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Sold - 2003 Gibson ES333 Natural £1500 - Sold - Epiphone Wilshire £230
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2003 Gibson ES333 in natural, great condition, inc Gibson brown hardcase.
Being a huge Steve Marriott I always fancied a nice natural ES335 like he used in his latter years.
I had a look at a few standards, custom shops models and even a Rusty Anderson but none really did it for me.
I stumbled upon this one and loved it from the off, it's basically a ES335 but without the headstock overlay and a very useful control panel on the back. I am not sure why all ES guitars don't come with this, it just makes it so much easier to change pickups etc.
This one suffers from a little lacquer lifting on the headstock, from research this is quite common on late 90's early noughties Gibsons, it never bothered me enough to get it sorted, it kind of goes with the story of the guitar.
Neck is quite a skinny 60's profile and sports a very nice dark rosewood fingerboard.
Pickups covers and pickguard added before I purchased, presumably to make it a little more ES335 in appearance.
With the back access panel, pickup and harness changes are very quick and easy, no fishing wires and pots through the F-holes.
As far as I can tell all parts are original apart from the gold knobs, the original black knobs will be included in sale.
Collection from the Southampton / Portsmouth area preferred, could meet at a reasonable distance.
Comments
Let put it this way, if I wanted another one and saw this for £1500 I would defiantly buy it!
As previously stated, I am a huge Marriott fan and when Epiphone reissued the Coronet/Wilshire/Crestwood in the 3x3 headstock and symmetrical body shape I knew I had to have one.
Looked everywhere for a Coronet but there were none available so with a impatient click I purchased this Epiphone Wilshire.
I thought it may quench my thirst until I found a Coronet.
That it did and turned out to be a very respectable guitar indeed. I was intending just to hang it up on the wall and look at it but it became the guitar I used to reach for more than others.
Quite a chunky neck profile, very nice sounding P90’s 2-piece mahogany body, one piece mahogany neck and nickel hardware, its actually a really nice guitar.
I knocked the overly shiny finish back a little, replaced the wiring harness with a Six String Supplies SG harness and it was good to go.
I have had different tuners on at one point, and a extra strap button on the horn ( holes filled )
So I managed to find a Coronet a while later, changed EVERYTHING on it but it still doesn’t sound and play as well as the Wilshire! Oh well, the Coronet is THE Marriott guitar so I am keeping that.
I have no case or gig bag for it but I do have the original inner and outer shipping boxes.
£230