Two rare natural Gibson ES-225s

In November 2025, I was contacted by a collector from Hamburg, Germany. He owned two rare natural-finished Gibson ES-225s: a double-pickup model (ES-225TDN) and a single-pickup model (ES-225TN). As the ES-225 is one of my personal favorite Gibson models, I am pleased to have been able to add these guitars to the collection of my shop.

The introduction

The ES-225 was the first thinline hollowbody guitar made by Gibson. The single-pickup version was introduced in 1955, and in 1956 the double-pickup model was added. The guitar features a fully hollow maple body and a mahogany neck, with a bound dot fingerboard and dogear P-90 pickup(s). It is a short-lived model: after the introduction of the ES-330 in 1959, Gibson discontinued production of the ES-225.

Bridge and tailpiece design

One of the most noticeable features of this model is the bridge and tailpiece design. This design was introduced in 1952 for the Les Paul, but due to the shallow neck angle of that model, the strings had to pass underneath the bridge, making palm muting difficult. Fortunately, for the ES-225 (and the ES-295), this is not an issue, and the design works flawlessly. Or better yet, it is a great design.

To me, it is not only the coolest bridge design Gibson ever produced, but it also contributes to greater sustain—especially when compared to a rosewood bridge or even an ABR-1 design, something you would not normally associate with a hollowbody guitar.

Why the ES-225 still matters

Although the ES-225 had a relatively short production run, it plays an important role in Gibson’s electric guitar history. It sits between the larger full-depth archtops of the 1940s and 1950s and the later thinline models such as the ES-330 and ES-335. In many ways, the ES-225 feels like a transitional design, combining familiar archtop construction with ideas that would later define Gibson’s most successful electric models.

The fully hollow maple body gives the guitar a lively, resonant character, while the P-90 pickup(s) add clarity and attack. Compared to an ES-330, the ES-225 often sounds a bit more direct and raw.

The wraparound bridge and tailpiece design also contribute to this character. In addition to offering excellent sustain for a hollowbody guitar, it gives the ES-225 a very immediate feel under the fingers. The guitar responds strongly to picking dynamics, making it equally suitable for clean jazz tones, blues, and more aggressive playing styles.

 

Production totals

Most Gibson ES-225 guitars were finished in sunburst, and only a small number were left natural. The single-pickup ES-225 in natural finish is especially rare. Only 8.7% of ES-225T guitars were finished in natural. Gibson produced a total of 2,752 double-pickup ES-225 guitars, of which approximately 25% (542 instruments) were finished in natural. See the table below.

Availability

Feel free to make an appointment to come by my shop to see and try the two ES 225 TDN/TN guitars (and the rest of the collection). The guitars can also be shipped worldwide. Get in touch with me or buy them buy them here!