OKGuitar
Member
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2011
- Messages
- 938
Having stuck my neck out about it not being a factory stop tail, I should add that anything is possible from Gibson during the 60's including a factory stop-wrong position or not. Rumble Seat wouldn't call it factory if they didn't believe it was that. They know their stuff. The fact that he stop and bridge might be nickel doesn't really tell us much. Both parts are easily changed and Gibson was using exclusively chrome parts by then. I might add that the body shape changed as did the size of the f holes in 68 and thats the earlier shape used from late 63 to 67. I'm wondering if it might not be a 68 at all but perhaps a factory stop from 63-early 65 with a later neck. When a guitar went back to Gibson for a re-neck, they often put new parts on it which would explain the witch hat knobs. It would also explain the low inlay on the headstock (late 66 and later) and the later narrow bevel guard. The special order theory is also in play given that it's a Varitone equipped 335. It certainly is possible that its a specially ordered 335-ordered with a stop tail and a Varitone and they simply placed the stop tail a little lower than they would have in 64. I would be interested in having a look at the neck pickup rout and the back of the headstock. I love a good mystery.