Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

Welcome CS336 and 356 owners and admirers


dodgytoo

Recommended Posts

My story:

I'm a blues guy, and always wanted a 335. But they always felt distractingly large to me -- something about the size of the lower bout just always bugged me, sitting or standing. I wanted the sound, but couldn't get on with the source. When the CS came out with the 336 design I was more than a little intrigued: if it delivered on tone, it might be the perfect guitar for me...

 

But they were extremely difficult to find on the shelves (still are, really). I live in a major metro area, and couldn't find one within 150 miles in that first year (2002?). This was back in "the good old days" -- when many dealers of CS guitars were allowed by Gibson to post images of specific guitars on their websites, and by 2003 my G.A.S. had grown to an obsession.

 

One of the Gibson Super Dealers of the time got in a special run of CS-356s, some in special colors, some with quilt tops. They happened to have a generous approval period -- so even though I'd still never played one I took a (rather expensive) chance and ordered a CS-356 from the other side of the country that had caught my eye. Quilted maple, "Heritage Darkburst" spec'd top.

 

I was completely blown away by the workmanship, the feel, the looks, but most importantly the tone and versatility. The neck pickup is the best sounding neck pickup I've ever played, the bridge is capable of anything from a biting LP-style growl to an almost Tele-like spank. It's got an incredibly rich and woody natural tone, but you can push it to anywhere on the 335-LP continuum (and beyond, into Tele territory). Overall the guitar easily gets me the 335 sound in my head, but is also capable of producing the balls of an LP. It sounds terrific clean or with some grit behind it. It's a blues monster, but can handle jazz, funk and rock with ease, just by twisting the knobs a little. I'm not a fan of big, thick and large shouldered necks but I'm very happy with the "60s Slim Taper" spec'd neck on mine -- they're handmade and vary, but mine is by no means "thin" like a super strat shred machine. "Not too thin, not too fat" sounds like Golidlocks, but... that's what it is in my hands. At 7.2 lbs it is enormously comfortable to "wear" for long periods and the overall size is just perfect for me. The old saw about "jacks of all trades" being "masters of none" just doesn't apply to these, in my opinion: it "has the stuff" and delivers on about a half-dozen fronts. I couldn't be happier, and I'll never part with it. It inspires me every day, even if my eyes are closed. The only bummer is that it has made all my other CS humbucker lust obsolete! (Now I have P-90 lust).

 

And it ain't half bad lookin' either:

CS30505-2.jpg

Couch2.jpg

 

Oh... and G'day! I lived in Sydney as a teenager in the early 1970s and could use a good meat pie and a few sausage rolls right about now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Clayville

 

Stoked to here your story.

 

My 356 is currently winging its way across from the US. Arrives Monday, but that is the exact guitar pictured here as my avatar.

 

Hoping it will be everything you have said as that is exactly what I am looking for.

 

Gotta be close to the prettiest guitar going around and not too large like the 335.

 

Not many of them in this part of the world.

 

Sausage rolls and pies are still great over here. Did u ever get addicted to the Tim Tams or Twisties.

 

Your 356 is an awesome example. Love the pics.

 

How do u load them up here?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Best of luck with it! I predict you're going to be very, very happy if your hopes match my description. I found that even very small adjustments to pickup, bridge and tailpiece heights went a long way toward dialing in an incredible tone.

 

I can't even begin to list all the Aussie things I miss, almost daily. The entire experience was permanently seared into the brains and hearts of my entire family. Unfortunately I haven't been back since '86...

 

On the "posting pics" thing, you need to host them offsite somewhere. Then you use the little 'mountains and sun' tool at the top of you post to insert the url of the offsite photo.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dodgytoo,

 

How's the new guitar? Is it as good as Clayville said it would be?

 

I need to hear it!

 

 

I currently own the ES 346 PJ and I love it. The size is just right. It stays tune, sounds great and plays with ease. I like to use D'Addario Chromes 10's to get the best smooth jazz sound.

