Alternatives to the Gibson ES-335

**supersoul** · 02-08-2022, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by Christian Miller

Those low end Gretsch guitars are knock out gorgeous and I hear that they are very creditable instruments…

I have a Gretsch Jet Club, the G5421 I think. Bolt-on neck, fire engine red color. 100€ used. Looks cool, sounds good, plays well. I did replace the stock pickups with Filtertrons.

But back to 335 alternatives...

**jim777** · 02-08-2022, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by hotpepper01

So far I have not come across a guitar player that sold his 335 and kept the alternative.

Some call me.....Jim

I'm much happier with both my Seventy Seven Albatross and AS-200. My problem with Gibson guitars, honestly, is that so many are just "eh" to "awful". My 335 was a dog, and two of my three ES-175s were the same. I won't play a guitar because of the name on the headstock, and I won't NOT play a guitar because of where it was made (because I can't afford to do either). I've owned and played great Gibsons, but I don't have to play ten to find the good one with high end Japanese brands.

**GNAPPI** · 02-08-2022, 01:54 PM

I have and have had many Gibson 335 (and 33x series) as well as copies from many other makers, and IMO the real deal is still the one to beat.

Yeah, there are some Gibson dogs that won't hunt but that's likely true for other brands also.

**jim777** · 02-08-2022, 04:15 PM

Is that a Honda Blackbird in your avatar?

**EllenGtrGrl** · 02-08-2022, 04:22 PM

Ibanez Artstar AS-120. A great guitar, that I regret getting rid of 12 years ago, to afford a Fender Jaguar (though admittedly, nowadays, I'd probably find its neck a little thin for my taste). The Super 58 pickups in them sound great, and they play great.

**jbear** · 02-09-2022, 05:28 PM

I've had a bunch. I haven't found another that sounds and feels like a 335, but I've found some that do their own thing that I also like.
Ibanez makes great semis...AS100, AS103, and MIJ AS80 are favorites. Eastman in general are great guitars. Yamaha SA2200 was nice. Epi Sheraton ll...if you change the guts...very nice feel and sound. Still...not one of them cops the 335 vibe of a "keeper" 335. I haven't had a Tokai, but I did have a Tokai LP MIJ and that definitely was a Lester, so...maybe they've got it down.

**Spook410** · 02-09-2022, 09:01 PM

I just bought a Gibson 335 because it was a good deal and I've never owned one. And I like it. But I still don't get the 'Gibson Vibe'. Guess I'll never get it. Maybe if I were a pro player and wanted guitar name recognition for credibility with the horn guys. And honestly, that really does matter.

However, in the small world of my electronics filled office where I've been playing the Gibson 335 a lot recently, I've been finding that in comparing it to my Heritage 535 with tapped Schallers and my D'Angelico EX SS with P-Rails, they are all pretty similar. All have similar spec's. All sound quite good with proper EQ. And while slightly different, all things considered, they all still play a lot alike and can sound a lot alike. Realize others will have different conclusions and that's as it should be. But for me, I'm liking all of them.

**Flat** · 02-10-2022, 03:01 PM

This is a 535 in a high-gain maybe-not-so-jazzy mode, but man this cat sounds wickedly good to me. Running Fralins.

**Irishmuso** · 02-11-2022, 08:37 PM

I bought my ES-355 in 1982 for £695 which was half the list price. Still got it, still play it, still get the 'that guitar sounds fantastic' remarks.

**GNAPPI** · 02-13-2022, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by jim777

Is that a Honda Blackbird in your avatar?

Yup, I've had the bird a long time. Riding it is the most fun you can have with your clothes on, and even a Busa won't leave me in the dust :-)

**John A.** · 02-13-2022, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by Spook410

I just bought a Gibson 335 because it was a good deal and I've never owned one. And I like it. But I still don't get the 'Gibson Vibe'. Guess I'll never get it. Maybe if I were a pro player and wanted guitar name recognition for credibility with the horn guys. And honestly, that really does matter.

However, in the small world of my electronics filled office where I've been playing the Gibson 335 a lot recently, I've been finding that in comparing it to my Heritage 535 with tapped Schallers and my D'Angelico EX SS with P-Rails, they are all pretty similar. All have similar spec's. All sound quite good with proper EQ. And while slightly different, all things considered, they all still play a lot alike and can sound a lot alike. Realize others will have different conclusions and that's as it should be. But for me, I'm liking all of them.

That's similar to my experience with trying a lot of semi-hollows and eventually buying a D'Angelico EX-DC. I've played it side by side with a friend's 335 many times. Played by the same player, through the same same signal chain, set to sound as close as possible, I don't think anyone could tell which is which. I know both these guitars well, and I've been fooled. They're not truly identical across the full range of settings, and you can highlight those differences. But I don't think the 335 has some special secret sauce the D'A doesn't have soundwise. They have slightly different dimensions, neck profile, and woods, and mine has a trapeze instead of a stop. All of that contributes to how it feels to play the two guitars, and I can see someone preferring a 335 from that standpoint (or visually), and I agree that 335's are the benchmark. I think that's broadly true of semi's overall. I can think of a couple I've tried that didn't really have the sound I think of as the characteristic 335 palette (especially neck pickup), but most do.

**jim777** · 02-14-2022, 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by GNAPPI

Yup, I've had the bird a long time. Riding it is the most fun you can have with your clothes on, and even a Busa won't leave me in the dust :-)

I agree

**Spook410** · 02-15-2022, 12:10 AM

Originally Posted by John A.

That's similar to my experience with trying a lot of semi-hollows and eventually buying a D'Angelico EX-DC.

Oddly enough, after playing my Heritage 535, D'Angelico EX SS, and new used Gibson 335 quite a bit the last few weeks, I like the D'Angelico best. For the slightly thicker neck, for the P-Rail pickups I installed, and for a bit more of a hollow body sound. Not that the 335 is going anywhere and the preference is only good for a few days until my mind changes again.. but I was a bit surprised.

**Phil59** · 02-15-2022, 12:26 AM

Back in the day, I had an early '70s brown 335 with a skinny neck that was hard to play but sounded great, classic blues/rock/jazz. Then an '80s blonde with a fat neck, chimey, looked great, hated the sound. Two totally different guitars. No consistency, the Gibson story. Now I have a Heritage 535. Looks, feels, sounds great, SD pickups, better build quality than any of the 10 or so Gibsons I've ever had.

**jim777** · 02-15-2022, 12:10 PM

The Tokai's are very tempting right now, as their prices are about to go up about $200 on their ES-224s

**DustinG** · 06-01-2025, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by Spook410

Oddly enough, after playing my Heritage 535, D'Angelico EX SS, and new used Gibson 335 quite a bit the last few weeks, I like the D'Angelico best. For the slightly thicker neck, for the P-Rail pickups I installed, and for a bit more of a hollow body sound. Not that the 335 is going anywhere and the preference is only good for a few days until my mind changes again.. but I was a bit surprised.

D'Angelico's all seem to have very thin necks though; thinner than Heritage.

**NewNewcastleBud** · 06-01-2025, 11:36 PM

I've been lucky enough to own two of these Japanese made Conn CE-35 guitars.
Made for only one year, 1980, I believe.
Had to sell the first one years ago, found another this past January that wasn't too outrageously priced.
Absolutely fantastic guitar!