Handling an "old" Epi and new Gibsons

[Jimmy Mack]

Here's today's story.
I have been lusting for a good Gibson 335. Why, a few reasons, but I never had a full 335, had some variations but I want the real deal, and I wonder what I'm missing. Many of my favorite electric guitar tones, "live" or studio, have come from 335's. Have heard very few mediocre sounding ones, and I figure I deserve one at this stage of my life - could be the last guitar I buy.

So my first stop is a used guitar shop, they have 2 in my price range. The more expensive one was nice to look at, but the sound and feel was all "snap", not much soul, and large tall frets, not smooth. The second one sounded good, but needed some setup work, and the finish was rough. Neither of these would be worth my money.

I went to GC. They have new Gibson 335's and Epiphone 335's. I found a 60's Cherry by Gibson, and I was really smitten. I didn't jump on it because I may still look around and I want to play my friend's real '63, which he says is great. I want to know what 'great' is in a 335.

But today, I had to go back and do a second look, with my 5 year old Epi 335 I have grown very fond of this guitar, it was great when I first picked it up at GC. I wasn't even looking for a guitar that day, but once I played it, I couldn't put it down. Bought it immediately. Salesman said he could get me a fresh one - I said nope! Only change I had to make was an aluminum stop TP which livened it up, and replaced the input jack after yanking it too hard on a gig.
So I played mine, the new 335 and another Epi 335. All 3 played and sounded great, mine better than the other Epi only because the new pots cut the volume drastically, and produced a veiled (dull) tone on say 8.5. Mine gives great tone at just about any setting. The Gibson had the same volume drop, but the tone was better at the lower setting, but not as good as mine.
The Gibson is beautiful to look at, what a nice finish! Everything about it was great, all the parts fit together so tightly, binding was perfect. Perfect neck but the frets are low. Plekked?

I didn't buy it. It was not $3500 better than my Epi. I liked the pickups better but hey, I can get some better (mine are NOT bad) p/ups. And perhaps an EQ pedal like so many here have suggested. I might finally take the dive and get a Faber bridge too, but I'll see what my friend Ric McCurdy says when I take it to his shop, and compare it to his real '63

[Jx30510]

Gibson knockoffs are all around these days. Epiphones, Sire, Yamaha, even Harley Benton..
A Gibson is a very luxury item, but an Epiphone with a bit of work is just as good to play music. Which is what it's meant for in the beginning. We tend to forget that today
In the 60's or early 70's, if you wanted an semi hollowbody, there was no real alternative.

[Ob Com]

I hear you.

i had a Korean made Epi ES 175 that cost £500.

Wonderful playability and feel, well made, didn’t need any work.

I’m a hack, but every really good guitarist who played that thing absolutely loved it.

[darkwaters]

I’ve had my Epi Dot for about 24 years now. Upgraded the nut to bone, the bridge, pots and, most importantly, the pickups to an SD 59 in the neck and an SD Seth Lover in the bridge. The sound is so warm and woody that it still amazes me. I can’t imagine a Gibson sounding better.

[Jimmy Mack]

Besides having the alternative brands and builders available today, we have a universe of pickups for purchase, pots, bridges, caps and other bits and pieces. And the Epiphones do compete! Thank you to Gibson. I used to play Epi's in the stores in the 80's and 90's and I couldn't deal with them then. Now, I presently own 3, from recent manufacture.

I would love to own another Gibson, but I also have to be realistic. Do I really need a Gibson to play what I play, can I justify the expense, will I be nervous taking my $4 grand guitar to a gig, and can I upgrade an already GOOD guitar?

Besides justifying the expense to "you know who". I just retired, I deserve the 335, I earned it. But there is that trip(s) to Europe, that I can surely justify!

And then again, to find the right 335 is work (of the best kind). And how much will it cost?

[Jx30510]

The newer ES- 335 I tried, a 2009 faded, a 2022 Original, and another one I don't remember the year, where nice but nothing exceptional.
One Cherry Red from 1989 was just over the top. It has something I just can't describe in words.
I purchased it from a professional french guitarist which retired a long time ago, and stopped completely playing for some reason (health?)
The guitar was mint, really beautiful..

I found the unique picture of it I have :





I stupidly sold it to purchase (a very good) NOS ES-330.
Now I think of it I should have kept the 1989, and find funds elsewhere to buy the ES-330.
But at the time I thought I couldn't justify to invest in a second Gibson.
Today I really regret it..
Because I know how a very good ES335 is hard to find.

[Jx30510]

And here is the ES330. Fabulous instrument.

Bought from a famous studio french guitarist Claude Engel