I felt like a bit of a heretic posting this topic and much to my delight discover there are a bunch of OLF’ers with Gibsons in their closet. 
John Mayes the “C” in a ES Gibson 335 TDC model number refers to Cherry finish and thanks for the info and URL for serial numbers. Another source of info is Dr. Duck’s Dating Servie http://www.ducksdeluxe.com/datesvc.html &nb sp;John, I didn’t purchase the eBay listing (as it turns out it was priced okay). I am going to keep looking…………
Brock you were right, I wasn’t accurate with my “dark years” comment. In speaking to a couple of reputable stores in Canada and the U.S. the “dark years” were really from 1969 through 1986 with all the management/ownership/factory location changes. Apparently it was the quality of Gibson flattops that most suffered through this period with the solid body and thinline acoustic/electrics purportedly unaffected but many models were tarred with the same brush. Here’s what a little further research turned up:
•1896 - O.H. Gibson, Manufacturer, Musical Instruments was formed in Kalamazoo, Michigan
•1902 - The Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Manufacturing Company, Limited was later established (Orville Gibson was not one of the founding partners, but had a separate contract to be a consultant and trainer, and was a part owner through a purchase of company stock until his death on August 21,1918 of endocarditis).
•1906 - the company name was changed to Gibson Mandolin Guitar (production started at the famous Parsons Street location in 1917 now home to Heritage).
•1944 - Chicago Musical Instruments (CMI) acquired controlling interest in Gibson and renamed the company CMI Gibson, Inc.
•1969 – 1974 - E.C.L. Industries, Inc. took ownership control of CMI, though CMI management continued to manage Gibson until 1974, when it became a subsidiary of NORLIN Industries which was really ECL/CMI being renamed after E.C.L.’s after H. Norton Stevens, president of E.C.L. and Maurice H. Berlin, president of CMI.
•1974 - a new factory was opened in Nashville, Tennessee
•1980 - main production was switched to Nashville with Kalamazoo becoming the specialty factory (1980 Norlin announced decision to sell Gibson)
•1984 – (June) Kalamazoo closed (closure announced in 1983)
•1986 – Gibson USA formed (with the purchase of Norlin’s interest)
When I look at prices of various vintages of Gibson 335’s, now I understand a little better why the value really changes between 1968 and 1969 and then noticeably drops off with a number of post 1969 models.
As for my question as to my original “why eBay prices are so much higher” tracking some auctions shows that a number of “out of market” 335’s keep getting relisted as no one as of late has been bidding on them. I’ve done a comparison of recent SOLD prices from a number of vintage dealers and they are on average better priced than many of the eBay sellers. What I learned from all this is that if I want a 335 that will appreciate in value, I should be looking at 1968 and prior. As for eBay, it’s a good check as to what is market, but it would probably be wiser to try and work with a couple of vintage dealers.
Notwithstanding what some dealers have told me, I really like the early vintage 1970’s 335’s (like Shane’s). The early 70’s model had to my hand a great feeling one piece Mahogany neck which later was switched to a three piece maple neck in the late 70’s. I have a 1979 and have had no construction quality associated problems with it but really prefer the feeling of the earlier necks.
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