The Gibson ES series of semi-acoustic guitars (hollow body electric guitars) are manufactured by the Gibson Guitar Corporation.
The letters ES stand for Electric Spanish, to distinguish them from Hawaiian-style lap steel guitars which are played flat on the lap. Many of the original numbers referred to the price, in dollars, of the model. Suffixes in the names indicate additional appointments, for example "T" means "thinline" (a thinner profile than most) while "D" means "double pickup". Many of the models come with f-holes, though some, such as B.B. King's signature Lucille series, are made without f-holes. Some models are full-bodied models, while single- and double-cutaways are also available. Two different styles of cutaways are used, both named by Gibson after Italian cities. Florentine models had a sharper, more pointed end on the cutaway, while more rounded and contoured cutaways were called Venetian style.[1]
Numerous signature models of the ES series exist, as well as some later hybrid models such as the "ES-Les Paul" that combines features of a Gibson Les Paul with those of the ES series.
ES Series guitars were built at Gibson's Memphis, Tennessee factory from 2000 until 2019.[2] After Gibson's change of ownership in 2019, the Memphis factory was closed and production was moved back to Nashville, Tennessee.