Semi-Hollow Body ES-335 Guitars?

[flwehr]

I am a Anderson (x 3) owner looking for a ES-335 type guitar. I have played a couple of Gibson 335 reissues in the shop - they have a bewildering number of different models out there - and generally liked what I saw and heard. At this point I am leaning toward pulling the trigger on something along these lines:

http://wildwoodguitars.com/electrics/gibson/es/03207712/03207712_t.jpg

I live overseas and don't really have the option to try lots of guitars before I buy. I'll be in the US (Houston) for a week in early March and plan to do the deed then.

Other than the Gibson-made 335s, there are a number of lower-cost options (e.g., Epiphone), and a few boutique-end models (e.g., Collings I-35, PRS). Anyone have an idea/opinion about what's good and what to avoid in the ES335 world?

Thanks for any help.

- Fred

[kurt1981]

The epi's are nice, crud pickups and tunors, but not bad for woods, you gotta play a bunch sometimes to find one that sustains right, but they're out there. I love the herritage 535's, want one again myself, very nice, and made in the gibson factory, the old one that is. Prs's really aren't quite there, the bodies of the hollow series are pretty small and don't have the beef of the gibsons. I also used to own a lower cost gibson, with the satin finish, nice guitar, but something about it just always seemed muddy to me. Never tried swapping the pickups, I kind of wish I had. Then there's always a $5000 baker!!!!!
Good luck, keep us posted,
Kurt

[flwehr]

Thanks Kurt.

I must say these Collings I-35s look gorgeous. Very pricey though.

http://www.collingsguitars.com/images/Electrics/I35_body_red_LG.jpg

[GaryMcT]

The one I-35 that I tried was very very nice.

[Mott]

Another vote for the I-35's. Fine instruments.

[flwehr]

Oh no. You guys are going to cost me some serious $$$.

[stratoquack]

check out Gadow Custom Hollow

[Rockinbones]

you could also try a Set Neck Semi Hollow @ Grosh Guitars. not a 335 shape but. The semi hollow gets that vibe. http://groshguitars.com/images/FFsetneck_feat.1.jpg

[dannopelli]

I keep forgetting a PRS Hollow I. I have one and love it. Much different sound than a 335. Smoother and a bit less articulate. But in a very nice, warm way. Kind of like the difference between a Singlecut and a Les Paul.

However if you get one with a Spruce top it livens up quite a bit.

[Pietro]

I can't believe no one's mentioned this, if this thread is still active...

but check out the Heritage, too. I had one for a while, and it was super-sweet! I liked it better than any Gibson I ever played, and it was LESS!

[dkaplowitz]

I took my '01 Gibson 335 to Phil Jacoby for a Plek, a set up, a wiring upgrade (RS premium kit) and a pickup upgrade (Lollar Low-wind Imperials) and it's a killer 335 that even after all that work came in under $2k (I bought it used). And even with all that, it really doesn't hold a candle to my Grosh set neck semi-hollow (http://www02.homepage.villanova.edu/david.kaplowitz/images/guits/Grosh2/). That's just a kiler guitar right there. The body's more along the lines of the 336 that was out recently, which I think is the 339 now (they're smaller than the 335 - a really nice size if you ask me, esp. if you find 335s a little bulky). The Grosh set necks come up used for ridiculously low prices on the gear page from time to time (but not all are semi-hollow).

[Rockinbones]

I took my '01 Gibson 335 to Phil Jacoby for a Plek, a set up, a wiring upgrade (RS premium kit) and a pickup upgrade (Lollar Low-wind Imperials) and it's a killer 335 that even after all that work came in under $2k (I bought it used). And even with all that, it really doesn't hold a candle to my Grosh set neck semi-hollow (http://www02.homepage.villanova.edu/david.kaplowitz/images/guits/Grosh2/). That's just a kiler guitar right there. The body's more along the lines of the 336 that was out recently, which I think is the 339 now (they're smaller than the 335 - a really nice size if you ask me, esp. if you find 335s a little bulky). The Grosh set necks come up used for ridiculously low prices on the gear page from time to time (but not all are semi-hollow).

Glad you like the Set Neck. were only up to #0147. not many out there.

[billyguitar]

Hofner has one that has a 25-1/2" scale. I wish Gibson, or somebody else would make one the the longer scale.

[flwehr]

Well, I ended up playing two Collings I-35s at Hill Country Guitars in Wimberly TX (thanks Kevin) and was very impressed by the build quality and playability - these are absolutely stunning guitars to look at and to play. At the end of the day though, I didn't pull the trigger because I didn't feel like I could justify the price (>5K) for what I was able to get out of it. I am not a pro and I am not a jazz player and felt as though I really didn't know how to play it (I had also fallen deeply in love with a Froggy Bottom acoustic, but that's another story). I also played a number of 335 reissues at Guitar Center and elsewhere in Houston - they generally left me cold, probably because setup was so poor, strings were old, etc etc. So I was about done, having failed in the quest and with one more day before heading back to Cairo.

