When it comes to early Gibson ES-335s, there is always something special about them. But when it comes to a one-owner 1961 ES-335 TD, originally purchased in Belgium and preserved with an exceptional collection of original accessories, it truly feels like the find of the year.
 
This 1961 Gibson ES-335 was purchased by Luis Garcia-Gomez, a local musician, at Persy Music Store, a Brussels music shop established in 1896 and a Gibson official distributor since at least the 1930s.
 
As a Gibson guitar produced for export, it still bears the famous, now barely visible, “Made in the USA” stamp. This should not be confused with the later “Made in USA” stamp that began appearing in the 1970s.
 
A Little History
The Gibson ES-335 was introduced in 1958 and quickly became one of Gibson’s most influential electric guitars. Its semi-hollow construction, combining a hollow body with a solid center block, offered a unique balance of sustain, resonance, and feedback resistance. Early examples from 1958–1961 are particularly sought after by collectors, especially guitars equipped with the original PAF (Patent Applied For) humbuckers.
The ES-335 TD was the two-pickup version, with the “TD” designation referring to the Thinline Double-pickup configuration. During these early years, Gibson was still developing what would become one of its most iconic designs, making well-preserved examples from this period particularly interesting.
 
The Story of Luis and His ES-335
Born to Spanish parents, Luis Garcia-Gomez arrived in Brussels at the age of eight and spent most of his life as a musician. He played in the Brussels twist band Les Frangins, alongside Georges Breval, Luis Gillis, and Bob Bertoli.
 
The band was founded by Georges Breval in 1961 and won the Grand Championnat de Belgique de Twist in 1962.
It was precisely around this time that Luis went to his local music store, Persy, and purchased his sunburst Gibson ES-335, serial number 26321.
 
Les Frangins recorded several EPs and toured extensively. The original Gibson case still carries Sabena and Alitalia airline stickers, providing a wonderful reminder of the guitar's travelling history.
Luis played the guitar throughout his life, making it a genuine one-owner instrument with a documented personal history rather than simply another vintage guitar that has passed through multiple collections.
 
We were fortunate that Luis's daughter decided to part with the instrument while keeping its story and history intact, allowing the guitar to continue its life in the hands of another passionate player.
 
Condition & Originality
The guitar is in very good overall condition, especially considering its age and extensive playing history.
It retains its original PAF pickups with untouched original soldering, as well as its original electronics and original pots.
The guitar received a refret some years ago, making it ready for many more years of playing.
 
The original tuners were replaced years ago with reproduction Kluson Gibson Deluxe tuners, which help keep the guitar properly in tune. The tuner holes have been slightly enlarged to accommodate the replacements.
 
The volume and tone controls are the original 1961 Gibson controls with metal tops.
 
The guitar also retains its original ABR-1 bridge without retainer spring and original stop tailpiece.
There is a very small piece of wood missing from the side of the headstock, only a few millimeters in size. It is purely cosmetic and presents no structural issue whatsoever.
 
Luis also decided to add his name on the truss rod cover to make it even more personal.
 
Perhaps most remarkably, Luis kept an impressive collection of the guitar's original paperwork and accessories in the original Gibson case, including the original hangtag, Excelsior case key, Gibson string pack, inspection tag, Sonomatic hangtag, humbucker setup paper, envelope, and photographs of the band.
 
Specifications
Model: Gibson ES-335 TD
Year: 1961
Finish: Sunburst
Serial number: 26321
Pickups: Original P.A.F. humbuckers, with untouched original soldering
Electronics: Original
Potentiometers: Original pots
Controls: Original Gibson volume and tone controls with metal tops
Bridge: Original ABR-1, without retainer spring
Stop tailpiece: Original
Tuners: Kluson Gibson Deluxe reproduction replacements; tuner holes slightly enlarged
Case: Original Gibson case with yellow interior
Accessories: Original hangtag, Excelsior case key, Gibson string pack, inspection tag, Sonomatic hangtag, humbucker setup paper, original envelope, and band photographs
 
For collectors, the combination of early 1961 specification, original PAFs, original pots and electronics, Belgian provenance, one-owner history, and the surviving case contents makes this a particularly compelling ES-335. It is not simply an early Gibson—it is a piece of Belgian musical history.