 

The problem I'm having is that I like the PJ so much for Jazz and Blues that I'm constantly changing my strings from chromes (jazz) to nickel (blues). I need another guitar for dedicated Blues work. And lately I've been "musing" for the the 356. The 335 and 355 are two big. Too much rear on these guitars. Also, they lack the smooth sound of Mahogany bodies that I like in the PJ and PRS.

 

I need to find me some money!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

it arrives tomorrow

 

i will post more after I have played it.

 

the guys who set it up say it one of the best they have seen and they have seen a 100 or so of them over the years.

 

agree that the 335 is a bit big, that is what attracted me to the 336 and then finally I got addicted to the 356 look and extra features.

 

I am sure it will be a keeper

 

very few of them in my neck of the woods

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Guys....Not exactly a 336 or 356, which I was trying to buy, but a close cousin. After a lot of good advice on this forum from Clayville and others, I wound up getting a great deal on a used Collings I-35 Deluxe. It just happened as I was searching for the 336, but would not have happened without the support of a lot of guys in here especially Clayville.....so thanks a lot, just wanted to share with you all the result of all the searching....thanks...Oh...by the way....I'm a proud owner of THREE other Gibsons, so please don't hate me for disloyality, I was really looking for the 336/356, and got burned a couple of times on EBAY bidding, before finding this one...just happened. I put one of my guitars on Craig's list to trade for a 336 figured top, and this guy calls me. ...Wily

 

 

Collingsfront.jpg

 

CollingsBack.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

onewilyfool: Congrats! But you give me way too much credit.

 

That's a real nice top, and the construction and size on these (I gather) is similar to the 336/356. I had a chance to kick the tires on one of those last year and liked the tone quite a bit. Fwiw, the neck on the one I tried seemed closer to my Taylor acoustic than to my 356 -- chunkier, felt like a flatter radius and a wider fretboard -- but maybe that's the power of sugestion from the headstock label. The "fit & finish" and craftsmanship was excellent. They come with Lollar pickups, don't they? I'm not sure why they'd put white knobs on it, but they're handsome white knobs as I recall! That case looks like an improvement over the standard Gibby case (which isn't horrible, but doesn't instill a lot of "confidence" like a good case should).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Love everyone's choice of guitar. And, as I've said I have 335's from age 13 in 1963 to 2006. I have never understood the concern over the 335 body size. I am an average size guy and have never played a more comfortable guitar than the 335 standing or sitting. Plus, it will go anywhere with sound also. I guess what counts is, isn't it just plain great the semi hollow series exists regardless of one's preference in body size, appointments, etc. !!!

 

Steve

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Clayville....well, you did help, and also swayed me from the 335 to the 336/356 direction, which led me to this. The knobs look nice with the top binding, they are not pure white more of an off white and they have some kind of graining in them, so they look more bone like than plastic white. Looks good in person, the neck adjusting nut cover, does not look as good, I may do something with that. They are Jason Lollar pickups and are great from Jazz, to Blues, to Rock. Great tones. All solid woods, but I don't get any feedback. Actually, this one sounds good even acoustically. The body is just a bit larger than the 336 my friend has, but smaller than the 335. Chord comes out the side like the 336/356. Fit and finish is flawless. The neck is what swayed me, must be more like the Gibson 59 neck, a little larger but for my hands VERY comfortable. Just a wonderful guitar, and as I think you said in another link, the beauty of a guitar also inspires, makes you want to play. Keep pluckin'!!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

 

Love everyone's choice of guitar. And' date=' as I've said I have 335's from age 13 in 1963 to 2006. I have never understood the concern over the 335 body size. I am an average size guy and have never played a more comfortable guitar than the 335 standing or sitting. Plus, it will go anywhere with sound also. I guess what counts is, isn't it just plain great the semi hollow series exists regardless of one's preference in body size, appointments, etc. !!!

