Epi es335; talk me into or out of one

lowrider · #1 11-03-2022, 05:04 AM

I was at GC yesterday, and I played three of these. And I liked all three, gold, black, and green. Well I didn't like the way the green one looked but I had fun playing them into a small Fender amp. I also tried a Epi Les Paul and a Squire CV Tele with was the heaviest of all.

I really like the 335. It's fun to play and it would be easier on my 2X surgically repaired left hand. Usually when I've gotten the itch for an electric, I would just go to GC and play for a little while and then I'd be satisfied. This time it just built up the GAS.

I like the classic sunburst finish the best. I like the red and I like the gold but I don't want to own s gold one. I'll be keeping my eye on GC for prices and probably go back to see what I can do on Black Friday.

What do you think; yea or nay?

Bob Womack · #2 11-03-2022, 05:22 AM

Semi-hollow guitars are addicting. If you've got a mashed up hand and need reduced fretting pressure, there are things you can do to make fretting easier. One is to install tall frets. Tall frets force you to use less fretting pressure or the strings will be pulled sharp! The other thing you can do is check out a Gibson ES-335. My 2007 example came with tall frets (.056) and is the easiest-fretting instrument in my bunch. I'm not sure if the current ones have frets that tall but it is worth a try!

All the best,

Bob

lowrider · #3 11-03-2022, 05:38 AM

Thanks Bob, the hand is working pretty well right now. I'm thinking the just having .10 electric strings will make things easier.

If I really do like it, I can see me with a Gibson in the near future. And a small battery powered amp for playing with my ''acoustic'' jam friends.

HeavyDuty · #4 11-03-2022, 05:50 AM

I was diverted from a ES-355 by a sweet playing ES-339 - the smaller size works better for me. Having one around is very useful, I say yea.

Bob Womack · #5 11-03-2022, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowrider

Thanks Bob, the hand is working pretty well right now. I'm thinking the just having .10 electric strings will make things easier.

If I really do like it, I can see me with a Gibson in the near future. And a small battery powered amp for playing with my ''acoustic'' jam friends.

Yeah, I'm glad you are doing better. I had a reaction to a medication that caused extreme pain in my forearm muscles and hand joints. For a couple of months my ES-335 with .009s and tall frets ended up being the only guitar I could play.

Bob

J Patrick · #6 11-03-2022, 07:49 AM

…I own an Epi 335 pro that played and sounded pretty darn good stock….I have upgraded the pickups wiring and hardware and like it even better now….I didn’t like the gloopy poly finish so I knocked it down to a semi-gloss patina with steel wool and medium buffing compound and like it’s looks and vibe now…..no it ain’t as nice as the three Gibson 335’s I’ve owned in the past but I play my teles almost exclusively these days…when I do get the urge to take it for a spin it’s a pretty sweet ride…

JKA · #7 11-03-2022, 08:09 AM

You don't say what your budget is but if you're after a semi that's very easy to play you should try out an Eastman T/64. I've had one for a while and it's spectacular. Basically a 330 (fully hollow) with Lollar P90 pickups. It has a wider nut and the neck is very comfortable. It's also a great guitar for noodling on whilst sitting on the sofa. I usually only own higher end guitars but have re-evaluated my thinking since getting the Eastman.

Keith

lowrider · #8 11-03-2022, 10:22 AM

One thing that's making me look at the Epi is that it's a pretty inexpensive guitar. I don't want to put a lot into it and I won't be upgrading it. If I do like playing it and want to upgrade, I'll upgrade to as Gibson.

I don't know anything about electric guitar tone. The Epi sounded great to me, but so did the Tele and LP. So what do you all think, is this a guitar that I'll want to keep playing just as it is? And will it make me want a Gibson?

Right now GC has a 15% holiday coupon. If I can get my friend there to include a gig bag, this will be a great deal.

This is the one I want;

DavidE · #9 11-03-2022, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowrider

I was at GC yesterday, and I played three of these. And I liked all three, gold, black, and green. Well I didn't like the way the green one looked but I had fun playing them into a small Fender amp. I also tried a Epi Les Paul and a Squire CV Tele with was the heaviest of all.

