JM2112 Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 With two LP's and an SG I've been wanting to add a nice ES to the collection. I think I finally found what I'm looking for, and it's on its way. Now the waiting begins! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 . Extremely nice - carved hog B/S with the Custom embellishments. I've wanted to try out a 336/356, can't find one in my area. Gorgeous guitar. Congrats. . B) . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JM2112 Posted October 26, 2013 Author Share Posted October 26, 2013 . Extremely nice - carved hog B/S with the Custom embellishments. I've wanted to try out a 336/356, can't find one in my area. Gorgeous guitar. Congrats. . B) . Thanks! I've been looking and waiting for something to show up for a while, and I finally came across this. I just hope that it plays and sounds great because everything else looks good. It's a 2004 model, and according to the shop manager it is very clean and in great condition along with the case and COA. I expect a few small dings or marks here and there with a nine year old guitar, that stuff just happens, but nothing major. We'll see when it arrives. There's a CS356 in trans-blue on sweetwater's site, but it's pricey and I got this one for less than half the cost of a new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanHenry Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 I bet you can't wait for it's arrival! Ian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JM2112 Posted October 26, 2013 Author Share Posted October 26, 2013 I bet you can't wait for it's arrival! Ian. I would reply "you have no idea!", but we all honestly do know what it's like... ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldBlue&Blondie Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 With two LP's and an SG I've been wanting to add a nice ES to the collection. I think I finally found what I'm looking for, and it's on its way. Now the waiting begins! You'll love it. Takes a bit to dial in and get a sound you like, at least it did for me. Once you do... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JO'C Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Congrats, beautiful guitar. I have a 2004 CS-336, a few LP 's and a 335. The 336 is my favorite guitar by far. It's the best of both worlds. An ES style body in a Les Paul size. ENJOY!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JM2112 Posted October 26, 2013 Author Share Posted October 26, 2013 You'll love it. Takes a bit to dial in and get a sound you like, at least it did for me. Once you do... I'm looking forward to the experimentation, that's half the fun trying to discover what a new guitar can do. It may also give me an excuse to go buy a new amp, too. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JM2112 Posted October 26, 2013 Author Share Posted October 26, 2013 Congrats, beautiful guitar. I have a 2004 CS-336, a few LP 's and a 335. The 336 is my favorite guitar by far. It's the best of both worlds. An ES style body in a Les Paul size. ENJOY!!! Thanks! A friend of mine has the ES347, which is an awesome guitar, but I find the size of the lower bout a bit uncomfortable. The scaled down size is one of the things I'll certainly appreciate with this model. I'm anxious to get my hands on it!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoonful Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Congratulation! One of the finest guitars money can buy. I'm so glad I snagged one a couple years ago. A lot of other guitars have come and gone since then but this isn't going anywhere. Looks like they are still being made but the fretboard material has changed. I wouldn't mind having a CS-336 to keep this one company if the quality of the 356 is an indicator of what to expect on the 336. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JM2112 Posted October 26, 2013 Author Share Posted October 26, 2013 Congratulation! One of the finest guitars money can buy. I'm so glad I snagged one a couple years ago. A lot of other guitars have come and gone since then but this isn't going anywhere. Looks like they are still being made but the fretboard material has changed. I wouldn't mind having a CS-336 to keep this one company if the quality of the 356 is an indicator of what to expect on the 336. Thanks! I'm stoked about getting it, can't hide that fact. Plus I've never owned an ES model, but I have played a few. Funny thing is that this model is not listed on Gibson's web site, either in or out of production that I could find. At least Sweetwater still has one available in trans-blue and a rosewood fret board. I've seen a few pics with these guitar with richlite fret boards that were no doubt made after the 8/11 raid. http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/CS356TBlue/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clayville Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Congrats. I'm sure you'll love it. As mentioned, these guitars respond very well to even small tweaks: minor screwdriver adjustments to overall pickup height, pole piece height, bridge height off the deck, using your volume and tone controls sensibly... all of that can make a big difference in the tone and 'balance' of each pickup individually and to each other. Even a half-turn of a screw can alter the sound appreciably, so take your time, make small changes one at a time and let your ears be your guide. You'll find that these very versatile guitars are capable of a remarkably wide range of sounds. My 2003 killed off (nearly) all desire for other humbuckered guitars - it really does it all for me. And... I've been complaining about Gibson leaving these off the website for seven or eight years now! Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golden Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 Pretty, and congratulations. 356 is my favorite guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JM2112 Posted October 28, 2013 Author Share Posted October 28, 2013 Congrats. I'm sure you'll love it. As mentioned, these guitars respond very well to even small tweaks: minor screwdriver adjustments to overall pickup height, pole piece height, bridge height off the deck, using your volume and tone controls sensibly... all of that can make a big difference in the tone and 'balance' of each pickup individually and to each other. Even a half-turn of a screw can alter the sound appreciably, so take your time, make small changes one at a time and let your ears be your guide. You'll find that these very versatile guitars are capable of a remarkably wide range of sounds. My 2003 killed off (nearly) all desire for other humbuckered guitars - it really does it all for me. And... I've been complaining about Gibson leaving these off the website for seven or eight years now! Enjoy! Thanks! When I first found this guitar and read the model number I just said to myself, "HUH, where did this model come from?!?!?" Not that I'm very knowledgeable about every model variation to begin with when it comes to the ES series, but this one was a complete surprise. I certainly will take my time when tweaking and adjusting things, and unless it sounds very similar to my LP's and/or SG I'll likely not touch a thing. If it sounds closest to any guitar I have I expect it to be my LP Classic Custom, and if it does it will probably give me an excuse to change out the Classic Custom's pick ups to Classic 57+ which some folks have done and LOVE the results. Good to hear folks love how well these guitars play, just makes me more anxious to get it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JM2112 Posted October 28, 2013 Author Share Posted October 28, 2013 Pretty, and congratulations. 356 is my favorite guitar. Thanks, I'm really looking forward to getting it! Being a 2004 model I'm just hoping it's in the good condition the store manager says it is... There will definitely be a NGD post and plenty of pics when I get it if all checks out well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clayville Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 When I first found this guitar and read the model number I just said to myself, "HUH, where did this model come from?!?!?" Well, back in 2001 when the CS-336 (the more plain variant with less bling and a rosewood fingerbooard) debuted Gibson's marketing claimed it's origins went all the way back to one of Orville Gibson's designs (http://www.oldgibson.com/OrvilleGibsonChinery.jpg). He used a similar 'carved violin' sort of construction for the back and sides, but used walnut backs and spruce tops. Unlike most of the ES line which uses pressed plywood and a center-block, the backs of the CS models are routed out of a solid slab of mahogany with the sides remaining part of the back. Then they're topped with bookmatched maple and 'carved' like an LP with f-holes. The 'center-block' portion that supports the pickups and bridge is also part of the back wood, sort of like very large versios of the chambers in some LPs. There had been precurser small-bodied Gibsons that were a little different: the ES-336 of the 1990s was fully hollow but had the carved-out back (I think), a more 'flared' upper bout shape, a 'straight-pull' headstock design like a PRS, and an access panel in the back to get at the control knobs. The Paul Jackson Jr. model and the Pat Martino were a bit like these as well, construction-wise. And then the later Johny A. Model is similar too, but the inside-back of it is flat rather than dished like the 336/356 and it has a smaller center-block (only an oval sort of post for bridge support, I think). The CS-356 debuted a year or two later with upscale, "LP Custom-style" appointments: ebony fingerboard, large block inlays, multi-ply binding, split-parallelogram headstock, gold hardware, usually fancier top woods. And then the ES-339s and 359s - same small size, but ES-style plywood construction - came after that... Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted October 30, 2013 Share Posted October 30, 2013 Outstanding, JM...Congratulations! We'll look forward to your photos, of your new (to you) baby! And, of course, your evaluation, as well. