The curves are familiar but the finish on this gorgeous 335 is completely unique. A car dealership in Kalamazoo provided the inspiration...
Moving along, we come to a green sunburst ES-335 that, in terms of factory finishes, resembles nothing we’ve ever seen before. It turns out to be yet another product of the close relationship between car paints and guitar design in the 1960s. “
The ‘Mercato Green’ ES-335 was actually made for a guy who owned the Ford Lincoln Mercury dealership four doors down from the Kalamazoo plant. He came in with his own paint, said, ‘Hey, I just bought the brand new ’64 Mustang in this colour, can you paint it?’ and they said, ‘Sure’. They painted it up, so that’s a one-of a-kind guitar.”
As well as the striking finish with its undeniably froggy aura, David also draws our attention to the black plaque behind the guitar’s bridge, bearing the legend ‘Custom Made’, which was shrewdly placed there to cover the post holes for the stop-bar that would have ordinarily have been fitted in the absence of a Bigsby vibrato.
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