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First ES guitar


Jarf20

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Hi All.

 

I have finally decided to purchase my dream guitar - the ES-335. I am quite new to this type of guitar, as previously, i could not afford it.

After doing some research online, i have my eye on the ES-335 Traditional 2018 Antique Faded Cherry.

Just wondering what everyone’s thoughts are on this guitar, as it is a pretty big investment!

Also, does anyone know the neck profile on this model? On the website, it says it is a Rounded C. Is that usually thick or thin?

 

Any comments and suggestions would be much appreciated!

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  • 2 weeks later...

The best way is to go play several to see what feels, sounds, plays & looks best to you. I know that's not much help but really it is.

 

My first choice would be an Original 1959 with PAF Humbuckers.. But, it's out of my budget range. So, the closest one for me is a modern Gibson Vintage Sunburst Memphis Dot ES335 with MHS Pickups.

 

Questions to ask yourself.

 

What's your Budget?

 

What Neck do you like? Chunky or Slim 60's. What Frets? Do you like Bound or Unbound? Do you like simple Dots or fancy Inlays?

 

What Pickups? I like MHS..

 

And so on...

 

Good luck,

 

Lars

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Hi All.

 

I have finally decided to purchase my dream guitar - the ES-335. I am quite new to this type of guitar, as previously, i could not afford it.

After doing some research online, i have my eye on the ES-335 Traditional 2018 Antique Faded Cherry.

Just wondering what everyone’s thoughts are on this guitar, as it is a pretty big investment!

Also, does anyone know the neck profile on this model? On the website, it says it is a Rounded C. Is that usually thick or thin?

 

Any comments and suggestions would be much appreciated!

 

 

I’ve played a bunch of 335sin the last year, bought a couple too. In my opinion it’s all about the neck. Rounded C is a pretty nice all around neck and I bought one. I like Historic LP large necks, but hate the huge shoulders that seem to be in all the newer Memphis and USA Gibson necks. The rounded C is a rounded medium size and some havegentle shoulders. If you like larger strat necks you’ll loverounded C. If you like super slim, you won’t. As far as reissue models, the late 60s-70s are quite small and the early 60s are big shouldered flat back (not like the originals). The 50s reissues are massive.

 

Pickups and controls can be changed, necks not so much. I usually play a few unplugged. If it sounds good and plays good, the rest is part of the fun.

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I’ve played a bunch of 335sin the last year, bought a couple too. In my opinion it’s all about the neck. Rounded C is a pretty nice all around neck and I bought one. I like Historic LP large necks, but hate the huge shoulders that seem to be in all the newer Memphis and USA Gibson necks. The rounded C is a rounded medium size and some havegentle shoulders. If you like larger strat necks you’ll loverounded C. If you like super slim, you won’t. As far as reissue models, the late 60s-70s are quite small and the early 60s are big shouldered flat back (not like the originals). The 50s reissues are massive.

 

Pickups and controls can be changed, necks not so much. I usually play a few unplugged. If it sounds good and plays good, the rest is part of the fun.

 

At the Price Point what you mention was important in my buying decision. But the Pickups were equally as important. I didn't want to pay $3G's plus & have to swap out anything... The only Mod I might make to mine is a Bigsby.

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Hi All.

 

I have finally decided to purchase my dream guitar - the ES-335. I am quite new to this type of guitar, as previously, i could not afford it.

After doing some research online, i have my eye on the ES-335 Traditional 2018 Antique Faded Cherry.

Just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on this guitar, as it is a pretty big investment!

Also, does anyone know the neck profile on this model? On the website, it says it is a Rounded C. Is that usually thick or thin?

 

Any comments and suggestions would be much appreciated!

 

Jarf20:

 

I bought that exact guitar — the ES-335 Traditional 2018 Antique Faded Cherry — about two months ago. I have absolutely no regrets about the purchase.

