Another Holy Grail of Guitars--At a Holy Grail Price
Written: Jan 23 '05 (Updated Sep 22 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great sound, great play, great action
Cons: Very expensive
The Bottom Line: The Gibson ES-335 is a classic rock and jazz guitar. The tones are versatile, the action and playability great. The downside is a very high price.
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| buffoonery's Full Review: Gibson 1963 ES-335 Block Reissue Electric Guitar |
The Gibson ES-335 is another one of those guitars that you have to own--if you have the major bucks it will take to buy one of these babies. Under review here is the "dot reissue" that will run you well over $3000 new at a big box store, based on the most valued production models made from 1958-1962, before the dot inlays on the fretboard were changed to block shapes.
Given the price, what do you get? Answer: one of the most important rock and roll and jazz guitars ever made, played by a host of great players including the superb Marty McFly, and one that will deliver a multitude of sounds suitable for virtually any electric genre except metal.
The ES-335 was introduced in 1958, originally called the ES335T for "thinline" but later changed to 335D for "dual pickup" (two '57 humbuckers for your playing and listening pleasure). Sometimes known as a "semi-solid", the 335 was constructed with two hollow outer sections but at the center was a maple strip that sealed off the hollow sides and to which are attached the pickups, bridge and tailpiece.
The consequence of this center strip (perhaps derived from Les Paul's original "log" design of the early 40's) is the ES-335's highly distinct, desireable sound, a combination of ringing acoustic from the sound cavities, archtop, and two f-holes, and the sustain of a solid body electric. The two humbucking pickups provide a wide palette of sounds ranging from blues and jazz to country, rock, and rockabilly; you get lots of brightness if you want it, and some growl if you want it that way, too. Generally, though, it's a clean sound, though not at the level of a ES-175, say.
A word of warning: This is not the kind of guitar you want to run through an effects box because you're just going to kill what you're paying for: these very expensive, tough to imitate tones.
The double cutaway body (almost revolutionary when first introduced) provides easy access all the way to the 22nd fret. The neck is fast, faster I think than a Les Paul. And another word: the guitar is beautiful and superbly made. The model I played at Guitar Center had no apparent contruction defects whatsover.
There are a couple of issues I would raise about this guitar, though. On the barely noteworthy side is that the tone controls are kind of far off to the lower right of the instrument, so if you like to mess with volume and tone in the middle of a song it's somewhat inconvenient.
On a more serious note, though, I have a hell of a hard time figuring out what the difference is between this guitar and the much less expensive ES-333 (see my review, http://www.epinions.com/content_155028328068 ), except for the pickups. You could be playing another two thousand dollars merely for the prestige of the 335 name. On the other hand, you get the collectibility of the 335 name as well.
The decision is up to you. It's a very forgiving, wonderfully sounding guitar that delivers a very classic, influential Gibson tone. But you can get two or three terrific guitars for the same price, and that dear reader is your Hobson's choice for the day.
Here are the technical specs on the Gibson ES-335 Dot Reissue:
Body Size: 16.5" wide x 20" long x 1.75" thick
Top Species: Curly Maple/Poplar/Maple laminate
Back Species: Curly Maple/Poplar/Maple laminate
Rim Species: Curly Maple/Poplar/Maple laminate
Center Block Species: 1-piece Maple Binding: Single-ply top and back
Neck Species: Mahogany Profile: 1960 slim taper
Peghead Pitch: 17°
Thickness at 1st fret: 0.800"
Thickness at 12th fret: 0.875"
Heel Length: 0.500"
Neck Joint Location: 19th fret Headstock Inlay: Holly
Fingerboard Species: Rosewood
Scale length: 243/4"
Total Length: 18.137"
Nut Width: 111/16" W
idth at 12th fret: 2.062"
Frets: 22
Inlays: Pearloid dots
Binding: single-ply
Hardware Plating Finish: Nickel
Bridge: ABR
Tailpiece: Stopbar
Knobs: Black tophat
Tuners: Grover
Pickups: Two '57 Classic humbuckers
Controls: Two volume, two tone, three-way switch
Available Colors: Cherry , Antique Natural , Beale Street Blue , Light Burst , Ebony , Vintage Sunburst , Wine Red
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Recommended:
Yes
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