School me pls on Gibson ES-335's

ewal

More classic 335 tones according to my ears. Turns out it's a Guild Guitar sounds are really in the ear of the beholder!

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Petepassion

This fella greatly influenced my wanting a 335…
https://youtu.be/L-BmvH3kNs4?si=9kVqnbvHCS93GD1z

markj

markj said:

Octavio said:

markj said:

I’ve got a Custom shop 59 335 from 2016 and one of the current 345’s in cherry.
They’re totally different guitars.
The 59 sounds like a vintage mellow guitar, the 345 has had nearly everything changed, 
Aset of Sunbear 57 PAF’s and Charles guitars wiring harness.
Both are wonderful guitars but they’re completely different guitars.
The build quality on both guitars are excellent.
I bought both guitars secondhand, Custom shop for £3250 and the 345 for £2500.

That's interesting. I was seriously considering the 345. At that price I'd probably bite. In what ways do you find it different to the 335? Is it brighter?

I personally just didn't like the  t-type pickups that Gibson fit as standard on these models.
There's quite a bit of love here on the forum for these pickups, but I found them bright and not warm sounding.
You may like them but they didn't do anything for me.
The Custom shop 335 has a huge fat neck and is finished with a thinner coat of nitro and is heavier than the 345.
Both guitars are great guitars and both guitars I bought blind without playing them beforehand.

The pickups in the Custom shop 335 are MHS PAF's they're warm and sweet.

markj

Gibson ES-335 (Ebony), Pre-owned - Electric Guitars from Sound Affects UK

MikeP

ewal said:

More classic 335 tones according to my ears. Turns out it's a Guild Guitar sounds are really in the ear of the beholder!

.

That was great. Looks like a starfire iv. Cooler and cheaper than a 335...

MikeP

Jd simo gets me thinking about a 335 though. Also that 94 concert of Clapton playing freddie King. Err and most of all, freddie King. 

JMS96

Forget tone - all 335s sound awesome. 335s are all about the look. Grover v kluson, dots v blocks, mickey mouse ears v pointy ears, bigsby v stopbar - those are the choices you need to worry about.

ewal

MikeP said:

ewal said:

More classic 335 tones according to my ears. Turns out it's a Guild Guitar sounds are really in the ear of the beholder!

.

That was great. Looks like a starfire iv. Cooler and cheaper than a 335...

Yes. Think it's an original Starfire - not a re- issue. I briefly had a Starfire V - not sure why I sold it tbh. There's one on Reverb just now... Very tempting...

ewal

Apologies for side-tracking the thread a bit. It was this video that sparked my interest in the Starfire as alternative to 335. Love the woody semi-hollow tone. And the playing is nice and imperfect compared to some of the more polished demos.

Only thing I remember not really liking is the glossy poly finish. It would be an even better guitar with a thinner nitro or stained finish. Oh and I think I now prefer black for semis...

Deadman

It’s not my thread @ewal but I appreciate the curveball! I’m putting all my eggs in one basket this year and purchasing one ‘decent’ 335. Budget (up to 2.5k) and brand aren’t an issue. The aim is it to be the one, I’ve messed around too long. Never considered the Guild, very interesting option I have to say.

MikeP

The vintage ones are still relatively affordable and nitro. I love my 64 fully hollow starfire ii

crunchman

markj said:

markj said:

Octavio said:

markj said:

I’ve got a Custom shop 59 335 from 2016 and one of the current 345’s in cherry.
They’re totally different guitars.
The 59 sounds like a vintage mellow guitar, the 345 has had nearly everything changed, 
Aset of Sunbear 57 PAF’s and Charles guitars wiring harness.
Both are wonderful guitars but they’re completely different guitars.
The build quality on both guitars are excellent.
I bought both guitars secondhand, Custom shop for £3250 and the 345 for £2500.

That's interesting. I was seriously considering the 345. At that price I'd probably bite. In what ways do you find it different to the 335? Is it brighter?

