EGR Insta-Review
Gibson ES335 Reissue Cary Nov 5th
UPDATE: See our new in-depth review of the Gibson ES-335.
When I was 23-years-old I saved up for six months to buy my first truly high-quality guitar – a Gibson ES335 Reissue Hollowbody.
It cost me around $2,000 at that time, and I was quite literally living on Top Ramen & Taco Bell in order to save up that kind of scratch (it’s no wonder I weighed about 30-lbs heavier then.) But when I finally got my hands on that guitar I discovered that it was worth every freakin’ penny.
The ES335 sports two ‘57 humbuckers that give it the warmth of tone and growly temperament that any Blues, Rhythm & Blues, or Jazz player will find enticing. Add an incredible amount of sustain and you come up with a guitar that literally sings, weeps and moans on command. Think Eric Clapton during his Cream and Bluesbreakers days.
The Gibson ES335 Reissue Features–
- Maple Back & Sides
- Single-ply top, back and fingerboard binding
- Free Gibson hardshell case
- Two volume controls, two tone controls
- Three-way pickup switch
- Rosewood fingerboard with 22 frets
- Nickel or Gold Machineheads
- Mahogany Neck
- Two ‘57 Classic humbucker pickups
- Dot Inlays
There is one caveat however: if you’re looking for a versatile guitar, the ES335 may not be for you – this guitar does one thing really, really well, but it’s not a Stratocaster.
It has three switch settings (Neck, Neck & Bridge, Bridge) and volume and tone controls for each pickup, so while you do get some adjustability, you’d better be happy with the sound of an ES335 before you decide to shell out your hard-earned money. Bottomline: the ES335 is never going to sound like anything but an ES335.
That said, if you dig that retro Gibson sound like I do, you’re going to love the ES335 Reissue – It’s a hollwobody dream come true.
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Howdy! Care to Comment?
February 22nd, 2006 at 2:21 pm
I have a satin sunburst ES-333 which is a poor man’s ES-335 with no pickguard and pickup covers. I love it more everytime I play it. Gibson stoped making them already, but I’m glad that I got it while I could.
February 22nd, 2006 at 2:30 pm
Hey, I like your site…I’m adding you to my link list
I absolutely loved that ES-335, though like I said, it wasn’t the most versatile instrument, and it went out of tune a bit more than I would have liked.
That said, it had that incredibly silky blues tone that’s hard to find anywhere else. Nowadays I’m playing a 1959 Guild archtop that I found in a pawn shop for $700. It was a steal!