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Ive been considering making a good investment for a new guitar. I play mostly jazz and fusion, and i thought that the es-335 would be a right choice in that case. I dont have the option to try this kind of guitar, as guitar stores are very limited in my country, so i was wondering what your guys opinions are on 335s.
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07-01-2021 06:29 AM
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FWIW a good 335 is as good as it gets in electric guitars.....
But many people argue they are way over priced, that there are lots of cheaper alternatives at least as good and so on and so on and so on.....
If you have the cash then I personally think it is worth it, because if you don't like the guitar, you can recoup most of your outlay further on down the line. The same can not be said for the above mentioned alternatives.
This is just one opinion...YMMV
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I have played many 335s and owned one for a long time. They are excellent guitars for virtually all genres of music.
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I think semi acoustics are one of the basic food groups of guitardom. It's one of the classic designs, well proven in many genres. And yes, a good Gibson 335 is worth it.
Otoh they cost enough that I would advice against buying sight unseen. Especially because it appears that you haven't played them before. It's a lot of money to pay for stuff you don't know whether will fit you.
Going by your name I guess you're in Scandinavia somewhere? I would recommend taking a trip to one of the major cities to try some out before putting down the money on one
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They are genereally concidered to be great guitars, versatile, great for jazz as well as other styles.
But it is also a matter of personal preference, some people think they are THE best guitars, other think they are one of many good guitars etc.
This is my take.
You can get a good usable 335 copy around the ~500 EUR price point.
If you go to the ~1000 EUR price point you should in most cases get great value for the additional money you spend.
After it starts to depend more on personal preference.
Sure you can go straight for a Gibson at 2500-6000EUR if you have no problemes with parting with that kind of money (money can be used for other things too) and you should in most cases get a great guitar. If you have never tried a ES335 it might be the beginning of you finding yourself as a "335 guy", or you might turn out to not be a "335 guy" but I think most players who are into both jazz and fusion would enjoy haveing a great 335 in their collections anyway. Gibsons have quite good resell value in case you can't connect with it.
However, Gibson's reputation has been dented a bit recently. They went bankrupt in 2018 and were bought or saved by capitalist investors who were primarily interested in getting returns on their investment rather than making great guitars. There have been talks about inconsitent quality (one can argue that has always been the case), but I personally haven't followed this issue so closely. I am not an expert on this, but personally would not buy a new Gibson today without thorough investigation on current quality and reputation.
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You could try one of the many guitars based on the 335 design, if one can be found in your country. You would at least know how the guitar feels, and you might find the alternative meets your needs and saves you money.
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Yeah i live in Copenhagen, Denmark, and suprisingly its hard to find a guitar store in Copenhagen that has a Gibson es-335.
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According to their web page, Woodstock have a couple of Gibsons in stock. So do Malmö Musikaffair. KMC have a couple of Epiphones, and Woodsound an MIJ Tokai replica.
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Which are excellent!
Originally Posted by Average Joe
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Thanks Joe, your right! They have a couple of es-335's in Woodstock guitars.
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You might also want to look for two excellent 335 guitars by Yamaha and Eastman. Not cheap copies, and the Yamaha especially is every bit a good as a Gibson. The Yams have been made for several years.
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You also can't go wrong with and Ibanez Scofield model, either.
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I think they are great. One problem for me was the high average weight of these instruments. So I shopped around looking only at the weight - scored a used black historic at 3.2kg. it's an amazing guitar.
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Originally Posted by JonasPaulsen2612
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Gibson Es330 Sunburst | john's Shop | Reverb
This came up on my Reverb feed this morning. Worth considering IMHO.
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Originally Posted by Will Box
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I had a Gibson ES-335 for about ten years. It is worth it… a serious professional guitar to be reckoned with. The guitar is heavy and ergonomically challenging… that is it's uncomfortable for playing in your lap without a sturdy strap. I believe the word is unwieldy. The 57 classic pickups in mine were muddy and I replaced them with Lollar Imperials… much much better. In the end, I had an opportunity to trade it for a 1964 Fender Princeton and don’t regret it.
