Gibson ES-135 Sunburst (1956)
Hollow-Body · Vintage
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.
| Style | Hollowbody |
| Body | Laminated Maple |
| Finish | Nitrocellulose |
| Color | Sunburst |
| Pickups | Original P90 | 8.12k |
| Electronics | Original |
| Controls | Volume / Tone |
| Bridge | Rosewood w/ Trapeze tailpiece |
| Tuners | Kluson Single-line |
| Pickguard | Original |
| Knobs | Original Bonnet |
| Neck | Mahogany |
| Binding | White |
| Carve | '50s C | .88" @ 1st / .96" @ 9th |
| Fingerboard | Rosewood |
| Radius | 12" |
| Inlays | Trapezoid |
| Frets | Original |
| Nut | Original |
| Scale Length | 24 3/4" |
| Serial # | FON V7411 8 |
| Weight | 5lbs 15oz |
| Case | Hardshell |
Every instrument is thoroughly checked and set up before shipping fully insured via UPS with tracking to your door. We reuse boxes and materials to cut waste when they meet our protection standard.
Inspect it, play it, and if it isn't right, contact us within 48 hours of delivery to arrange a return or one-time exchange. Returns are subject to a 5% restocking fee, and the buyer covers shipping both ways.
Pricing
We price vintage instruments using current market trends and our extensive in-house sales history, ensuring each piece is accurately valued and fairly positioned.
Tasteful Restoration
When restoration is needed, we approach it with respect and restraint - always in service of preserving the instrument’s integrity and extending its musical life for decades to come.
Accurate Listings
Every vintage guitar we list is authenticated by our seasoned team and photographed in high detail, with clear, honest descriptions that show exactly what you’re buying - no surprises.
Shipping
With decades of experience shipping high-value guitars, we know how to pack and protect vintage instruments so they arrive exactly as they should: safe, sound, and ready to play.