Gibson 1959 ES-335 Reissue VN UHA #1

Gibson 1959 ES-335 Reissue VN UHA #1 review

The Gibson 1959 ES-335 Reissue VN UHA #1 is a U.S.-made, Murphy Lab semi-hollow electric guitar finished in Vintage Natural. It has been available since December 2021, carries item number 523009, and is listed at 6,599. The supplied specifications identify it as an ES-Style model, rather than a fully hollowbody guitar. A case and certificate are included; no separate gig bag is listed.

The defining visual detail is the Ultra Heavy Aged finish. Gibson describes this treatment as having extreme playing marks and wear, so visible distress is part of the model's specified appearance, not damage inferred from use. The finish name and color are distinct: Ultra Heavy Aged describes the wear treatment, while Vintage Natural identifies the color. The product is not designated as a limited run.

Body and neck construction

The body is three-ply laminated maple, poplar, and maple, with a maple top. That construction gives a more precise account than the general body and top entries, both of which list maple. The instrument is semi-hollow, though the provided data does not specify the internal bracing or the body's exact cavity layout. Its Royalite binding and five-ply pickguard add further construction details without changing its core ES-335 format.

The mahogany neck meets a rosewood fingerboard with small block inlays and 22 frets. The neck profile is specified as an Authentic Medium "C," and the scale length is 628 mm. These dimensions are useful points of comparison for players evaluating neck shape and string length, but the specification sheet does not provide nut width, fingerboard radius, or neck measurements at particular frets. Those details should be confirmed separately if they are central to a fit decision.

A Holly head veneer completes the headstock specification. The guitar uses vintage-style double-ring tulip tuners, with nickel hardware elsewhere. The supplied information does not give tuner ratios or identify the exact nickel finish treatment, so those details cannot be assessed from the listed specifications alone.

Pickups and controls

The pickup layout is HH, with two Custombucker Alnico III unpotted humbuckers. Gibson also specifies two volume controls, two tone controls, and a three-way toggle switch. The controls provide the conventional arrangement for selecting either pickup or a combination of both, while allowing separate volume and tone adjustment for each pickup. CTS potentiometers and paper-in-oil capacitors are named components in the circuit.

The pickup type and magnet material are stated, but the sheet provides no output readings, coil-winding data, or frequency measurements. "Unpotted" describes the construction of the humbuckers; it does not, on its own, establish how the guitar will respond at a particular volume or with a particular amplifier. For a purchase decision, players who need specific electronic measurements should request those details rather than assume them from the pickup name.

Bridge, tailpiece, and included items

Bridge hardware consists of an ABR-1 bridge and a lightweight aluminum tailpiece. Together with the 628 mm scale and fixed bridge arrangement, these are concrete points of reference for assessing the model against other ES-335-style guitars. No tremolo is fitted. The product listing confirms an included case and certificate, but does not state the case's dimensions, construction, or any additional accessories.

Technical assessment

The specification presents a detailed vintage-inspired configuration: laminated maple and poplar body construction, a mahogany neck, a rosewood fingerboard, Alnico III humbuckers, and period-oriented hardware choices. The Murphy Lab Ultra Heavy Aged finish is likely to be the most decisive visual factor. Buyers should be comfortable with extensive simulated wear, since the stated finish intentionally includes pronounced marks.

There are limits to what the supplied data can establish. It does not include the instrument's weight, setup measurements, neck dimensions beyond the profile description and scale, or individual inspection notes. No customer reviews are available, so there is no buyer feedback to summarize or use as evidence of consistency. This assessment is therefore based strictly on the stated specifications, not on claimed playing impressions or owner reports.

For a player seeking a Gibson ES-335 reissue with a heavily aged Vintage Natural appearance, the listed combination of materials, electronics, and hardware is clearly defined. The practical questions left open are whether the neck dimensions suit the player, how the specific instrument is set up, and whether the pronounced finish wear matches their preferences. The included case and certificate are confirmed; those remaining details warrant direct confirmation before purchase.