Gibson CS 336 - thoughts and experiences?

Powerslave · August 2015

Would like to hear from folks regarding their thoughts and experiences with the Gibson 336.

Seems like quite a rare beast, but it's a model that has my interest.

I very much like the idea of a semi-hollow in a small form-factor. I have tried several 339s, but wasn't captivated enough by any of them to bring one home.

Thanks in advance

olafgarten · August 2015

I've only ever played one 336, but it sounded more Les Paul than ES, it was slightly more airy in terms of tone.

I think Collings also do a similar model.

stickyfiddle · August 2015

I've had one for almost 10 years now. Absolutely unquestionably my favourite electric and the one guitar I would never sell. A "finer", less chunky guitar than a 339, despite looking very similar. It's the only guitar of mine I haven't modded - not even swapped the pickups.

Soundness it's a little more LP than 335 I guess, but does a good impression of either with the right amp. I can't tell you the number of gigs mine's done and it's never let me down.

Trotter · August 2015

Other alternative maybe a gibbo 390. I remember trying one with mini buckers when they first came out back to back against a 355 and a standard 335 and it blew them both away I have to say. Fantastic sounding guitar.

Gassage · August 2015

I Have the CS 356. With Bigsby

It's incredible but I never play it. One thing it has is a solid, not laminate, top.

I'd flog it for £2500. (£4500 new)

Blueingreen · August 2015

I have one. I've barely played it because I tend to play one guitar at a time and I'm involved in a project where I prefer to use a guitar with a trem. But if I was only allowed to keep one guitar I think the 336 would shade it.

I also have a 339 which was my main squeeze for a couple of years, and I think the description of the 336 as a more refined 339 is apt. That's where I'd sound a note of caution - you can talk about differences, solid wood etc, and I do think the 336 is the better guitar, but when it boils down to it they are very similar guitars covering very similar territory. I bought the 336 because I loved the 339 so much I couldn't resist what I thought of as an upgraded version - if you don't like the 339s I think it's pretty likely you won't care for the 336 either.

(The difference that mattered most to me was the frets. The 339s have taller, thinner frets which I preferred to the more typical Gibson medium jumbos on the 336. I had the 336 refretted with 6100s which I prefer to either).

Jon Herington (Steely Dan) is a noted user. I'm a big fan of his work with SD and if you are thinking of a 336 it's worth checking out the amount of territory he covers with that one guitar.

stickyfiddle · August 2015

Blueingreen said:

I have one. I've barely played it because I tend to play one guitar at a time and I'm involved in a project where I prefer to use a guitar with a trem. But if I was only allowed to keep one guitar I think the 336 would shade it.

I also have a 339 which was my main squeeze for a couple of years, and I think the description of the 336 as a more refined 339 is apt. That's where I'd sound a note of caution - you can talk about differences, solid wood etc, and I do think the 336 is the better guitar, but when it boils down to it they are very similar guitars covering very similar territory. I bought the 336 because I loved the 339 so much I couldn't resist what I thought of as an upgrades version - if you don't like the 339s I think it's pretty likely you won't care for the 336 either.

While I generally agree that if you'd prefer a JEM or a Strat to a 339 then the same would be true of a 336, I would add that, coming from the 336 first, I loved the idea of the 339 as a same-but-different (and cheaper!) option for gigging, but I've never found a 339 that comes close to mine. They always feel a little heavy and a little "lumpy", despite being ostensibly the same guitar just built differently.

I've never been able to put my finger on it beyond the shape of the ears being fractionally different. I guess the 336 is maybe a slightly thinner body at the edges, or at least a different top & back carve (being that it's carved and not bent, obviously).

Whitecat · August 2015

I was after a 336 for a long time but it seemed between about 2011 and 2014 the bookmatching on the tops on any of the bursts that got sent to UK dealers was just atrocious and I couldn't get past that for the price they were charging.

