Gibson | ES-355 Memphis VOS Maestro

The ES-355TD (Thinline semi-hollow, Double pickups) was at the top of Gibson’s range of thinline semi-hollowbody electric guitars. It was manufactured from 1958 to 1982, fitted with the Varitone Stereo option (SV), as the ES-355TD-SV released in 1959.

The headstock has a split-diamond inlay rather than the smaller crown inlay on the 335/345, in addition to a multiple-layered binding. The fingerboard inlays are inlaid mother-of-pearl blocks, beginning at the first position of the fretboard. In addition to the headstock, binding is also applied to the fretboard and both the front and the back edges of the body. Rather than the rosewood fretboard on a 335 or 345, both variations of the 355 have an ebony fingerboard for a ‘smoother’ sound. Reissues use a richlite fingerboard. Early models of Epiphone’s limited edition budget version had an ebony fingerboard but the later issues had a rosewood board.

The ES-355 was available with a Vibrola vibrato unit or a Bigsby vibrato tailpiece. It was also available with a stereo output and Varitone tone filter circuitry. When fitted with the optional stereo wiring and Varitone, the model was known as the ES-355TD-SV.