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  #1  
Old 11-21-2013, 08:03 PM
michael s michael s is offline
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Cool What is your opinion of the Gibson es 339?

I searched the electric guitar forum here. es 339 appears in a few threads,
but not much info.. So, I'm starting this thread to ask for opinions of those who own or have played the es 339. thanks, michael s.
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Old 11-21-2013, 08:37 PM
J Patrick J Patrick is offline
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...i bought one when they first came out... liked it a lot...the Memphis tone circuit combined with the PAF's made for a very usable tone palette....its very much what you might expect...a cross between a 335 and a Les Paul....i was playing it through a DR Z Z-28 at the time....very gratifying lead tones....i had the 50's neck carve which was bordering on too chunky and i like big necks...i might go with a 60's neck if i got another one...fit and finish were decent but not great...the binding had a strange pinkish hue that i did not like....ultimately i passed it on because i'm just a Fender guy....i've tried to love Gibson electrics but i just don't get my sound with them....
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Old 11-21-2013, 10:35 PM
The Growler The Growler is offline
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I love 'em. Versatile, great tones available. Slightly smaller than the 335s. Being a semi-hollow body they are more resistant to feedback than hollow bodies are.

Here's a link to an ES-359 which is a Gibson Custom Shop version. Nice demo of the versatility and sounds you can get.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsvN-NHtBPI

Last edited by The Growler; 11-21-2013 at 11:00 PM.
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Old 11-22-2013, 09:31 AM
jazzrat jazzrat is offline
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I had one...looking for 335 tones but in a smaller package.

Nice guitar but did not sound like what I wanted plus the upper fret access was iffy.

I have a 335 "Fat Neck" now. It's got the tone I was after.
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Old 11-22-2013, 10:27 AM
The Old Gaffer The Old Gaffer is offline
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Check out GregsGuitars on Youtube. German guitarist Gregor Hilden has a ton of guitar demonstrations including several variants of Les Pauls, SGs, Gibson ES-137, ES-335s, ES 339, and the CS-336. Any and all of them are great and can cop that classic Gibson Dual Humbucker sound. To some extent I think it boils down to personal preference and ergonomics.
I have had a CS-336 for ten years - I demoed it against ES-335s and liked it better. It sounds just a tad woodier and crisper because it has a "tonally carved" body of solid mahogany and a solid carved maple top. Sounds great and I thought just a tad more articulate than the 335. To me, one great thing about the ES-339/359 and the CS 336 / 356 is their smaller size. At 5'9", I find them more comfortable to hold and play than a full size ES-335. But I have played some Les Pauls and SGs that I liked almost as much.
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Old 11-22-2013, 10:36 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The Old Gaffer View Post
Check out GregsGuitars on Youtube. German guitarist Gregor Hilden has a ton of guitar demonstrations including several variants of Les Pauls, SGs, Gibson ES-137, ES-335s, ES 339, and the CS-336. Any and all of them are great and can cop that classic Gibson Dual Humbucker sound. To some extent I think it boils down to personal preference and ergonomics.
I have had a CS-336 for ten years - I demoed it against ES-335s and liked it better. It sounds just a tad woodier and crisper because it has a "tonally carved" body of solid mahogany and a solid carved maple top. Sounds great and I thought just a tad more articulate than the 335. To me, one great thing about the ES-339/359 and the CS 336 / 356 is their smaller size. At 5'9", I find them more comfortable to hold and play than a full size ES-335. But I have played some Les Pauls and SGs that I liked almost as much.
I bought a cherry red 339 when they first came out, in part because of the smaller size. I'm 5'9" as well and felt like Howdy Doody when holding a 335. I still have the guitar and love the tone, especially for single note playing.
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Old 11-22-2013, 12:32 PM
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Interesting video, but I noticed the unit he featured apparently didn't have the coil splitting. Looking it up at MF, apparently the Traditional Pro model does and a more expensive model of the guitar doesn't.

I have the Epi version. It's nicely made, the full humbucker tones are really good, but the single coil tones are nothing to make you sell your Strat.
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Old 11-22-2013, 01:12 PM
The Growler The Growler is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stratokatsu View Post
Interesting video, but I noticed the unit he featured apparently didn't have the coil splitting. Looking it up at MF, apparently the Traditional Pro model does and a more expensive model of the guitar doesn't.

