Rabs Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Sweet.. Always liked the Midtown model.. its a great price for a semi hollow.. Its interesting that while they are still using G-Force on all these models ( ) that they are now using a Tektoid nut and no runway fretboards http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/2015/USA/Midtown-Standard.aspx#DSDC15PBCH3 $1299 Semi-Hollow Tone: Semi-hollow tone with solidbody sustain and stability Burstbucker Pickups: Give that classic, rich tone G FORCE Tuning System: G FORCE automatic tuning for instant standard and alternate tunings Finishes: Choice of three gorgeous lacquer finishes (Vintage Sunburst, Ebony, Pelham Blue) Hardshell Case: Proven protection they even have a normal looking case Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 nice. 335 or 339? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted July 14, 2015 Author Share Posted July 14, 2015 Errm as far as I remember they are smaller bodies.. BUT actually more akin to a 336 which like the midtown is a hollowed out solid body rather than a laminate body and sides Yes :) (just looked it up) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 ...Why would you chamber a semi -hollow?... They don't, FZF. They chamber a solid-body. It's not a 'semi-hollow' in anything but looks. Essentially it's a chambered back onto which a flat panel (the 'Top') of wood is affixed. Imagine it as a chambered - although flat-topped - LP Standard but in the shape of a 335 and you're pretty much there. I always did like the Midtown Custom - especially in VSB. Glad they're getting some nice stuff back. Normal 'board-width and normal nut. That only leaves one thing to address...* Pip. * Nibs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenny V Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 I'm glad to see that Gibson is making the Midtown with a rosewood fingerboard again. I bought one that came with P90's. I did change the pickups to Joe Barden P90's. It made a huge difference in sound. Kenny V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 I'm glad to see that Gibson is making the Midtown with a rosewood fingerboard again... Whilst I agree 100%, Kenny, I did make a special trip into town to try out one of the (then) new-fangled Midtown Customs with the Richlite 'board and seriously loved the feel of the 'board. Still; rosewood is Rosewood so far less confrontational, I suppose! Pip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 They don't, FZF. They chamber a solid-body. It's not a 'semi-hollow' in anything but looks. Essentially it's a chambered back onto which a flat panel (the 'Top') of wood is affixed. Imagine it as a chambered - although flat-topped - LP Standard but in the shape of a 335 and you're pretty much there. Pip. So it would therefore play more like a chambered Les Paul than a 339/335 (ie the chambering is effectively weight relief in a solid body rather than a blended solid/hollow per 335 et al) - you look like you are playing a 335 but feel like you are playing say an LP Special with HB's Interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted July 14, 2015 Author Share Posted July 14, 2015 So it would therefore play more like a chambered Les Paul than a 339/335 (ie the chambering is effectively weight relief in a solid body rather than a blended solid/hollow per 335 et al) - you look like you are playing a 335 but feel like you are playing say an LP Special with HB's Interesting. Yeah... kinda like this Then with a top glued on like a LP... Its just another way of making a semi hollow... and yes they are right between a 335 and a LP sound.. Its why ive always wanted a 336... hollowed out body and smaller size (as I don't really like big guitars). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 So if Gibson can sell this guitar for $1299 and make a profit, why is a 335's $2699? A bigger body and different pups and a few other things can not at up to $1400. It may not but they are different beasts, the 335 has to be assembled out of more pieces, front, back, side and center block. Double binding, back and front panels as well as the strip that goes all around have to be steamed pressed to get the shape, all these adds up labor and drying time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 So if Gibson can sell this guitar for $1299 and make a profit, why is a 335's $2699? A bigger body and different pups and a few other things can not at up to $1400. Depends what the "few other things" are. Arched, laminated, pressed top, binding front and back. Curved back, centre block. Sounds like 1400$ extra is reasonable but my guess is no better than yours. .. The thing that really sticks out, to me, is since when did the price of a product have to be directly proportional to the cost of production. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drog Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 Nice to see these back. The G-Force and nut would have to go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 That looks great for the price. Stick the G-Force on eBay, put on some proper tuners and you'd be good to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryUK Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 The lack of nibs makes me think it's just the bridge between this and Epiphone. If you had a blind test, would you tell the difference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 Very nice! As far as I am concerned, this is the approach I'd like to see Gibson moving towards to. More traditional, nice guitars at fair prices. Like the Classic Customs, and all the Midtowns were. I like the VS version of this guitar. Correct price. I even don't mind the G-Force in this case. Nice, traditional hardshell case. However, it is more like a chambered Les Paul, than an ES. That's why I'd buy the ES-335 Studio instead, if I was looking for an affordable thinline semi-hollow instrument. Cheers... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 The lack of nibs makes me think it's just the bridge between this and Epiphone. If you had a blind test, would you tell the difference? Hello! In fact, they were advertised that way before. A gap between Epiphone semi-hollow guitars and a Gibson ES. Cheers... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErickC Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 Depends what the "few other things" are. Arched, laminated, pressed top A common feature on the el cheapo Japanese LP knockoffs of 60s vintage, as well as the equally cheap Harmony archtops and your average Epiphone archtop. It's just thin layers of maple, which are then laminated and pressed into a form which provides the arched shape. binding front and back Extra work to install, but the plastic is pre-formed. Sure, it needs scraping after colour, but the scrapers at Gibson do it very, very quickly - I think in under a minute! The cost of the binding is spread out over every guitar that has binding. They have people whose job is solely to install binding, and other people whose job is to scrape it. Curved back Still just pressed maple laminate. Really a reverse of the top without holes in it. centre block CNC'd chunk of wood glued in place. Sure, you have to assemble the parts, sure, the sides need to be bent to shape, but that's not a $1400 markup. Even if you argue that labour is cheaper in Asia, where the average Epiphone or Ibanez is made, labour is not cheaper in Canada, where Godin still makes full-size, traditionally-built archtops for under $1000 - and they have binding, too. Same processes. Different shapes. When you buy an ES-335, you're paying for three things: the numbers Three, Three, and Five. Gibson can do that because people will happily pay $1400 for those three numbers because VINTAGE TONE. They know their market and the costs that it will bear. They're not stupid. We could argue night and day over how fair it is, but they have absolutely no reason not to price the 335 where it is, because they know that people will pay for it, and that they don't lose money because their top sellers are SGs and Les Paul Juniors and the like anyway. They fact that they make more money overall off the cheapo guitars is why the Les Paul Special and Junior exist in the first place. Someone who wants a 335 is going to buy a 335, and they're going to get every cent they can out of them for it. To be blunt, I find the 335 to be the worst of both worlds anyway. A full-size archtop with the approximate weight of a Les Paul. Uff da! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 Without wishing to go off at too much of a tangent... I just had a look to see if it is listed in the UK (it isn't) and noticed Thomann have several Midtown Customs available (with free shipping!). £840 for one in ebony? £910 for one in VSB? They even have a 'B-stock' VSB for a very reasonable £797.74!.................... http://www.thomann.d...b_b_stock_6.htm "Lead Us Not Into Temptation..."............................................ Pip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 Without wishing to go off at too much of a tangent... I just had a look to see if it is listed in the UK (it isn't) and noticed Thomann have several Midtown Customs available (with free shipping!). £840 for one in ebony? £910 for one in VSB? They even have a 'B-stock' VSB for a very reasonable £797.74!.................... http://www.thomann.d...b_b_stock_6.htm "Lead Us Not Into Temptation..."............................................ Pip. Do it. You know you want to. The B grade is too good not to isn't it. I have a feeling it's going to be a great guitar. And you'd look very debonair with that. Can't even lose kn resale really. And you need a semi acoustic. Bet it'd sound great through that little amp of yours, and the music man... A match made in heaven. Just imagine how good it will sound, how good you'll look and how much everyone will envy you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 Do it. You know you want to. The B grade is too good not to isn't it. I have a feeling it's going to be a great guitar. And you'd look very debonair with that. Can't even lose kn resale really. And you need a semi acoustic. Bet it'd sound great through that little amp of yours, and the music man... A match made in heaven. Just imagine how good it will sound, how good you'll look and how much everyone will envy you. Yes... Yes! Me too. Mais Naturellement! You're right, there, mate. Ahhmmm.......no. Absitively! Posilutely!! Yuppers. Hmmmmm........Nice! Yeah, BABY ! ! ! I'm HOT ! ! ! ! Well, they already do, of course, but a little bit MORE wouldn't do any harm, would it?!?!...... You know, Farns, two weeks ago I might have gotten away with it. The arrival of the D'A a fortnight ago has, unfortunately, sealed those particular coffers for the forseeable future. But YOU?! You have NO EXCUSE ! ! !..... NOR EVEN ANY BLOODY NEIGHBOURS TO WORRY ABOUT ! ! ! ! ! DO IT, FARNS ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Pip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 The guitar I could scrape my way to affording. The divorce is a whole other thing. I do want a smaller semi hollow. The Sheraton is just to bulky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 ...The divorce is a whole other thing. I do want a smaller semi hollow. The Sheraton is just to bulky... Does your wife know that you refer to her as being 'semi-hollow' and that you call her 'The Sheraton'? Do you know a good lawyer? Pip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 It took me a while to get used to the size of my BB King sig model. I e had it for 15 years. I can't see me changing my feelings on it now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted July 16, 2015 Share Posted July 16, 2015 Now; that's funny. P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NHTom Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 Wow do I HATE to admit it, but that Pelham Blue one is giving me GAS severely. I've never been much of a semi hollow guy, but I feel like that would fit in my collection nicely. NHTom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airedale1 Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 I'm glad to see that Gibson is making the Midtown with a rosewood fingerboard again. I bought one that came with P90's. I did change the pickups to Joe Barden P90's. It made a huge difference in sound. Kenny V I love my 2015. I got the VS which came with the G-Force tuners and no pick guard and was unable to obtain a pickguard from Gibson. I would have bought a Midtown Custom if it weren't for the Richlite fingerboard. I just don't like the idea of a synthetic ebony substitute; regardless of how it looks or feels or sounds. So, I ordered the Standard and as soon as I got it I immediately replaced the G-Force system with a nice set of Grovers. I also swapped out the strings with a set of Curt Mangan 11-52's w/a wound G string. Lastly I was able to source a correct replica 5 ply pickguard from Mike Quick. Now she looks exactly like I want her to and she sounds and plays like a dream. I am very happy with this guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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