A supremely clean example of one of Gibson's rarer hollowbody electrics, this 1956 Gibson ES-135 brings an elevated aesthetic to the classic ES-125 format.
One of the lesser known models to come out of the 1950s, the ES-135 was only produced for a few years. It picks up where the ES-125 left off in some ways; a bound fingerboard and trapezoid inlays replace the more utilitarian stripped-down look of the unbound fingerboard and dot inlays. Beyond that? There's not much else to differentiate from the 125.
This 135 has aged so gracefully, and aside from the tuner buttons (which we replaced in-house), there's little to discuss in terms of any changes. The finish is clean and relatively unfaded with a beautiful sunburst top, and hardware and plastics all have a beautiful patina.
The round C neck profile and original frets offer a smooth, vintage playing experience, and the guitar is nice and lively acoustically, with a woody projection that makes the single P90 pickup respond amazingly well.
Paired with an aftermarket hardshell case.

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