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Alex Lifeson ES-355


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Man, there are bunch of bellyachers here. I am completely thrilled by my guitar. I wanted an alpine white ES-355 just like Alex Lifeson's and that's what I got. I don't care where the parts are made. I don't care about differences in horn shape. Even the complainers here admit the guitar plays like a dream. If a guitar plays great and looks great, that's enough for me. Good job, Gibson.

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i appreciate that this is your interperetation of VOS' date=' but as i said above, VOS refers mainly to the finish process, and applies mostly to our Historic line of instruments. for more info on VOS, please click here:

 

http://www.gibsoncustom.com/VOS/index.html

[/quote']

 

From that page.

 

• New, proprietary finishing process yields the gently

aged patina of a vintage classic

• Revolutionary new handcrafting process produces

the most comfortable, best playing guitars made

today—you can feel the difference

• Solid mahogany back—not book-matched or

weight-relieved

• Historically accurate long neck tenon for superior

strength and sustain

• Period correct neck profiles, hardware,

and electronics

• 100% nitro-cellulose lacquer

 

As I said VOS would be close to the real one in size and shape and finish.

We are both right. But as you just posted, this is not a VOS guitar

So in other words it's just a run of white ES-355's made to look like Ales Lifesons ES-355

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Man' date=' there are bunch of bellyachers here. I am completely thrilled by my guitar. I wanted an alpine white ES-355 just like Alex Lifeson's and that's what I got. I don't care where the parts are made. I don't care about differences in horn shape. Even the complainers here admit the guitar plays like a dream. If a guitar plays great and looks great, that's enough for me. Good job, Gibson.[/quote']

 

I'm with you on this, I've been waiting for years for this. and I'm still waiting.

I'll take it VOS, non-VOS Big ears, Small ears, The trem arm I'll never use it.

I know what I am getting is not like the real one, But if I wanted that I have to look for a 76 ES and have it finished in white.

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I'm with you on this' date=' I've been waiting for years for this. and I'm still waiting.

I'll take it VOS, non-VOS Big ears, Small ears, The trem arm I'll never use it.

I know what I am getting is not like the real one, But if I wanted that I have to look for a 76 ES and have it finished in white.[/quote']

 

AMEN! I've been waiting for this guitar since Hemispheres, and I could not be happer with mine. Best playing, best sounding guitar I've ever had the pleasure to play or own. As I stated earlier, these minor anomolies are common to hand-made works of art, and imho do not detract from the fact that the instrument plays, sounds and looks like a million bucks - Thank you, Gibson, and Thank you Alex!

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Do I hear any votes for an Epi version? One we could actually play in the clubs & bars without having to bring a bodyguard to watch over it? Load it with real '57 classics and it would be an affordable daily rocker!

 

P.S. - Scuba Steve, I feel your pain - the wait for mine seemed like forever - not to worry, I have a feeling yours will be there any day now...

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AMEN! I've been waiting for this guitar since Hemispheres' date=' and I could not be happer with mine. Best playing, best sounding guitar I've ever had the pleasure to play or own. As I stated earlier, these minor anomolies are common to hand-made works of art, and imho do not detract from the fact that the instrument plays, sounds and looks like a million bucks - Thank you, Gibson, and Thank you Alex![/quote']

 

I love the guitar. I hope none of my explaining some of the minor flaws was taken in the wrong way. Some have really nit picked it to death. It is a fantastic guitar. And for those that worry it is not the one that Alex plays....well he is playing the sig. model now. I saw him in Philly Saturday night and he played the prototype several times. I did not see the original that night. He seems to enjoy playing it. So those of us that own the Lifeson sig......he is playing the exact same guitar on tour now. Now to just get the Axcess!

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Has Alex retired the original 355? Here are some pics from the Philly show on June 14th.

 

These were taken by someone else at the show:

 

The first one was early on in the show:

 

Courtesy of Secretly Touched

 

3346.jpg

 

This one was at the end of the show (he actually played YYZ on this one)

 

Courtesy of Finding It

 

3372.jpg

 

It looks as if both could be prototypes. Neither one has the "Alex Lifeson" on the truss rod cover as the original does. The first prototype had no name on the truss rod cover as well. It is clear to me that the first one shown here without the pick guard is not his original. It is hard to tell with the second one other than the truss rod possibly has no name on the truss rod cover.

