playing the 335

[gridlock]

I always wondered about owning a semi-hollow Gibson ES guitar. I didn’t want to spend thousands of dollars on a guitar that I may not like.

I gave Epiphone’s a try. An Inspired by Gibson ES 335 and an Inspired by Gibson Custom Shop ES 355.

The Epiphone fills the semi-hollow guitar niche, and I don’t see me buying a ES Gibson for a while.

 

[ScottTunes]

I always wondered about owning a semi-hollow Gibson ES guitar. I didn’t want to spend thousands of dollars on a guitar that I may not like.

I gave Epiphone’s a try. An Inspired by Gibson ES 335 and an Inspired by Gibson Custom Shop ES 355.

The Epiphone fills the semi-hollow guitar niche, and I don’t see me buying a ES Gibson for a while.

View attachment 1392011View attachment 1392015

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If you aren't interested in "the original," and all that name jazz, then it's better that you don't play a Gibson ES335. The copies are "good enough" for most...

 

[Mike Eskimo]

Right before the ‘vid I sold a ‘66 ES-335 for a buddy of mine . He had lent it to me for over 2 years as he was playing predominantly acoustic then.

The best sounding humbuckers I ever played through . Every position was great.

But - the neck. Oy…

Some days I could ignore it and other days I didn’t even want to look at the guitar.

We all know the vast majority of the ES 335s built between when they were introduced and up until they kind of re-introduced them in the early 80s, have crap narrow/odd necks .

The neck on this cherry red ‘66 was as if they had a 1959 ES 335 came out of the factory and then they shaved the width down from the nut to about the fourth fret . And made it shallow there too.

I actually started to explore with him the idea of getting a new neck made for it, and throwing the other one roughly into a closet.

But he was in a hurry to sell it and sell it I did for him, and he only missed out on about three grand worth of money when stuff skyrocketed in the next couple of years.

 

[39martind18]

While it's been nearly 50 years since the last 335 I owned/played (64 Cherry finish). Since then, I've had a 1967 Epi Riviera that suffered a broken neck, and a little later, an ES 340 that I kept for a couple of years. Currently, the stable has a 2006 Epi Sheraton '64 Reissue (like the John Lee Hooker model from the late 90s-early 2000s) that has been my main gigging instrument for the last 19 years. In the last six months, trading off my silverface DR and VR amps netted me a Heritage H535 and a Gibson ES 339, so I think I have the 335 style covered pretty well. My single cutaway itch is scratched by a Gibson ES 275, with a double bound LPB Tele partscaster and a Squier Affinity Tele filling things out. Gibbies

Heritage H535

Epi Sheraton

 

[BristolKeeno]

I love my Epi 339

My friend has a Gibson 335 and I'd be curious to do a back to back with it. But seeing as mine was £2000 cheaper, I'm sure any short comings can be forgiven

 

[ronzhd]

An Ice Tea Epi 335 pro, was a "one that got away" for me. I sold it on the "Verb". Spent a year trying to get the guy to sell it back to me. He wouldn't let it go. I have a Gibby '59 reissue, but there was something special about that Epi.

 

[hawk620]

I've been a Tele player since HS but I've always thought that a proper guitar rack should also include a Les Paul w/P90s and an ES style with humbuckers. I have both now and in fact two of the LP w/P90s.

The ES339 and my Les Paul Special are both more recent Epiphone IBG models. The quality of the work coming out of their own manufacturing facility in China is impressive especially the various semi-hollow body models.

 

[DekeDog]

If you have access to the Larry Carlton endorsed Sire 335s, these are supposedly at least as good as the Gibsons for much less. Otherwise, the Epiphone models should be as good. I owned a 2004 Epi Dot that I was very happy with once I changed out the pickups. (I also own a Gibson 335.) The ones to which you refer seem to be much closer to the real thing.

 

[scrapyardblue]

Right before the ‘vid I sold a ‘66 ES-335 for a buddy of mine . He had lent it to me for over 2 years as he was playing predominantly acoustic then.

The best sounding humbuckers I ever played through . Every position was great.

But - the neck. Oy…

Some days I could ignore it and other days I didn’t even want to look at the guitar.

We all know the vast majority of the ES 335s built between when they were introduced and up until they kind of re-introduced them in the early 80s, have crap narrow/odd necks .

The neck on this cherry red ‘66 was as if they had a 1959 ES 335 came out of the factory and then they shaved the width down from the nut to about the fourth fret . And made it shallow there too.

I actually started to explore with him the idea of getting a new neck made for it, and throwing the other one roughly into a closet.

But he was in a hurry to sell it and sell it I did for him, and he only missed out on about three grand worth of money when stuff skyrocketed in the next couple of years.

View attachment 1392045

I went shopping for a 335 about 10 years ago, played several Gibsons, a couple Gretschs, a Guild Starfire, but came home with an EPi Sheraton because of its neck. I did upgrade to Gibson Hummers and better wiring.

No feel for the 335, but I sure love and record with my Gibson LP Custom.

 

[cyclopean]

If you have access to the Larry Carlton endorsed Sire 335s, these are supposedly at least as good as the Gibsons for much less. Otherwise, the Epiphone models should be as good. I owned a 2004 Epi Dot that I was very happy with once I changed out the pickups. (I also own a Gibson 335.) The ones to which you refer seem to be much closer to the real thing.

