Dating a seventies ES-355

Barenik · Apr 30, 2018

Hallo everybody!
I'm trading on this thinline, and I would be happy to have your help and your opinions.
I'm not sure also about the year, I think it could be maybe a 1975, in red wine or cherry (?) but I really appreciate your comments.

Sorry for the small picture.

Thank youu

latestarter · Apr 30, 2018

Have you played it? These have the most remarkably narrowest nuts! Otherwise, they sound great once you flip a mag.

fakejake · Apr 30, 2018

Just out of curiosity:you just bought a late 60ies 345, right? Are you looking at the 355 as an addition, or is there something about the 345 you dont like and you want to replace it?
Again, just curious! :salude

Barenik · Apr 30, 2018

fakejake said:
Just out of curiosity:you just bought a late 60ies 345, right? Are you looking at the 355 as an addition, or is there something about the 345 you dont like and you want to replace it?
Again, just curious! :salude

No way!
simply in the middle of a gas crisis.
I really love my '68 345, this is only an addiction to my monkey.

Barenik · Apr 30, 2018

latestarter said:
Have you played it? These have the most remarkably narrowest nuts! Otherwise, they sound great once you flip a mag.

Thank you,
No I think I can't have the chance to try before buying.
I thought the nut width could be the same in the mine '68 345, I lost myself with the strange way to measures with inches 1-10/16, 1-9/16 etc so I measure it with the metric sistem and is exactly is 40mm.
I found it very comfortable.

So do you think this one could be narrower?
Because the distance between the strings, yes this is a thing tha could make the difference.

Thank you!

latestarter · Apr 30, 2018

40mm is a hair over 1 9/16ths...so in the right direction.

If you can live with your late 60's one, then this should be similar.

Progrocker111 · May 1, 2018

This serial number in oval pressing was used very shortly as transition only in 1975. The neck should be still mahogany...

latestarter · May 1, 2018

I just realized I didn't answer your question.

My ES-355 from 1975, same as this one, had the serial stamped into the rear of the headstock, and a Made in USA underneath.

Barenik · May 2, 2018

latestarter said:
I just realized I didn't answer your question.

My ES-355 from 1975, same as this one, had the serial stamped into the rear of the headstock, and a Made in USA underneath.

Thank you,
so what do you mean, it's not a 75?
Maybe a '76 (but serial start with 99, has mahoghany neck..)?
let me know!

chasenblues · May 2, 2018

Shouldn't the serial number/model designation be decal of some type on the the back of the headstock?

If the serial # starts with 99 it would be a 75.

Wally · May 2, 2018

Eight digits starting with '99' indicates 1975 as chasenblues notes. Eight digits starting with '00' indicates 1976, and eight digits starting with '11' indicates 1977.
Re: that neck, Ime, the 1970's Thinlnes have the same width as do the narrow necks from the late '60's, However, the depth of the neck is a bit different.....about 1/16"....or .0625". The profile...at least on the '70's that I have checked out....has a bit of a flat in the middle of the profile compared to the fully round profile of the first narrow neck Thinlines. I am 6'5" with fairly long fingers. I have no problem with my '66 ES-345's neck, but I do not care for the shallower profiles that I have seen from the '70's.

Barenik · May 2, 2018

I received in this moment two more pictures from the owner, as I asked him.
Sorry for the american people, the measures are in millimeter.

And the nails of the owner are.. well maybe he's a mechanic.

latestarter · May 4, 2018

What is the serial number? Is it decal, stamped or what? Mine was def a '75, serial 551087, mahog neck etc. Your one might be very early 70's..the photo's aren't showing.

latestarter · May 4, 2018

Wally said:
Eight digits starting with '99' indicates 1975 as chasenblues notes. Eight digits starting with '00' indicates 1976, and eight digits starting with '11' indicates 1977.
Re: that neck, Ime, the 1970's Thinlnes have the same width as do the narrow necks from the late '60's, However, the depth of the neck is a bit different.....about 1/16"....or .0625". The profile...at least on the '70's that I have checked out....has a bit of a flat in the middle of the profile compared to the fully round profile of the first narrow neck Thinlines. I am 6'5" with fairly long fingers. I have no problem with my '66 ES-345's neck, but I do not care for the shallower profiles that I have seen from the '70's.

I agree - the mid 70's ES's had the smallest necks ever. At least the 60's had a roundness to the narrower nut. Everything got smaller and smaller as time went on...until late 70's.

Wally · May 4, 2018

latestarter said:
What is the serial number? Is it decal, stamped or what? Mine was def a '75, serial 551087, mahog neck etc. Your one might be very early 70's..the photo's aren't showing.

Latestarter, I am just curious. How did you determine whether that guitar is a '74 or a '75....pot dates?? I have found that sometimes there is no way to ascertain which one of two or three years in the '70's a specific guitar is.

latestarter · May 6, 2018

Wally said:
Latestarter, I am just curious. How did you determine whether that guitar is a '74 or a '75....pot dates?? I have found that sometimes there is no way to ascertain which one of two or three years in the '70's a specific guitar is.

It's a good point....maybe it was a '74? I purchased it as a '75...but your're right, could well have been earlier. The pots had those covers on them I think.

Dating a seventies ES-355

Barenik

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fakejake

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