Image: Kings of Leon 4.jpg: Alterna2 http://www.alterna2.com derivative work: Clusternote, CC BY 3.0 — via Wikimedia Commons
Gibson ES-325
| Category | Strings (semi-hollow electric guitar) |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | USA |
| Classification | guitar |
| Wikipedia | en.wikipedia.org |
| Wikidata | Q5559326 |
Overview
The Gibson ES-325 is a thinline semi-hollow electric guitar produced by Gibson between 1972 and 1979. Built as a simplified, more affordable variant of the , it shares that instrument’s double-cutaway silhouette and semi-hollow construction but features a single f-hole, mini-humbucker pickups, and simplified electronics and cosmetics. The result is a lighter, more midrange-focused cousin of the ES-335.
Origin & History
By the early 1970s Gibson had expanded its ES-family catalogue to include several semi-hollow variants at different price points. The ES-325 occupied a mid-tier slot: less ornate than the ES-345, simpler than the full ES-335, and equipped with mini-humbuckers rather than the full-size humbuckers found on the ES-335. Production continued through the decade before the model was dropped in 1979 as Gibson rationalised its semi-hollow offerings.
How It’s Played
The ES-325 plays like a standard thinline semi-hollow. Its body is slightly lighter than a full ES-335, and the mini-humbuckers give a brighter, tighter voice than the full-size humbuckers found on the flagship model. Players have used it in blues, R&B, jazz, and rock contexts where a focused, articulate voice is preferred over the fuller, warmer sound of the ES-335.
Cultural Significance
Kings of Leon guitarist Matthew Followill has been photographed with an ES-325, bringing some visibility to the model in the 2000s indie-rock scene. Otherwise the model is best known as a quiet 1970s alternative to the ES-335 — a working-musician’s Gibson rather than a headline-grabbing flagship.
Related Instruments
- – the parent model
- Gibson ES-345 – upmarket semi-hollow sibling
- Gibson ES-333 – later simplified ES-335 variant
- Gibson ES-339 – smaller-bodied semi-hollow Gibson
- Gibson 335-S – solid-body 335-style Gibson
Frequently Asked Questions
What pickups does the ES-325 use?
Mini-humbuckers rather than full-size humbuckers.
When was it made?
1972 to 1979.
Is it a hollow body?
Semi-hollow, with a solid centre block like the ES-335.
Image: Gibson ES-325 (Kings of Leon), derivative work by Clusternote from original by Alterna2, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
