ES-335 style guitars?

notonlybutalso

So i am thinking of taking the plunge and buying a 335 style semi hollow guitar. Now, i certainly cant afford a Gibson, so i was wondering what people thought represented the best value for money in this market nowadays? Like a guitar that has a really good build quality to cost ratio? New or used either is good the main things i am looking for are dual humbuckers and a stoptail although that part is negotiable for the right guitar. So what are peoples' experiences?

Ok the list so far to check out is:

Tokai UES60
Epi Dot and Sheraton
Yamaha SA1100
Upper range Ibanez or AS73
Vintage AV3
Second hand Heritage (if i can find one)
An actual Gibson

Thanks for the input so far guys i have some homework to do

TonyR

It might be useful if you specified what sort of budget you have.

Gassage

Tokai UES60.

Utterly amazing for the money.

pjf

Epiphone 335?

Nitefly

I have a Yamaha SA-1100 (blonde) semi-hollow, twin humbuckers with coil-splits - bought new mid-90's.  

I've never owned a genuine ES-335, so I can't say it's better or worse, but it's suited me nicely down the years.

There are those who say Yams are a bit "soul-less" compared to the Gibson, but it's fine for me, and the coil-splits give you some nice tonal options.


<a href="http://imgur.com/HXpYjMo"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/HXpYjMo.jpg" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

dindude

Well if you stretch to £1600 new or around £1000 s/h I've tried a few Yamaha SA2200's recently and I'd have one over a Gibbo any day - the build and playability is 1st class. 

Further down the price scale the upper end of the Chinese build Ibanez Artcore models (AS153 for example) are very nicely made.

proggy

I've got an Epiphone Sheraton II which I absolutely love, you might want to give one a try.

sweepy

There is a Gibson 335 on here for under £1k, well worth buying as you'd get your money back if you can't get in with it 

Voxman

proggy said:

I've got an Epiphone Sheraton II which I absolutely love, you might want to give one a try.

I have a 1989 Sheraton II made in the famous Samick factory. Its upgraded with Seymour Duncan SH1 '59 pickups and its about as near to a 335 as you can get without dropping £2,500. 

vale

the epihone dot one is really nice but sadly far too big for me & the hard edges really cut in.
i think they are designed so the under curve fits over a belly but the top outline is not really breast-friendly. bloody hurts after half an hour. but they sounds amazing. think bernard butler when he plays raunchy big. they have slight hollow mid-scoopiness to them, a ton of warmth & the necks are surprisingly managable (even for small palm hands) compared to a beast like a gretsch neck. try one. i think you will like. sound like this. bernard you are lovely!

hubobulous

Second hand Heritage

Jota

I have an Ibanez AS73 and would happily own the JSM10 Andertons has in B-stock.
But for now the AS73 delivers.

rlw

Sheraton

Iamnobody

The Epi Pro seems a lot of guitar for £299. Neck binding which is nice compared to the standard Epi and coil taps should add some versatility.

https://www.gak.co.uk/en/epiphone-limited-edition-es-335-pro-natural/73931?gclid=Cj0KEQiAw_DEBRChnYiQ_562gsEBEiQA4Lcssl5JQYzvktV88C_Ygl0iprSp63Gsk9UCvWDz7gDZx6saApip8P8HAQ

bobblehat

My go to gigging guitar is currently a Vintage AV3, it has had the pickups upgraded but its a lot a guitar for the money and plays great. I've been looking to replace it for a while but struggling to find anything that plays as well without spending big.

Lebarque

hubobulous said:

Second hand Heritage

Rare as unicorn droppings though. I've been looking for a while.

Winny_Pooh

Lebarque said:

hubobulous said:

Second hand Heritage

Rare as unicorn droppings though. I've been looking for a while.

Dunno about that, seen two in the last 2 years, one at Chandlers in Richmond before they closed.

Dan_Q

i've got the epi pro, i really like it but not much to compare it to as its the only 335 i've owned, seems very well made and finished considering the price.

notonlybutalso

TonyR said:

It might be useful if you specified what sort of budget you have.

I didn't bother to be honest as its quite wide. Like i say i cant afford a Gibson and to be honest i have never loved them enough to think them worth the money they charge. For the sake of putting a number on it i would say between 500 and 700 used should get me a guitar or the level i am looking for. Obviously if its cheaper than that then happy days

sweepy

Rustle the extra £ and buy the cherry Gibson 335 on here, you probably could sell it on if you don't like it and make a few quid. Seriously, nothing sounds like a Gibson 335, the Yamaha SA range are better made but sound nothing at all like the 335, Tokai, Burny etc are similar in this respect

Jimbro66

sweepy said:

Rustle the extra £ and buy the cherry Gibson 335 on here, you probably could sell it on if you don't like it and make a few quid. Seriously, nothing sounds like a Gibson 335, the Yamaha SA range are better made but sound nothing at all like the 335, Tokai, Burny etc are similar in this respect

If you mean @mgaw's -  it's sold. It had a few issues but was still a bargain, particularly with OX4 pickups. Some guy was lucky.

Gibson ES-335s can vary a lot in sound and quality but the good ones are great. Unfortunately not in the OP's £500 - £700 budget.

The Tokai UES60 / UES68 are great value for money and well within budget. I've yet to see/play a mediocre Tokai.