Custom shop 335s?

[Geoff738]

I was under the impression - apparently mistaken? - that all Gibsons archtops were made in the Custom shop.

But I recently noticed a used "Custom shop" 335 for sale locally and was priced significantly higher than "standard" 335s go for.

Can somebody enlighten me? Are the regular 335s made in the same shop as the Custom shop ones (Memphis maybe?)? ARe the Custom shop ones different in electronics or components. I'll assume "better"/ prettier wood?

Cheers,
Geoff

 

[spikypaddy]

As far as I'm aware all 335s are custom shop. I've been having a look at them and it certainly seems to be all custom shop product. Could be wrong, but the Gibson site also filters them all as the "Gibson Custom" brand, as opposed to plain old "Gibson USA".

 

[Mid Life Crisis]

No, the Gibson Custom brand is not the same as Gibson Custom Shop. The regular 335s are made in Memphis under the Gibson Custom name but the actual Custom Shop, which makes the even higher end 335s and other dead expensive guitars, is in Nashville. At least I think that's how it works.

 

[BritishBluesBoy]

No, the Gibson Custom brand is not the same as Gibson Custom Shop. The regular 335s are made in Memphis under the Gibson Custom name but the actual Custom Shop, which makes the even higher end 335s and other dead expensive guitars, is in Nashville. At least I think that's how it works.

^^this^^

 

[vibrasonic]

Gibson in Memphis has a custom shop and the custom shop in Nashville is where they make the historic models and other special runs is the way I understand it.

 

[H. Mac]

Here ya go:

(link removed)

(link removed)

 

[DonMI6]

It is confusing. I think, if you ordered a custom built 335 it would be made by the Custom Shop at Nashville, while the Memphis 'Custom' is a marketing term. My 2011 ES-335 is a Memphis 'Custom', but the CoA is signed by a guy from the Gibson Custom Shop. Anyway you slice it, it's a beautifully made instrument.

 

[BradL]

It used to be that Nashville made (year numbered) Historic 335s as in 59 and 63 whereas the Memphis equivalent of the 63 would be the Block re-issue. However the differences have become very blurred in recent years and for 2013 Gibson have bought in a lot of additional changes across the board as well which is worth reading up about if you're in the market.

 

[winny pooh]

Confusing, I guess "custom"is really just a marketing term. I have supposedly a CS 330 but it came with some flaws that would probably not be on a production model like shallow binding, uneven pickgaurd & unbalanced pickups !?

 

[Mid Life Crisis]

That's a beautiful looking guitar Winny.

 

[BradL]

That might be a whole other topic of discussion, Winny. I found the appointments and finish on my Elitist (i.e. Japanese built) Epi Casino -basically the same as a 330- to be better than the two Memphis built 335s I own and it cost half or less of what they did. A few "rough" edges don't detract from them as good guitars but it makes you wonder nonetheless.

Nashville or Memphis has got to be a personal choice (there are hundreds of threads out there on this already) but I would only add that Nashville was once similarly derided -as Memphis is on those threads- for being newer and inferior compared to Kalamazoo.

 

[RubyRae]

Nice 330 winny. How did you handle that? It just goes to show...I have a Gibson ES 335 and it is not a custom shop. However the finish would lead you to believe it is, and I basically had all the upgrades and more done to it. One of the best 335's I have ever played.

 

[Geoff738]

It used to be that Nashville made (year numbered) Historic 335s as in 59 and 63 whereas the Memphis equivalent of the 63 would be the Block re-issue. However the differences have become very blurred in recent years and for 2013 Gibson have bought in a lot of additional changes across the board as well which is worth reading up about if you're in the market.

Ok, finally went and had a look at the Gibby website. It looks to me like at the moment the only true Custom shop (Nashville) models are the 59 dot neck and 63 block historics. With the rest of them being lumped in the Custom line, and those presumably being made in Memphis.

Ok, I think I've got it now. At least as it currently stands.

Was there ever a period when 335s were made in the actual Custom shop? Can I assume the carved top models (can't remember the numbers 336 maybe?) came out of the custom shop?

Cheers,
Geoff

 

[winny pooh]

Nice 330 winny. How did you handle that? It just goes to show...I have a Gibson ES 335 and it is not a custom shop. However the finish would lead you to believe it is, and I basically had all the upgrades and more done to it. One of the best 335's I have ever played.

I rewound the pickups, shimmed the bridge pup, replaced the saddles and reshaped the pickgaurd, good thing I am handy around the house. Still weird that a pricey guitar would need fixes, I guess Gibson gets these moans all the time. I don't think I have ever been happy with a stock guitar!
Having said that, some 335's are perfect out of the box and yes, the Gibson sunburst is amazing, that I cannot fault.