Gibson Factory Memorabilia: Gibson ES-347 Truss Rod Cover - Kalamazoo Factory Sample (1979)

Living near Nashville has its perks. We’re not far from the Gibson factory and Custom Shop, which means I frequently see boxes of authentic Gibson parts walk through the door. A recent haul included several samples, templates, and new old stock parts from the 1950s through the 1990s.

BEHOLD GIBSON COLLECTORS -- You have found a holy grail! 

Here we have an ES-347 truss rod cover. It is made to fit the notoriously loved/hated Gibson ES-347, the middle, budget child of the ES series. It's known for having nicer features than the 335, but offers lesser tonal qualities than the 355. The 347 was originally made in Kalamazoo starting in 1978, but some later models were made in the Nashville factory. These were not mass-produced, so you don't run into them (or their components) very often.

This one is more than just another piece of plastic, though. If you'll take a look at the back, you'll see some very old masking tape with handwritten notes and a specific date - December 6, 1979. This particular truss rod cover was a sample of the ES-347 truss rod cover, which means it never went into public circulation. This would have been used as an in-factory reference in some of the last years of the Kalamazoo plant's operation!

This is being sold not only as a useable vintage part, but also as a collector's piece for Gibson nuts -- you can have a chance to own THE master truss rod cover for this model! A must-have for your vintage restoration or vintage Gibson memorabilia collection -- if ya need it, ya need it.