Is the Gibson ES-335 worth it?

[rpjazzguitar]

I like semis. A D'anglico EXDC was my main instrument for awhile. Played fine, sang out in the upper register. But a dark sounding guitar -- that's a matter of taste.

Now I play a Comins GCS-1 (both designed by Bill Comins, but they aren't the same design). Great guitar. Somewhat dark compared to some, but capable of lighter sounds than the EXDC.

I haven't played a 335 in a while, but my point is that there are lots of quality options, but they don't all sound the same.

[Doctor Jeff]

Appears to have an unusually large noggin for a short guy.

Early success went to his head.

[ThatRhythmMan]

Depends on what you're looking for. The Gibson 335 is the king of the particular genre of guitars, and for good reason. A good 335 is something. The Gibsons do have a sound of their own..

But on top of that, depending on the specs, Gibson 335s can sound very different from each other. For example, Gibson has used almost every pickup variation they have ever made in them. The center block woods can be different. Sometimes they had trapeze tailpieces. A few years had maple necks. Even when you don’t include the 345 or 355, you have a pretty broad range to narrow down, depending on what is desired.

[Greentone]

When Derringer was a teenager he led The McCoys (Hang on Sloopy). He looked like a puppet with that huge head and tiny body. Sure could sing and play guitar.

[citizenk74]

My '64 ES-345TDSVT is electronically an ES-335 when the Varitone is in position 1. It was my #1 from its acquisition until its retirement from stage use, having been supplanted by my first Paul Reed Smith CU24.

The 345 was used to play multiple genres in all kinds of rooms under widely varying circumstances. It never failed to come short of any musical considerations, tonal or otherwise. Like the PRS, it is a lifetime instrument. I could not dream of anything better.

[John A.]

I like semis. A D'anglico EXDC was my main instrument for awhile. Played fine, sang out in the upper register. But a dark sounding guitar -- that's a matter of tastee.

Now I play a Comins GCS-1 (both designed by Bill Comins, but they aren't the same design). Great guitar. Somewhat dark compared to some, but capable of lighter sounds than the EXDC.

I haven't played a 335 in a while, but my point is that there are lots of quality options, but they don't all sound the same.

FWIW, a friend with whom I play regularly has a 335 (mid 90s with Classic 57's), so I've compared it head to head with my D'Angelico EX DC quite a bit. The EX DC is much louder unplugged, but plugged into the same signal chain they're almost indistinguishable. I tend to go for a fairly dark sound, but I can get as bright as sound out of my EX DC as I can out of any 335 I've tried.

[Luddite]

I own a Gibson es335 and an Epiphone Sheraton as a back up. The Sheraton is a superb guitar despite everyone telling me not to buy a Chinese model. I cannot fault it and I am sure it could be even better if I upgraded the pickups but as yet I have not found it to be needed. All that said when I pick up the Gibson I know I am holding something very special, some might accuse me of being a name snob and maybe there is some truth to that but to my mind there is no denying overpriced or not that it is a special guitar. I would certainly not consider buying a Gibson sight unseen though however hard that might be. The design of the 335 is not for everyone. Good luck.

[rpjazzguitar]

FWIW, a friend with whom I play regularly has a 335 (mid 90s with Classic 57's), so I've compared it head to head with my D'Angelico EX DC quite a bit. The EX DC is much louder unplugged, but plugged into the same signal chain they're almost indistinguishable. I tend to go for a fairly dark sound, but I can get as bright as sound out of my EX DC as I can out of any 335 I've tried.

Much appreciated. I didn't know that. I thought the EXDC was a great guitar with a distinctive sound. I played it constantly for a few years after which the upper register of the high E got a little fuzzy. I took it to two well qualified luthiers, but neither could get it back to the way it was. Eventually, I gave up and wanted a new guitar. Probably more GAS than an impossibility of a fix.

[steve burchfield]

335 is well worth it for people who love them. My final guitar is 335.

[monkmiles]

A 335 is well worth it if you play in the situations that warrant a semi hollow body guitar. I spend more time in a jazz/funk band these days than a straight ahead jazz band, so my 335 gets a majority of my playing time and works amazingly well and therefor worth it for me.

But wait for the right deal, like I did for mine (a 2018 figured walnut w/mhs pickups bought when stores were moving out 2018 models) or maybe just go for a Heritage H-535 which seem equally good to me at less cost.

Obviously if you string them up with 9s, they aren't going to give a good jazz tone. But with 11+ gauge strings, a thicker pick, and a good amp, you can certainly get good jazz tone.

[Litterick]

On guitar forums populated by people of less refinement than ourselves, one will find collectors who are determined to have what they regard as the set: the Stratocaster, Telecaster, Les Paul and ES-335. This is a rock music state of mind; they think of these as the 'iconic' guitars played by their heroes. These collectors have made money in law, dentistry, real estate and other unsavoury practices, so can afford to pay handsomely. Inevitably their enthusiasm pushes prices up – particularly for the ES-335, which has been made in few numbers than the others, and so is scarce. Similar guitars will be found in greater numbers and lower prices, because they are not considered essential.

[citizenk74]

On guitar forums populated by people of less refinement than ourselves, one will find collectors who are determined to have what they regard as the set: the Stratocaster, Telecaster, Les Paul and ES-335. This is a rock music state of mind; they think of these as the 'iconic' guitars played by their heroes. These collectors have made money in law, dentistry, real estate and other unsavoury practices, so can afford to pay handsomely. Inevitably their enthusiasm pushes prices up – particularly for the ES-335, which has been made in few numbers than the others, and so is scarce. Similar guitars will be found in greater numbers and lower prices, because they are not considered essential.

Ah, The Set! Yes. Even for a Helot like myself, who got his hands dirty winding cords (NOT! I wore gloves) and wore his back out schlepping amps (NOT!. I use a trolley), The Set was as much about costuming as it was about tone and playability. Audiences (and some producers) have visual expectations - you don't play Hendrix on a Flying V, even though he did; it's the Strat for that. I used to take my ES-175 to popular hits gigs - the band would have a fit, despite the fact that for clean settings and the crowd noise, one humbucker sounds pretty much like another, so the Lester is Bester, so to speak.
On the other hand, Leo deciding on using auto paint was marketing genius - collecting Stratocasters in the full spectrum of Duco Custom Colors is a lot of guitars sold in the long run.

My '64 ES-345TDSTVT came to me in mint condition for a relative song. A birthday present to the son of a State Senator which proved to be unplayable due to a very badly cut nut and quickly relegated to under-the-bed status awaiting the time when the by- then-banker birthday boy wanted some cash; enter the Helot with the Gibson-admiring Missus and the rest is history. Nice flashy Cherry finish, gold hardware, phenomenal range of tones- nir-freaking-vana!

So it's a complex system of ebb and flow, ebb and flow. One takes the roughs with the smooths, as Anatole used to say.