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+1 for the body join: I'll never forget jamming with a guitarist who had a semi-hollow of a similar vintage. Looked and sounded lovely, but he explained he had to tune it down something like 2 whole tones because he was worried about the neck lifting off the body! Nothing a decent luthier couldn't fix, but you'd hope it wouldn't be an issue on a 4-grand purchase! Fingers crossed for you.

Great, good tips there @Dad3353 ! Ill make sure to take my toolset. Ill find out about the case. If/when I buy it Ill post photos here Cheers!

Look very carefully at the neck volute, and the body join. Make sure that the truss rod turns (take a small cross-head screwdriver to remove the plate, and a set of Imperial Allen keys...). For such a price, everything should check out; if it's all to your satisfaction that's a fine 'keeper' guitar. Does it have a hard case..?

Thankyou. Im pleased I ran it past you guys first. At least theres nothing obviously fake about it and is probably a legit vintage instrument. If/when I go and try it, is there anything I should check for? Obviously intonation, action, noisy pots. Is there anything I else I should check on a 45 year old instrument?

The 6-figure number and 'Made in USA' stamp started in 1970, with the Memphis factory. It's almost certainly not a '60s guitar; 'best guess' : 1975.

Thanks @ezbass . Ill take a look now. As I say, my confidence in GPT is very low.

This was the look up page I used https://www.gibson.app/serial-number-lookup/gibson

Thanks so much for the useful comments guys. The seller is wanting £4k for it. Ive no idea whether thats suspiciously well priced or not. I did plug the serial number into GPT which said: ====== The serial number 510576 on a Gibson ES-335 is from Gibson’s older 6-digit numbering system, which can be a bit messy—but we can narrow it down. Likely Year Serial numbers in this format (especially starting with 5) are most commonly from: 1965–1967 More specifically: 1965–1966 is the strongest match for this range ====== But of course, I find it hard to believe almost anything GPT spews out. (it gets so much stuff wrong!) The seller is an hours drive away. So its almost close enough to take a punt and go over to try it out. But then I think whether Id be better off just buying a new 1960's/1970's reissue of an ES355, which I can get in the exact colour, has a warranty on parts etc... But I am after my 'forever' guitar, and if that happens to be a genuine 60's 355 which plays wonderfully, then that would be epic!

Everything looks ok about it except, as you say, that serial number (and maybe the knobs), which is not only wrong for that style or era of Gibson, but the stamp looks clumsy and lumpen. Those inlays are definitely from a 335 of that era, so not an LP ‘board. @jtufty, when in doubt, go without.

There is a new affordable practice generator for guitar players over at https://www.practicepilot.one. I know this because I built it for all of us that need something that isn't expensive or overly complicated. Please feel free to check it out and critique is welcome. First week is free so it cost nothing to check it out. If you like it, great, if not that is ok too. PS! If you sign up but don't like it. You can delete your account. No email or practice data hanging around. Have a nice practice session.

No expert either, but some good info here... How to date a Gibson 335 ... From the laquer checking (and having seen and played 335's from that period...) it certainly looks the part, so, if it plays well, it's a Good Guitar. It would be a delicate job to graft a Les Paul neck onto a 335 body (but not impossible, just difficult and delicate...). If the Price is Right...

Hmm. I'm not an expert on Gibsons and their serial numbers, and I certainly don't want to accuse the seller of lying, but something isn't quite adding up. From the info I can find on the headstock serial number, it seems it should either be a 1955 LP Standard from the Gibson Custom Shop, or possibly a LP Classic built between '89 and 2014! Obviously it's not a Les Paul, and we know that the body is a genuine Gibson - it certainly looks like it could be original '70s from the picture! The serial number is the only thing that gives me pause for thought. Could the neck have been replaced with a LP neck? It certainly looks like a nice bit of kit, whatever its origins!

Hi all Im thinking of buying this ES355. The seller says its mid-1970s, is that true? Ive been thinking about getting a modern 1970s reissue, but perhaps I should get the genuine thing? Thanks

Curiouser and curiouser...could it be a sign they're already in serious talks with a buyer behind the scenes? Or maybe a buyer has made an offer to take on just the pedal range?

