First impressions on my new Gibson ES-335...
House53
Posts: 1,276
First impressions on my new Gibson ES-335...
My new 335 arrived yesterday... I checked it out, set it up, and played it for quite a while, here are some impressions and questions:
Upon first arrival and inspection I was suprised. This looked and felt quite a bit different than my older 335 (a 1999 model). The neck profile was much thinner and there was not much dishing on the top (the arch wasn't very pronounced). These are not bad per se, just different than I expected. Also, the headstock seems more narrow on the wings, skinnier.
The case isn't as nice as the older models, it also does not have an archted top as they used to (I imagine these cases are cheaper to make) and no combination lock. They are a lot like a new Gretsch case.
The fit and finish of the guitar looked good. There were a couple of spots in the binding on the neck, but they rubbed right off. The bridge and tailpiece were set way too high. I did a setup and fixed the neck and this arrangement. That might be for shipping safety, but not very playable out of the box.
Playing it the guitar is very well balanced and is comfortable (other than the weight, more on this). The neck is finished well, frets are even... very easy playing for sure. The more shallow neck is open for debate on whether my hand will be comfortable long term. Maybe a Les Paul with a 50s neck would suit me better.
Acoustically, the sound is very good, balanced and alive. Good sustain as well.
The sound is massive and glorius (nothing sounds like a big bodied Gibson, nothing). Very responsive and useable all through the volume and tone controls. The '57 classics sound great. Cleans just bloom out of the guitar, semi dirty stuff sounds good. Leads are thick and BIG. Very good stuff here.
Overall, after playing for a couple of hours, my back is killing me. I haven't played standing up for that long in a few months since moving to Houston and not being in a band. Plus, the weight is pretty substantial next to an SG or Tele (my other guitars). I think the guitar is a winner, very good stuff.
The neck will get a closer evaluation, as will the weight as far as if it is a keeper. But, this guitar is a great 335. It gets a four headbanger rating (out of 5, 5 being the most perfect guitar ever)
My new 335 arrived yesterday... I checked it out, set it up, and played it for quite a while, here are some impressions and questions:
Upon first arrival and inspection I was suprised. This looked and felt quite a bit different than my older 335 (a 1999 model). The neck profile was much thinner and there was not much dishing on the top (the arch wasn't very pronounced). These are not bad per se, just different than I expected. Also, the headstock seems more narrow on the wings, skinnier.
The case isn't as nice as the older models, it also does not have an archted top as they used to (I imagine these cases are cheaper to make) and no combination lock. They are a lot like a new Gretsch case.
The fit and finish of the guitar looked good. There were a couple of spots in the binding on the neck, but they rubbed right off. The bridge and tailpiece were set way too high. I did a setup and fixed the neck and this arrangement. That might be for shipping safety, but not very playable out of the box.
Playing it the guitar is very well balanced and is comfortable (other than the weight, more on this). The neck is finished well, frets are even... very easy playing for sure. The more shallow neck is open for debate on whether my hand will be comfortable long term. Maybe a Les Paul with a 50s neck would suit me better.
Acoustically, the sound is very good, balanced and alive. Good sustain as well.
The sound is massive and glorius (nothing sounds like a big bodied Gibson, nothing). Very responsive and useable all through the volume and tone controls. The '57 classics sound great. Cleans just bloom out of the guitar, semi dirty stuff sounds good. Leads are thick and BIG. Very good stuff here.
Overall, after playing for a couple of hours, my back is killing me. I haven't played standing up for that long in a few months since moving to Houston and not being in a band. Plus, the weight is pretty substantial next to an SG or Tele (my other guitars). I think the guitar is a winner, very good stuff.
The neck will get a closer evaluation, as will the weight as far as if it is a keeper. But, this guitar is a great 335. It gets a four headbanger rating (out of 5, 5 being the most perfect guitar ever)
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Maybe. I don't think they are made in the custom shop, they are just on that webpage. They are made in Memphis. My older model was made in Nashville.
I am concerned about the neck though. I don't know how comfortable it would be to play a whole gig with...
i know what you mean about the neck. i can't play the thin necks. both my SG and LP have the thicker profile.
The price went up on almost all Gibson's. :(
I think a fatter neck would suit me better... but that only comes on the '59 reissue that runs about $3300 new. Those are custom shop pieces.
I am going to take some time to try to bond with the guitar. The tones are wonderful, that is for sure.
PRS McCarty or Hollowbody 2 Wide Fat. Forgive the fact that ass rock people play them.
The sound is massive and glorius (nothing sounds like a big bodied Gibson, nothing). The ultimate reason to own a 335. Add a 65 Super Reverb 2 dozen racks of ribs and cold beer, you're in business.
Yeah, ass rock is prevalent on PRS guitars. That's a shame too. I am not sure I could get past that.
Oh how I wish this guitar had a fat neck on it, I really was expecting that after all the 335s I had played. I guess each neck is different, such is the hazard of buying online.
weird too, most gibson necks with the binding are pretty fat. You could always go to the store with it and probably swap it out though for a more suitable neck. Odd that it's that heavy too. 5 ply maple is usually not all that cumbersome.
the hollowbody 2 and hollowbody spruce kick so much ass it's not funny.
I've found a lot of nice ES-125's and older P-90 Rivera's that are light, but they don't have that big bloomy smoothness of a 335, because, well nothing does.
Well the solid maple core is where the weight comes from... it's a big hunk of wood in the middle. The neck just doesn't have a lot of depth... it's too bad. That's the one potential negative on this guitar that could be a deal killer. I need to log some more time on it to see if it is an adjustment or a problem.
I could check out some stores to see what is in stock, try out some different models. Maybe this neck is not the "standard" profile... I know each neck is different.
I agree those PRSs are really great guitars... really great stuff. Even those don't sounds like a 335 though... as you said, nothing else does.
I was playing along with some PJ and Stones last night... I was mostly playing clean and the tones were just so fat, really cool stuff.