The Melodyman Posted March 26, 2020 Share Posted March 26, 2020 (edited) Anyone know when these will be available? Cant even find any close ups to see if they did indeed make them as accurate to the originals as they claim.. again.. Also wondering if these will be on the MTM program? Anyone? Edited March 26, 2020 by The Melodyman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 (edited) Curious? It's a beauty but why a 64? I'd love to see that '59 RI ES335... Wonder how close they got the Pickups to real original PAFS? The great sounding ones.. Edited March 28, 2020 by Larsongs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twang Gang Posted March 27, 2020 Share Posted March 27, 2020 https://www.gibson.com/Guitar/CUSWTP326/1964-ES-335-Reissue/Sixties-Cherry If you hover your mouse over the photo you can zoom in and see the details. It does say "out of stock" so you just may have to order one and wait? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted March 28, 2020 Share Posted March 28, 2020 For over 5K, Gibson can keep it out of stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Melodyman Posted April 29, 2020 Author Share Posted April 29, 2020 Well, so far from the few pictures I can find, this 64 reissue is not looking anything like a real 64 which is kind of shocking seeing as the description on the Gibson Custom site reads as follows.. The Sweet Sound of '64 The Historic Reissue ES-335 is back and better than ever thanks to a year of studying, scanning, and listening to original examples. The expert craftspeople at Gibson Custom Shop have rendered every contour, profile, inlay and color of the priceless vintage models in magnificent detail. The result is a playing and ownership experience that will keep you coming back for more. The 1964 Reissue models utilize sharp horn cutaways, medium C-shape neck profiles scanned from originals, small block inlays and vintage-replica parts. Perhaps it might be better for them and us if they would simply stop calling these 64 reissues and just say a 2020 version of the ES 335 instead. They really do open themselves up to ridicule from those of who know .. sadly, if they would actually make a real honest to goodness reissue they would sell like hotcakes..But for $5200 the $2500 Memphis is far more sculpted and although not right either, its alot closer than this is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlejohnny Posted April 30, 2020 Share Posted April 30, 2020 can you elaborate on what exactly is off with these reissues? Are you aware, that there are no current memphis models, since they closed the memphis factory last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Melodyman Posted April 30, 2020 Author Share Posted April 30, 2020 (edited) Its pretty much the same lack of actual detail they have suffered from with every release since the early 80's when they changed the body templates they had used for years to make them. The top carving and the horn blisters have been reduced and the guitar has a more flat topography than the originals did.. This results in an increase in the space between the strings and the wood body under them causing the need to raise the neck PU way out of the mounts and out of the center block cavity.. The lack of top arching creates the same problem for the bridge PU as well. Part of the woody sound that the vintage ones had was due top the pickups sitting so low in the wood that they being microphonic would absorb the resonance from the wood and transmit a bit of it into the output sound. Ever since they retooled them back in the 80's this flatter construction has caused the pickups to need to be raised way out of their mounts to make up for the added distance from the strings.. The sonic result is more electric than semi-hollow sounding, especially when compared to the originals. these are a few areas that have not been returned to original specs as advertised. The last time we saw anything that came close was the Clapton Crossroads 335. This was a pretty good replication of the 64. Not sure why they didnt just continue to use that reissue for all 335's, but there is one little tidbit of info that might explain that..apparently, The Clapton bodies were all made in Japan by a company called Terada because Gibson didn’t have the right body press mold/ forms but Terada did as they were used for the Epiphone Elites/Elitists. So they were not made in the USA or Memphis or Nashville Custom shops, only assembled there. So now, years later and after a year of scanning and measuring, they still didnt come up with a better reissue than they should have.. This is the frustrating part which I opened my rant with.. Yes, we know memphis is gone. They still ahve many for sale though and for aalot less that the $5200 they want for these new ones..I toured the factory in 2016 and spoke to some of the techs there. They said the new head of development was aware of the discrepancies and would be addressing these in the new 2017+ models. Obviously this didnt happen and instead, they were forced to move then close.. This is why I am so disappointed. I had an original 64 back in 1971 and miss it every day. Have had a few newer ones since and they arent anywhere near as good as they were..So, dont call it a 64 reissue, just call it a 2020 ES 335.. Edited April 30, 2020 by The Melodyman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlejohnny Posted April 30, 2020 Share Posted April 30, 2020 thank you for your detailed answer. Since I'm waiting for a new es reissue guitar from gibson that I'm getting under warranty, I'm looking at pictures a lot to shorten the wait. To me it seems that the strings are actually closer to the body on this reissues at least compared to older reissues. Can't say anything about the real thing, I just know it from pictures. I be reporting when I get my 1959 re next week, but thats another thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Melodyman Posted April 30, 2020 Author Share Posted April 30, 2020 Well good luck with your warranty replacement. I'm sure they will send you a good one. I posted a few screen shots to illustrate the difference between an original vintage and one of the several iterations of reissues they have offered. Quite a difference, .. I have never been able to get anyone from Gibson to explain why they have been unable or unwilling to just make them like this again. Its what every player wants them to do.. but they dont.. Boggles the mind.. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlejohnny Posted April 30, 2020 Share Posted April 30, 2020 I think the way the neck is set to the body, how much it sticks out of the body contributes to this difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Melodyman Posted April 30, 2020 Author Share Posted April 30, 2020 (edited) You are correct. It is a contributing factor but as you can see, the pick up mount rings are the same height on both guitars.. yet the distance between the strings at the neck pickup and the body under it is huge as is the extra amount the pickups need to be raised out of the center block to achieve the same profile as the vintage one... and its not all due to the neck joint angle. The arching of the wood under the strings between the pickups has been flattened on the reissue as well ... Point being, these two are both ES 335's. Which would you want? Edited April 30, 2020 by The Melodyman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlejohnny Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 (edited) Which one would I want? the one that feels and plays better, can't tell this from looking at pics. Wish I could, would make buying guitars over the internet much easier. Since gibsons from "golden era" are pretty inconsistent, maybe they scanned a one that looked more like the '64 pictured in the middle of this thread: https://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/showthread.php?124135-58-61-es-335-pickup-ring-question Here's another interesting link on this issue, as I said, I've no first hand experience http://www.es-335.org/2014/04/06/neck-angle/ Edited May 2, 2020 by littlejohnny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 6, 2020 Share Posted May 6, 2020 (edited) Gibson can't even make guitars like they used to, and that is their own design. Well remember Gibson left all the equipment in Kalamazoo when they left for Tennessee. Heritage started up with all the old equipment. My buddy has a Heritage, whatever they call a 335 model, and he says it is the one guitar he will not sell. Edited May 6, 2020 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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