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Good alternatives to Gibson, all readily available used
- Heritage 535, slightly lower priced new and a lot less used
- Yamaha sa2200 and Ibanez as200 top end 335 styles for around 2.000€ for 1980s excellent models. Today's Schofields are good but the early super 58 pickups on 1980s as200s are special. I have a 1980 model and the sound is very close to the PAFs on my 1961 ES-175D - just a bit hotter.
- Ibanez also have other new 335 types, at lower price points - anything above 750€ will be of a good level
- Seventy Seven Guitars Exrubato model is excellent value new around 1.500€ and 1.000€ used.
- Epihone's Sheraton II new has its admirers
- D'Angelico and Godin have good offers new
Many of these new guitars can be had on 30 day trial from Thomann so if you can't travel to a big city that also opens more possibilitiesLast edited by Ray175; 07-02-2021 at 07:12 AM.
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It's purely a matter of taste and personal preference. The 335 (along with its embellished siblings 345 and 355) is a wonderful guitar with which you can play almost any gig or style. My first good guitar was a ~1960 345 (bought by me after it was repossessed from its original buyer within months). Even as a teenager, I was 1.9m tall and thin, with long (~91cm) arms - so size was no problem for me. Many complain that it's too big for them, although I also know many guitarists who love their 335s and are much shorter than I am. Originally Posted by JonasPaulsen2612
A 1960 Gibson was reliably a fine instrument, but I can't say the same for those made in several periods since. Having played many over the years, I can confirm others' posts here that quality has been very inconsistent. If you're thinking about a new one, I agree with those who've suggested similar models from other makers. Two of my 3 current working guitars are Ibanez, and my closet queen is an Eastman (which I don't take on many gigs because it's beautiful and there's no reason to subject it to the ravages of temperature, humidity, the stage etc). Peerless and others make excellent guitars similar to the 335 for a lot less money and a better chance of getting a good one sight unseen. And the prices of used Gibsons are simply crazy, in my opinion.
Unfortunately, you can't know how an instrument will feel and sound to you without being able to play it. So I wouldn't buy any without knowing I could return it if I didn't like it. Just please respect the seller, who has to resell it if you return it. Be careful with it, be prompt in trying it, and be sure you send it back well protected if you don't keep it. Good luck with the search!
PS: Don't buy a guitar as an investment - the odds do not favor a net positive return on its cost. Occasionally, a specific model skyrockets in value (e.g. if a star plays one or there's a strongly positive comment about it in a high profile publication or website). But most guitars are "depreciating assets". With Gibson's ongoing quality and reputation problems over the years, prices for most models have gone up and down like an elevator. Buy what you love - if it increases in value, you'll love it even more.
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I don't think the fully hollow 330 would fit the bill for the op's needs, but then I don't know how loud he intends to play. Originally Posted by lammie200
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I have two 335 - a - likes by Vester. They are are wonderful guitars and not much money (if you can find one!).
I must take some better pictures and learn how to re orientate them!
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I have a 330 and a 335. The 335 is more versatile, works better in different situations.
That said, I like the 330 better!
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I've got a twenty year old Epiphone 335 dot. The electrics are a bit scratchy and it could do with a new switch, but it plays and sounds great. The fingerboard is lovely.
I'm sure a Gibson would be better, but I can't really picture in what respect it would be better. I suppose I'd have to try one.
Sent from my SM-T830 using Tapatalk
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I own both Gibson and Eastman (not 335).
Both fine instruments. In my opinion there is no Gibson that is worth the money they get for them.
Having owned both. The Eastmans are way better.
If you want to spend double just for a headstock label then that is your business.
My opinion is worth every penny you paid for it.
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You could also ask about Collings I35 and you would get the same sort of response in spite of the lofty premium. Though unlike Gibson, Collings has a reputation for impeccable build quality. Value is in the eye of the beholder.
You have to figure out what you want beyond the headstock. Neck profile is critical. Weight. Size. Pickups. Hardware quality. Materials. Resale value may also be important to you. If you want a Gibson because it's a Gibson, that's fine. If you want an instrument defined by the music you play, the answer may be different.
Overall, if you think a Gibson 335 is going to sound better than something like an Ibanez AM200 semi or an Eastman 146 or even lesser models and brands, then you may be disappointed. But Gibson used prices have maintained very well.
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