 

Steve[/quote']

 

I guess if you had a guitar that long and grew up with it's sizes (like Tiger Woods did with golf) it would not bother you. That wasn't the case with me. I really liked that limited addition 335 that I had. It was antique red with black bindings. I bought it new for $1,800.00. And I sold it in 1 day for $2,800.00. I still like the 335 (s). It's like an old girl that you loved, hated and choice not to date again.

 

JazzGtr

Link to comment
Share on other sites

JazzGtr

 

your avatar, the pj jr. is beautiful guitar, i always liked that guitar, the parallelograms from the first fret, the size etc. Paul Jackson Jr. is a great player and while i don't see him play his signature model much anymore, (seems to have switched to prs's) on idol or remember the lyrics show, he works a lot and is a great player. He did play it every once and awhile on the show 3 or 4 years ago.

 

i have a relatively new dvd of Larry Coreyell, and he has a few guest players on it, one young guy plays a pj. jr model.

 

I had considered either a pj or pat martino, i had made up my mind that which ever one became available i would get. then a pm became available and i bought it, another nice guitar.

 

 

peace

Link to comment
Share on other sites

guitar arrived as scheduled thanks to UPS

 

I reckon I am one of the very few in this coutnry with a 356, they are extremely rare here

 

it is everything that was described

 

even great acoustically

 

feels lovely... but like with every new guitar you have settle in to each other.

 

anyone looking for a guitar give Wildwood Guitars in Colorado a call, they are very switched on (ask for Bruce)

 

pictures later

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey Guys...how do yours sound acoustically? I get a kick out of playing mine acoustically too.....Clayville....I don't know about Gibson, probably possible, but the Collings can be ordered with P-90's, and probably the 356 too....are you going there? I'll bet a 336/356 would sound great with P-90's, old school. I once had a Gibson Les Paul Classic Custom with the P-90's, which was a great guitar, here's a pic:

 

IMGP0043.jpg

 

IMGP0042.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ES345,

 

Thanks.

 

The PJ turned out to be more that what I was expecting. At first I needed an alternative guitar for my Gibson L5 - Wes Montgomery. I needed something lighter and faster for the smooth jazz stuff like Mr. Paul Jackson Jr. plays. Musically, it can cover about half of the jazz stuff my L5 can do but faster. But then I noticed that when I added a little grit (overdrive) this thing started to sing blues and fusion. I love it even more now. Needless to say, it's a keeper! Then I started changing the strings (back and forth) like I said in my first post and it got too crazy for me to manage. The 356 is constructed with the same materials and size dimensions of the PJ (ebony board, mahogany neck, carved back and sides, solid maple top) which the exception of the head stock. As others have mentioned, this guitar is hard to find. I'm looking into ordering one as we speak.

 

PS, I really like your es345. Looks cool. I know it can sing the Blues. I only wished that I could play the size.

 

JazzGtr

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the PJ vs. 336/356: One significant difference in the shape is in the "flair" or the upper bout horns. The space between the horns and the neck on a 336/356 is a bit tighter, which might impeded upper fret access for folks with large hands. Proportionally, the overall shape of the 336/356 & 339 "looks" right compared to a 335... but there's definitely less space up there than on a PJ or full-size 335.

 

It's not an issue for me at all since it's not really "tight" in a constricting way for me -- partly my style, partly the size of my hands, but I've heard others mention it as something that turned them off. Just thought I'd mention it....

 

 

onewily: as far as I know, Gibson doesn't offer the 336/356 with P-90s... yet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the PJ vs. 336/356: One significant difference in the shape is in the "flair" or the upper bout horns. The space between the horns and the neck on a 336/356 is a bit tighter' date=' which might impeded upper fret access for folks with large hands. Proportionally, the overall shape of the 336/356 & 339 "looks" right compared to a 335... but there's definitely less space up there than on a PJ or full-size 335.

 

It's not an issue for me at all since it's not really "tight" in a constricting way for me -- partly my style, partly the size of my hands, but I've heard others mention it as something that turned them off. Just thought I'd mention it....

