Gibson ES-225T Tobacco Sunburst (USED, 1957)

While relatively short-lived among its peers, the Gibson ES-225 model represented the first-ever "thinline" hollowbody electric model for the company. Taking the laminate recipe and shape of the deeper bodied ES-175, the ES-225T delivered a lighter instrument, less appointed, and with a uniquely positioned P90 at the midline of the bridge and fingerboard. The long trapeze tailpiece used in the original Les Paul solidbody and ES-295 models is also employed in the ES-225.

This mid-period example from 1957 is a great, lightweight example with a strong P90 and a great 50s neck. It's got a great acoustic tone with a richness in the low midrange and nice round but bloomy top end. Plugged in, the P90 delivers some robust output but still has a nice bouncy feel with wonderful clarity; it's a perfect pickup to work the volume and tone controls for some added versatility, not to dissimilar from how a great Les Paul Junior behaves. The centered pickup position also provides a great responsive balance, allowing the player to dictate more of the voice by way of pick location and attack. You can understand why Gibson continued to use this method in the ES-125 and ES-330 models that followed.

The long trapeze tailpiece imparts a unique and distinctive feel to the playability, adding some slinkiness even with a set of 11-49 strings, but still retains enough tension to drive the guitar with a little more attack and authority.

Not quite an ES-175 and not yet an ES-330, this 1957 Gibson ES-225T hits a nice sweet spot in the vintage hollowbody electric market, providing the player with 50s Gibson voice and feel at a great value.

Condition: Very Good+. The original Tobacco Sunburst remains mostly unfaded with some beautiful lacquer checking throughout. There is light to moderate play wear through out, mostly typical of a guitar this age that's been played but well-maintained. The pickup, tailpiece, electronics, and pickguard are original to the guitar. The original frets play very well. The tuners are modern vintage-style replacements and the truss rod cover has also been replaced. There's an old strap button hole on the upper bass side just off the heck heel that was abandoned for a button on the rear of the body underneath the neck heel.

Priced with non-original D'Angelico hardshell case.

• Maple laminate body w/ Tobacco Sunburst finish
• Mahogany neck with bound Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard
• Mid/late 50s neck profile
• Profile Measurements: .94" @ 1st fret / .99" @ 10th fret
• Original P90 pickup - 10.87k output
• Original wiring harness
• Original Les Paul long trapeze tailpiece
• Replacement tuners
• Replaced truss rod cover
• Weight: 5lb 8oz