Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

2016 Memphis Line

SteveFord

By SteveFord
in Gibson ES

Recommended Posts

cody78

cody78

Posted
Posted

Dear Gibson Memphis - please bring back the stereo ES 345 Reissue in Trans Brown. One of the most fantastic looking and sounding semi's you ever produced.

 

...moving on, that's the first time I've seen a ES Les Paul Studio - looks interesting. However, as usual my favourites remain the ES 175's.

powerwagonjohn

powerwagonjohn

Posted
Posted

I hear ya Cody, my 2009 brown ES-345 is sitting right here in front of my amp and ZI was just playing it. And I DO use the stereo every once and a while. Usually when the wife is out and then I run two amps, one for each channel. Despite what some say I find the varitone and the stereo features very useful, especially the Varitone.

Thanks John

jc1funk

jc1funk

Posted
Posted

What I was kinda hoping for was to see Memphis 2016 prices drop like the Gibson USA 2016 price drop.

 

Careful what you wish for there... you'd assume a price drop means compromises in quality of woods etc no? No such thing as a free lunch!

 

Interesting move to the BB1&2 on the 335s (my main interest in this line); good move ditching the BB Pros.

 

Shame they moved away from the slim taper neck... it's my favourite but the soft c will no doubt make others happy.. wondering what the difference is...

 

Great colours on the 335s this year... and the Studio 335 is starting to look like a reasonable offering.

 

Speaking of Studios, that wine red ES-lester looks pretty bad *** too...

 

For all the craziness of the USA line up I gotta say I think the Memphis line has the right balance of stability and year-to-year changes. Like the fact that they haven't done a Black 335 five in a few years now... keeps it interesting and makes mine rarer ;)

GottaBeGibson

GottaBeGibson

Posted
Posted

I'm assuming that some of the guitars shown in that other thread that are not in the 2016 lineup at launch will be limited runs. Some may be exclusives - AMS is selling a 2015 ES-Les Paul Goldtop VOS with P90's and a wraparound tailpiece that I haven't seen elsewhere.

cody78

cody78

Posted
Posted

I hear ya Cody, my 2009 brown ES-345 is sitting right here in front of my amp and ZI was just playing it. And I DO use the stereo every once and a while. Usually when the wife is out and then I run two amps, one for each channel. Despite what some say I find the varitone and the stereo features very useful, especially the Varitone.

Thanks John

 

I'm jealous! I've been after one for a long time & found a few used ones last year, but finances and timing didn't line up as I got a few other Gibson's last year before I found the used 345's. Will hopefully get one one day as it's one that is high on the list to purchase.

Pin

Pin

Posted
Posted

I hear ya Cody, my 2009 brown ES-345 is sitting right here in front of my amp and ZI was just playing it. And I DO use the stereo every once and a while. Usually when the wife is out and then I run two amps, one for each channel. Despite what some say I find the varitone and the stereo features very useful, especially the Varitone.

Thanks John

 

You must be one of the few John that uses the stereo but good luck to you.

 

When I had my 1964 ES345 (long gone...sad to say) I used the stereo just once. My current reissue 345 is Mono (which I prefer) but thank God it has the Varitone although to be honest I wouldn't have bought it if it hadn't had what I regard as the de rigueur device for the guitar.

SteveFord

SteveFord

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I think that's the old "if it's not selling jack the price up" routine.

 

My Lucille's not for sale. Well, for 7 grand I could be tempted...

charlie brown

charlie brown

Posted
Posted

Well, maybe? But, when I got mine, it was priced 3-400 dollars LESS, than a ES-335!

I had to triple check that price, with my dealer, at time of purchase, as I couldn't

believe it being (basically at ES-355 without "f" holes) priced less, than a 335!

They told me, at that time, it was because "Lucille" was not in the kind of demand,

that 335's were.

 

So, I made out like a "bandit," price wise, with mine. [thumbup][biggrin]

 

CB

powerwagonjohn

powerwagonjohn

Posted
Posted

I found my ES-345 in a shop in Iowa three or four years ago. It had been hanging there, new since 2009. It's a 345 and it's brown, it's like two strikes against it to most people. It took me almost two years to swing a deal and I got a good price on it. I installed a Bigsby using a Vibramate and a Schaller roller bridge. When I take out out to play it always amazes me. It's like driving a Imperial! As I said I don't use the stereo much but when it's not in use Its not in the way as the two jacks save me from having to use a stereo cord. I agree completely with the comments about the Varitone, it's one of the reasons I bought the guitar...plus it's brown! Soon it will need a fret dressing. Good luck with the search for your own.

Thanks John

  • 2 weeks later...
PelhamBlueFire

PelhamBlueFire

Posted
Posted

I'm not an expert when it comes to neckprofiles. Can you guys tell me what a Traditional C is like? I hope it's not a thin neck. I always felt the ES-335 from last year had a very thin neck. I personally like to have some decent amount of wood on the neck.

GottaBeGibson

GottaBeGibson

Posted
Posted

Lots of videos on YouTube from the NAMM Show, showing many guitars not on the site yet. Two of them are in the picture for the announcement of the 2016 line - the new ES-275 and 58 ES-335RI (note the lack of neck binding). Lots of limited runs: Frost Blue ES-345, ES-Les Paul and ES-335 in Pelham Blue, 63 ES-335 Bigsby, ES-Les Paul Special (flat top), ES-Les Paul Standard (no f-holes), ES-Les Paul fully hollow w/Bigsby, and the whole "Premier" series (ES-Les Paul, ES-335, ES-345, ES-Les Paul P90) which utilize thermally aged bracing and center blocks.

 

As if that weren't enough, I saw a Memphis factory tour video made this year, and at the end when they're showing final assembly, there is a brief shot of someone carefully installing a piezo loaded TOM bridge into an ES-Les Paul. Hmmm...

  • 2 months later...
PelhamBlueFire

PelhamBlueFire

Posted
Posted

Regarding the 2016 "Lucille,"...I guess it IS the "selling" price, after all! [scared]

 

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ARLC16EBGH

 

 

CB

$7000 and you - still - get a Richlite fingerboard, which is out-of-spec. The artist never used one with Richlite, so Gibson technically can't put it on the Lucille. I am getting a Les Paul that has Richlite on fingerboard, but that guitar is $3000 cheaper, and not according to an artist's spec. The Lucille - is - so Gibson dropped the ball here.

 

Richlite plays well and looks pretty nice, but it's still a forged fingerboard, a fake. That's just a principle thing of me. Especially, on a guitar as expensive as the Lucille. That's just a slap in the face. If the Brian May Red Special replica guitar ($750-800 range) can have a genuine Ebony fingerboard, then a decent Gibson should have one, too. Just my opinion.

SteveFord

SteveFord

Posted
  • Author
Posted

The price of the Lucille has jumped all over the place since its inception. Top of the line price, cheaper than a 335, doubled in price - it's just crazy.

I always figured it should cost about the same as the 355 but I guess it's what they feel the market will bear.

I don't think Mr. King would have accepted a Richlite fret board, either.

 

I'm still pissed 36 years later about them turning the Limited Edition (ACT NOW!) Lucille Deluxe into a regular production model the following year.

It cost me $2000 with case back in 1980 so it was a pretty big purchase for me.

They had BB King on the cover of Guitar Player with one and he talked it up quite a bit in the article. I spent hours drooling over that guitar and just had to have it.

The Speed Tuners were a really nice feature, shame they dropped them.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...