This guitar is a commission sale. If you have a high-end or vintage guitar you are interested in selling please contact us.
Here for sale we have a Gibson ES-165 Herb Ellis hollow-body archtop electric guitar in Vintage Sunburst finish. Jazz legend Herb Ellis was famously associated with the 1953 Gibson ES-175 single-pickup archtop electric guitar throughout the majority of his career. The guitar had originally left the factory with a P-90, however this was changed for a PAF humbucker due to feedback issues. In 1991 Gibson released the ES-165 Herb Ellis in tribute to the Jazz great, creating a new model which shared many specifications with his original instrument. The ES-165 Herb Ellis was available until 2013, going through a few different variations over it's 22 year run. In 2004 the 490R humbucker was replaced with a Gibson BJB floating pickup which remained on the spec sheet until the instrument was discontinued. Additionally there was a short lived 'Plus' version which featured two pickups, available between '02 & '04.
Made in the USA in 1998, this guitar features a set-neck construction comprising a Laminated Maple body, Mahogany neck & 20 fret Rosewood fingerboard. Gold hardware is fitted including a zig-zag tailpiece ABR-1 TOM bridge & Grover tuning machines with 'Tulip' buttons. A single Gibson 490R passive humbucking pickup is installed and is wired to master volume & tone controls. The body is handsomely bound in white, whilst the fingerboard is inlaid with MoP split parallelograms, complimenting the beautifully Flamed Maple of the body.
The Mahogany neck plays exceptionally well. The profile is very comfortable, and could be described as a 'Soft C' shape which provides easy reach across the fretboard in all registers. This works in tandem with the 12" fingerboard radius to make jazzy chord voicings and smooth lines feel like a breezy and effortless affair. The single Florentine cutaway body design improves access to the upper register, meaning you can make use of all 20 frets. The shapely lines of the body feel great in the arms and with the arched top and back feel very comfortable in both standing and seated positions.
When plugging the ES-165 Herb Ellis in, it's very easy to see why instruments such as this are favoured by jazz players around the world. The tone is warm and round, yet retains clarity and articulation. Notes chime with a quality that is spacious while also being distinct and bell-like -perfect for both chordal and melodic playing. The single pickup configuration helps to reduce the weight on the top of the instrument, facilitating more vibration and improving the dynamic responsiveness of the instrument. The Laminated construction also makes this guitar resistant to feedback at high volumes, meaning that it is perfect for live situations.
This guitar is a commission sale. If you have a high-end or vintage guitar you are interested in selling please contact us.
Please be aware that for international buyers import fees are not included in our postage and packaging cost, this only covers the cost of the guitar being sent to you. Import fees will be charged by Customs upon the guitar's arrival in the recipient country. Due to Brexit, this also applies to EU buyers. We advise checking the total import cost with Customs as this is not information we are able to accurately provide.
Gibson ES-165 Herb Ellis Vintage Sunburst 1998 Hollow Body Electric Guitar
Brand- Gibson
Model- ES-165 Herb Ellis
Finish- Vintage Sunburst
Year- 1998
Made In- USA
Body- Laminated Maple
Neck- Mahogany
Neck Profile- Rounded Jazz Profile
Fingerboard- Rosewood
Fingerboard Radius- 12"
Frets- 20
Scale Length- 24.75"
Nut Width- 1.6875"
Pickups- Gibson 490R Humbucker
Controls- Master Volume, Master Tone
Our ID: 1121225161780
Weight: 6.8lbs
Serial: 91528325
Aesthetic Condition:
Headstock: Overall very good condition, the rear face demonstrates a professionally repaired crack running through the treble side tuning holes and around the top and bottom edges. This does not pierce through the faceplate and is purely cosmetic. Some finish repair has occurred and the crack is not immediately apparent. The front face demonstrates some scuffing and scratching, most notably to the top bass side edge. Very light finish cracking/checking is apparent along the seam between the faceplate and the headstock, typical of nitro finished guitars.
Neck: Overall very good condition, the rear of the neck demonstrates some very light indentation to the treble side of the profile behind the 6th and 7th frets. Though these can be felt beneath the finger, they are not felt in the playing position. Light scratching is apparent throughout, visible only under direct lighting at certain angles and cannot be discerned beneath the thumb.
Body: Overall very good condition, the front face demonstrates some small indentations that slightly pierce the finish. These can be identified to the treble side lower bout edge and the bass side shoulder. There is a screw hole that has been filled next to the pickup mounting ring, likely from the fitment of a P90 pickup previously. This has been performed to a professional standard. The rear face demonstrates some finish wear and buckle rash to the center of the face. All aspects of the body demonstrate light scratching visible only under direct lighting at certain angles.
Condition of Frets:
The frets demonstrate light signs of use, with some flattening of the crown throughout the register. This does not affect playability. There is considerable material remaining for future fret work.
Current Set Up:
Truss Rod: Fully functional. Truss rod tool (5/16" socket) not included.
Hardware: Fully functional with light signs of use.
Structural: No concerns or issues to note.
Height of the string from the 12th Fret-1.25mm - Bass 1.75mm
Please be aware that the action on a guitar may move slightly in transit and this measurement is the current height.
Strings on Guitar -Thomastik Infield Flatwound 12-50
Electrics:
Fully functional.
Case & Accessories:
Non-original hard case
The case demonstrates moderate signs of use, remaining fully functional. No truss rod tool or documentation included.