US Masters ‘Super T Hollow’ in excellent as new condition, and weighing in at only 6lbs 13oz. This was over £2000 when new. I will throw in a hard case with the guitar for free. I am open to sensible offers but I'm not interested in trades. I will ship at cost with a fully insured courier (the price will depend on the shipping location,) the price of shipping will be added to the purchase price. Cash or bank transfer please. It’s hard to find the specifications for this unique guitar but I kept the sales brochure when I purchased it, the pictures of which are included for a full description. The main points are: Birdseye Maple neck Flame Maple top Mahogany body Pao Ferro fingerboard Sperzel locking tuners

Mint condition with no issues aesthetically or electrically. I never make use of the SA capability of this guitar (I have a Roland GR unit available for sale separate) and I've just bought the TL non-synth version of this guitar. Can be played as an acoustic (piezo), electric (mag pup) or blended PLUS you can use the synth option and use that independant or blended. Luthier: Godin Top: Maple Back and sides: Maple Scale: 647,5 mm Nut: 43 mm Pickup: Godin GJN1 Mini Humbucker Output: Humbucker, Bridge/Mix, 13-pin output. Besides the magnetic GJN1 mini humbucker on the neck, the Jazz SA also has a hexaphonic piezo in the Tune-o-Matic Bridge. This not only provides authentic acoustic sounds but also supplies the 13-pin synth output with a signal. On the output side there are three options: The lower jack socket is for the humbucker, the upper one for the piezo and in the middle is the 13-pin synth connector. If the Godin Jazz is used with a jack cable only, both pickups are connected to the upper connector and the volume control of the piezo becomes a crossfade control in this configuration. Other controls include a 3-band EQ for the piezo (plus a selector switch for the mids) and volume and tone for the magnetic pickup. While the humbucker sounds very full and jazzy, the piezo, moderately blended, provides the sound with definition, attack and assertiveness or, in combination with the two pickups, provides strat-like sounds. Based NE24 UK and happy to drop off local or box up for UK postage; any trial welcome.

I'm only selling as I've bought the exact same model in TL format. The 5th Avenue CW Kingpin II Vintage Burst features a cutaway body design with two Godin Kingpin P90 pickups, delivering classic vintage tone with clarity and character. Inspired by 1950s archtop guitars, it combines dynamic tone and modern playability. Made from Canadian Wild Cherry, it has an arched top and back, an adjustable bridge, F-holes, a floating pickguard, and a satin finish, offering a sophisticated yet affordable instrument. Perfect for blues, jazz, or even rock, it excels both acoustically and electrically. All round good condition other than 2 small marks on the rear (see pics). The satin finish on this is nitro thin; this helps with tone but is susceptible to dings. No trades but happy to drop off local (located NE24 UK) or to box up for shipping (UK only). https://godinguitars.com/product/5th-avenue-cw-kingpin-ii-vintage-burst/

I have it at the same height as it is when I'm sitting down. So the neck is above belt height. It is pretty comfortable higher up though but I get back ache after a while. Even Mark King wears his lower these days. What screwed me up was learning fills with my non-dominant hand leading. And I had microfractures in my wrists from playing volleyball which felt a bit like rheumatoid arthritis so I turned to bass instead. IME, it's about how you visualise the actions. If you focus on a single movement for each of your limbs individually, it's a lot harder than focusing on a single movement for your whole body. Same for singing and playing, as a whole body movement I sing and play as a single motion, not as two separate ones that have to be coordinated.

I'm right handed, but @EdwardMarlowe might remember our music teacher in school telling me off for playing the recorder left handed

