ES-355 Modifications

[15MAS]

Noob Alert:  I just got my first 355 today.  It’s a Custom Shop 1959 Reissue ES-355.  It plays well and sounds great through Fender, Vox and Marshall amplifiers.  I play with a light hand, so I lowered the action to about 2/64, changed the strings and changed the intonation.   It now plays like a dream.  Other than weighing-in at 8 pounds and 10 ounces, I could easily see this becoming a daily player.  I plan to leave the guitar relatively stock, but ordered Grover 502G locking tuners as my only currently-planned modification.  Are there any other 355 modifications I should consider?  My thanks to you all for any guidance.

[jdgm]

Hello

Looks beautiful just as it is. 

If you do any mods,  just make sure they are reversible.

Best wishes 🎸

[15MAS]

Understood.  For any of my guitars, I only make reversible modifications and always keep the original parts.  I sure do appreciate your response and hope you have a great week.  Thank you.

[tx-ogre]

Very nice.  Congrats.  I’m envious.  Good plan to only do reversible mods.  Enjoy playing that beauty.

[15MAS]

You’re quite gracious.  Thank you for your response.  I’m playing it as we text.  She just met her brother (2020 Custom Shop Les Paul Custom - Ebony*) and there is considerable vying for Dad’s attention across the amps and effects.  These guitars are much better at being guitars, than I am at being a guitar player, so this could take a while….

*Please see image below

[hotshot]

All I can say is WOW !!!!!! You are a very luck man.

[15MAS]

Agreed.  I am extremely fortunate to be able to play these instruments daily.  I sure do appreciate your post and I hope you have a great weekend playing some music.

[Twang Gang]

Two really beautiful guitars, congratulations on both.  I wouldn't change a thing on the 355 - love that natural finish.  Can't beat a black beauty custom LP either, although I would tend to put amber top hat knobs on that one, just to give it a little more traditional look.  I never got comfortable with speed knobs, but they look good too as is.  Very sharp.

[15MAS]

You’re very gracious.  I appreciate your comments.  I, too, grew-up with Witch Hats on my previous LPs and I really like that look.  Speed Knobs take a bit of practice to change volume/tone without looking down.  That said, I think I may actually like them better, from a functionality perspective.  The LP is pretty much where I want it now.  Probably no further changes to that one.  The action is ridiculously low.  I play with a soft hand, so the lower the better for me.  I did change the tuners on the 355. It came with non-locking Grovers.  I tried to replace them with Grover locking tuners (502G), but they can’t be sourced easily.  After getting a three-month delivery estimate on the 502Gs, I started looking at other options and settled on the Ratio gold locking tuners.  Not an EXACT match visually, but pretty close.  Well, they’re gold  colored, anyway.  They installed and work flawlessly.  Extremely smooth and accurate.  Why didn’t somebody come up with variable ratio tuners a long time ago.  I kept the original 355 Grove tuners, but will probably never use anything but Ratio in the future.  Really happy with them.  Sorry for the long reply……

[Hype]

I have an ES-355 VOS ‘59 Antique Ebony with Bigsby. I put on “witch hat” knobs to make it resemble a ‘74 Ebony Les Paul Custom. The knobs you have are nice, but you could put on black & gold numbering “witch hat” knobs. It will look good on the with the black guard and natural finish you got on there….

Edited October 22, 2021 by Hype

[15MAS]

Your 355 sounds gorgeous.  Please post a picture so I can look at what you’ve done.  Thank you for your reply.  It sure is a nice group of folks on the Gibson Forums.  I hope you have a great weekend and get in some playing time.

[kidblast]

that is a beauty,  as is the custom..

I'm with ya on no mods,, I'd leave em be..

 

if it aint broke, don't fix it.

Edited October 23, 2021 by kidblast