 

I was there and saw through my binoculars and it appeared that neither had the name on the truss rod cover.

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Just visited Avenue Guitars here in Edmonton and they have an Alex ES-355 sitting there - serial #AL008! So if you guys who haven't got theirs yet are still waiting, maybe give Avenue a call. (I don't work there and didn't even get mine from them...)

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AL-016 just arrived at Wildwood. Weird how the guitars seem to be rolling off the line in a random serial number order.

 

It's funny when you see stuff like this.

I think they are all done and gibson is only shipping a few at a time in random order.

 

OR

 

They are hanging out in the lacquer booth too much before stamping the numbers on.

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AL-016 just arrived at Wildwood. Weird how the guitars seem to be rolling off the line in a random serial number order.

 

I reckon there may have been a paint issue and a few had to go back through the process again.......wasn't there someone who had dark spots appearing through the finish.....??? .....maybe thats the reason...!!!!

 

Mines had a total hammering the last couple of days and I have to say it is the finest guitar I have ever owned....."Flaws 'n' All"..... I absolutely love it to pieces, its going to its first Jam Night at a local pub tomorrow.....I think...Mmmmm...???

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AL 246 is in the house!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just don't know what to say.

I have waited all these years for this and all I can do right now is just stare at it.

after the shock goes away I'll get down to set it up and start playing this fine guitar

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Has Alex retired the original 355? Here are some pics from the Philly show on June 14th.

 

These were taken by someone else at the show:

 

The first one was early on in the show:

 

 

This one was at the end of the show (he actually played YYZ on this one)

 

 

It looks as if both could be prototypes. Neither one has the "Alex Lifeson" on the truss rod cover as the original does. The first prototype had no name on the truss rod cover as well. It is clear to me that the first one shown here without the pick guard is not his original. It is hard to tell with the second one other than the truss rod possibly has no name on the truss rod cover.

 

I was there and saw through my binoculars and it appeared that neither had the name on the truss rod cover.

 

The first one is the copy' date=' the second one is the real one You can see the trem arm is shorter.

Here is another pic from that show look at the truss rod cover.

[img']http://www.rushisaband.com/graphics/ti/full/3473.jpg[/img]

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Envirotech,

 

Thanks so much for that photo. That really solves it! I knew the first was the prototype, but was unsure about the second. I thought that with the trem arm it was the original but I could not see the name on the truss rod cover. Maybe it wasn't the binoculars out of focus but that last beer I had :D/

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Mine also' date=' can't believe this got past the guys at Wildwood during setup as the guitar plays beautifully apart from those clean amplified passages that really make it stand out..........

 

Any help with this one anyone............

 

As for the case being made in Canada, the case for my 96 Les Paul Standard was also made in Canada so maybe thats the norm for Gibson cases..........?????[/quote']

 

Johnny, I have the same G-string issue with mine, and as far as I can tell there is no easy fix. If you push down on the string behind the bridge, it sustains very well - this tells me that there is simply not enough break angle between the bridge & tailpiece (also the cause of the trem not holding tune). I have learned to live with it & only use it on songs where this would not be an issue. P.S. - how does yours sound through your plexi? Killer, I'm betting!

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Make sure that all the saddle screws are not loose.

Mine were loose on the G' date='B,E

I have lots of sustain and they ring out now

[/quote']

 

Did you tighten them up with the set screws on the pickup side of the bridge? Is that what the second set of screws are for? Thanks!

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Good move indeed. You can always get another 335 down the road' date=' but the Lifesons are going fast & will only go up in value. As far as sonic character and playability, imho I have NEVER played or heard a nicer guitar then the Lifeson - grab one while you can...[/quote']

 

Hey guys, Thanks for the advice! Proud owner of AL142 checking in. There aren't words... this baby is killer! Can't wait to try it a full volume and start recording with it. Right out of the case it was visually inspiring and totally playable!

 

Anyone recording with this yet? Why not post links to some sound-bites with the Lifeson? I'll do same when I get something down. Thanks again, I'm gonna go play!

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Did you tighten them up with the set screws on the pickup side of the bridge? Is that what the second set of screws are for? Thanks!

 

Thats what I did. if the set screws are loose the saddles will move and will kill some of the sustain.

There are few more tricks you can do, I'll have to check to see if gibson used the hammer trick to make the string groves on the bridge. If they did there might be a burr that might be muting the string abit.

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