All, I recently created a few iOS (not Android ) apps for my own use that filled a gap in terms of my having quick access to the tools that I want to use with my own guitar journey. I liked them so much, that I decided to put them on the Apple App Store: Guitar Toolkit https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/gtk-guitar-toolkit/id6749509640 A set of tools that I find useful, and still use today: Tuner Metronome Scales - around 100 different scale types together with a visualisation of these on a fretboard Circle of Fifths - interactive CoF tool allowing you to choose your root, and determine your diatonically related chords Position finder - Want to play in a specific key, but in a place on the fretboard that suits you? Want to play without having to slide your hand up and down the fretboard? Use this Mode converter - convert from one musical mode to another in any key Note practice - use this to help you practice and become intimate with where every note is across the entire fretboard. Hear the note as it sounds on your guitar and choose a speed that suits you Triad practice - some idea as note practice. Pick your string sets, inversions and chords. Practice at a speed and range of chords that suits you. Chord master - work out how to play a specific chord, or find the name of a combination of strings/frets Chord Transposer - take an existing set of chords for a song, and just pick a new key to play it in. It will transpose every chord. A comprehensive song book app: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/gtk-songbook/id6759207277 Imports ChordPro songs from cloud storage Transpose your songs into different keys. Different views including Nashville Notation Link your chordpro songs with your device music library and play along. Has an autoplay function that allows you to customise speed. Has a visual metronome Has song/genre categories and allows you to create multiple songlists for gigs Export and share your songs with other GTK-Songbook users. A comprehensive chord database (~1200 guitar chords) and ~1200 piano chords. You can also create your own custom chords. Good backup and restore allowing you to migrate to other devices. Comprehensive help manual. All offline, not relying on any online services.

I reckon I've seen this fella, maybe with The Cavern Beatles? He was playing perfectly well left-handed but when he grabbed the acoustic guitar for 'Yesterday' it was a righty and he played it as intended. "Aha! He's a flipper" I thought, and after that I noticed that for some of the more trickier parts on the bass he would use some very subtle slides to help him get his right hand into the correct position a little quicker. Very clever and very talented.

I think it's more a case of just 'doing it', consciously at first, but becoming 'second nature' with practice. When learning to drive, the coordination of throttle, brake, clutch is a conscious task, but becomes automatic, even in a crisis, once experience sets in. It's what one learns first that dictates, mostly; it's the hippocampus in the brain that holds learned memory from an early age. Repetition of gestes become unconscious reflexes after a while, and can be difficult to erase, or re-programme. It can be done, though, as a conscious effort at first. Amputees re-learn motor skills in this fashion.

I imagined it's especially fun if you've reversed the left / right mouse buttons! I played piano before guitar. Sadly I didn't keep it up and I've lost what little I had... back in those days, it was something I was encouraged into, really, having been raised culturally middle class: piano was "respectable" and would look good on my university application (on the other side of that fence, I now know how laughable 99% of what kids get told about what matters, or is even looked at, on those applications really is). Alas, I just wasn't really into anything at the timed that made piano or keys appeal. (That came later - both classical and Jerry Lee Lewis). For me, funnily enough, the actions of the two hands felt very natural in the transfer to guitar. Interesting what transfers and what doesn't. I often wonder whether there's anyone plays both drums and organ - with both of those involving coordinating the hands and the feet...

Yeah, possibly, and I suspect the aforementioned keyboard playing had something to do with it. I used to be "more" left-handed (I agree with the idea that it's a spectrum) - for years, I couldn't tie shoelaces, until my left-handed uncle showed me how to do it. Keys came a few years later, and I'm sure they helped to strengthen my right hand. Funnily enough, I also got used to using a mouse right-handed, as the home computer was set up that way for the rest of the family. But then maybe 15 years ago, I sprained that wrist, and switched to left-handed. I don't believe I've looked back...much to the annoyance of any right-handers sharing a computer with me!

You.... you... you Quisling! I kid. I kid. Sorta. Do you wear the bass on your chest a la Mark King? I gauge all bass-wearing heights on a scale of Mark King to DeeDee Ramone. I'm a solid Paul Simonon / Glen Matlock (though I play it a lot more like DeeDee/Lemmy: Bass as rhythm guitar!). I can see a lot of sense in playing drums "right handed" (didn't Ringo do that as a lefty?), given drummers more often than anyone end up using somebody else's / house kit. In terms of people playing against their natural orientation, a fun one I heard of was a right handed player who was working on relearning bass left handed, because he was Paul in a Beatles tribute act and wanted to improve the visual illusion. That was some dedication! Reckon you might be a bit ambidextrous? I'm very hardwired as a left hander, but honestly I think there are more people out there who vary other hands for different tasks than normally gets credited. It's more a spectrum than a binary, I think. Funnily enough, I've always used a mouse in my right hand, which makes perfect sense to me for that sort of movement as it's my fretting hand. One day I'd love to have a house where I had room for a kit. It's not affording the kit that holds med back from trying the drums, it's having somewhere I can both set up and play the damn thing... Sounds like your brother went the Dick Dale approach to learning.