 

 

onewily: as far as I know, Gibson doesn't offer the 336/356 with P-90s... yet. [/quote']

 

I agree with the "flairing" thingy. It was the first thing that I noticed after selling my 335. Additionally, the width at the neck and body (top to back) is thinner, which helps reaching the upper frets.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

JazzGtr,

 

My avatar is actually my 356, i bought in 2002. I am going to change it to my 345 one of these days. My 356 is very versatile, like the 335/45/55, and as you know with the PJ very comfortable to play. The bigsby works fine, i think on this guitar as well as, Les pauls it is just a subtle affect. the neck is just a little fuller than my '62 345, a little larger than slim taper, but very comfortable, and it stays in tune pretty well, tuning is not an issue, working with a female singer i tune/check tuning between each song anyway. Nice having an L5. As you age sometimes a large body jazz guitar can cause a little discomfort in your shoulder, at least that is what happened to me. i am good for one 45 minute set, so that is really why i started seeking out narrower semi/hollow bodies.

 

A nice Eastman 16 in 2 1/2 deep, the Guild X 175 i bought in '78, beautiful but 3 1/2 deep, a nice prs spruce top hollow body, the 356, pat martino, howard roberts fusion iii etc. for me the 345 is the grail, but it has increased so much in value that i only record for the family in my home studio with it and my weekly gig is done with one of the above guitars, not normally guild.

 

If i was younger and had the money back then i would have gotten and L5 CT, i think that is narrow body, just way too expensive at my age. I have always liked the byrdland, but i am really finished buying, but i still enjoy looking.

 

 

peace

Link to comment
Share on other sites

JazzGtr' date='

 

My avatar is actually my 356, i bought in 2002. I am going to change it to my 345 one of these days. My 356 is very versatile, like the 335/45/55, and as you know with the PJ very comfortable to play. The bigsby works fine, i think on this guitar as well as, Les pauls it is just a subtle affect. the neck is just a little fuller than my '62 345, a little larger than slim taper, but very comfortable, and it stays in tune pretty well, tuning is not an issue, working with a female singer i tune/check tuning between each song anyway. Nice having an L5. As you age sometimes a large body jazz guitar can cause a little discomfort in your shoulder, at least that is what happened to me. i am good for one 45 minute set, so that is really why i started seeking out narrower semi/hollow bodies.

 

A nice Eastman 16 in 2 1/2 deep, the Guild X 175 i bought in '78, beautiful but 3 1/2 deep, a nice prs spruce top hollow body, the 356, pat martino, howard roberts fusion iii etc. for me the 345 is the grail, but it has increased so much in value that i only record for the family in my home studio with it and my weekly gig is done with one of the above guitars, not normally guild.

 

If i was younger and had the money back then i would have gotten and L5 CT, i think that is narrow body, just way too expensive at my age. I have always liked the byrdland, but i am really finished buying, but i still enjoy looking.

 

 

peace[/quote']

 

ES345,

 

I've seen your 345 on another board and that's what I was commenting about.

 

My L5 have never seen the outside world. It has been and will continues to be a home studio instrument only. I do most of my playing with the L5 seating down. The PJ and PRS do the dirty work outside the house. If I ever get a 356 it too will become home bound. You are right about doing things differently if we were both younger and had the money. In twenty years or more, I've gone through a few guitars (ES 175, ES 335, Custom Les Paul, PRS Custom 22) just to end up with what I presently have. I wouldn't even mentioned the amps and effects.

 

This has been one expensive hobby. I better keep my day job!

 

JazzGtr

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, I think it is a beauty. Wildwood Guitars got me a keeper.

 

Re the pic, that is the one supplied by Wildwood for me to check.

 

but I am going to do some of my own soon.

 

How did I post it?

 

Just clicked on the Image button that looks like a Mountain and dropped the code of the URL where the pic is located in between the IMG markers

Link to comment
Share on other sites

does anyone have favourite positions with the volume and tone controls and toggle with these semi hollow guitars.

 

what are u running with different styles of music

 

I am still experimenting and running it into a Fender 65 Deluxe Reverb RI

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...