Gibson Custom Shop 1959 ES-355 Reissue - British Racing Green

Some guitars don’t just make history — they transmit it across time.

The Gibson Custom Shop 1959 ES-355 Reissue in British Racing Green arrives as part of Gibson’s Greatest Hits II, a curated collection celebrating the most iconic, sought-after creations the Custom Shop has ever launched. This is a flagship model reborn — refined, re-engineered, and finished in a color that feels like it was pulled straight from a parallel universe.

British Racing Green isn’t just rare — it’s otherworldly. Under stage lights it shifts and shimmers, deep and elegant, like a racing craft cutting through the vacuum of space.

The ES-355’s 3-ply maple/poplar/maple semi-hollow body with a solid maple centerblock delivers the perfect balance of resonance and control. Warm, open lows orbit around focused mids, while the highs remain articulate and smooth — ideal for everything from jazz-infused propulsion to high-gain sonic travel.

Wrapped in multi-ply binding and finished in a deep gloss, this instrument reflects Gibson’s peak-era craftsmanship with Custom Shop precision.

The mahogany neck with a medium ’59 C profile is instantly familiar — comfortable, confident, and fast. The long tenon neck joint, assembled with hide glue, ensures maximum transfer of vibration, letting every note bloom and sustain.

An ebony fingerboard provides a glassy, articulate response, adorned with 1950s-pattern mother-of-pearl block inlays, while the headstock is crowned with the Custom Split Diamond — a symbol of Gibson’s highest tier.

Equipped with a pair of Custombucker Alnico 3 pickups, this ES-355 channels the soul of late-’50s PAFs with breathtaking accuracy. Expect rich harmonic complexity, open dynamics, and a touch-sensitive response that reacts instantly to your playing.

From clean, shimmering chordal passages to thick, singing leads, these pickups don’t just amplify sound — they translate intention.

Finished with period-correct details like amber Catalin switch tip, butyrate plastics, bound tortoise pickguard, and black top-hat knobs with dial pointers, this guitar feels like a perfectly preserved artifact from a golden age — yet performs like a modern precision instrument.

Each guitar ships in a Brown/Pink Lifton Reissue 5-Latch Case, complete with Certificate of Authenticity, sealing it as both a player’s instrument and a museum-grade collectible.

Model: 1959 ES-355 Reissue (Greatest Hits II)
Body Construction: Semi-Hollow
Body: 3-Ply Maple/Poplar/Maple
Centerblock: Solid Maple
Body Finish: Gloss 
Body Binding: Multi-Ply
Neck: Mahogany
Fingerboard: Ebony
Fingerboard Inlay/Headstock Inlay: 1950's Pattern Mother of Pearl / Gibson Logo and Custom Split Diamond in Mother of Pearl
Nut: Nylon, 1.69"" 
Neck Profile: Medium "C"
Neck Joint: Long Tenon, Hide Glue Fit 
Frets: Authentic Medium-Jumbo 22 
Truss Rod: Authentic 1950s No-Tube
Radius: 12"
Fingerboard Binding: White, Single Ply 
Scale Length: 24.75"
Bridge Pickup: Custombucker Alnico 3
Neck Pickup: Custombucker Alnico 3
Controls: 2 Volume, 2 Tone, CTS 500K Audio Taper Potentiometers, Paper-in-Oil Capacitors
Pickup Selector: 3-Way Switchcraft
Outpuck Jack: 1/4" Switchcraft
Bridge: ABR-1 (Gold-Plated Brass Saddles)
Tailpiece: Lightweight Aluminum Stop Bar
Hardware Color: Gold 
Pickup Covers:  Authentic Profile Gold Plated Nickel Silver
Strap Buttons: Brass Plastic 
Switchwasher: Silkscreened Cellulose Acetate Butyrate
Pickguard: Bound Tortoise Shell 
Truss Rod Cover: Authentic Stepped 2-Ply 
Switch Tip: Amber Catalin 
Tailpiece: Lightweight Aluminum Stop Bar
Tuning Machines: Grover Kidney  
Mounting Rings:  M69 Cellulose Acetate Butyrate Medium and Tall 
Control Knobs: Black Butyrate Top Hats with Dial Pointers
Case: Brown/Pink Lifton Reissue 5-Latch Case
String Gauge: .010, .013, .017, .026, .036, .046
Accessories: COA
Case: Lifton Reissue 5-Latch