I have the Epi version. It's nicely made, the full humbucker tones are really good, but the single coil tones are nothing to make you sell your Strat.
That video is a 359 which was a custom shop run of the 339. 30/60 neck and 57 Classics along with all the appointments. No coil splitting.

I used that video as an example of the tones available as it's well done and representative. As you found there are some variations available. That video was part of what made me look for mine and I love it!
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Old 11-22-2013, 05:51 PM
imwjl imwjl is offline
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I was obsessed with trying them, and following them used too (craigslist, eBay) having been sold on the cross between LP and ES-335. I enjoyed them but as time passed preferred PRS build quality and then I got hooked on the sound of a 335 or similar.

The 335, and my Collings SoCo 16 (what I ended up with after a few years) have bigger or deeper low note tone and I became addicted to that.

This is always hard stuff to describe but (my opinion of course) clean and semi-clean tone and individual note playing in same way just sounds bigger and more percussive with the 335s and what I have. With distortion and higher frequency I didn't find as much difference.

The 339s are relative bargains compared to 335s, and especially used or ones (all Gibsons) not fat neck.

Dave's sometimes gets 339s in fat neck, and some of them come back used. My sales person at Dave's said if I got the 335 or Collings to begin with there would be little chance of it being traded later. He was right.

Basically nice instruments those 339s, but you do get something with a 335 or Collings SoCo 16 even if it's diminishing returns as you spend. In my case that something was no more desire for guitar shopping.
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Old 11-24-2013, 06:36 PM
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I had one for a short time when they first became available. It was an outstanding guitar but I had to sell it. I just bought another, an ES-339 Traditional Pro and it is awesome. No more picks down the f-holes!
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Old 11-25-2013, 05:49 AM
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The 339 and 336 are an idea I wanted really badly to love but my problem was that I wanted the ES-335 sounds and these guy just sound different.

I will agree that as a 5'9" guy the 335 feels huge when I stand up but I love that sound!

And there's this funny little thing: every single time I see someone playing a 339 or 336 the hair goes up on the back of my neck goes up and there's this little feeling in the back of my head that something isn't right. Then I realize it is a 339, not a 335, and the body is smaller. It's a funny little aesthetic thing and very petty but it happens every single time, probably because of years of seeing the 335/345/355.

Bob
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Old 11-25-2013, 06:00 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Womack View Post
The 339 and 336 are an idea I wanted really badly to love but my problem was that I wanted the ES-335 sounds and these guy just sound different.

I will agree that as a 5'9" guy the 335 feels huge when I stand up but I love that sound!

And there's this funny little thing: every single time I see someone playing a 339 or 336 the hair goes up on the back of my neck goes up and there's this little feeling in the back of my head that something isn't right. Then I realize it is a 339, not a 335, and the body is smaller. It's a funny little aesthetic thing and very petty but it happens every single time, probably because of years of seeing the 335/345/355.

Bob
They are a different animal to be sure.
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Old 11-25-2013, 08:02 PM
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I've played a few, and the Epiphone variation. Nice guitars. If I got one I'd rewire with a single volume and a pan pot, single tone, and a kill switch, but otherwise it's a great axe.
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Old 11-26-2013, 10:04 AM
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I had one for a few weeks, it felt, played and sounded really great. Only reason I sold it was too many guitars.
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Old 11-26-2013, 06:47 PM
imwjl imwjl is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Womack View Post
The 339 and 336 are an idea I wanted really badly to love but my problem was that I wanted the ES-335 sounds and these guy just sound different.

I will agree that as a 5'9" guy the 335 feels huge when I stand up but I love that sound!

And there's this funny little thing: every single time I see someone playing a 339 or 336 the hair goes up on the back of my neck goes up and there's this little feeling in the back of my head that something isn't right. Then I realize it is a 339, not a 335, and the body is smaller. It's a funny little aesthetic thing and very petty but it happens every single time, probably because of years of seeing the 335/345/355.

Bob
335s and things quite like them do same as a Telecaster, Les Paul, Stratocaster, 6120 and other classics that nailed it with design and tone a long time ago.
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