335 Alternatives - Smaller / Lighter

[ruger9]

Collings Eastside Jazz. 15" lower bout, thinline, fully hollow, sounds great.

Wow, that's a nice one. But then, EVERYTHING Collings is superb.

If I had the means, I'd get the I-35LC myself- WITH the Throbaks: (it's a little smaller than a 335, but not as small as a 339)

[GNAPPI]

The Gibson Pat Martino is close, but no cigar... Back carve, price $2500-$3500, weight a few ounces over 7 pounds.

[NSJ]

Victor Baker 14 inch chambered semi hollow, much lighter in weight. I swapped out the neck pick up for a Jason Lollar Charlie Christian for HB route and now it’s the perfect jazz guitar. Absolutely spot on perfect in every way. It is everything I could want in a six string electric jazz guitar. From the size, comfort to the playability to the sound, absolutely perfect. So good I sold or got rid of most of my arch tops. I only kept two, one and a backup.

[Greco]

What can I say?

I bought these used at very reasonable prices and have been enjoying them for a few years.

[omphalopsychos]

In your budget you will not beat a used collings. Personally, I'd go for something with lollar imperial low winds, but some people like the throbaks. If you like p90s get the collings i30lc.

[HighSnows]

The Gibson Pat Martino is close, but no cigar... Back carve, price $2500-$3500, weight a few ounces over 7 pounds.

Interesting, that's definitely on target, a maple top version of the ES-446 (spruce), and more economical take on the Bennedeto Pat Martino; like the small 14" bout and not bad on weight.

So many great ideas in this thread, thanks!

[HighSnows]

A couple of possibilities:
Comins GCS-1 (maple-topped version)
Godin Montreal Premiere line - several models

Hey DC - one of the guitars you recommended here was the Godin Montreal. I bought a 2014 Special Edition P90's and wow what a nice guitar it is! I can't believe the quality fit and finish of this guitar for the money. Come on, is this guitar not as nicely constructed as a $5K Collings??? Impressed.

Regarding my original intentions of finding a smaller, lighter, 335, I knew selecting this guitar I was somewhat departing from that objective for its: 1) solid wood body and top (wild cherry), 2) P90's. But as I haven't owned a guitar with either of those 2 characteristics I decided it would be fun to try. It sounds more "chimey", open, than my 335, a different but pleasing sound of its own. It came loaded with flats but I might throw some TI Bebops on it to see what that does.

As for the smaller, lighter, factor, this Godin is right on the money. The smaller 14-3/4 bout and under 7lbs weight make it a super comfortable guitar to hang out with.

My intention is to rotate through some guitars so not sure yet if I'll keep this long term but maybe. In any case this has been a winner experiment. Thanks for the reco! Would like to get my hands on the Comins GCS-1 also.

[Rhythmisking]

I'm going to check out a used CS-336 tonight. Small body, custom shop Gibby like a 339 BUT all solid woods. There are several on the SF Bay Craigslist right now under $2K used.

[Phil59]

Seventy Seven Exrubato Hollow. It’s like a Gibson ES-330 with humbuckers, or a completely hollow ES-335. Weighs just 6 lbs. High quality, much less than $2,000 used. Check Reverb.com.

[Danny W.]

I can't answer the OP's question, but I can say I love all these guitars. I don't use them for jazz (although I could), but for everything else I play they have been fabulous. 335-size guitar in center for size reference only.




Danny W.

[jzucker]

my seventy seven exrubato is 6.6lbs.

[RuffRider]

I just took delivery of a PRS McCarty 594 Hoilowbody II (2019). And it is a great guitar but it's different than a Gibson 335.
I've never played the PRS McCarty 594 Simi Hollowbody but it may be closer to a Gibson 335.

[GNAPPI]

my seventy seven exrubato is 6.6lbs.

Not fair Jack. Every git I've heard you play, even some that you sold (presumably because they did not meet your needs) sound excellent to my ears :-)

[jzucker]

Not fair Jack. Every git I've heard you play, even some that you sold (presumably because they did not meet your needs) sound excellent to my ears :-)

Thanks. There's a lesson-learned to be had here which I keep forgetting. Every guitar I have pretty much sounds the same. Yes, there are subtle differences between my tele and my barney kessel but the 90/10 rule definitely applies. My wife says that I sound the same on my strat as I do on the archtop. Incidentally, though it's not hollow, the resonance on my pawar tele rivals that of a 335 and it's less than 6lbs.

[mr. beaumont]

Thanks. There's a lesson-learned to be had here which I keep forgetting. Every guitar I have pretty much sounds the same. Yes, there are subtle differences between my tele and my barney kessel but the 90/10 rule definitely applies. My wife says that I sound the same on my strat as I do on the archtop. Incidentally, though it's not hollow, the resonance on my pawar tele rivals that of a 335 and it's less than 6lbs.

And part of that is you having an established style. I can tell your playing when I hear it, more than a lot of folks, probably.

I still can't beleive that tele is under 6lbs and it balances. That's magic stuff right there. Better keep that one!

[Jim Soloway]

I really enjoyed the Godin Montreal Premier when I had mine. It was a shade under 7 lbs and sounded great.

[Jim Soloway]

And part of that is you having an established style. I can tell your playing when I hear it, more than a lot of folks, probably.

I still can't beleive that tele is under 6lbs and it balances. That's magic stuff right there. Better keep that one!

When you move the upper strap button a few inches forward it's a lot easier to get a guitar to balance.

[jzucker]

When you move the upper strap button a few inches forward it's a lot easier to get a guitar to balance.

OTOH, it's more uncomfortable playing in the upper register , especially sitting. But it's a good compromise. I wish more manufacturers understood that.

[Cunamara]

As an alternative, you can move the rear strap button which provides a different leverage for the strap. It is not necessary to have the strap button in the dead center of the end of the guitar.

With my Strat and Teles, I move the strap button to be on one of the neck bolts. It balances better and the position of the guitar it is, for me, much more convenient for playing. The standard location for the strap button on Teles and Strats has always made my left arm feel like it's being compressed with the neck shoved up against me.

[jzucker]

As an alternative, you can move the rear strap button which provides a different leverage for the strap. It is not necessary to have the strap button in the dead center of the end of the guitar.

With my Strat and Teles, I move the strap button to be on one of the neck bolts. It balances better and the position of the guitar it is, for me, much more convenient for playing. The standard location for the strap button on Teles and Strats has always made my left arm feel like it's being compressed with the neck shoved up against me.

depending on how much the imbalance is , that doesn't always solve the problem. I had a strandberg headless guitar that was (amazingly) neck-heavy. Seems like quite an engineering marvel to make a neck heavy headless guitar, but I digress. I moved the strap button to the neck heel and it improved but still dove...