Gibson ES-295 Hollow Body Electric Guitar 1956 - All Gold

This is a well-weathered vintage ES-295 from our friends at Gibson. Though the all gold 295 is a beautiful instrument, the long trapeze tailpiece renders the instrument difficult to play. This 1956 model has however been retrofitted with a fixed arm Bigsby and aluminum bridge. The work appears to have been done long ago as the Bigsby and bridge combo are a vintage period-correct pairing themselves.

 
This guitar is worn in all the right spots, indicating it has seen extensive playing time on stage. The finish has been oversprayed a bit on the body and neck, we assume to help preserve the gold paint which wears dramatically over time. This guitar also has a "2" stamped on the back of the headstock indicating it is a factory 2nd for a now unclear reason so many decades later. It weighs in at 6lbs 11oz. The neck measures 910 at the 1st and 995 at the 10th.

Beyond the upgraded tailpiece and bridge, and the overspray finish maintenance, this guitar is complete and original with no breaks. The pickups sound wonderful, and the entire instrument resounds when strummed. The top drives easily too. The aluminum bridge has a bit more snap and a brighter attack versus a wooden bridge or ABR-1, but the overall tone is still warm and clear. We can't help but play some rockabilly jams on this one!

With sustain for days and a slinky, easy-to-play feel, this one checks all the boxes for us. Looks great, sounds great, and exudes a vibe. Definitely our favorite ES-295 to date, if we're not talking minty collectible examples. Ships in the original brown Lifton hardshell case.