Vintage 1969 ES-335 12-String - Gloss

Sonic Evaluation

My goodness, this ES-335 is one of those guitars that make my day go off the rails! I sit down with it, promising myself I'll just play a few chords and riffs to get an idea of how it sounds to do this right up, then I get lost. When I finally snap out of it, my lunch break has long since passed, I have eighteen tasks left undone, my coworkers are made at me, and several things are on fire. I jest, but only slightly--this exceedingly rare black '69 ES-335 12-string will take you far away from the cares of your everyday life. 

If you read our site regularly, you know that I (Trevor, Wildwood's resident copywriter) learned how to play on a 12-string because it's what I had at the time. So, they are near and dear to me, and that may be why it made my heartstrings resonate so forcefully. I do believe it's my favorite electric 12-string of all time, and it's on my Mount Rushmore of all-time electrics, regardless of how many strings they have. 

In concrete terms, I think I love this guitar so much because I love jangle, sparkle, and chime, and this guitar has those in spades. However, what sets it apart is how much it has going on underneath. It has a meaty, rich, expansive midrange, and beefy low-end presence, too, filling the sonic spectrum in a way I've never experienced with a twelve string. It has all the fatness of a great ES-335 and all the jangle of a Rickenbacker 12, an irresistible combination that ensures this guitar will haunt me for years after it finds its new home. 

The bridge pickup is muscular but focused, with sparkle and chime that are second to none. The neck pickup has a broader EQ, and it sounds warmer and woodier but maintains nearly the same level of articulation and clarity as the bridge pickup. The middle position is blissful harmony between the two. 

If you're looking for an electric twelve-string, this guitar is the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I have no doubt you'll love it as much as I do! 

Condition Report

This rare ES-335 12-string is in fantastic shape! It shows typical vintage wear: scrapes, scratches, dings, chips, checking, and other various war wounds, but nothing too big, just honest playwear. It looks completely original to boot! The frets show moderate wear that verges on heavy in spots (always a sign that vintage guitar is hard to put down!) and they measure .103 inches by .028 inches. The pickups sound amazing, and their output measures 7.85k in the neck and 7.25k in the bridge. To top it off, it comes with its original hardshell case! 

• Serial Number

  851175

• Brand Name

  Gibson

• Model

  Vintage 1969 ES-335 12-String

• Finish Color

  Black

• Finish Type

  Gloss Lacquer

• Weight

  8.12 lbs.

• Body Wood

  Laminated Maple Semi-Hollow

• Binding

  Single-Ply on Top, Back and Fingerboard

• Neck Dimensions

  .780 1st - .960 12th

• Neck Wood

  Mahogany

• Fingerboard Wood

  Rosewood

• Fingerboard Radius

  12"

• Fingerboard Inlays

  Pearl Blocks

• Frets

  20

• Scale Length

  24 3/4"

• Nut Material

  Nylon

• Width at Nut

  1.571”

• Center Block

  Maple

• Pickups

  Gibson Humbuckers

• Controls

  Bridge Volume and Tone, Neck Volume and Tone, 3-way Pickup Toggle

• Saddle

  Nylon

• Tailpiece

  Floating

• Hardware

  Chrome

• Tuners

  Kluson Deluxe

• bridge

  ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic

• Pickguard

  Black/White/Black/White, Wide Bevel

• Unique Features

  Custom Truss Rod Cover

• Case Candy

  Vintage Strap Included

• Case

  Original Hardshell Case