I personally just didn't like the  t-type pickups that Gibson fit as standard on these models.
There's quite a bit of love here on the forum for these pickups, but I found them bright and not warm sounding.
You may like them but they didn't do anything for me.
The Custom shop 335 has a huge fat neck and is finished with a thinner coat of nitro and is heavier than the 345.
Both guitars are great guitars and both guitars I bought blind without playing them beforehand.

The pickups in the Custom shop 335 are MHS PAF's they're warm and sweet.

The MHS pickups are very good.  They used to fit them to a lot of the models from Memphis before they shut that factory.

guitargeek62

There’s a couple of 335’s in Gibson’s demo shop atm at good prices:

https://reverb.com/item/77393171-gibson-es-335-vintage-sunburst-demo

https://reverb.com/item/77393172-gibson-es-335-sixties-cherry-demo

And more discounted gear here:

https://reverb.com/shop/gibson-uk-demo-shop

markj

guitargeek62 said:

There’s a couple of 335’s in Gibson’s demo shop atm at good prices:

https://reverb.com/item/77393171-gibson-es-335-vintage-sunburst-demo

https://reverb.com/item/77393172-gibson-es-335-sixties-cherry-demo

And more discounted gear here:

https://reverb.com/shop/gibson-uk-demo-shop

Some great prices.

Lebarque

^ Looks like some of those are examples of shoddy build quality that they're selling off cheaper. 

Personally, it wouldn't bother me if the guitar sounds and plays great + great price.

Octavio

I don't think I could handle that 'DEMO' embossed on the headstock.

guitargeek62

markj said:

guitargeek62 said:

There’s a couple of 335’s in Gibson’s demo shop atm at good prices:

https://reverb.com/item/77393171-gibson-es-335-vintage-sunburst-demo

https://reverb.com/item/77393172-gibson-es-335-sixties-cherry-demo

And more discounted gear here:

https://reverb.com/shop/gibson-uk-demo-shop

Some great prices.

If the silverburst had been a righty then I’d have bought that one instantly!


*edit* it’s gone - £2.7k for a CS LPC!!

Fishboy7

Hmm. 68 reissue Les Paul custom for 3400.....

richman6100

I was after a Gibson 335 a few years ago and tried quite a number. As others have said, they can vary a lot. Most of the recent standard American models I played were ok, but not exceptional and none really grabbed me. I did play one from around 2010 which was very good, but overpriced in my opinion and I reluctantly walked away.

Most of the Gibson Custom Shop models I auditioned were a) better and b) more consistent in both sound and build quality. I was genuinely considering one, but then I came across a near mint condition late 90's Guild Starfire 4 in a small shop while on holiday. It was a third of the price of a CS Gibson and, while slightly different sounding (brighter, more articulate somehow), it was easily as well built and looked gorgeous. I bought it without hesitation.

The following year, again while on holiday, I visited the same shop and they had an early 80s Ibanez AS80. I'd played a few modern Ibanez Artcore models before and not been terribly impressed, but this guitar was a completely different beast. It was excellent. Much better built, a bit more Gibson-like than the Guild and, frankly, equal to the better Gibson CS models I'd played. I bought it too.

I've never been wedded to big brands, I prefer to judge a guitar on its own merits. I own a decent Gibson Les Paul, but my Feline Lion is on another level and has relegated the Gibson to occasional use only. So, owning 335-alikes from Guild and Ibanez has scratched that itch for me. Both are truly excellent guitars. If I came across an exceptional Gibson ES-335/345, I may well buy it if funds allowed, but having been on this journey before, I would definitely consider other brands too.

Iamnobody

ewal said:

Apologies for side-tracking the thread a bit. It was this video that sparked my interest in the Starfire as alternative to 335. Love the woody semi-hollow tone. And the playing is nice and imperfect compared to some of the more polished demos.

Only thing I remember not really liking is the glossy poly finish. It would be an even better guitar with a thinner nitro or stained finish. Oh and I think I now prefer black for semis...

If you get one of the older 60/70s USA made Guilds it’ll be nitro. Possibly into the 80s and 90s I’m not sure. I’m also not sure what vintage Mick Harvey’s is - I guess he started using it early 90s - it could be earlier.