1979 ES 335 Pro ?

[Bluesjr]

I'm looking at buying a ES 335 Pro here in Australia which has an asking price of AUD $1700 or approx. USD $1,500. I'd like to know the thoughts of the forum whether the '79 to '81 Pro models are at all collectable and whether this example would be worth the asking price.

 

It has a three piece maple neck common to this model which seems like cheap construction, although I may be wrong. Maple necks are something I associate with Epiphone. It has no Gibson label inside the body and I'm not sure if this model was labelled. The lack of a label may have been a manufacturing decision but I'm not sure. The frets are low and it has been refretted.

 

There are some issues with the body which has two holes near the pickup selector switch that the owner tells me were where extra coil split switches were mounted. These switches were fitted by a previous owner

 

It also has different machine/tuner heads to other Gibson models. Rather than zinc plated butter bean or tulip shape they are like a typical Schaller heads. Having said that there are no signs of other style tuners being in place previously ie no plugged screw holes. They could have replaced original Grovers.

 

One of the original pickups has been removed and replaced with a Seymour Duncan pup. The case has got a broken hinge.

 

So my issue is that not having other market values of 335 Pro's to compare with this guitar and its modifications, it's hard to judge whether this example of maybe less collectable 335, is worth buying given it's not quite a "clean" example.

 

I'd appreciate any thoughts.

[jimmyl51]

I owned that very guitar when I lived in Chicago during the Late 70's...........personally I would pass on it. For one it has too many problems and secondly from what I remember it was not that great of a guitar. For $1500 dollars US you could do much better IMHO.......what I can very clearly remember is that I sold the guitar about three months later as it was basically an impulse purchase on my part and to be honest the guitar was a very typical late 70's 'cheapo' Gibson construction back in the day............jim in Maine

[jimmyl51]

Also you asked if a 335 PRO is collectible....? IMHO from owning one NO.........jim in Maine

[Jayyj]

I have a 355 from 1979 and, whilst I wouldn't put it up against an McCarty era 355, it's a solidly made instrument. Sure, it's a lot further to a classic 355 than the current Gibson company is offering, but it's a credible professional instrument. My experience of the Maple necked guitars is they definitely have a brighter, harder sound to a Mahogany version, and I seem to remember the Pro has Dirty Finger pickups which many wouldn't consider an obvious choice for a semi, so if you're after a classic 335 it's one of those to proceed with caution.

 

Short of a future major celebrity endorsement I suspect the Pro will always be considered an also-ran by most collectors so I wouldn't view it as an investment piece either. But, there again, if the price is in the ballpark of more modern second hand 335s in your area I don't see the harm in having a look at it.