I have a dot that i bought from a friend, not sure what era, and those pickups are muddy garbage.

 

[Mjark]

AS-80

 

[WireLine]

Ibanez always seem to be left out in these kinds of things. A decade ago I bought an AM93 on somewhat of a whim because I a) wanted a semi hollow body that b) wouldn't break the bank and c) could cover ground from Bob Wills to Buck Owens. As of late the 93 checks all those boxes and a whole lot more.

Disclaimer - mine is old enough to have the almost illegally good original Chinese AlNiCo 5 Super 58 pickups, almost unobtanium anymore. Newer models have ceramic or some other mess. The AM designation features a smaller body than a 335 with soft pointed 'horns' nearest the neck, not the sexy curves as shown above.

That said, I'll put any higher numbered Ibanez up against most any Gibson, any Epiphone, Eastman, what have you, any day. Firm believer here

 

[ndcaster]

This thread has done nothing to diminish my GAS.

 

[Happy Enchilada]

cargo shorts dress code I'm assuming

Yepper! Cargo shorts, Hawaiian shirt, crocs with sox, sporty little hat, ponytail, and goatee. Bonus points if they all come from Wal-Mart!

But seriously folks - before you go and invest in an offshore 335 copy, check out what US made used ones are going for on Reverb. I made the mistake of doing that this morning and found myself PLEASANTLY SURPRISED at the number of nice ones priced around $1500! Something must be stirring in the market that I'm not aware of .
With a "blues guitar," I don't mind a few nicks and dings - gives it character without the use of a router like the "relic" guitars that folks pay extra for.
Right now I'm contemplating selling my Guild Starfire and getting one of these affordable beauties. And being US Gibsons, they'll always hold their value. Hmmm ...

 

[Happy Enchilada]

BTW, people rave about their Sire H7s, it’s in the same price range as the Inspired By Epi. Might be worth considering before dropping any coin.

You might wanna actually play the Sire before you pull the trigger.
I can tell you from painful personal experience.
Bought one that was attractively priced and looked good in the photo.
Once it was in my hands, I found the EXTREMELY NARROW NUT a dealbreaker.
Sold it ASAP and got a Guild Polara Deluxe.
Not apples to apples, but the Polara is a fantastic guitar in every way.

 

[doster]

Being absolutely Lifeson obsessed as a teenager, I played a 335-style guitar nearly exclusively for the better part of six formative guitar playing years, starting with a cheap Epi Dot Studio and ending up with a Norlin era 345 that I foolishly sold.

The Dot was very much inferior to the 345, but that was 2003 MIC manufacturing. Today’s Epiphones are on par with much of what Gibson sells, except for where they intentionally cheap out to purposefully differentiate the brands. Sounds like a fine guitar to aspire to.

BTW, people rave about their Sire H7s, it’s in the same price range as the Inspired By Epi. Might be worth considering before dropping any coin.

I love my Sire H7, but I've never played a Gibson or Epi version.

 

[ndcaster]

Yepper! Cargo shorts, Hawaiian shirt, crocs with sox, sporty little hat, ponytail, and goatee. Bonus points if they all come from Wal-Mart!

But seriously folks - before you go and invest in an offshore 335 copy, check out what US made used ones are going for on Reverb. I made the mistake of doing that this morning and found myself PLEASANTLY SURPRISED at the number of nice ones priced around $1500! Something must be stirring in the market that I'm not aware of .
With a "blues guitar," I don't mind a few nicks and dings - gives it character without the use of a router like the "relic" guitars that folks pay extra for.
Right now I'm contemplating selling my Guild Starfire and getting one of these affordable beauties. And being US Gibsons, they'll always hold their value. Hmmm ...

just a few more gigs...

 

[Dontownatele]

My Waynes World white Strat.

Had the privilege of walking into a GC and having my pick of the litter using someone else’s money (sisters wedding present to her husband!!) and have craved one ever since.

Has to be the Gibson standard. Can believe where prices ended up post covid.

The one I walked out with from GC ~10yrs ago was half current list.

 

[ndcaster]

stopped in CME on the way to the airport yesterday and played a few 335s, 330s, and Casinos

Collings 335 type
'64 Gibson 335
'58 ES 225
Epi 335 type
Epi Casino
a really nice '58 Gibson ES something, single P90

fifteen minutes is not really enough, and I didn't plug in, but my initial take-away was:

1. that '64 felt great, I wish I had a spare $6,000
2. I bonded instantly with that '58 225, $4,x00, hmmmmmm
3. the Epi 335 was nice; I liked the Casino better, but I was playing everything acoustically, so
4. the Collings felt precisely machined but had a lot of lacquer

one more note: CME is selling "Atkin" acoustics from the UK -- I played them, they are amazing, and I can't afford this one:



going to CME is kind of like crashing a fashion show after-party in Milan

 

[JRapp]

I did the 335 clone thing for awhile and they were...OK. I have had 3 or 4 Gibsons in the past but they went away to pay bills. Went shopping for a Gibson this year and immediately saw the difference. Bought a satin 335 sunburst and did a few minor upgrades. Very happy with it and yeah, there is a difference.