Used 2004 Gibson Memphis Herb Ellis ES-165

Sonic Evaluation

Wildwoodians, if you're not familiar with Herb Ellis's work as a bandleader or as Oscar Peterson's sideman, you're missing out on some of the greatest jazz ever recorded! This signature model of his from 2004 is also one of the sweetest-sounding hollowbodies I've ever played. I was astonished at its blend of woody, warmth and crystalline purity and clarity. Even the most complex finger-tweaking chords ring out with beautiful clarity thanks to this serial's impeccable string separation, so there's no limit to how far you can expand your harmonic vocabulary.

Overall, everything sounds righteously smooth and glassy, with expansive midrange response and dry, clear, thumping lows that will rattle your fillings and fat, meaty trebles. Fluid chord work is an absolute joy, and lead lines have tons of weight and presence. Beyond that, this serial also has fantastic dynamic range--I was able to coax a wide variety of different tone colors out of it through a clean map just by altering my right hand's velocity.

If you're looking for a spectacular jazz box, I have no doubt that this Herb Ellis ES-165 will wow you as much as it did me!

Condition Report

This Herb Ellis ES-165 is in superb shape! It has clearly been played but also loved and taken care of. You can see light-to-moderate signs of normal use, and there are no large dings or scratches, but a few spots around the edges of the headstock are missing some color. There are some areas of checking, too: around the logo, at the binding seams, in the nut area, and most noticeably on the headstock veneer and around the neck heel. However, it's all finish-level and does not affect the guitar's structural integrity at all. Beyond that, the hardware has tarnished mildly and the volume knob has some mild cracks. The frets have been re-crowned, and they look fantastic with virtually no wear, measuring .89 by .045 inches. To top it off, it comes with its original hardshell case.

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