Nancy Wilson playing a Gibson ES 335

[IMMusicRulz]

Showcased on ABC-TV's Fridays In Concert series (which was that network's answer to Don Kirshner's Rock Concert), this 1980 clip of Heart (supporting their recent Bebe Le Strange album, as well as its greatest hits compilation) shows Nancy playing a sunburst Gibson ES 335. Now, I have a question to ask---when was this ES 335 manufactured, when did Nancy start using it, what tracks or albums did she use it on and does she still have it? Given that Nancy auctioned off numerous guitars from the Eighties heyday of Heart a few years ago, I hope she does still have it. Howard Leese also played a ES 335, but his was a red finish rather than the sunburst shown here.

Nancy rarely plays a lot of hollowbody electrics. She does play Ovation hollow body guitars, but I have mostly seen her with a 63 Telecaster and a 65 Strat. If anyone has info please let me know.

 

[brookdalebill]

Yeah!
Lucky 335.

 

[greenhornet]

Lord, I haven't seen this since it aired. Was a big Heart fan as a teen...

 

[jayyj]

The clip isn't ideal to ID the guitar from but the pointier horns, block inlays, stop tailpiece and wide bevel pickguard suggest '63-'64 being the likely date for this guitar. The 335 moved to a trapeze tailpiece in Jan '65 and the narrow bevel pickguard phases in around '67 so those features are possibly useful in dating vintage 335s. The horn shape changed a few times in the 60s but got pointy around '63 and stayed that way until '68 (actually getting even pointier for a couple of years).

Obviously many later 335s were drilled for after-market stop bars and calling the wide bevel guard on a couple of tiny glimpses is perhaps ambitious, but it looks like one to me and that's what I'm going with unless someone can scare up a better photo.

 

[1guy]

Wow! Loved them...

The live version of my favorite Heart tune.

 

[ZackyDog]

 

[jayyj]

View attachment 1058839

The horns actually look quite wide in this still, suggesting it's a bit earlier than I thought. '62 was the first year for block inlays and it's definitely earlier than mid '65 but I'd lean towards '62-'63 off this still.