PelhamBlueFire Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 Hello, Alright, so I have a couple of nice Gibsons right now. Namely, a SG Standard, a Les Paul Standard, and an EDS-1275. What would be the next logical step for me? I have a couple of guitars that I really want to save up for...and they're all Gibsons. So if you were in the position to buy one of these, which would you get and why? I decided to make a poll out of it. Keep in mind, if you had the guitars that I have collected already. I'm very curious to see what everyone suggests. All your thoughts and opinions are welcome. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingfrets Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 After my experience with the 335-style guitar kit, I honestly think that when GAS strikes again, I'll be building the guitars I want going forward. I get what I want, exactly the way I want it and I also have the pleasure of seeing it all come together. I understand that option isn't for everyone, but that's the way I'll be going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 I have a 2009 LP Custom 1956 spec with P90s. It's not really a reissue as it is dark cherry with gold fittings. Amazing guitar. But if you don't want another LP then the 355 with Bigsby....that's what I'd get.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drog Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 Just to get your sound into another territory, i would go with a ES-335 or ES-345 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingfrets Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 When you say build what do you mean. From a plank of wood up or buying a pre-made body and neck and getting what you want to put in it? I have done the latter with several Gibby's and Fender's and Warmoth's. As I said in the build thread, I'm not reinventing the wheel so I started with an unfinished kit. I've done the partscaster thing with Fenders too, but I enjoyed doing the finishing work on this one. Got a couple of others in the queue right now (two doublecut Junior kits - one finished in Cherry, one in TV Yellow). For the most part, I'll probably stick with kits, but I've been gathering specs for a Rickenbacker 4001 CS64 that would mean doing a build from the ground up since I've yet to see any kits available (thank you John Hall). Basically, I guess I'll do whatever I have to do that'll net me what I'm after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 Go for a 355 if you can get an ebony fret board (unlikely). Otherwise, go used. I really like my Lucille so you might want to look into one of those as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cody78 Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 Tough to say as it depends what kind of sound you are after and what styles you play the most. If you want a different sound than your solid guitars go for the semi ES-335, or even better a 345 with the varitone and stereo option if you can find one second hand. If you want to explore the hollow sound you can't go wrong with a ES-175 and can find good deals on them both new and second hand...or an L4 CES if you want all solid carved woods instead of laminate. My 175 is quite possibly my favourite guitar alongside my Les Paul '57 Custom Reissue, ES 5 & J-15, but I am currently saving for an L4 or L5CES. ES-137's are pretty awesome, but I like the hollow ES-225TD reissue they brought out last year even better. These could be an alternative to a 335 as well being thinline too. A Byrdland would be pretty awesome too (but pricey!). You don't have a Gibson acoustic yet, so you may consider a J-200, Dove, Hummingbird or the equally as good J-45 or J-15. There are so many fantastic Gibson's to choose from, but from your original list I reckon the 335 or reissue LP Custom (if it has an Ebony board). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshall Paul Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 What would I like? Another LP - used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 The only real Gibby that I really really want is an ES-336... Its like a 339 so a smaller body semi hollow.. but the way they build a 336 is to hollow out a solid body rather than use laminates.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matiac Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 I would LOVE to get my greedy paws on a '54 Custom...GOD what a nice guitar... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 I have three mahogany humbucker'd Gibsons too, LP, Explorer, SG. For the money you are looking at, I would run out to Nazareth and bring home a Martin M-36. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L8_4thesh0w Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/2015-Memphis/ES-335-Figured-390-Neck.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted March 29, 2015 Share Posted March 29, 2015 If it were something I would get for myself it would be a Martin J-40. Happy Birthday To Me, etc. One thing you don't have is a Firebird and the 2013 V's were pretty nice and can be had for around a grand. Heck, one fellow found a new 2014 for $900 at a Guitar Center recently. No nibs but otherwise nice enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Actually I'd tend to look at this from a different direction. There are a lot of Gibsons well worth owning for various reasons but... My question for me for future purposes, and for you, is what music do you plan to hope to be playing? You have nice instruments for playing a relatively wide range of music, but as noted above, no flattops, no archtops. Even if you say, "I want a great Gibson iconic flattop," what would you do with it? Strum bluegrass background or strum ballad stuff as a singer-songwriter which adds "Do I want all-acoustic or AE?) Or would you mostly fingerpick, which brings in an entirely different game in terms of finding a specific shape that best fits - as well as considerations of tone and-or AE for potential/probable gigs. Or... just plain solo guitar with perhaps some added vocals, regardless of genre, and that IMHO can be done marvelously with an ES-175, in my case fingerpicking, but a lot of folks make it work well in "jazz-type" circumstances with a flatpick. The 335 and variations is nice for blues... for lyrical counterpoint or "lead guitar." IMHO it's not all that great as a full solo gig instrument compared to a 175 or a flattop or two - even a 12-string. But again, first where's your musical journey appearing to take you? Secondly, what sort of guitar in general do you want for an appropriate vehicle? And finally, what more specific body shape and size will best help you play up to your best ability and improved playing in that future. So... what and how do you want to play and, that you're most likely to play for others as well as yourself? Especially if price