Here for sale we have an absolutely stunning Gibson Memphis ES-359 Black Beauty semi-hollow electric guitar in Ebony finish. Made in the Memphis factory in 2018, this guitar was part of a limited run, and is a rare find. The ES-359 is a high end take on the ES-339, with visual enhancements such as the 'Custom' bound headstock with Split Diamond inlay, MoP Block fingerboard inlays, Gold hardware and multi-stripe top purfling. The ES-359 was available between 2008 & 2016, with this special run of 'Black Beauty' models being available for '18 & '19 only. The cease in production of these models coincided with the closure of the Gibson Memphis factory. 
 
Of course featuring a set neck construction, this guitar comprises a Laminated Maple body with Thermally-Treated Maple centre block, Mahogany neck & 22 fret Rosewood fingerboard. Gold hardware is fitted including a Bigsby B-7 vibrato tailpiece, ABR-1 ToM bridge & Grover Rotomatic tuning machines. A trio of Gibson MHS (Memphis Historic Spec) passive humbucking pickups are installed, & wired to a 3-way toggle switch, neck & bridge volume controls, master tone & a middle pickup blend control. The electronics are hand- ired using Gibson's MTC Premiere (Memphis Tone Circuit) with matched pots & Orange Drop capacitors for a vintage-accurate & authentic sound. 
 
The Mahogany neck plays very well, with the Rounded 'C' profile feeling nicely full and articulate in the hand whilst providing a smooth and responsive playing experience in all registers. The Rosewood of the fingerboard with Pearl block inlay feels supremely luxurious under the fingers, whilst the traditional 12" radius ensures comfortable fretting when chord playing as well as practicality for lead lines & solos. The familiar lines of the 339 body design are as comfortable in the arms as ever, allowing plenty of space for easy access to the controls without feeling too large or cumbersome as some players can find with the larger ES-335 design.  
 
Amplified, the trio of Gibson MHS humbuckers work in conjunction with the semi-hollow construction to deliver the full and thick sounds that we all expect from Gibson. The guitar resonates beautifully, filling out the sound with a deep and rich character. The neck pickup is warm and round, and can handle plenty of gain meaning you can achieve anything from jazzy lines through to soaring rock and blues solo tones. The bridge pickup is hotter, driving the front end of an amp with ease and producing the bright, biting tones that cut right through the mix to put your playing front and centre. The extra middle pickup can be blended in any position using the dedicated blend control, offering a wide range of unique tones that are exclusive to the ES-359 Black Beauty.  
 
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.