McKay 335 dot neck (2022) with Bavarian Makeover (Florian Jaeger)

Ken McKay has built extraordinary ES-335 ‘tribute’ guitars for nearly 15 years now, using old-school methods and materials that are true to the originals from the Gibson’s ‘Golden Age’. 

This 335 'dot neck' (nr. 106) was built in 2022 according to 1959 specifications, with a neck profile that measures 0.88 inch at the first fret and 1.0 inch at the 12^th. High-end repro hardware was used (bridge, tailpiece and truss rod cover are Area'59, custom-made long pickguard with correct wide bevell, pickups are Throbacks (type SLE-101 MXV, measuring 7.6k in the neck and 8.1k in the bridge position). The switch tip is a genuine catalin tip replica from Barlett Guitar Parts.

The guitar has received a complete makeover by master luthier Florian Jaeger (known for The Bavarian Makeover) in July 2024, which included a new bone nut, repositioning of the bridge and tailpiece (the original holes were plugged with cross-grain maple dowels), reworking of the fingerboard edges, fret end nibs and binding (lightly rolled), correct 50’s style Gibson logo installed, and completely refinished with Florian Jaeger’s ultra-thin nitrocellulose lacquer in a rich amber-colored blonde. The finish and hardware was gracefully aged by Florian, with fine checking of the laquer all over the guitar (hard to photograph), yellowing of the inlays and bindings, small dings on a number of places, etc. All done in a subtle and convincing way, not over-the-top.

The guitar was perfectly set up by Florian as well. It plays, sounds and feels like a genuine vintage guitar. It is very resonant acoustically, and sustains well all over the neck.

The guitar weighs 3.6 kg, and comes in a brown Crossrock hard-shell case. While the guitar was in Florian's workshop for the make-over, the seller got the opportunity to buy a vintage Gibson '59 345-TDN. He simply could not refuse, and he is willing to part with this beautiful instrument to help fund the purchase of the 345.