Gibson ES-335

[floatingpickup]

I have a 50th Anniversary ‘63 Reissue ES335 (Memphis, 2013). It looks like the one in your link is basically the same guitar, except for the pickups (the 50th Anniversary came with burstbuckers). I have owned originals from the mid 1960’s and I feel that my Reissue is a very accurate replica of an original. It is stunning to look at with a nice “aged” look due to the VOS treatment. The only thing I’m not sure about is the electronics. I find that the volume rolls off very quickly between 10 and about 8. Below 8, I find the sound a little thin. Also, I find the burstbuckers a little hot, tending to overdrive slightly more than I want for a jazz guitar. These aren’t huge issues - I just have to be careful about my guitar and amp settings, especially in a low volume situation. On louder gigs, the guitar actually performs really well. I notice that the Sixties Cherry one in your link has MHS pickups. I have never tried those, but perhaps that will eliminate this minor issue. That could be an amazing guitar.
Keith

Update to my post: I decided to sell the 50th Anniversaray (‘63 Reissue) ES335. As I mentioned in my original post, the electronics were not really what I am used to. I took the guitar on a few more gigs in rooms where I have played a lot with other guitars, and the 335 just didn’t seem to cut it for me. So, it’s gone now. Too bad, because the look and feel of the guitar was terrific. It had burstbuckers. I have vintage Gibsons with paf’s, patent numbers and t-tops, as well as a couple of Nashville Gibsons with ‘57 classics. They all sound great to me, but the 335 was very different. Maybe the MHS pickups in the newer ones are better.
Keith

[jzucker]

check out some of the quick-n-dirty demos I did of the Seventy Seven Exrubato. I have never played a 335 style guitar that played and sounded as good.

There are more demos on my youtube channel

[znerken]

My 335 is coming real soon. Been a loooong wait. This will be a very special guitar. Now a question, what settings do you use to get jazzy sound out of a 335? Not thinking about changing strings. But the things you can change with knobs :-)

MHS humbuckers and historic Memphis tone circuit.


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[JCat]

My 335 is coming real soon. Been a loooong wait. This will be a very special guitar. Now a question, what settings do you use to get jazzy sound out of a 335? Not thinking about changing strings. But the things you can change with knobs :-)

MHS humbuckers and historic Memphis tone circuit.

I can see you really want a 335 and soon you'll have it, that's good. I already had a semi and played a bunch of 335s before I got the one that's with me today. It's almost 20 years ago and it was my dream guitar. When I got it, I tried to nail a lot of different tones to test the limits of the famous versatility. Some Jazz tones appeared to be out of reach... I learned a lot...cut to the chase:

1. Make sure your amp matches the guitar and the tones you go for and learn how to adjust the guitar.

2. Dial in the amp for the neck pickup, adjust the pickup, try different picks, different string gauges. Keep guitar tone on 10, but try different levels of guitar output. Reiterate and don't stop until you're happy. Now you've got the very best neck tone possible.

3. Adjust the bridge pickup so that it balances the output from the neck pickup. Keep guitar tone on 10 and don't touch the amp settings. Done, ready to go:

4. Set the pickup selector in mid position. Use all four guitar controls to dial in a mix of the two pickups. You now have an almost infinite range of tones. Play over the bridge pickup for great warmth, play near the bridge for a more cutting tone. If you followed the steps above you'll have a good all-round tone when all guitar controls are set to 8 and the switch in mid position. If you want more warmth, start by rolling off some treble and output of the bridge pickup.

Good luck

[Namelyguitar]

M2M is a special program that allows Gibson customers to spec out a custom guitar. In other words, you choose the specifications. Sorry, I had to look it up since I'm not a Gibson owner and/or collector. Some of the readers might benefit since I had to look it up.

[znerken]

M2M is a special program that allows Gibson customers to spec out a custom guitar. In other words, you choose the specifications. Sorry, I had to look it up since I'm not a Gibson owner and/or collector. Some of the readers might benefit since I had to look it up.

It’s over now anyways. Mine is the last batch to be made until further notice. Will be a very special guitar. Last Memphis 335 to be made.


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[BBGuitar]

Why sell the vintage guitar for a new copy?

These days I have GAS for ES 335's and Heritage 555's(like the ebony FB).

Just because it is vintage does not make it better. The fit and finish on my "vintage" Gibson is crap compared to my acoustic Eastman AR610.

Also when it is known you have valuable instruments they tend to get stolen.

[jbear]

I'm fortunate in that I found a niche in collecting guitars over quite a while, so...I have a few. Several of these are semis and hollows, so I'll share. Among the many, the 335's that I have are exceptional and if I were to keep one...it would likely be a 59 VOS RI, but I also am the sort of player that can switch from one neck profile to another without issue. The VOS is a fatty. I have a Dot RI that is very light and has a shallower neck and is also a perfect player. Those are at the higher end of the pricepoint, but there are others that I really like that aren't. One is an 81 Ibby AS100 that is fantastic, but...it's has it's own vibe...a great one but...not a 335. Another Ibby at the not-so-expensive end is an AS103, and with some mods...it's as good as anything out there...especially the neck profile, board, and fretwork. There again...not a 335...has it's own thing and I enjoy playing it. Eastman t165mx that's also pretty crazy good...again...a unique vibe falling in between a hollow and a semi. Hollowbody...I've never played a hollow that spoke to me in the way the 175 59 VOS does...in every way it smokes everything I've had my hands on.
I can go on, but I won't cuz the point is...you HAVE to get your fingers on that board to know what will do it for you, but then...reality shows up...sometimes you just can't. I've traded, bought, and sold and for the most part, I've been really lucky because all of those guitars I just mentioned...could've ended up being average or worse. You may have to just take a chance, but the cool thing is...unless a guitar is damaged or just garbage (not common with expensive instruments...but not unheard of)...you can always move it because someone will dig the things about it that you don't.
Have fun hunting!

[sgosnell]

Vintage is just another word for 'old and used'. Old used guitars are not necessarily better than new ones, nor even as good. But the word vintage alone boosts the price collectors are willing to pay, and thus the price for everyone. It's not a sane situation, but it's what we have to deal with.

[jbear]

Well...are you buying it to play or as an investment? I never buy a guitar for anything other than to play it...if it holds or increases in value...bonus. I can only speak for myself, but value is absolute last thing I would consider in a guitar.

[znerken]

Well...are you buy it to play or as an investment? I never buy a guitar for anything other than to play it...if it holds or increases in value...bonus. I can only speak for myself, but value is absolute last thing I would consider in a guitar.

What if you end up hating the guitar? Always gotta take that into consideration. You never know, no matter how much you tried it.

By the way, look at my ES335 just out of spray booth

Best memphis you can get, as I maxed it out. She looks sexy!

[fep]

I think I'd get an Ibanez 335 style guitar as my jazz guitar.

At a minimum I'd like to get all the sounds I want covered for my entire guitar collection.

Ibanez 335 style - have it
Tele single coil style - have it, a squire tele
Acoustic Dreadnaught - I have that
Acoustic nylon classical style - have it
12 string acoustic - have it
An electric Bass - have it

For me, 6 guitars will cover everything I want to do.