson (Asleep at the Wheel), Alan Kendall (Bee Gees), Joaquin Lievano (Jean Luc Ponty) and George McCorkle (Marshall Tucker Band) as early ES-347 users.

This guitar is in Good Condition.  Would be Excellent condition but the back is heavily worn and there is a finish crack at the output jack.  It's solid but you can see it up close. Has some misc chips and dings.