 

Regarding the neck profile, it feels great to me. I wouldn't describe it as "chunky", as some others have done. Here are some dimensions for comparison (all measurements with a vernier caliper, strings on):

 

2018 ES-335 Traditional

Neck width @nut: 1-11/16" (1.6875")

Neck thickness @1st fret, including the fret: 59/64" (0.9219")

 

2015 Epiphone Les Paul PlusTop Pro

Neck width @nut: 1-11/16" (1.6875")

Neck thickness @1st fret, including the fret: 59/64" (0.9219")

 

1963 Stratocaster

Neck width @nut: 1-5/8" (1.625")

Neck thickness @1st fret, including the fret: 7/8" (0.875")

 

1968 Telecaster

Neck width @nut: 1-5/8" (1.625")

Neck thickness @1st fret, including the fret: 59/64" (0.9219")

 

In summary, it's just as wide and just as thick as a Les Paul; also, it's wider than a '63 Strat and '68 Tele, and just as thick as the Tele neck, but thicker than the Strat neck. I guess the bottom line is that, if you like the Epi Les Paul neck, you should like the 2018 ES-335 neck.

 

The wider neck on the ES-335 and Epi Les Paul makes a big difference to my hands. There are some chords with open high-E string that I can't play on the Strat and Tele without inadvertently muting the open high-E string. I don't have that problem on the 335 and Epi LP.

 

Of course, there's more about the 335 than the neck. Larsongs nailed it: it's all about the MHS pickups.

 

Here's some context. When it comes to electric 6-string guitars, I've been a Fender guy for most of my life. Clarity and brilliance are a key part of my sound. With some rare exceptions (like the original Gretsch Patent Filtertron pickups), I've been disappointed with many humbuckers in the past, which have mostly been either too muddy or too dirty for my taste. The MHS pickups have no such problems. To my ears (and for my money), there's a sweet spot in the Gibson product line between 2016 and 2018 — the three-year period in which the ES-335 was equipped with MHS pickups...

 

...by which I mean the original MHS pickups. Gibson discontinued them starting with the 2019 product line. Now they have the "MHS II" pickups, about which I know nothing. I haven't played them or heard them, and Gibson has published no meaningful detailed specs on them. All I can tell you is that the original MHS pickups on my 2018 ES-335 sound exquisite.

 

There's more. The ES-335 2018 Traditional has block inlays, and titanium bridge saddles, both of which I prefer. If you want those features on a 2019 model, you have to buy one of the more expensive figured models. Gibson has done away with the Traditional ES-335 for 2019.

 

I was able to get a great deal on the 2018 Traditional. At the time I bought mine, it was either the Traditional or one of the figured models, which nobody was discounting. The price difference was $1,100...not an insignificant amount.

 

Since then, I've seen the prices on the 2018 figured models discounted somewhat, but not that much, so you'll pay a premium on one of the figured models. Of course, if you love the way a figured model looks, and you're willing to pay the extra buck$, go for it. But if what you care about most is the sound, the Traditional has a lower cost of admission, and that's probably the way to go.

 

If you have a line on a 2018 Traditional, you should be able to get a great price on it...in which case you might want to pounce on it.

 

newjok12.png

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Jarf20:

 

I bought that exact guitar — the ES-335 Traditional 2018 Antique Faded Cherry — about two months ago. I have absolutely no regrets about the purchase.

 

Regarding the neck profile, it feels great to me. I wouldn't describe it as "chunky", as some others have done. Here are some dimensions for comparison (all measurements with a vernier caliper, strings on):

 

2018 ES-335 Traditional

Neck width @nut: 1-11/16" (1.6875")

Neck thickness @1st fret, including the fret: 59/64" (0.9219")

 

2015 Epiphone Les Paul PlusTop Pro

Neck width @nut: 1-11/16" (1.6875")

Neck thickness @1st fret, including the fret: 59/64" (0.9219")

 

1963 Stratocaster

Neck width @nut: 1-5/8" (1.625")

Neck thickness @1st fret, including the fret: 7/8" (0.875")

 

1968 Telecaster

Neck width @nut: 1-5/8" (1.625")

Neck thickness @1st fret, including the fret: 59/64" (0.9219")

 

In summary, it's just as wide and just as thick as a Les Paul; also, it's wider than a '63 Strat and '68 Tele, and just as thick as the Tele neck, but thicker than the Strat neck. I guess the bottom line is that, if you like the Epi Les Paul neck, you should like the 2018 ES-335 neck.

 

The wider neck on the ES-335 and Epi Les Paul makes a big difference to my hands. There are some chords with open high-E string that I can't play on the Strat and Tele without inadvertently muting the open high-E string. I don't have that problem on the 335 and Epi LP.