isn't a consideration, you might wanna consider a 175. But the thing is, a lot comes down to how you play to play what music in what type of venues. Personally I'd rather have one of Epi's new ES 175 Premium instruments than a Gibson V, and I guarantee it would be used a lot more. With my light strings I can even mess with a bit of Bach on a 175. As for other brands... On flattops, I see Gibson and Martin as different takes on the same song. If you wanted something really different, you'd have to get into a classical guitar or a high quality AE nylon string instrument of some sort. Again... what do you see yourself playing... m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4Hayden Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 My next guitar will be a ES 175 , always wanted one. 4H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StRanger7032 Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I'll give another vote for a semi-hollow based on what you already have. If the 335 is too big for your taste, maybe look at a 339. I just bought one and I love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 The next, and only logical step, is a semi-hollow body. A 335 would be a good baby step into the world of hollow (or semi) guitars. After buying a Strat, Reverse Firebird, and Les Paul Standard (in that order), my next guitar was a student model Gibson ES-320. That was just enough to make me REALLY want a 335. Picked up a 335 in 1980 and literally played it to death over the next 20 years. Owning (and playing) a nice 335 is NEVER a bad idea. WARNING: Stepping into the world of semi-hollow and full-hollow bodied guitars can be a life changing experience. One day your playing Stones and Skynyrd, and then all of a sudden your want to play like BB, Albert and Freddie. Then you feel this cloudy mist wash over you and you start studying Joe Pass, Kenny Burrell and Herb Ellis. You'll find yourself hanging out at JAZZ CLUBS, and listening to FM radio station on the far left side of the dial. Then you'll have to have a 175, or an L-5, and then maybe a Super 400. At that point your life as you knew it is over! OK, enough about ME! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Tough choice. I totally get that when you like something, you want more of them, more than something different. But seriously, start buying/collecting amps. GOOD amps. They are more important than a guitar collection. You HAVE some very good guitars, and by that, I mean guitars capable of making HIGH quality music and sound. But, no matter how good the guitar, it will NOT sound anything close to it's best without using the best amps. Think about this: the BEST amps are usually topping out at the 3k-4k range. 2K is more the norm. That, as opposed to spending upwards of 6k for the BEST guitars. (Not that you have to spend that to get a guitar that actually plays and sounds as good). So unless you have a good selection of some really good amps, you really are wasting your money if you have multiple Gibsons and other good guitars and only have cheap amps to play them through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I didn't vote because I really don't get the question. No one else can tell you what YOU should buy. If I was in the market, I'd be favoring the responses from milod and L5. These days, the only solid bodied guitar I own is a Tele. My favorite guitars are semi-hollows, but I've got all I want/need. I suppose my next guitar would be another 175-type if I had GAS. Filling out a collection is one thing. Buying a guitar to play is another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I think Stein did have a good point in terms of amps... but it may be a surprise to some that high end amps per se aren't necessarily what might be needed for a given sort of picking. Since the guitar is the question... I'm still convinced that playability for a given picker and that player's style or hoped-for style is the bottom line. For example, I'd not be particularly happy to have a $7,000 LP and $4,000 boutique amp compared to something like an Epi ES 175 Premium and a Fender Mustang III or a number of relatively equivalent decent quality SS amps, much as I liked my old Fender DR. Right now, for example, the amp I use most is an inexpensive Kustom AE 30-watter that handles nearly anything I'm likely to want or need - and I have some decent tube amps that'll doggone nearly truly break windows at 30 feet. In fact... I'm looking more at something like a Bose or another step up from my SS 100-watt PA rig that worked quite well for a wide range of applications, but I'd decided simply weighed more than what I really want to haul around. (Yes, I sold it.) I wouldn't have said that when I was just a kid of 50 - in fact I was 55 when I got the little PA outfit and it didn't seem nearly as heavy. <grin> So I keep coming back to what music and picking style someone wants to play, and where. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LPguitarman Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 I think I'd go with an EDS-1275. I honestly would have a hard time buying another guitar that doesn't give me something extra, like a 12-string 2nd neck. I love my Les Paul so much that any other 6-string electric would just be a back up to it. But a Double Neck would serve it's purpose for songs that require both 6 & 12 strings. Of course there's the issue of costs. I might have to go for the Epiphone version just to save a little money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 WARNING: Stepping into the world of semi-hollow and full-hollow bodied guitars can be a life changing experience. One day your playing Stones and Skynyrd, and then all of a sudden your want to play like BB, Albert and Freddie. Then you feel this cloudy mist wash over you and you start studying Joe Pass, Kenny Burrell and Herb Ellis. You'll find yourself hanging out at JAZZ CLUBS, and listening to FM radio station on the far left side of the dial... ... and learning theory. YUCK! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeybo89 Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Think my next is going to be a PRS custom 24/513 or a Gretsch White Falcon/tenessee rose It may be a while though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pesh Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Selected the Les Paul reassure option, but at the moment the choice is between: Gibson Custom 1958 Les Paul Standard Gibson Memphis 1964 ES-345TD Fender American Vintage 1958 Telecaster Duesenberg '59er Can't decide! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 ... and learning theory. YUCK! I love theory, I find it interesting. Very useful, too. It makes me a better guitar player, in THEORY. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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