The last day there I visited Fuller's Music to try one more time with the 335s. I had the same reaction and was about ready to leave when I uttered these fateful words: "what about THAT one?". It was a Gibson Custom Shop CS-336 (http://www.zikinf.com/_gfx/matos/dyn/large/gibson-cs-336.jpg), smaller-bodied semi-hollow as dkaplowitz described. What a cool guitar, and once I started playing it I realized what I was actually looking for. It's that nasty humbuckery overdriven sound from the neck pickup where you play a long bent sustained note through a tube amp (no pedals), and it makes you sweat like some old blues guy in a skanky club.

Set up still needs some work - next to my Andersons it is tough to intonate and keep tuned (a nasty cheap plastic nut and tuners) but the sound is really something. Definitely a keeper.

[Pietro]

and it makes you sweat like some old blues guy in a skanky club.

You might need a stronger deodorant.

[Babow2]

Hi,
I saw your post and all the various replies. I am an TAG owner (x3) and also wanted/needed a 335. What I didn't like about Gibsons was limited tonal options (push pull coil taps), gibson pickups sound sterile to me, and no BFTS. I fell in love with the older Korean Washburn HB-35's, which needed all the parts replaced. however, Boogie Street Guitars makes special limited edition HB-35's, with Duncan pickups, tone pros hardware and BFTS. They also are flat out gorgeous. My Zebrawood Limited edition holds its own next to my Drop tops. I would consider these along with the Heritage in the "reasonable" price range ($1000-$1500). You might check them out at www.boogiestreet.com.
Cheers,
Brent Babow

[Mystroe]

I had a nice 335 in the early 80's. Impulse purchased a re-issue 3 yearsago. It's heavy, feels like huge accordion (relative to the andys), and requires a ritual like process to achieve semi-stable tuneing. But, it sounds as a 335 should, thru any amp.It is a 335. I am a little surprised that the sound has survived the modern factory expirence, but for me it has.

[toadcaller]

Good point. I picked up a re-issue recently after playing it in a shop nearby. You know its a 335 as soon as you fire it up. Its not my "desert island" choice, but I really enjoy it. Maybe its because I've wanted one for many years and this one just happens to be an almost perfect specimen.



http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n206/vaaspman/es335.jpg http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n206/vaaspman/es335_side.jpg

[FFOGG]

I went through a few months ago ...you can not find a Gibson or even a Heritage that comes close to playabilty ...tried about 25 of each ..ended up w/ a PRS Hollowbody II ...nice guitar .... not an Anderson though

[Janine Doubly]

'Nuther option to consider is finding an Epiphone Elitist (or elite) Dot. These are Made in Japan and are usually very nice. Maybe a bit on the heavy side sometimes, but fit and finish are VERY good (sometimes better than Gibson USA) and can be easily hot rodded with better PUPs and electronics. Used ones on Ebay are easy to find and reasonable. Thankfully, they tend to be consistent, so getting one off Ebay or Gear page is not much of a risk. Sometimes you can find a busted headstock one REALLY CHEAP, and can be repaired, but it depends on how ghetto you wanna go. I have one of their Rivieras, which is a 335 style with a trapeze tail and mini-buckers. I slapped a Bigsby on it, and it is killer, all for under a grand with an awesome hardshell case. Even kept the stock PUPs, but upgraded the wiring loom with CTS and Switchcraft parts.

[mdrs]

Well, I ended up playing two Collings I-35s at Hill Country Guitars in Wimberly TX (thanks Kevin) and was very impressed by the build quality and playability - these are absolutely stunning guitars to look at and to play. At the end of the day though, I didn't pull the trigger because I didn't feel like I could justify the price (>5K) for what I was able to get out of it. I am not a pro and I am not a jazz player and felt as though I really didn't know how to play it (I had also fallen deeply in love with a Froggy Bottom acoustic, but that's another story). I also played a number of 335 reissues at Guitar Center and elsewhere in Houston - they generally left me cold, probably because setup was so poor, strings were old, etc etc. So I was about done, having failed in the quest and with one more day before heading back to Cairo.

The last day there I visited Fuller's Music to try one more time with the 335s. I had the same reaction and was about ready to leave when I uttered these fateful words: "what about THAT one?". It was a Gibson Custom Shop CS-336 (http://www.zikinf.com/_gfx/matos/dyn/large/gibson-cs-336.jpg), smaller-bodied semi-hollow as dkaplowitz described. What a cool guitar, and once I started playing it I realized what I was actually looking for. It's that nasty humbuckery overdriven sound from the neck pickup where you play a long bent sustained note through a tube amp (no pedals), and it makes you sweat like some old blues guy in a skanky club.

Set up still needs some work - next to my Andersons it is tough to intonate and keep tuned (a nasty cheap plastic nut and tuners) but the sound is really something. Definitely a keeper.

Hey Fred....How are you likeing that 336?? I'd love to hear your impressions of it, now that you've lived with it a while.

Although you've got your 336, I thought I'd post a bit of info about this particular ES-335;

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Gibson-Custom-Shop-1963-ES335-Historic-Block-Reissue-Electric-Guitar?sku=517859

I have a vintage ES-335 born in 1963. It's a GREAT old guitar. The tone available using the neck pu, playing lead high up the neck, is very special.

The Historic Block Reissue is NOT an exact copy of a '63. But, the one I played was a fantastic guitar, and it is real close. Great neck, played well, good frets, and tone for days. I'd buy this particular Custom Shop Gibby in a heartbeat.