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Gibson ES-225

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gibson ES-225
1955 Sunburst Gibson ES-225T
Period1955–1959
Construction
Body typehollow
Neck jointSet
Scale24.75"
Woods
Bodymaple (laminated) some have mahogany sides -- sunburst models not natural
Neckmahogany
Fretboardrosewood
Hardware
BridgeLes Paul combination bridge/tailpiece
Pickup(s)1 or 2 P-90s
Colors available
tobacco sunburst, natural

The Gibson ES-225 is a thinline hollowbody electric guitar model produced by the Gibson Guitar Corporation between 1955 and 1959. It is notable as the first thinline hollowbody guitar produced by Gibson.

History

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1957 Gibson ES-225TD - two pickup version

The ES-225 was originally introduced in 1955 as the ES-225T, a thinline hollowbody guitar featuring a Florentine cutaway, the Les Paul combined bridge and tailpiece (also used on the Les Paul from 1952 to 1953 and on the ES-295), a laminated pickguard, and a single P-90 pickup mounted in an unusual position midway between the bridge and the end of the fingerboard. From 1956 the ES-225TD, a twin pickup model with conventional pickup positioning, was also available.Both models had a tobacco sunburst finish, with more expensive natural finish models (ES225TN and ES-225TDN) also available from 1956.[1][2]

Specifications

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The specifications remained the same during the period the guitars were manufactured, with the exception that in 1959 a few guitars were made with separate trapeze-style tailpieces and floating Tune-o-matic bridges.[1]

When the guitar was initially marketed it was the first thinline hollowbody guitar Gibson had produced,[3] preceding the Byrdland and ES-350T models.[4] In 1959 the ES-225 was phased out in favour of the ES-330 and ES-125T models.[5]

Reception

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Gibson shipped 5,220 of the single pickup ES-225 and 2,754 of the twin pickup models.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Duchossoir A R (1998). Gibson Electrics: The Classic Years. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Corporation, p. 229
  2. ^ Gibson Electric Guitars and Amplifiers, 1958 catalogue. Kalamazoo, Michigan: Gibson, Inc. p.9
  3. ^ Wheeler T (1992). American Guitars: An Illustrated History. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, p. 139
  4. ^ Duchossoir A R (1981). Gibson Electrics. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Corporation, p. 112
  5. ^ Duchossoir A R (1998). Gibson Electrics: The Classic Years. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Corporation, p. 82