I really like the 335. It's fun to play and it would be easier on my 2X surgically repaired left hand. Usually when I've gotten the itch for an electric, I would just go to GC and play for a little while and then I'd be satisfied. This time it just built up the GAS.

I like the classic sunburst finish the best. I like the red and I like the gold but I don't want to own s gold one. I'll be keeping my eye on GC for prices and probably go back to see what I can do on Black Friday.

What do you think; yea or nay?

These new ones are shockingly good for the most part. Take a look at the center block and you'll find that they're now being made as a 3 wood sandwich just like the vintage gibsons. My luthier friend tells me that makes a huge difference. He had a gold one that I should have bought when he realized that he kept playing the guitar he built for himself. LOL. He even bought a vintage 335 and sold it recently for the same reason. I bought a epi custom shop 60's version but sold it due to the neck shape. I like the neck shape on the versions you mentioned. I ended up buying a burst one and it satisfied my desire for a Gibson. I had a custom shop VOS model that took a while to sell at $3k and it was the best 335 I played. Now people are asking more for regular production 335s which is really just ridiculous.

DavidE · #10 11-03-2022, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowrider

I was at GC yesterday, and I played three of these. And I liked all three, gold, black, and green. Well I didn't like the way the green one looked but I had fun playing them into a small Fender amp. I also tried a Epi Les Paul and a Squire CV Tele with was the heaviest of all.

I really like the 335. It's fun to play and it would be easier on my 2X surgically repaired left hand. Usually when I've gotten the itch for an electric, I would just go to GC and play for a little while and then I'd be satisfied. This time it just built up the GAS.

I like the classic sunburst finish the best. I like the red and I like the gold but I don't want to own s gold one. I'll be keeping my eye on GC for prices and probably go back to see what I can do on Black Friday.

What do you think; yea or nay?

A couple of things I forgot: Yes, they're very easy to play. I'm tempted to go up a gauge on mine. Also, the gold and "green" ones have been on sale a lot in the last 6 months for $399 brand new, no case.

lowrider · #11 11-04-2022, 03:47 AM

My wife likes the Raspberry Tea Burst;

So that just might be the one. I want to go back to GC and try therm again. The 15% off sale applies to that one, so it will be very affordable. I also want to try and see the Antique Burst and the GC special red one. I won't be able to get back to the store for a while but this is going to be fun.

I have another question, will this guitar be OK played in to a Loudbox Mini for a while, until I can decide on an amp?

waco kid · #12 11-04-2022, 06:23 AM

I used my loud box mini for my first electric (Epiphone Sheraton) It sounded great. I still plug into it once and a while even though I have other amps....

FrankHudson · #13 11-04-2022, 08:24 AM

I have an Epi 335 Pro from a few years ago. I've not modified it one bit (not against modding, I just found no need). While I'd suspect other pickups would change the sound to something different, the sound I'm getting works for me. I'm not generally a full-sized humbucker pickup player, but these aren't too dark and lifeless. The 335 Pro I have has a coil split feature. Since I have lots of single coil guitars, I don't use it much, but it's there and adds a different sound that can be used.

I have no issues so far with the electronics.

Mine's also a reasonable weight for a 335 type. Setup "off the rack" was good on mine, and you've played the one you're looking at. You seem to like it, and my experience makes me estimate that you'd like to own it.

Brent Hahn · #14 11-04-2022, 10:20 AM

As a general PSA, if you haven't tried any of the "Inspired by Gibson" Epi's, you should. Acoustic and electric, both.

DesolationAngel · #15 11-04-2022, 10:51 AM

When I decided to get back into playing guitar again, in 2003, I bought an Epiphone "Dot" and a small Marshall combo. Paid about 400 EUR for the lot at a store in Paris. Fast forward quite a few years/abodes/new guitars and I decided to have a local tech guru 'breathe on it" a bit... came back playing like buttah, as the kids say. I had forgotten just how nice that guitar was. So I invested in a pair of Bare Knuckles for it... Safe to say that that guitar can absolutely hold its own with any guitar I own (inc. CS guitars).

(Now, it should be noted that it was a 2002 build, so made at the Korean factory in Incheon. I think they switched to somewhere else in 2008, and then again a few years ago... so YMMV)