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  #1  
Old 10-18-2006, 05:31 PM
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Bob Womack Bob Womack is offline
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Default Gibson ES335 misc

I know, I know. It's stupidity. I don't have any money. But I've been jonesing for an ES-335 or ES-137 of late. Pitiful stuff, really. Nevertheless, being on vacation, it is nearly incumbent upon me to trundle down to a guitar store and try out something I can't afford. It's kind of a tradition, actually. So, Ruthie and I went for a quick checkup.

Anyway, I went down to the local place (Alpha Music, recently expanded) and played aboot on the semi-hollow stuff. Yup, both the ES-335 and ES-137 have '57 classic humbuckers. The '137 Custom has the 'varitone', a single florentine cutaway, and some hansome appointments. The classic 335 has dual venetian cutaways, making it more practical for my playing (I use the whole neck for lead), but who is truly practical about guitars? Both have the center block that reduces problems with feedback. Both are available in natural (my wife's choice) or Tri-burst (mine), but they had only one of each finish (335-natural, 137-tri-burst). Yum, yum. My wife prefers the 335, thinks it sounds more mellow, and is a sucker for a natural finish.

By the way, fit and finish on these examples was superb. The fingerboard of the 137 was a little smoother than that of the 335, like it was already broken in, probably a function of having the fancier inlay and needing a more comprehensive polish pass. There were a couple of tiny bubbles in the back of the 335, but both offered nice subtley-flamed maple (like the 137 below) that worked well with the finishes. The necks were true and fretwork nicely done. Now, mind you, my tech would take either one into another class entirely, but I've seen worse fretwork on custom guitars.




I have to admit I was also very impressed with the Fender Supersonic amp as well. I love the fact that it channels both the Bassman and Vibrolux rather convincingly on the clean channel and allows moderate, controllable distortion with creamy sustain on the dirty side.



All and all a fine waste of an afternoon, no?

Bob
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Old 10-18-2006, 06:16 PM
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Before you go spend the money on the ES-335, I highly recommend you check out the Hamer Newport. Everything that is good on the 335 is on the Newport, but with much better build quality and attention to detail. Another plus is that they are less expensive too!

I wish we lived closer together so I could let you play the one I just got. Bob, you would absolutely shed tears of joy when you put yours hands on this baby!!!
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Old 10-18-2006, 06:55 PM
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I'll post this even though I sold a few months back (miss it). I've had several 335's over the years. To me there's nothing quite like it.
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Old 10-18-2006, 09:28 PM
moo cow moo cow is offline
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from the day i started playing guitar until about 2 years ago, all i longed for was a 335. it was my dream!!! i played a epi sheraton (335 copy) until i could finally afford that bad boy. finally got one in black, mmm,mmm good. it'll be the guitar that gets handed down to my kids.
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Old 10-19-2006, 08:07 AM
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I've gotta vote for the 335. I was on the same search and in the last couple years I've had a Heritage 535 and 575 Custom, Carvin Hollow Fatboy and a PRS Hollowbody II. All had their strong points but with this 335 I am getting the tone that is in my head. I will say with the right pickups the Heritage guitars are just awesome.
Here is a pic of my Tri-Burst 335.

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Old 10-19-2006, 08:15 AM
Acousticman Acousticman is offline
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OK guys stop!!! I have been wanting a dot neck for a while. With all these pics you guys are killing me G.A.S.!!!
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Old 10-19-2006, 08:41 AM
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I wanted a red ES-335 ever since I began to listen to Alvin Lee and Ten Years After in their heyday. I finally got a new one (Dot reissue) from Mars a couple of days before they closed their doors for good, and my only regret is not having purchased one sooner. It's a great guitar; very versatile, and suitable for all kinds of music.
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Old 10-19-2006, 09:42 AM
taylorphile taylorphile is offline
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Labor day weekend I picked up a ES 137 in blue burst w/gold
hardware. It's awesome I love its sustain. Got it at Guitar
Center of all places, a first for me as I normally prefer to deal with
Mom and Pop stores.

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Old 10-19-2006, 08:37 PM
rposner rposner is offline
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I thought I'd never play a Gibson cuz LPs are too heavy for me. Then I went to my favorite music store - MAE in Ft. Lauderdale when Gibson Custom Shop brought a trailer full of beautiful guitars and I discovered 335s and 175s. I gotta have one - it's next on my G.A.S. list.
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Old 10-19-2006, 09:03 PM
FLDavid FLDavid is offline
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My best guitar-playin' buddy has a 1968 ES335 (sunburst) in a case in his closet.
(He gigs with Telecasters these days, one equipped with a double bender). But he cannot bear to give up the 335.

As an alternative, look at the ES333. Guitar player in my current band has one (natural finish) with a neck to die for--looks the same, costs half as much.
Sounds killer through his Doctor Z.

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Last edited by FLDavid; 04-08-2011 at 06:53 PM.
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Old 10-20-2006, 05:44 AM
SMan SMan is offline
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My 335 was picked up at a garage sale in the early 90's. It is chipped, dinged, freeze cracked, belt buckle rashed, fret worn, finish gone off the neck, the binding smoke stained like it was gigged in a tabacco store, and sounds sweet.

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Old 10-20-2006, 10:14 AM
Herb Hunter Herb Hunter is offline
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Though I haven't played a 137, I've always found the 335 especially appealing. I've never seen one with a natural finish but I like it.

Let us know which one you end up with.
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Old 10-20-2006, 10:48 AM
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The lead player in my band plays a red 60's 335 most of the time, especially weddings, where it's perfect for switching from jazz to country to rock to R&B at short notice. His Tele has more bite, his SG rocks a lot harder, but the 335 is a guitar you can cover almost anything on.
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Old 10-20-2006, 11:26 AM
ronmac ronmac is online now
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I play acoustic almost exclusively, but when I began the hunt for an electric that could do just about anything this baby dropped into my lap.




...added a Bigsby



...and I now have one mean jazz/rock/rockabilly/country axe.

It's not a "real" 335 (it's a '77 Electra "Elvin Bishop" MIJ) but it plays like a dream and sounds fine.
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  #15  
Old 10-20-2006, 11:45 AM
D9thpersontoC D9thpersontoC is offline
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I love my Historic 59 Dot neck.




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