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UNPLANNED DOWNTIME: 12th Oct 23:45
FS: (On Hold) Chris Eccleshall Extremely Rare 335 Style Guitar
I have decided to sell my Chris Eccleshall 335 type guitar, due to certain personal reasons, so am putting details of the guitar and some photos, aplogise not great ones, to see what interest there is, but will be very sorry to see it go.
An old friend of mine purchased this in 1992 from PMT when they first opened. I originally tried it back in the 90's and wanted to buy it off him then, but he wasn't selling, so when sometime ago he asked me if I was interested in buying it as he hadn't used it for quite a long time along with quite a few other great guitars he had, so was having a sell up to thin out the herd! So I couldn't resist.
He told me he had previously spoken to Chris Eccleshall about the guitar and wished now, he had asked him to send an email confirming everything, as now it was too late with his sad parsture to life beyond. Chris told him quite a bit about the guitar and, as he recalled to me, that Chris remembered it well and that it was a really lovely guitar and was built for a jazz guitarist in the early 80's who wanted certain requirements including having gibson pickups fitted and a solid maple top, which does tie up with my findings since purchasing the guitar. He also advised that whilst it was well used as obviously played reguarly, that the only work he had done since buying it back in 1992 was having it refreted as the frets were quite worn, so had it refreted by Steve Smith, who I personally knew very well as he was a good friend and a well known lufier and quality builder in Essex and who also built me the most amazing Telecaster, which I would never part with, but who also has sadly departed. The other known work was that the neck had been resprayed, but had been done very sympatheticaly, as some of the wood near the neck join was well worn obviously with use, but it just looks like used clear lacquer from there up to the nut end, so you still see the worness underneath and also just up to the nut end so the serial number etc hasn't been touched, but the neck is now once again lovely to glide up and down on with ease. He also told me when he bought it, there was no case with it so he bought a proper fitted Hiscox case.
In my many many years of playing I have never ever, played a 335 type guitar, apart from an old stereo 60's 345 that someone had and they let me try, that plays and sounds so good, it is truely stunning and I have had/tried quite a few in the past including an early 70's Cherry Red Gibson which I bought new, plus various other s/h Gibsons,Tokais etc over the years, also including a supposed Tokai that belonged to a Mr Peter Green. Though I think the sound of this Eccleshall comes from the solid maple top Chris must have sourced at the time, combined with the Gibson pickups, which appear to be an absolute perfect match.
When I bought the guitar, I had a full set up and also asked, whilst he did this, would he have a look to see if this was a solid top, which he confirmed and also at the underside of both pickups and take pictures of both so I could see what Gibson pickups they were. To my amazment they were early original Tim Shaw PAF Gibson's both made in 1980 and both neck pickups (Ink Stamped 137/12/80, which you can see on the photos) Which maybe also be why it gives the guitar such a great sound being both neck pickups! Whilst they are Gibson pickups, which concour with the original owner specifing he wanted Gibson pickups, these may not be the originals that came with the guitar, as when the tech took the pickups out to have a look he saw that both leads to the pickups had been cut and joined, which he said could have been be a fault to do with the wiring or something or the pickups were changed at a later stage. Either way these Tim Shaw Gibson totally suit this guitar and give it this great unique sound and would have been far superior to a normal 80's gibson pick up at the time.
I did quite a bit of research and actually managed to get in contact with Chris's son earlier this year and also the person who assisted Chris, who now has the remaining records of building his guitars etc, which he advised were in a complete mess but managed to get the ones he had in some sense of order, to find out as much as I could about the guitar.
The details they provided pretty much matched up with the above provided when I bought. As the serial number F 400 on the back of the headstock was the 400 hundreth guitar he had made as was built in 1982 in Ealing London and was a Custom 335 style made for a John Ward. Also according to his assistant, Chris mainly used laminated tops, unless requested otherwise, which he had a stock of and this was a solid maple, plus he also advised that he mostly used Kent Armstrong Sky Pickups at the time. So this was definately a Custom one off for the customer per his requirements, as shown on the inner lable in the F hole. His son also advised me, he had never actually seen a Guitar 335 Style before built by Chris, only a bass, so was quite rare.
As advised this is a very early 335 style guitar made by Chris in 1982, and the quality is second to none, with the two Tim Shaw 80's designed PAF pickups being alone worth £800 plus. This is a players guitar and was obviously well used by the original owner and whoever after, before my friend purchased it ten year's later, but it is, if you have tried many 335 types, probably the best playing and sounding one you will have have heard. It just sings with none of that woolly sort of muffled sound you often hear on the neck pickup. I am looking for around £2,500 which considering it's rareity and that one of his bass 335 shapes sold for £6,800 in 2021 at auction, that is a very fair price. This is a one off C.E. original 335 type guitar and I doubt you will ever see another one.
I won't ship so please don't ask, as it needs to be played and tried and can almost 99% guarantee whoever comes and tries it won't go away empty handed.
I am more than happy to answer any questions etc to anyone genuinely interested, but please no Time Wasters, as I really don't have the time, as have other issues at hand to currently tend with! Thank you
Photos to be posted shortly
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Comments
Was listed here along with a bit of a back story. I think Sharkey335 of this forum helped Chris out, bought some of his equipment and has his original records.
Certainly is, lovely solid flamed maple. I also think that contributes quite a bit to the guitars great sound. Most semis are laminated tops and are easier to build as they just come off the factory shelf ready made, so also obviously a lot cheaper to produce! Though that's not saying laminated tops are inferior, as many have a really good sound and suit the actual guitar being madem, but IMO you can't beat a good solid top that has been source by the lufier to get the best sound, the same as with acoustic guitars.