The collaboration of Gibson and blues-rocker Joe Bonamassa began with a limited run of goldtop Les Paul’s in 2009, followed by a more-affordable Studio version and another Custom Shop version, the latter sporting a beautiful flamed-maple top.
Gibson and Bonamassa have teamed up again to debut a tribute to his treasured ’61 ES-335. With his guitar in-hand, the builders at Gibson whipped out their calipers and did their best to mine the magic of Joe’s original.
The Bonamassa ES-335 has the standard maple/poplar/maple three-ply body, but like Joe’s original ’61, sports a center seam like the two-piece maple top on a Les Paul. Additionally, the Vintage Original Spec (VOS) sunburst finish on it was carefully matched to follow that of his original guitar. The neck is mahogany with a nicely streaked rosewood board and a neck that is .050″ smaller than Gibson’s current 1959 profile. The edges of the fretboard have a very nice rolled feel, and the binding throughout is aged cream. The headstock carries tulip-buttoned TonePros tuners, a holly veneer, and a nylon nut. The aged hardware includes an ABR-1 bridge, and Gibson’s deluxe lightweight aluminum stop bar. The volume and tone controls are from CTS, and the accompanying knobs are period-correct gold with silver-top knobs and a single gold “top hat” knob for the neck pickup’s tone control. Like most current production ES guitars, Joe’s features ’57 Classic humbuckers, but with the addition of aged covers. The Joe Bonamassa ES-335 is only available in sunburst and includes both a custom shop case and certificate of authenticity.
Joe Bonamassa ES-335 Signature
Once you start playing Gibson Custom’s Joe Bonamassa ES-335 Signature semi-hollowbody electric guitar, you’ll have a tough time putting it down. This meticulously-crafted signature model is based on Joe’s 1961 ES-335, one of his favorite guitars. With its gorgeous VOS finish, aged hardware, fast one-piece mahogany neck, ’57 Classic humbuckers, and tune-o-matic bridge, this axe is ready to take your music wherever it wants to go. If you’re an ES-335 fan (and who isn’t?), check out the Gibson Custom Joe Bonamassa ES-335.
Gibson Custom Joe Bonamassa Signature Semi-hollowbody Electric Guitar at a Glance:
- The ES-335 gives you the best features of hollowbody and solidbody guitars in one instrument
- VOS Nitrocellulose lacquer finish and aged hardware for classic looks and sound
- Gibson Custom’s unwavering commitment to quality gives you superb tone and playability
The ES-335 gives you the best features of hollowbody and solidbody guitars in one instrument
The Joe Bonamassa ES-335 Signature is a faithful reproduction of Joe’s 1961 ES-335. The ES-335 electrified the guitar world in the late ’50s and quickly became a favorite axe for all styles of music. A guitar-making stroke of genius, the ‘335 has a solid center block running the full length of the body, to which the top and back are fastened. This gives you the looks and warm resonance of a hollowbody guitar, together with the sustain and feedback immunity of a solidbody. The best of both worlds! Perhaps that’s the reason for the ES-335’s remarkable staying power.
VOS nitrocellulose lacquer finish and aged hardware for classic looks and sound
This Gibson Custom Joe Bonamassa ES-335 Signature wears a gorgeous nitrocellulose lacquer finish with a Custom Shop VOS treatment. Nitro finishes – standard back in the day – are significantly thinner than today’s polyurethane finishes, allowing the guitar to “breathe.” Nitro finishes not only look vintage-y wonderful; they also enhance the instrument’s tonal qualities. But the Custom Shop went even further with the Bonamassa ES-335, giving it their revered VOS (an acronym for Vintage Original Spec) treatment – complete with aged nickel hardware, so you get a guitar with the look and feel of a well-aged classic.
Gibson Custom’s unwavering commitment to quality gives you superb tone and playability
Gibson’s Custom Shop exercises fanatical care in the crafting of its superb guitars. Every Gibson Custom guitar receives an ultra-precise Plek Pro setup, which optimizes the fretboard and nut for incredibly accurate intonation and “just right” feel. Above-deck and under the hood, Custom Shop instruments receive the nth degree of craftsmanship and parts quality. From its vintage-spec CTS pots to its ’57 Classic humbuckers, the Joe Bonamassa Signature ES-335 is designed to give you the ultimate in tone and playability.
Gibson Custom Joe Bonamassa Signature Semi-hollowbody Electric Guitar Features:
- Authentic recreation of Joe’s 1961 ES-335
- Spliced maple/poplar/maple 3-ply body construction; two-piece veneer top
- One-piece mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard with 22 frets and mother-of-pearl dot inlays
- Vintage single-line Tulip button TonePros tuning machines
- Two ’57 Classic humbuckers; CTS pots (two volume, two tone); three-way toggle
- Holly wood headstock veneer with mother-of-pearl “Gibson” and “Crown” inlays
- Tune-o-matic ABR-1 bridge and lightweight aluminum stopbar tailpiece
- VOS nitrocellulose lacquer finish and aged nickel hardware
- Custom Shop Certificate of Authenticity and hardshell case included