GIBSON introduced the 1963 ES-335 BLOCK REISSUE in 1998 as part of the Custom Shop Historic Collection. It is very similar to the Custom Shop 1959 ES-335 Dot reissue - except the neck profile is thinner and of course it has block inlays instead of dots. The 1963 ES-335 model had several refinements on the earlier ES-335s and these are captured in the Custom Shop reissue. Gibson replaced the dot fingerboard inlays with blocks in the 1963 model and at the same time gave the neck a slim profile. This reissue is also true to the original in the following features: one-piece rosewood fingerboard, Kluson Deluxe machine heads, Aniline Dye (on Faded Cherry neck only), Hot Hide Glue Neck Fit, Historic Truss Rod Assembly and accurate body and fingerboard binding. The finish options are faded cherry or vintage sunburst and these instruments are finished using Gibson's VOS process.  The 1963 ES-335 BLOCK REISSUE is similar to the guitar that Eric Clapton  used to great effect in the 1960s.