This 1959 Gibson ES 335 came in needing a refret and new nut. Interestingly enough, the factory order number located inside the treble f hole indicated that this guitar was begun in 1958, and hence the smaller fretwire as on other '58s, yet the serial number and bound fingerboard are distinctly features consistent with '59 models. '58 335s had unbound necks with small frets and '59s had bound necks with larger frets. This guitar was another example of how manufacturers such as Gibson and Fender used existing stock until depletion thus making exact dates of specification changes difficult.

The frets were far beyond leveling and recrowning, so I replaced them with the equivalent size, in this case a Martin fretwire with a .0255" tang. The new bone nut was made the same dimensions as an original and treated to a little amber toner to age its appearance. The original tunamatic had no retainer spring or holes for mounting one and the saddles wouldn't stay in place while restringing. The original Klusons had severe head shrinkage and were very fragile. I replaced the hardware with brand new direct fit replacements on the original bridge posts, and with the original screws and ferrules and aged them with a mild acid to match their appearance with the rest of the instruments. The owner was very pleased with the 335's return to its original playability and feel. Another satisfied customer!

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