Budget 335?

[Tom Karol]

I think I want a budget 335-style guitar - $600-$800 max. (Well, what I really want is a Sadowsky Semi-Hollow, but that's another story!) Any suggestions? Used is perfectly acceptable. Thanks!

[lpdeluxe]

Epiphone Dots and Sheraton IIs are available for that, especially used. I had a Sheraton II for a brief period (I was led into adultery by a blonde 335, which ended our relationship).

I bought an Epiphone rather than another brand because they hew fairly closely to the original Gibson designs. Don't buy one without trying it -- in my experience they are somewhat variable. It's a lot better to buy one that you like the sound of than to swap out pickups, which is a real chore, especially on the Sheraton II, where everything has to enter and leave through the treble f-hole -- which, on the one I had, was too small to admit a full-sized pot. The tech I took it to insisted Epi had wired it up before the top was glued on! In the event, I did it myself, using mini-pots from Stewart-McDonald.

The Dot is easier to rewire than the other (and, sooner or later, you'll be replacing the pots and switch, most likely), due to wider f-holes.

[derek]

Ibanez. I had an AS80 for a while that was just wonderful for $250-$300 used. I wound up giving it to a jazz student several years back. The other way to go would be an Epi Dot. I have a student with one, and it is a very nice guitar also for the $. Happy hunting.

[six6string]

Man I hope the Ibanez AF80 that is "on the way" does the trick for me....got if for under $300 including shipping and case...not made anymore.....hated to buy without the ability to test drive....but not much down side, even if I'm unhappy and have to resell it quickly.

[Squint]

I'm constantly raving about my 1977 Electra X-410 Jazz Strad.


One just went on eBay for around $460 I think. Add some ebony knobs and a new pickguard and have it Plek'd and you've got a very special guitar for a fraction of the Gibby's price tag! Keep an eye out for them. They're not that rare, but they're getting pricier...

[bkdavidson]

I'd second the Sheraton. If you're willing to spend the money, go for it. I had one and did ultimately sell it to get my Gibson ES-135, but I could see myself owning a Sheraton again at some point.

[RoyaleT]

I just acquired an Epi Dot, and reworked all hardware for less than $300. Tuners, all electronics, Duncan Humbuckers, Grapheech nut, bridge and tailpiece in black. I traded a Samick for the Dot, which I find more comfotable, and it was worth the upgrade. Pics...

[jbear]

A few months ago I played a couple of walls of $1,500-$2,500 Gibsons, Heritage, Hofner...and some Epiphones (I had a very nice MIJ Sheraton II a while back). I picked up an Ibanez AS-103 because the finish caught my eye. Not one of those other guitars felt as good in my hands, was as well finished, or sounded better dirty or clean, so...that's the one I picked. I was ready to spend a lot more, but... Anyway, something to try if you want to.

[millman]

Ibanez AS73. I've had mine for two years and its wonderful. At under $400.00 you can even change out the pickups and electronics and still spend less than your listed high end. Try it you might like it.

[woyvel]

Add Epi Lucille to the list. I like the Ibanez Artcores. The AFS75 is thin and lighter than an Epi Dot. You'll have to try it to see if the tone and playability is to your liking when comparing to the 335 clones.

[famousbirds]

I play a MIK Hamer Echotone that is one of the best 335-style guitars I've ever laid hands on.

Paid $400 with case for it.

[randyc]

A reminder of the survey conducted some months back, here are the conclusions:

http://www.jazzguitar.be/forum/guita...-part-2-a.html

[bodidR]

I had a 1968 real Gibson 335. It was MY guitar for many years. Bought it in 1969 from the original owner. I won't tell you what I paid for it, and what I sold it for, but it was better than the stock market. I replaced it with an Epi Sheraton II and love it. Has a wider neck, more glitz than can be comprehended, and it plays better. $300 used. Get one with a three-piece neck and wax potted pickups.

[GuitaRoland]

Originally Posted by Tom Karol

I think I want a budget 335-style guitar - $600-$800 max. (Well, what I really want is a Sadowsky Semi-Hollow, but that's another story!) Any suggestions? Used is perfectly acceptable. Thanks!

I would have a look at the Samick Royale, not exactly a 335 copy but a very nice and affordable semi. Greg Bennett Electric - Royale
If you would like a more full jazz guitar, have a look at the Samick LaSalle. Greg Bennett Electric - LaSalle

I have a Samick Sarc-902 bought 1990 in Columbus Ohio when we visited friends there. A great 335 copy that still is my main guitar for blues and jazz.

Good Luck!

/R

[RoyaleT]

The Samick I traded for the Dot was a Royale 3,( hence my name) which I loved the tone of, but found the size a bit small for me. Nice Duncan designed PUPS, very good in staying in tune, a very versitile axe.

[Tom Karol]

Thanks everyone for the excellent suggestions so far. I'm in no hurry, so I can afford to look around and try stuff. I will let you guys know how it turns out!

[Squint]

+1 on Samick. Haven't tried the Greg Bennetts, but my J-9's were made by Samick for Washburn. Just keep in mind that you can do a lot to upgrade a guitar with new pots, etc... as long as you have a quality platform to start with. Good luck!

