1967 Gibson ES-355 Mono — A One-of-a-Kind Faded Gold
The Gibson ES-355 was Gibson’s flagship thinline semi-hollow guitar, and while the model itself is highly regarded among vintage Gibson collectors, the mono version is considerably rarer than the familiar stereo/Varitone configuration. Mono ES-355s were available alongside the stereo version but produced in much smaller numbers.
This 1967 example is particularly special because it combines that rare mono specification with a custom color finish: Sparkling Burgundy. The guitar originally left Gibson in its deep, metallic burgundy finish, but decades of exposure to light have transformed much of the front into an extraordinary golden, almost champagne-colored finish. The back, having seen considerably less exposure, retains substantially more of the original red/burgundy color. The result is an ES-355 that appears almost to have a custom gold finish from the front, while simultaneously revealing its original Sparkling Burgundy heritage from the back.
Sparkling Burgundy itself is a scarce finish on ES-355s. Contemporary vintage references note that only a small number of ES-355s are known in colors other than the usual red, making examples in this finish particularly desirable.
What makes this guitar even more remarkable is the extent of the fade: rather than simply becoming a lighter shade of burgundy, the finish has developed into a genuinely unusual gold appearance. There are other faded Sparkling Burgundy Gibsons, but the combination of 1967 ES-355, factory mono specification, and this extreme gold fade is exceptionally unusual.
The guitar retains its original 1967 pots, original frets, and original witch-hat knobs, all valuable details for establishing its period authenticity. The tuners are an old Grover replacement and the vibrato tailpiece (only the tailpiece) as well. The pickups have also been replaced, but interestingly with a matched pair of 1967 Gibson pickups sourced from a 1966 other ES guitar. Thus, while the instrument is not 100% original, the replacement components are period-correct and vintage Gibson parts from the same production year.
It comes with an original 1970s Gibson case.
For the collector who values unusual factory configurations and genuinely individual aging, this is the kind of ES-355 that stands apart from the crowd. A rare mono ES-355 is already special; a 1967 mono ES-355 in Sparkling Burgundy that has naturally faded into a one-of-a-kind gold finish is something altogether different.
Specifications
Model : ES-355 mono
Serial : 904414
Pickups : Patent number 1966 replacment
Pots : original 1967 CTS pots
Knobs : Witch hat model
Tuners : old Grover replacment
Case : Gibson 70s hardcase