John Squire’s 1959 Gibson ES-355TD

It’s unclear exactly when Squire acquired this ES-355, but it likely came during the mid-1990s or early 2000s, when he had both the means and an increased interest in vintage guitars. By the time The Stone Roses reunited in 2012, Squire had built up a collection of vintage pieces, and the 1959 ES-355 was among them—possibly purchased in the 2000s while he was more focused on painting than on active music.

Notable Usage

There aren’t any widely known recordings where the ES-355 can definitively be identified, as Squire didn’t feature it prominently during The Stone Roses’ original run or The Seahorses era, where he mostly played solid-body guitars. However, he was photographed with the ES-355 on various occasions, and it was known to be one of his personal favorites, likely for its aesthetic and historical value.

It’s plausible that he used it behind the scenes for songwriting or studio work in his solo career. His 2002 album Time Changes Everything includes some smoother, bluesy tracks where a semi-hollow could have been a natural fit. During The Stone Roses’ 2012–2017 reunion concerts, fans primarily noted Squire playing Les Pauls and a Stratocaster—it’s unclear if the ES-355 ever made an appearance on stage. That said, its presence in his collection suggests he appreciated the semi-hollow Gibson tone. If he ever played Ten Storey Love Song or Where Angels Play during the reunion, a guitar like the ES-355 would have suited those tracks well.

In 2016, as Squire began thinning out his collection, this ES-355 was put up for sale and described as “one of the most important instruments” in his arsenal—though, naturally, sellers tend to overstate such claims. ^[1]

Also, Northern guitar icons like Noel Gallagher and Johnny Marr have favored ES-355/ES-335 models, so Squire having one put him in good company – it’s a bit of a Mancunian tradition.