Gibson ES165 Herb Ellis Sunburst 2011

This 2011 Gibson ES165 Herb Ellis was built in the Gibson Custom Shop in Memphis, Tennessee, and it is a slightly special one. Finished in a matte, sanded Vintage Sunburst, with the pickguard, tailpiece and pickup given the same satin treatment, this particular example also wears nickel hardware in place of the model's usual gold, giving it a distinctive, understated look.

The ES165 Herb Ellis is a fully hollow archtop developed as a tribute to the legendary jazz guitarist Herb Ellis, best known for his work with the Oscar Peterson Trio. It takes its cues from the classic Gibson jazz guitars of the fifties and sixties, but keeps things simple and purposeful, with a laminated figured maple top, back and sides, cream binding and elegant pearl split parallelogram inlays.

That fully hollow, all-maple construction gives the guitar a warm, open voice with plenty of acoustic resonance, while the single Lollar Imperial humbucker in the neck position delivers the round, rich jazz tone Herb Ellis made his name with. The Imperial is Lollar's take on the classic PAF, with a beautifully balanced frequency response and a touch more output, and the simple volume and tone controls keep everything focused on pure tone.

The guitar is in excellent condition and, at just 3.1 kg, it is wonderfully light and comfortable to play. The mahogany neck with its rounded C profile, 10" rosewood fingerboard and 24.75" scale makes for an easy, inviting feel, while the Grover Rotomatic tuners, adjustable rosewood bridge and zig-zag tailpiece round out that classic archtop package. It comes complete with a hardshell case and a TFOA Passport.

This instrument has been carefully inspected for condition and playability, then set up to our Gold Standard by a luthier. We make sure it arrives in your hands exactly as it should: sounding its best, playing effortlessly and ready to be enjoyed from the very first note.