Still don't have one and probably won't bother now, my GAS has wandered elsewhere...

stickyfiddle · August 2015

Mine's a 2002 and has what most would call "crap" bookmatching. Looks glorious. Can't be doing with all that tiger stripe nonsense. Give me interesting grain + flame combination any day

Still purdy in the right light though.

stickyfiddle · August 2015

I'd also add that while every 339 I've played has been a bit meh, every 336 has been fantastic.

Blueingreen · August 2015

When I bought my 339 I ABd it against a 359 and 336 in Guitar Guitar. The fatter neck on the 359 was too chunky for me and it was quickly dismissed. Between the 339 and 336 I preferred the 336 but at the time not by enough to justify the price difference of about £900.

After a couple of years of preferring the 339 to my other guitars, I decided that if that type of guitar (basically a smaller 335-type) was definitely my favourite type and I should really find the money for a better one. I came within a whisker of picking up a Collings i 35 but ended up with the 336.

The original plan was to sell on the 339 but I've found it pretty hard to let go.........

fretfinder · August 2015

On a 339, if you play a lot right up at the dusty end, the treble side 'ear' can get in the way of your fingers. Don't know if that's the same with a 336 though.

Also, I can't see the above flametop pics clearly on my phone but they may not be bookmatched at all, rather than crap bookmatched. They could be slip matched or flitch matched tops or whatever.

scrumhalf · August 2015

Surely a 339 is 3 better than a 336.

Powerslave · August 2015

Folks

Really appreciate all the comments - there appears to be some general love for this guitar, and your experiences are most welcome.

Thanks to stickyfiddle for the GAS-inducing photos of his 336 above

You're right, as book-matched flamed tops go - it's crap! And, I love it

That's absolutely my sort of top - lots of grain and "interest". Beautiful guitar, Sir.

Very good point regarding the lower cut-away. I did find, with the 339s that I've briefly tried, that my hand was getting caught when playing licks rooted with the 1st finger around the 15th fret. I don't do an awful lot of that - but, when I do, I wouldn't like to feel "boxed in".

I have no problem with the guitar sounding more LP than ES, that will probably suit me. I have an LP, but like the idea of something close to that in tonality but in a semi-hollow / light-weight format.

I'm not a particular fan of the slimmer 60s style necks that Gibson produce, and the 336 claims to come with such a neck - that might put me off when the guitar is "in hand".

Also, there's no getting away from it, they're not cheap. I've been following e-bay for a good example used, and here in the classifieds, but haven't come across anything within reasonable travelling distance of where I live (North West of England).

Once again, many thanks to everyone who has chimed-in so far - additional comments are, of course, most welcome.

dindude · August 2015

Having played @stickyfiddle's CS336 I can confirm it is a wonderful guitar.

fretfinder · August 2015

The lack of a fat neck option on a 336 would be the deal breaker for me. But that's just me, I love the 59 necks, although of course I understand that some people prefer the 60s Necks - no problem and each to their own.

Chalky · August 2015

I've got both 339 and 336. To me they are quite different. The 339 is like a brighter, less airy 335, and the 336 is like a lighter tighter woodier Les Paul. 336 is worth the extra.

simonk · August 2015

I had a 339 for a bit and rarely played it; I just didn't seem to feel any magic with it. I deduced that I'm not a semi kind of guy; it's full on or nothing.

hobbio · August 2015

Gassage said:

I Have the CS 356. With Bigsby

It's incredible but I never play it. One thing it has is a solid, not laminate, top.

I'd flog it for £2500. (£4500 new)

I'd stab my granny for this guitar. If I trip over £2.5k at any point I'll PM you :P

GuitarMonkey · August 2015

I had an ES-359 for a while, same colour but with stop tail. Sold it without losing any money thankfully. It wasn't for me.

meltedbuzzbox · August 2015

hobbio said:

Gassage said:

I Have the CS 356. With Bigsby

It's incredible but I never play it. One thing it has is a solid, not laminate, top.

I'd flog it for £2500. (£4500 new)

I'd stab my granny for this guitar. If I trip over £2.5k at any point I'll PM you :P

Thats more streaky than an Essex girl's fake tanned arse

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

Gibson CS 336 - thoughts and experiences?

Comments