bobv Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Got her Saturday from Guitarsale.com - they selected one out of the five in stock based on what I described I wanted for the grain pattern. There are no file marks on the rosewood fingerboard (okay maybe one) and the nibs are almost perfect. The action is the lowest I've ever seen on any new guitar that hasn't been to a tech yet. 3/64" treble, 3.5/64" bass at the 12th fret. Here's a few pictures Long neck tenon! Lastly here's a size comparison between a '69 Les Paul Custom (I borrowed that one), the new ES-339, and my Epiphone Dot Deluxe Flametop (335-ish). She's got a gentler sound than the LP (covered pickups probably make more of a difference, but your ears don't work right when there's a cinder block hanging on your guitar strap), and I cannot distinguish her from a 335. Thinking of "Ruby" for a name, because SWMBO wouldn't like it if I named the guitar after a redhead I dated in college. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notes_Norton Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 It's a beauty! I'm curious, how much does it weigh? Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted May 27, 2008 Author Share Posted May 27, 2008 Thank you. Lighter than the Epiphone, lighter than a Strat, a lot lighter than the Les Paul. Haven't tried putting it on a postal meter scale yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarJunkie Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 Congratulations. You're going to love it. Looks good in cherry too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hi13ts Posted May 28, 2008 Share Posted May 28, 2008 Is the tone comparable to a regular ES-335? I'm not too sure about that size reduction, because I've grown to love the regular ES-335's tone. Is it by any chance SGish? I always found that the SG's tone is quite comparable to a hollowbody's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archer993 Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 congrats on a fine guitar. great that you got one without the amateurishly finished fret board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLiveSoundGuy Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 That one's gonna age nicely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted May 29, 2008 Author Share Posted May 29, 2008 Is the tone comparable to a regular ES-335? If only I could play as well, the guitar does evoke the Cream era ES-335 tone, and with slightly cleaner amp settings you get the distinctly semi-hollow quality (like most of the cuts on From the Cradle where Clapton is playing an ES-335). The tone overall is different than a Les Paul, more character maybe, more attack, without the low-mid punch of the Lester. You can feel the resonance in the body against your ribs. Haven't A/B'd it against a grownup 335 yet, but I'm working on it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 If only I could play as well' date=' the guitar does evoke the Cream era ES-335 tone, and with slightly cleaner amp settings you get the distinctly semi-hollow quality (like most of the cuts on From the Cradle where Clapton is playing an ES-335). The tone overall is different than a Les Paul, more character maybe, more attack, without the low-mid punch of the Lester. You can feel the resonance in the body against your ribs. Haven't A/B'd it against a grownup 335 yet, but I'm working on it...[/quote'] I got one in antique red like yours last week. I agree that is has more attack than a Lester. On the other hand, mine has less attack than my '57 Classic equipped ES35, so I understand what people mean when they say it sounds inbetween a LP and ES 335. Mine's very resonant unplugged. I haven't had a ton of time to play it since I got it, but so far, I love the little beast. I got the '50's neck. After I got a J35 earlier this year, I discovered I really liked a more substantial neck. I think a in a post above someone described the 339 as lighter than a strat, but mine's HEAVY. I have a question for the rest of you ES 339 owners: do you notice that the volume controls behave differently than other Gibson four-knobbers? If so, how so? Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted May 29, 2008 Author Share Posted May 29, 2008 Yes the volume jumps instantly as you start to turn it down - most of the change is from 10 to 8-1/2. Then it's very very gradual - seems like they have a custom taper on there, or there are extra bits in the circuit. Haven't opened the wires up yet so I don't know if it's anything wierd like a Fender Greasebucket that behaves like it has two different size capacitors, but maybe the volume knobs work like they have two different values - maybe an extra resistor across the lugs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarJunkie Posted May 29, 2008 Share Posted May 29, 2008 From the Gibson website... An improved electronic wiring circuit preserves the guitar’s high frequencies no matter where you adjust the volume control. The 339 sports Gibson’s new Memphis Tone Circuit, which preserves the guitar’s high frequencies no matter where you adjust the volume control. Named in honor of the great guitar builders of Gibson Custom Memphis, where each 339 is handcrafted, the Memphis Tone Circuit gives the 339 a beautiful, open tonal spectrum at any volume. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted May 30, 2008 Share Posted May 30, 2008 Yes the volume jumps instantly as you start to turn it down - most of the change is from 10 to 8-1/2. Then it's very very gradual - seems like they have a custom taper on there' date=' or there are extra bits in the circuit. Haven't opened the wires up yet so I don't know if it's anything wierd like a Fender Greasebucket that behaves like it has two different size capacitors, but maybe the volume knobs work like they have two different values - maybe an extra resistor across the lugs?[/quote'] I've noticed that, but there's something more. On mine, the neck pickup volume control acts like a master volume. Let's say both pickups are selected, and the neck pup volume is at 10, and bridge is at 2. I can add in the volume of the bridge pickup to the neck's by raising the bridge pu volume. Say I bring it to 7 and like what I hear. When I turn the neck pu down, it doesn't just subtact the neck pu from the mix, it seems to turn down the volume of the both pick ups simultaneously. That sounds nutty as I type it, but that's what seems to happen, to my ear, at least. Anyone else experience anything like this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted June 1, 2008 Author Share Posted June 1, 2008 Sorry I haven't noticed the "master volume" thing unless of course you drop one knob down below two and it kills the whole guitar. I looked inside with a mirror and the "Memphis Tone" circuit doesn't have anything magic in it. No markings on the back of the pots for value or taper, which remains a mystery, but it's a straightforward tone and volume layout with only one difference from what I'm used to seeing. The pickups connect to the outer lug of the volume pot, like usual. The output to the switch connects to the center lug, also standard fare. However, instead of having the tone capacitor connected to the outer lug of the volume pot (which it woud ordinarily share with the pickup lead) the cap is connected to the center lug of the volume pot (sharing that lug with the output to the switch). One description I read said that the tone control "follows the voltage divider of the volume control" so it seems that as you turn down the volume, you're adding resistance to the path to the tone control, almost as if you're turning the tone knob up as you back off the volume control. Of course, after all that, I can't hear a difference from a standard tone and volume layout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red 333 Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Sorry I haven't noticed the "master volume" thing unless of course you drop one knob down below two and it kills the whole guitar. I looked inside with a mirror and the "Memphis Tone" circuit doesn't have anything magic in it. Of course' date=' after all that, I can't hear a difference from a standard tone and volume layout.[/quote'] Thanks for looking, and for the reply. I'm going to take a look inside myself with the inspection mirror tonight. I can definitely hear that the treble stays more constant when the volume is lowered on either pick up, so the Memphis circuit works as advertised. I like the effect. But, I'm also hearing that other phenomenon I described when both pups are engaged. Wierd. Maybe it's just me. All in all, love the 339. It plays great, looks great, and is very well made. And, given the cost of an ES 335, it's a relative bargain. Highly recommended to any of you thinking about one. Red 333 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaicho8888 Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 Very nice! ....orgasmic nice...he he he. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender 4 Life Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 I have a question for the rest of you ES 339 owners: do you notice that the volume controls behave differently than other Gibson four-knobbers? If so' date=' how so? Red 333[/quote'] My old Lester with '57's does exactly the same thing, seems like the Neck volume controls both to a degree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 Congrats on a great guitar!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted June 11, 2008 Author Share Posted June 11, 2008 Thanks. If you weren't so enthusiastic about getting yours I might not have pulled the trigger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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