Gibson ES-335 alternative(s)

[FingYourStyle]

Hi, evry!

What axe would You suggest when ES-335 is in my heart and 1000$ are in my pocket.

Thanks.

__________________________________________________ ______________________
Looks like that:
1. Eastman T18xMX
2. Carvin SH445
3. Ibanez AS103
4. Epiphone Elitist Semihollows
5. Washburn HB-35
6. Heritage H-535

[msr13]

A used Eastman T- series. They come with two size options. They do have a solid top, but are really wonderful. And, if you can pull together another few $$, a used Heritage 535. Made in Kalamazoo. Many peole argue they are better than a 335.

[Herb Hunter]

Though it costs a bit more than what is in your pocket, I thought you might like to know about this made in USA, semi-hollowbody, ES-335 alternative. Unlike the Gibson which has a plywood top, it has a solid maple carved top. The price is only $1,350.

http://www.carvinguitars.com/catalog...hp?model=sh445

[Gypsyblue]

I'd sell something or patiently save up another 7 or 800 clams and get a used ES-335 dot fingerboard model with the early 60's taper on the MAHOGANY neck on Ebay.

I wouldn't consider anything else. There is no substitute.

I'm pretty sure that ES-335 tops, backs and sides have been made from a maple/poplar/maple laminate since 1958 when they first hit the market. It's what makes them sound like a 335.

My ES-335 was built in 2001, it's NOT a custom shop model, and it's the best playing, best sounding ES-335 I've ever owned. Found it on Ebay for about 1700 clams three or four years ago. Met the owner in a McDonalds parking lot way up in the mountains of Colorado. Took it out of the case and played it bit and paid him on the spot with no haggling and without even plugging it in. I instantly knew it was THE ONE.

Mine came with Tom Holmes humbuckers - the absolute finest Gibson paf style humbucking pickups ever created. Most ES-335's come with Gibson 57 Classics, which Tom designed for Gibson. They're fine too.

It's in my will that my ES-335 goes to my partner.

[Herb Hunter]

I have always liked the ES-335 and have wanted one for many years. However, I haven't played some of its competitors to establish whether I might prefer a Heritage or Carvin equivalent. Certainly, a Carvin is a better value. I do know that unlike guitars from these two makers, Gibson's quality has not been consistent. Because of that, I'd rather take a chance on guitars from either of these two than on a used or new Gibson. I don't have the patience to try Gibson after Gibson until I find one that hits the mark as some people recommend.

Guitarists argue back and forth about whether a carved solid wood top is not as good as a bent plywood one and if one likes the ES-335, than its plywood top is obviously not an issue but the fact remains that the former is more expensive to make than the latter.

http://www.heritageguitar.com/models...ollowbody.html

[franchelB]

I think it would be hard to beat an Ibanez semi-hollow bodied-guitar.

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/p...tar?sku=514208

[mr. beaumont]

Save up a few hundred more and look for a Heritage or a German-made Hofner Verythin.

Both are nicer than any 335 I've played...and 335's are nice. the Hofner is a little different though, 25.5 inch scale and thinner body...it's what I ended up with when I did my semi-hollow quest last year.

Also nice are the higher end Ibanez--like the Scofield Model. The Artcores...ok for the money, but nothing compared to the other guitars mentioned in this thread. There's Epiphone Sheratons too, but they don't impress me much...if you could find a good deal on an "Elitist" Sheraton with the mini-buckers--those are very high quality.

[Gypsyblue]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Save up a few hundred more and look for a Heritage or a German-made Hofner Verythin.

Both are nicer than any 335 I've played...and 335's are nice. the Hofner is a little different though, 25.5 inch scale and thinner body...it's what I ended up with when I did my semi-hollow quest last year.

Every Heritage guitar I've played tended towards being stiff playing and souless. I don't know why. They look great and seem to be meticulously made but they're doing something wrong. No soul.

A buddy of mine had GAS for a Heritage Johnny Smith. I couldn't talk him out of it. He special ordered it and paid big bucks for it.

As soon as it showed up he started regretting it. That guitar never warmed up, never broke in and never became deeply resonant. It felt stiff, sounded stiff and stayed stiff until the day he'd had enough and sold it.

I remember the day he and a friend came over with his Heritage to pick up his 70's Fender Twin Reverb Amp which I had rebuilt for him to '65 specs and done some other tone tweaks to. At the time I owned a '96 Taylor 814C and I had a Sunrise pickup in it and I'd plug it into the Sunrise pre-amp.

After he finished checking out the Twin with his Heritage Johnny Smith, I asked if he'd like to try my then new Taylor 814C with the Sunrise.

Duane spent the next 1/2 hour playing one jazz standard after another and getting a great hollow body jazz tone out of my Taylor. He was blown away.

"That's one of the finest guitars I've ever played" he said about my Taylor.

