A quest for the Gibson ES-350N 1952
People who know me are aware of my love for vintage hollowbody guitars. I always wanted to own a Gibson ES-350 Natural from 1952. The ES-350 is a rare guitar and wanted amongst guitarists and collectors alike. In 1952 only 67 of these guitars left the Gibson-factory. What are the odds that I would find one for my collection?
When the production of Gibson guitars was resumed after the Second World War, Gibson released a cutaway version of the ES-300 and called it the ES350 Premier. ES-300 ontworpen, oftewel de ES-350 Premier.
The ES-350 Premiere was designed with a P90 in the neck-position. In 1949 they added a bridge pickup and the ES-350 was born. The ES-350 was in production until 1956. They then decided to replace the ES-350 by a guitar with a thinner body, and called it the Gibson ES-350T. This specific model is loved by great artists, such as Chuck Berry, Jimmy Page, Tal Farlow and Keith Richards.
After a long and intensive search I finally found the guitar. I was shocked! It turned out to be that the guitar I had been looking for so long was just a half hour drive away.
I immediately went there. Upon arriving I saw a brown lifton case waiting for me. I opened the case and saw a nearly completely original Gibson ES-350. They had only changed the tailpiece because the original had broken, but it is a known defect for these kind of guitars. The tone of the instrument is absolutely incredible. By using the master tone and the two volume knobs you can mix the P90’s and that makes for truly magical combinations. This particular Gibson has a story, as the owner told me. It was owned by a jazz musician who sold it in 1980. The jazz musician in question was Lloyd Davis. He was a true virtuoso and played with renowned artists such as Willis Jackson, Stanley Turrentine and Reuben Wilson. I always like it when a guitar has story!
When the Gibson ES-350N was released the sunburst edition cost around $325 and the natural version around $340. Quite the price at the time! For an additional $39,75 they included a hard shell case. The current value for a mint ES-350N is between $10.00 and $12.500.
Unfortunately, my ES-350 is not for sale. It is the guitar I have always dreamt about. But let me help you! I can help you find the guitar of your dreams too! Contact us and The Guitar Company will help you find the perfect guitar for you.