Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

My new Epi 335


KDKowalski

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 74
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Wow it is nice to see an old thread I started come back to life. I still have the 335, and I most likely always will. The recent sale on Long and McQuade is crazy!

I will try to get some time to do some recordings and place them on you tube, the tone from this one is absolutely stunning. I have considered getting a new ES339, or an ES137, but I keep reminding myself, that this guitar actually played and sounds better than either of these that I have had in the past.

I cannot imagine a better value on the market, I have owned no less than 100 guitars in the past 10 years and this is my 5th dot, and luckily it is the best one. In past I have owned a natural, cherry, sunburst and a rare blueburst...this Iced tea burst is the best of the bunch, and the best constructed as well...and yep made in China.

Get one while you can.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...I've always loved the look of the cherry dot...

The first couple of times I saw Chuck Berry live, (around '69 or '70) he was playing a red Gibson 335/345/355. Didn't know enough about guitars to tell you exactly which model he was playing, though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Beatles1909 - that dot is just stunning. Love it. I ordered mine already but it on back order.

 

What era/vintage is yours? ie whats the serial number say?

 

ALSO - where did you get the pickguard and knobs from?

 

it's the 1958 dot, made in Mar.2010 - it was still warm when I picked it up in May lol.

pickguard is orig. the E starting coming off in July so I just took it off & put it away.

 

the T & V knobs , pointers, white switch knob & Grover 102NK (which were a perfect fit) were all purchased from http://www.guitarpartsresource.com/guitar_index.htm

 

I was lucky I'm in Toronto & I talked to a store owner in Buffalo not GC & he told me to come in at the end of the month (Memorial Day in the USA)

so I would get a 15% discount and a Gibson fan t-shirt. it was a great day!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow it is nice to see an old thread I started come back to life. I still have the 335, and I most likely always will. The recent sale on Long and McQuade is crazy!

I will try to get some time to do some recordings and place them on you tube, the tone from this one is absolutely stunning. I have considered getting a new ES339, or an ES137, but I keep reminding myself, that this guitar actually played and sounds better than either of these that I have had in the past.

I cannot imagine a better value on the market, I have owned no less than 100 guitars in the past 10 years and this is my 5th dot, and luckily it is the best one. In past I have owned a natural, cherry, sunburst and a rare blueburst...this Iced tea burst is the best of the bunch, and the best constructed as well...and yep made in China.

Get one while you can.

 

I agree they are the best deal in town, I went to L&M Markham on Sat & they had a lefty Cherry (nice to lefties in the stores,)

I have ony seen Cherry in left, which is fine as it is my fav. but a Sunburst would be also nice to have!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The first couple of times I saw Chuck Berry live, (around '69 or '70) he was playing a red Gibson 335/345/355. Didn't know enough about guitars to tell you exactly which model he was playing, though.

 

I think he mostly played a 345 same model as B.B. King at least it looks like a cherry Lucille :-)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Larry Carlton would be proud!

 

I believe the original purpose of binding (besides the looks factor) was to protect against dents and chips on the edges of the fingerboard, but aside from that there's no sonic advantage. Some players and luthiers prefer not to use binding as they claim it cuts down on the resonance of the wood. I can't claim to notice a sonic difference, but my sense of aesthetics says if the body is bound, the neck looks better bound too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think he mostly played a 345 same model as B.B. King at least it looks like a cherry Lucille :-)

Could be. Like I said, at the time, I couldn't have told the difference between the different models. Now I can. But to this day, I still refer to any thinline red archtop as a "Chuck Berry" guitar.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Could be. Like I said, at the time, I couldn't have told the difference between the different models. Now I can. But to this day, I still refer to any thinline red archtop as a "Chuck Berry" guitar.

 

...in which case here is the perfect pic for you ( as you cant see the fretboard inlays!)

 

Chuck%20Berry%20live%20at%20the%20Fillmore%20summer%201967.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

it's the 1958 dot, made in Mar.2010

 

By 58 Dot and made in 2010, I hsd initally thought you meant a "58 Reissue", and wasn't aware of such a beast, but per your PM clarifcation to me, you were simply refering to the currently available Dots now being sold - which per your pics are just gorgeous.

 

There actually is such a thing as a Epiphone '59 ES-335 Dot - it has nickel hardware ( vs chrome), bound fretboard and a "’59 ES-335 DOT" truss rod cover. But its no longer available. And I'm sure worth more than $399!

 

DOT-335-head-lo-res2.JPG?1263838002

 

Other than that the only other Epi re-issue I know of is the ELITIST '63 335 DOT . Also nickel hardware but with bound fretboard, new york mini-humbuckers and 'Gibson" on the truss rod cover. Japanese made.

 

ELDT-CH_headstock-front_sm_.jpg

Other pics here

 

 

Getting my Dot Cherry on the weeeked. Half tempted to adopt the name "Epiphone '58 ES-335 Dot", but that wouldn't quite be right!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

that would be nice to have!

I like the truss rod cover "’59 ES-335 DOT"

it would have been nice if the new Epi Dot's had "'ES-335 DOT" still stamped on the tr cover instead of just "Dot",

but the guitar is awesome & that's what is important!

 

Nice to see you will have it on the weekend! [thumbup]

have fun...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Other than that the only other Epi re-issue I know of is the ELITIST '63 335 DOT . Also nickel hardware but with bound fretboard, new york mini-humbuckers and 'Gibson" on the truss rod cover. Japanese made.

 

ELDT-CH_headstock-front_sm_.jpg

Other pics here

 

 

I think you mean the Elitist Dot has USA-made pickups (which are full size), not "NY" pick ups (which were about the size the of mimi-humbuckers).

