Gibson ES 335 Special Faded

[smabc01]

Here is the deal. I absolutely love my Gibson SG special faded. I got it in 2007 for around $650! And they have recently been discontinued.

I see more of the "special faded" series of Gibson Instruments than any other, so they clearly sell well and are a hit! why? because they are so reasonably priced and say Gibson! (they are cost effective high quality instruments. being able to get a Gibson made quality guitar for less than $1000. Gibson also sold a Les Paul special faded. These instruments had all mahogany bodies like the standard versions, they had the 490 series of pickups, so a little cheaper pickup, and instead of glossy paint jobs they were the faded cherry whatever which I liked the look of. They also did not have a binding other than that they were pretty much the same as the standard series.

 

Gibson recently introduced an ES 335 studio with one pickup and a poor-looking matte paint job, and how the concept to get an affordable semi-hollow on the market was nice, I think that they really missed the mark on that one. It didn't even have those sweet-looking f holes! A modern look on that classic body did not do it for me. Also only one PU? You gotta be kidding me, the whole appeal of that guitar is the span of Jazz to rock and you threw the neck PU out? I believe that was a poor decision. Also It's priced around $2000 MSRP and Guitar Center sells them for around $1350? WAY too expensive for a 1 PU guitar In my opinion, and likely the public's opinion.

 

What I think Gibson should have done is to introduce an ES 335 special faded. This model would come with 490 series pickups (neck and bridge) maybe even offer coil tap or split (whichever one turns them into an actual single coil PU)! (that would be really cool). Keep the classic look with f-holes.

The price cut shows up here with cheaper pickups, less expensive fretboard material (rosewood or richlite maybe), and less expensive finish. Keep the binding if you can,a white binding looks awesome on a faded instrument. Standard Dot inlays will do.

The Gibson ES 335 special faded would come in cherry, white (I think a white would be awesome), as well as a sunburst (my favorite, which I think would look best, is the heritage cherry burst)

 

looking at prices the Les paul special faded came in at LESS THAN HALF the cost of the les paul standard, so it shouldn't be hard for Gibson to offer the ES 335 special faded for near $1000, after all Ibanez offers a semi-hollow guitar (their "top-of-the-line") at $1000, and I do not have a problem with Japanese guitars like Ibanez, so I might have to get one of those if Gibson doesn't want to take my suggestion about the ES 335 special faded.

 

I know some of us are thinking "just buy an Epiphone" I know... I know... it's just something about the Ephiphones does not do it for me. I much prefer the feel of my SG special faded to any Epiphone SG out there and I'm sure that the ES 335 would be much nicer than its Ephiphone counterparts as well. I also hate the Epiphone headstock. It is much too large, and yeah that is actually enough to keep me from buying one lol. I'm a little particular.

I have never really liked the Epiphones I've played, so the Ibanez as a cheaper option still ranks higher for me.

 

The Gibson midtown is a cool option too (and at a good price), but from what I understand is that their body is not a 335 body and is smaller and is more like a large chambered solid body rather than a the true semi-hollow construction on the ES 335.

 

 

ANYWAYS! I think that A Gibson ES 335 Special Faded would be a HUGE money maker for Gibson and really give Gibson the Top selling model in the near $1000 semi-hollow guitar market. I would definitely buy one!

Answer the Poll questions, Hopefully Someone from Gibson will see this and make it happen.

Also Comment to add your input! Thanks for Reading!

[rct]

I remember one, about...at least ten years ago, maybe closer to 15. Either faded or matte type of paint on a 335, F holes, decent pickups, I don't think binding on neck or body. I definitely played a couple at Philly Phall, and it has been quite some time ago. It was a cheaper version of 335, and it got my attention. Unfortunately, a cheaper Gibson tends to feel, well, cheap. And it did.

 

rct