In 1962, Gibson made a purely cosmetic change to the ES-335, substituting block inlays for it’s “dot” fingerboard markers.

A rather more significant alteration occured some two years later, with the replacement of the model’s “stop” or “stud” tailpiece with a trapeze-type unit. The solid center block gives the guitar a contemporary sustain than the more “retro” timbre obtained from a hollow-body electric.

This 335 dates from 1968, and has been owned by British jazz guitarist Charles Alexander since the late 1970s. It is also equipped with a bridge pickup, but Alexander prefers to use the neck transducer.