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Gibson ES 335 Bass specs?


AtomuSan

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Hi there!

Just got my hand on a 2013 ES335 Bass, I’m looking for some infos and specs on the model.

Anyone know where it was made? I’d have guessed Memphis but the inner label and the pink plush in the case looks like very Nashville to me?

What type of pickups?  Factory strings gauge? … anything you know on this model will be helpful 

cheers 

Thomas

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BLURB -

"The Gibson Memphis ES-335 bass is a modern interpretation of the legendary semi-hollowbody EB-2 that was in production from 1958 to 1972. You get several playability- and tone-enhancing improvements over the original, starting with a 34" scale (the original was a short-scale instrument). There are still two humbuckers, but in the ES-335, Gibson moved the neck pickup to the middle position for crisper note delineation. And your fingers will fly on the '335's fast maple neck and bound rosewood fingerboard.

The EB-2 had two humbucking pickups, a full-sized one at the neck, affectionately dubbed "the mudbucker," and a mini 'bucker at the bridge. The mudbucker nickname stuck, as it clearly described what you get when you place a humbucking pickup as far north as you can on a short-scale bass (which is treble-challenged to begin with). With its 34" standard scale, today's ES-335 bass is balanced-sounding from the get-go. Gibson's Custom Shop then wisely placed the "neck" pickup in the "middle" position (think J-Bass) and added another at the bridge. Giving you big, punchy, balanced tone, along with the means to control it, courtesy of a 3-way toggle and separate volume and tone pots for each pickup.

There's a reason 34 inches became the standard scale for electric basses. It works. You won't find many studio pros using short-scale basses for recording. That's because the looser string tension delivers a "flubby" sound (for lack of a better word), it's the antithesis of the "tight" bass that's desirable in much of today's music. So, Gibson woke up and lost the 30" scale for this new model. The Gibson Memphis ES-335 bass wears a gorgeous nitrocellulose lacquer finish. Nitro finishes (standard back in the day) are significantly thinner than today's polyurethane finishes, allowing the instrument to breathe. Nitro finishes not only look authentically vintage; they also enhance the instrument's tonal qualities.

Gibson's Custom Shop took extra care with every detail of the ES-335 bass. Every Gibson Custom guitar receives an ultra-precise Plek Pro setup, which optimizes the fretboard and nut for incredibly accurate intonation and a just-right feel. And fine touches such as solid-cover humbucking pickups and a 1961-style maple centerblock not only add to the amazing tone and feel, they remain true to Gibson's legacy of superb quality."

Forum thread from 2019 -

2013 Review -

https://en.audiofanzine.com/electric-fretted-bass/gibson/es-335-bass/editorial/reviews/all-ears.html

 

Best wishes!

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Hey! thanks for your answer!

I already read the Audiofanzine but it brings more questions than answers especially on where it was built. Custom Shop? Really? So it is a Nashville built then (?).
But… I watched a video on the Gibson Memphis booth at Namm 13. They are showing a bunch of ES 335 bass at the end but they are different, not the same pickups positions and no binding on the fretboard… confusing.

is it possible that there were two takes of the same model the same year? 
 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Those basses were made in Memphis in between 2013 and 2014

From what I could gather here an there, there were 2 kinds of finish in the range, studio (only ebony, unbound) and « Custom » (Faded cherry and vintage sunburst, bound body and neck).

I also checked on the pickups: they are humbuckers same size as a regular PAF but the back is all gooped with a black « thing ». 

Nothing to learn there.

Anything else anyone?

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The pickups are likely TB+ pickups. Gibson used them in most of their basses. My Les Paul Standard Oversized Bass had standard size humbuckers & they were TB+. They also used TB+’s in the SG Bass even though they were mudbucker & mini humbuckers sized. When the ES Les Paul Bass was produced in Memphis, special MHS Humbuckers were made for this short scale base. These could have been used in the 335 bass but i think TB+ is more likely.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Thanks for the answers!

Those TB+ are very, very dark and pretty muddy on the E string. I’m looking for something to lighten up that bass.

Are there some replacements « drop in » pickups available on the market apart from Bartolini?
 

Cheer’s!

 

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