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.
| Gibson ES-225 | |
|---|---|
 1955 Sunburst Gibson ES-225T | |
| Period | 1955–1959 |
| Construction | |
| Body type | hollow |
| Neck joint | Set |
| Scale | 24.75" |
| Woods | |
| Body | maple (laminated) some have mahogany sides -- sunburst models not natural |
| Neck | mahogany |
| Fretboard | rosewood |
| Hardware | |
| Bridge | Les Paul combination bridge/tailpiece |
| Pickup(s) | 1 or 2 P-90s |
| Colors available | |
| tobacco sunburst, natural | |
History
edit
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
editThe 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
editGibson shipped 5,220 of the single pickup ES-225 and 2,754 of the twin pickup models.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b c Duchossoir A R (1998). Gibson Electrics: The Classic Years. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Corporation, p. 229
- ^ Gibson Electric Guitars and Amplifiers, 1958 catalogue. Kalamazoo, Michigan: Gibson, Inc. p.9
- ^ Wheeler T (1992). American Guitars: An Illustrated History. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, p. 139
- ^ Duchossoir A R (1981). Gibson Electrics. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Corporation, p. 112
- ^ Duchossoir A R (1998). Gibson Electrics: The Classic Years. Milwaukee: Hal Leonard Corporation, p. 82