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JM2112 Posted October 30, 2013 Author Share Posted October 30, 2013 Outstanding, JM...Congratulations! We'll look forward to your photos, of your new (to you) baby! And, of course, your evaluation, as well. CB Thanks, CB!!! I just checked the UPS tracking web site, and it should be here tomorrow!!! Feelin' like a kid on Christmas Eve right now!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JM2112 Posted October 30, 2013 Author Share Posted October 30, 2013 Well, back in 2001 when the CS-336 (the more plain variant with less bling and a rosewood fingerbooard) debuted Gibson's marketing claimed it's origins went all the way back to one of Orville Gibson's designs (http://www.oldgibson.com/OrvilleGibsonChinery.jpg). He used a similar 'carved violin' sort of construction for the back and sides, but used walnut backs and spruce tops. Unlike most of the ES line which uses pressed plywood and a center-block, the backs of the CS models are routed out of a solid slab of mahogany with the sides remaining part of the back. Then they're topped with bookmatched maple and 'carved' like an LP with f-holes. The 'center-block' portion that supports the pickups and bridge is also part of the back wood, sort of like very large versios of the chambers in some LPs. There had been precurser small-bodied Gibsons that were a little different: the ES-336 of the 1990s was fully hollow but had the carved-out back (I think), a more 'flared' upper bout shape, a 'straight-pull' headstock design like a PRS, and an access panel in the back to get at the control knobs. The Paul Jackson Jr. model and the Pat Martino were a bit like these as well, construction-wise. And then the later Johny A. Model is similar too, but the inside-back of it is flat rather than dished like the 336/356 and it has a smaller center-block (only an oval sort of post for bridge support, I think). The CS-356 debuted a year or two later with upscale, "LP Custom-style" appointments: ebony fingerboard, large block inlays, multi-ply binding, split-parallelogram headstock, gold hardware, usually fancier top woods. And then the ES-339s and 359s - same small size, but ES-style plywood construction - came after that... Enjoy! I had done a bit of reading up on the specs of the different ES models when I started looking, and there were typically two basic types: the routed, and the laminated. Having limited experience with these guitars I'm curious how the tone varies between the two? I'm assuming the laminated will be a bit brighter? Appreciate the info, thanks! I came across a 359 a while back, but it was gigged with pretty heavily and it really showed. It was really a shame because otherwise it was nice guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clayville Posted October 31, 2013 Share Posted October 31, 2013 Tone can be very, very subjective. Guitars can vary so much from one example to the next, and one model or player's 'signature sound' is a product of how the music was produced or how that artist likes to amplify his sound. But that said, to me the characteristic sound of an ES is a kind of round, vowelly, mids-heavy sort of honk with moderate gain behind it. Here's "Mr. 335" Larry Carlton: Hard to draw conclusions from it since Jon Herrington here has a heavily processed sound and terrific amps, but he is playing a slightly modded and highly-figured CS-336 with Steely Dan here - see about 2:10 seconds in for a glimpse of his guitar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSgfBkheU34 (fyi: the mod is to where the controls fall: he has rotated them around using the switch hole so he can do 'pinky roll' volume swells more easily) My CS-356 seems to have, to me, a much more "scooped" sound - it's strong in the lows and clear in the highs (some might say "bright"), but it doesn't typically occupy the same sort of mids-heavy space as an ES or even a 'classic rock' sort of LP. That can be a very good thing in a mix or when playing in a setting where other guitars/other voices are in play. And just for kicks, here's an example of what I think of as the typical sound of mine (me basically playing way beyond my usual skill level on a lucky take - sorry for the heacy hand with the delays): Dunno if that's at all useful. Just helping you kill time until yours arrives! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JM2112 Posted November 1, 2013 Author Share Posted November 1, 2013 It has arrived!!!! First impressions are very good!!! Great playability, certainly a different and interesting tone, love the smaller body style. I need to get a new set of strings on it, and look at it very closely with lots of playing time this weekend. I'll certainly get some pics of it up, too!!! The color is somewhat darker than the pic the dealer sent me, probably due to the florescent lighting in the store making it look brighter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.