 

Of course, there's more about the 335 than the neck. Larsongs nailed it: it's all about the MHS pickups.

 

Here's some context. When it comes to electric 6-string guitars, I've been a Fender guy for most of my life. Clarity and brilliance are a key part of my sound. With some rare exceptions (like the original Gretsch Patent Filtertron pickups), I've been disappointed with many humbuckers in the past, which have mostly been either too muddy or too dirty for my taste. The MHS pickups have no such problems. To my ears (and for my money), there's a sweet spot in the Gibson product line between 2016 and 2018 — the three-year period in which the ES-335 was equipped with MHS pickups...

 

...by which I mean the original MHS pickups. Gibson discontinued them starting with the 2019 product line. Now they have the "MHS II" pickups, about which I know nothing. I haven't played them or heard them, and Gibson has published no meaningful detailed specs on them. All I can tell you is that the original MHS pickups on my 2018 ES-335 sound exquisite.

 

There's more. The ES-335 2018 Traditional has block inlays, and titanium bridge saddles, both of which I prefer. If you want those features on a 2019 model, you have to buy one of the more expensive figured models. Gibson has done away with the Traditional ES-335 for 2019.

 

I was able to get a great deal on the 2018 Traditional. At the time I bought mine, it was either the Traditional or one of the figured models, which nobody was discounting. The price difference was $1,100...not an insignificant amount.

 

Since then, I've seen the prices on the 2018 figured models discounted somewhat, but not that much, so you'll pay a premium on one of the figured models. Of course, if you love the way a figured model looks, and you're willing to pay the extra buck$, go for it. But if what you care about most is the sound, the Traditional has a lower cost of admission, and that's probably the way to go.

 

If you have a line on a 2018 Traditional, you should be able to get a great price on it...in which case you might want to pounce on it.

 

newjok12.png

 

I couldn't have said it better.. If I'm not mistaken the Neck Specs are the same as a 1959 Gibson Les Paul also..

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...The only Mod I might make to mine is a Bigsby.

 

Yep...that's exactly what I'm thinking. I'm still not sure whether I'll do it, but it's the only thing I'd consider doing to an otherwise perfect guitar.

 

If I do add the Bigsby, I'll probably go with the Vibramate Adaptor (V7-335), so I won't have to drill any holes in the guitar. That means I'd have to use the original Bigsby B7. Apparently the Vibramate won't work with the "licensed by Bigsby" B70 and B700.

 

I've read that the B70 and B700 (which are die cast) are somewhat more consistent than the B7, which is sand cast from the original mold. Apparently, there's also some difference in the bushings; some folks describe the B70 and B700 as "smoother". Maybe so, but I have an original Bigsby on my 1962 Gretsch 6120, and it works just fine.

 

I don't know how much the guitar's tone and sustain will change with the Bigsby. I've read that the change will be somewhere between "a little" and "undetectable"...but I'm still not sure.

 

newjok12.png

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Yep...that's exactly what I'm thinking. I'm still not sure whether I'll do it, but it's the only thing I'd consider doing to an otherwise perfect guitar.

 

If I do add the Bigsby, I'll probably go with the Vibramate Adaptor (V7-335), so I won't have to drill any holes in the guitar. That means I'd have to use the original Bigsby B7. Apparently the Vibramate won't work with the "licensed by Bigsby" B70 and B700.

 

I've read that the B70 and B700 (which are die cast) are somewhat more consistent than the B7, which is sand cast from the original mold. Apparently, there's also some difference in the bushings; some folks describe the B70 and B700 as "smoother". Maybe so, but I have an original Bigsby on my 1962 Gretsch 6120, and it works just fine.

 

I don't know how much the guitar's tone and sustain will change with the Bigsby. I've read that the change will be somewhere between "a little" and "undetectable"...but I'm still not sure.

 

newjok12.png

 

That's what I plan to do also. The Vibramate & Bigsby B7.

 

I've got Sand Cast & Die Cast Bigsby's on some of my other Guitars. The Sand Cast seem sturdier, although, I don't know that they actually are. Both kinds seem to work well on my Tele, Epi

Casinos & Gretsch's.

 

Lars

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