[islandfunhouse]

If you are looking in that price range to play jazz, I find the Epiphone Casino (completely hollow) to be a great bargain. Essentially a Gibson 330 styled guitar, it has a very good warm tone for traditional jazz and doesn't have the nasally honk that many 335's have, with their center block. Great for playing jazz gigs outside or in locations where you don't want to take a really expensive archtop. But...if you want the center-blocked 335 honk...the Stadium label guitar is a great bargain...you can pick those up for a few hundred...the import guitars have REALLY improved in the last years.

[Little Jay]

I like the ES330/Casino a lot, being a Grant Green fan...

But for a 'real' ES335 you could also consider an ES333, which is basically the same guitar for half the money.
I recently purchased one (my first Gibson :-) and I already love it to death!

[Tom Karol]

Thanks guys. Here's what I did. See samples in photo - starting from the top ...
I already had the Crafter SA-Bubinga - mislabeled; it's actually the Andes Rosewood model shown in the photo ($600 w/HS case 2 years ago).
I already had the Crafter SAT-TMVS ($600 w/HS case 1 year ago - good, but I liked the SA better).
So, today, at my local hole-in-the-wall music store, I traded the Crafter SAT and the Cube 60 (I only use the Henriksen now) for a new Crafter SEG480TMVS ($700 w/HS case). Gold hardware, real Grovers, Alnico (mfg. unspecified) humbuckers, and it's got a 25.5" scale! It's quite obviously too soon to be objective, but right now I'm a happy camper!
For those of you who don't know - and most people don't - Crafters are really well made Korean guitars. I don't know why they don't market them more aggressively in the USA!

[Squint]

drooool....

[RoyaleT]

Beautiful finish on the new Crafter. Best of luck, enjoy!

[cosmic gumbo]

You can still find an Oscar Schmidt OE30 on ebay for less than $200. Bolt on neck!

[Little Jay]

Congratulations!
I own a Crafter acoustic and I think they make exceptionally well made instruments for what you pay! Didn't know they make a 335-clone, but it looks great!

[Tom Karol]

Update:

All seems to be in order. Everything is solid: no buzzes or rattles, very good initial setup, great neck! Only glitch is pickup polepieces don’t align perfectly under strings, but it seems to be a visual, rather than a sonic, problem. Still need to put on my own preferred strings (but it came with 11’s, which are the gauge I use), and then I’ll fine tune the set-up.

Initial sonic impressions:

I’m only going for traditional Jazz tone with this one, and with the Henriksen set dead flat with volume and reverb @ 9:00, I got it! I haven’t used the Gibson control configuration for quite a while, and the pot taper seems different than what I’m used to.

Here’s what I came up with (neck PU for solos, both PU’s for rhythm):

Neck Volume @ 9, Neck Tone @ 5; Bridge Volume @ 1, Bridge tone @ 5. Seems odd, but works great!

Pickups seem sort of mild – good for Jazz – but perhaps not versatile for more aggressive tones, so maybe it’s not a suitable fusion guitar; sort of sounds more like an ES175 than an ES335. That’s fine by me; this is my Jazz guitar! Bridge pickup alone doesn’t do much for me, but I’ve never liked bridge humbuckers very much; in fact, the only bridge pickup I ever found useful is the Tele bridge pickup.

So, more experimentation is definitely warranted, but I’m diggin’ the Jazztone bigtime! And it looks gorgeous!

[brad4d8]

I've played a few Crafter acoustic flattops, and if they are any indication, you got a good instrument for a good price.
Enjoy it.
Brad

[Steve Z]

Originally Posted by Tom Karol

Here’s what I came up with (neck PU for solos, both PU’s for rhythm):

Neck Volume @ 9, Neck Tone @ 5; Bridge Volume @ 1, Bridge tone @ 5. Seems odd, but works great!

This is actually a very similar setting that I use on my 335 copy to get a nice jazz tone. I agree it seems to be a wacky setting, but it works!


Cheers,
Steve

[jazzrat]

Looks like you got what you were after...but here is my .02 on the subject.
The MIK Ibanez AS80 and As120 guitars are a lot of guitar for the money.
I've had two of them...nice playing guitars with great sounding Custom 58 pickups. My other choice for best buy is the ArtCore Custom As103.
Hate the name and the lightening bolt but what a guitar for pretty short money. I only got rid of mine because I was offered a one-in-a-lifetime guitar in trade.
I was recently in the same boat...looking for a semi...and bought this.
A little hard to find and at the upper end of your price range but one sold
for $750 on E-bay last week.
I got this one a couple days a go. It's an AS180. It is made in the same Fugigen factory as the holy grail AS200. It's just minus the bling.
Great, sounding and playing guitar.

[Squint]

dood, some ebony knobs on that Crafter would really dress her up, but she looks schweet as she is! Well done! Me likee soundholes!

[Tom Karol]

Thanks, but you don't think I should get a set of knobs that look like dice? Or maybe skulls (in gold)?!

Jazzrat, that Ibanez looks real nice, too, but it's only got 'regular' f-holes!