The only guitar I've ever owned that I liked a lot that was sort of in a 335 style was the made in USA Hamer Monoco Super Pro. They're gorgeous and play beautifully. But the choice of pickups is strange: a bridge model Duncan Custom for the neck pickup and a Duncan Custom Custom for the bridge pickup. I swapped the neck pickup for a Duncan Seth Lover Neck model and kept that guitar for years. For a while I had two!

But there's no substitute for a great Gibson ES-335 that has come together perfectly and I truly advise FingYourStyle to be patient, sell some stuff, sell an amp he doesn't need or a guitar he doesn't play until he can swing a real Gibson ES-335.

[RP]

I just purchased a Washburn HB-35 at less than half your budget. It's not a Gibson, but you couldn't prove it by me...



HB35
Maple body
Flamed maple top
Double cutaway semi-acoustic body
Gold hardware
Bound f holes
Multi laminate binding
Raised black/white pickguard
Rosewood fingerboard
Split block inlays
Tune-o-matic bridge
Stop bar tailpiece
Washburn 621 neck pickup & 623 bridge pickup
4 knob/3 way switch
Gold Grover® 18:1 gear ratio tuners
Maple neck
Neck radius: 320mm
24.75" Scale
22 frets
Joined at the 19th fret.
Nut Width: 1 5/8" (43mm)
Case: GC71 included
Colors: Natural, Wine Red

[mr. beaumont]

Originally Posted by Goldenbird

Every Heritage guitar I've played tended towards being stiff playing and souless. I don't know why. They look great and seem to be meticulously made but they're doing something wrong. No soul.

A buddy of mine had GAS for a Heritage Johnny Smith. I couldn't talk him out of it. He special ordered it and paid big bucks for it.

As soon as it showed up he started regretting it. That guitar never warmed up, never broke in and never became deeply resonant. It felt stiff, sounded stiff and stayed stiff until the day he'd had enough and sold it.

I remember the day he and a friend came over with his Heritage to pick up his 70's Fender Twin Reverb Amp which I had rebuilt for him to '65 specs and done some other tone tweaks to. At the time I owned a '96 Taylor 814C and I had a Sunrise pickup in it and I'd plug it into the Sunrise pre-amp.

After he finished checking out the Twin with his Heritage Johnny Smith, I asked if he'd like to try my then new Taylor 814C with the Sunrise.

Duane spent the next 1/2 hour playing one jazz standard after another and getting a great hollow body jazz tone out of my Taylor. He was blown away.

"That's one of the finest guitars I've ever played" he said about my Taylor.

The only guitar I've ever owned that I liked a lot that was sort of in a 335 style was the made in USA Hamer Monoco Super Pro. They're gorgeous and play beautifully. But the choice of pickups is strange: a bridge model Duncan Custom for the neck pickup and a Duncan Custom Custom for the bridge pickup. I swapped the neck pickup for a Duncan Seth Lover Neck model and kept that guitar for years. For a while I had two!

But there's no substitute for a great Gibson ES-335 that has come together perfectly and I truly advise FingYourStyle to be patient, sell some stuff, sell an amp he doesn't need or a guitar he doesn't play until he can swing a real Gibson ES-335.

I respect your opinion, but I don't buy into the whole "soul" or "mojo" biz. A guitar is either for you or not, I guess. I stand by my comment that the Heritages I've played were top quality.

I'm just assuming we like different things--I've never played a taylor that moved me.

[macleay]

Also, if you don't mind doing a little tweaking, try an Epiphone dot. Granted, you may have to swap pickups and switches, but then you woula have a guitar that sounds just like you want.
And it's ALMOST a Gibson.

[Herb Hunter]

Originally Posted by Goldenbird

Every Heritage guitar I've played tended towards being stiff playing and souless. I don't know why. They look great and seem to be meticulously made but they're doing something wrong. No soul. ...

I have no idea what you mean when you say a guitar has no soul. One either likes the feel, the tone, and the esthetic appeal or one doesn't.

[Hotraman]

Originally Posted by FingYourStyle

Hi, evry!

What axe would You suggest when ES-335 is in my heart and 1000$ are in my pocket.

Thanks.

__________________________________________________ ______________________
For now on:
1. Eastman T18xMX
2. Carvin SH445

My opinion is to wait.
If you really want a 335, save a little longer and I am sure one will show up. I own a 1983 ES 335 dot and there is nothing like it. I went through this process with buying a Gretch Black Falcon... saved my money until a used one showed up. Bought it and added a nice guitar to my collection.

[FingYourStyle]

Thanks a lot to everyone.

...I'd sell something or patiently save up another 7 or 800 clams and get a used ES-335 dot fingerboard model...

...My opinion is to wait...

...there's no substitute for a great Gibson ES-335 that has come together perfectly...

Suppose, that's the way to go.

[Lewis]

How about a Gibson ES 339?