 

To the best of my knowlege, Gibson/Epiphone never reproduced the "NY" humbucker. The term "New York Pick Up" is often substituted for "mini humbucker," or even combined with it, i.e. "New York mini humbucker" as you wrote (and Epiphone copywriters have, too!). They are two distinctly different pickups, though. Only the size is similar.

 

The New York pick ups were what the Epiphone company used before it was sold to Gibson in the late 1950's. Epiphone had been based in NY, which is why collectors would eventually refer to that style of pick up that way in subsequent years.

 

Once Gibson bought the nearly bankrupt Epiphone company, and resumed production in Kalamzoo, MI, they used the left-over supply of "NY" pick ups at first. Gibson developed the similar in size mini-humbacker when the supply of the old pick up was exhausted. Gibson continued to use the min-humbucker across the Epiphone line while it was made in the USA (to about 1970), so that Epiphone models would be different (and somewhat slighly less desireable) than the otherwise very similar Gibson models the Epiphone line was modeled on.

 

By the way, a mini humbucker differs from a full size humbucker more than just in size; it has about 20% fewer winds of wire around the magnets (which are smaller, too). That results in less output, for a smoother tone than a full-size.

 

Red 333

Link to comment
Share on other sites

it would have been nice if the new Epi Dot's had "'ES-335 DOT" still stamped on the tr cover instead of just "Dot",

 

 

I had ordered this for a few bucks off ebay, which I may or may not use.

!B,w(Cq!BWk~$(KGrHgoOKiIEjlLm(KVwBKs6YmwLY!~~_35.JPG

 

As well easy enough to order blank ones have have them stamped any way you like!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When condiering this type of pickguard replacement ( off ebay), I noticed there is no visible screw on the top to secure the L-bracket to the side of the guitar. Is the screw on the underside?? or does one need to glue/velcro the bracket to the underside of the guard?

!B,MgjMQB2k~$(KGrHgoOKiIEjlLmWN(BBKqWqtUeEg~~_12.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When condiering this type of pickguard replacement ( off ebay), I noticed there is no visible screw on the top to secure the L-bracket to the side of the guitar. Is the screw on the underside?? or does one need to glue/velcro the bracket to the underside of the guard?

 

A Gibson ES 335 uses a different kind of bracket to secure the pickguard (that's a Gibson-style pickguard pictured): it has a rod that threads through a block which is glued or taped to the underside of the guard, so screw is visible trough the lower part of the guard. The Epiphone Dot (and other semi-hollows) use a Les Paul-style bracket which allows a screw to attach the guard and bracket together directly, with a visible screw that penetrates the guard.

 

You have a few choices to mount the guard: you can use some double sided foam tape to secure the guard to the existing bracket; drill a hole through the guard and attach the new bracket the way the old one was; or, buy a Gibson-style mounting bracket (which looks much cooler, in my opinion).

 

By the way, unless that guard was made specifically for an Epiphone Dot, the hole in the top corner of the pictured guard may or may not line up with the mounting hole in the top of the guitar, and the cut outs for the pickups may not be spaced correctly. The latter can be fixed with some filing and sanding. You can't do much about the former though...It's sometimes a good idea to buy these kind of guards without the screw hole pre-drilled.

 

Red 333

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well my new Epiphone 335 Dot Cherry is home now (first Epi)- really pleased with it. Not planning any mods for awhile (perhaps knobs!); want to get to know it a bit first, but its certainly a good base to work from if and when I do go that route. For now, just enjoying and admiring it ! I guess they must be doing something right now in Gibson's Qingdao factory.

 

DSC01265.JPG

 

DSC01275.JPG

 

DSC01281.JPG

 

DSC01268.JPG

 

DSC01285.JPG

 

DSC01277.JPG

 

Chuck's sister Sherry is due next week (stock photos below). Will post real pics when it arrives.

epi_sher_dot.jpg

 

Baby room is coming along as well ; I have a spot for them both on a new slat wall I am currently planning (concept pic below),

guitar_wall.jpg

 

So ya, started with my eyes on a Gibson 335 , but ended up with the Gibson cousins, ten times happier now with two Epi's, cases, slatwall, a new Taylor acoustic, studio upgrades, etc etc and STILL money left over !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well my new Epiphone 335 Dot Cherry is home now (first Epi)- really pleased with it. Not planning any mods for awhile (perhaps knobs!); want to get to know it a bit first, but its certainly a good base to work from if and when I do go that route. For now, just enjoying and admiring it ! I guess they must be doing something right now in Gibson's Qingdao factory.

 

DSC01265.JPG

 

DSC01275.JPG

 

DSC01281.JPG

 

DSC01268.JPG

 

DSC01285.JPG

 

DSC01277.JPG

 

Chuck's sister Sherry is due next week (stock photos below). Will post real pics when it arrives.

epi_sher_dot.jpg

 

Baby room is coming along as well ; I have a spot for them both on a new slat wall I am currently planning (concept pic below),

guitar_wall.jpg

 

So ya, started with my eyes on a Gibson 335 , but ended up with the Gibson cousins, ten times happier now with two Epi's, cases, slatwall, a new Taylor acoustic, studio upgrades, etc etc and STILL money left over !

 

 

Looks Awesome Mediaman,Well Done! [thumbup]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks Awesome Mediaman,Well Done! [thumbup]

 

Thanks. For the Epi 335 Cherry Dot, and I'm trying out some new black knobbies... may change them again for the black with silver tops...but these are kinda nice as well. Also couldn't resist putting the 'Gibson' name on !

 

IMG00158-20101013-2048.jpg

 

IMG00157-20101013-2048.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I know you got your 335 in Canada, but does anybody know of any place in the U.S. where I can order one of these or the like? I don't care for the normal epiphone dots but I would like to check out one of these or on of the 63' reissue. How's the neck on yours slim, fat?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...