Twang Gang

They are not that easy to find as Gibson doesn't make them all the time. Reverb is where I found the most selection. Wildwood had a custom one built to their specs, but don't have any in stock at this time.

Vet - the CS-336 is a unique build by Gibson and the only guitar they make this way as far as I know. It is carved almost like a violin. The back, sides and center block start out as one big chunk of mahogany and the upper and lower bouts are routed out for the chambers. Then a solid carved maple top (with a little bit of center block too) is fitted to the back and rims which are all one piece. The result is a guitar that can sound very much like a LP or very much like any other ES semi-hollow body. But the tonewood combination results in a much mellower woodier sound than a maple/poplar/maple laminate guitar. They were made with '57 Classic pickups. They don't make them all the time so you'd have to search for a used one but it is worth the hunt. To plagiarize Carlos Sanatana "a guitar is like a color - but my 336 is like a rainbow". There are several on Reverb ranging from about $2K to over $4K so expensive, but when you consider what a new 335 goes for the 336 is a better value.

Have to agree with others above - NOT☹️ a genuine Gibson Custom.

Congrats the retirement and new fly fishing abode! As to guitars I would say you deserve a 335. But if you start leaning that way also consider a 336. I like the tone from the mahogany back/sides/center block with maple top so much better than a 335s maple/poplar/maple sandwich and they are way more comfortable to play (just slightly bigger than a LP, but much lighter). The range and quality of tones is just amazing. Everyone that has one will never give it up. I'm not sure if they are currently in production, but look for a used one. If you find one and buy it you'll never regret it.

Doesn't look much like the '53 L4C shown when I googled that model, which had a rosewood fingerboard, a different pickup and pickguard, different inlays on the fingerboard, different tuners, and different tailpiece. Not sure what you may have, but it is a highly modified something. Is there a tag inside with a serial or FON number? That would tell a lot about what year and model it is.

Really cool looking guitar. I never owned or played a Ric so know nothing about them, but seems to have nice features, and in mint condition for 10 year old. Love the natural finish! Congrats and enjoy 👍

Sorry - meant to say pulling up on the VOLUME knob taps the coils.

Certainly looks real to me.

A very nice guitar at an exceptional price seeing as a lot of 335s are almost double that. Shame not to play it.

Well it will change the break angle of the strings between the bridge and the stop tail, but I don't see any reason that should make the strings "feel looser" or make it any easier to play. Let us know what you think after you do it.

I have played Gibson guitars since 1965 and was never a big fan of the Kluson tuners thinking that they led to tuning issues. Actually I was wrong - I don't think there is anything lacking in Klusons at all (although I do like locking tuners) and all my tuning issues stemmed from two things: the nut on the guitar needed to be filed just a little bit so it wouldn't bind, and my sometimes forgetting to always tune UP to the note. If you tune down at all there will be a little slack between the nut and the string post (especially if the nut is binding a little) and when you bend the string you pull out the slack leaving the string a little flat. Not the fault of the tuners at all.

For years I used Elixir .10s . However recently a tried three different types of Gibson branded strings (on three different guitars) and I really like the "Humbucker Special Alloy Wound" that they make, so next string change I will probably go with them on my 356. I sold the 336 when I bought the 356, but they both have stock pickups which are the '57 Classics.

It should accept .11s with no problem and flat wounds are OK too if you prefer that tone. Always loved my 336, and subsequent 356. Post a few pictures of your new baby - we always say around here if there are no pictures, it didn't happen 🙂

What BluesKing777 said - I have the SJ200 with LR Baggs Anthem and it sounds good with the mix almost all the way to the mic side. Running through an AER Compact 60 solid state amp and the tone is very natural.

Well it's sort of like you got a new guitar with more features - but it didn't cost you anything 😄 I wasn't aware that they put the push/pull pots on 335s, but if it is the same as what they use on the Les Pauls, pulling up the tone knobs is a coil tap feature (gives more of a single coil sound instead of humbucker) and pulling up the tone knob would switch the pickups from being in phase to being out of phase. Enjoy your new available tones.

Are you sure that is the serial number? Or could that be the model number? Either way it seem likely a 58 reissue Les Paul of some sort.

Pretty sure the original '61 SGs had black top hat knobs with silver inserts.

If you can play them both that would be the best thing to do. The different pickups will result in different overall tone of the guitars and you need to hear that difference to decide which will best suit you. Personally I haven never been a big fan of the P-90, but many players absolutely love them. So, if you can, play them both and then decide.

I couldn't find anything for that serial number format either. ME I would think means Memphis (makes sense) and I would guess the 4 at the beginning either means 2004 or 2014? Gibson serial numbers can be so hard to follow. Nevertheless the guitar in the link looks like a real deal 339 in nice condition at a reasonable price. Jake's is a pretty reputable dealer so I wouldn't worry about it being a fake.

I don't recall playing a Gibson semi-hollow with a strap button on the upper bout ( I assume you mean at the end of the upper horn?), all of the ones I've owned the strap button was at the neck heel. But I have not had a 137 model. Having it on the upper horn would allow the guitar to hang a little lower so if it works for you - then great. Like Merciful said there is a lot more wood to bite into at the neck heel, than through the upper bout. I have an L-5 which did not have a strap button except on the bottom of the guitar below the bridge. So I installed one: But I suppose you are supposed to use a strap that connects up by the nut, as using the one I installed makes the body of the guitar sort of tilt away from you. Not a problem as I always play this particular guitar while I am sitting on a stool with one foot on the ground, but playing it standing up would be awkward. I recall a thread where someone asked why there was no strap button on a Tal Farlow model and when I searched the web every picture I found of Tal he was playing sitting down 🙂

Try StewMac 1-800-848-2273 they sell several different push/pull pots.

Chasing the "Peter Green" tone may be a long and difficult ordeal. As mentioned the PAF pickups were hand wound and no two sets sounded the same. As a much lower cost alternative try a Les Paul Classic with the zebra 61R and 61T humbuckers. I bought one (under $2K retail) and was surprised and overjoyed with how "vintage" the pickups sound.

I don't think there is anything wrong with the SG you bought, and I don't think you will be in for endless tweaking of the truss rod. After a truss rod adjustment is made it takes a few days for the guitar to settle in to the new set up and tension on the neck. After that time, if it is not correct you must re-adjust it and again wait a couple days to see how it reacts. Most guitars and Gibsons in particular will have different action and response to the slightest truss rod adjustment. The used and vintage guitars that you owned probably all went through this process too, you just didn't own them at the time. New guitars are subjected to temperature and humidity changes in shipping, warehouse storage, and display in a store that will alter it's set-up from the factory. Just be patient - you will find the sweet spot and once there very few if any adjustments will be needed. As mentioned GC is perhaps not the best place to have a tech work on the guitar, if you can find a reputable independent luthier (guitar tech) you may have success sooner. It not that difficult to set up the guitar yourself - there are many videos on the web showing what to do. You may find it very rewarding to learn to do this yourself and you probably have all the tools you need around the house - straight edge, ruler that measures in 64ths inch etc. Generally with a Les Paul or SG a good place to start is to adjust the truss rod so the neck is straight or flat - then back off the truss rod just a hair for slight relief in the neck

Cool guitar - enjoy it 👍😲

Does it matter which pickup volume is turned down, or will the hum go away by turning either of them down while in the middle position? Sounds like some sort of grounding problem.