Actual Neck Dimensions and Descriptions for 335/345/355s...

[Drew816]

I own a vintage 335 and 330 and I love the narrow nut width and full profile necks, but it's time to add a modern 335 to the kit. However, the norm is the 1 11/16th nut width and then the question of what PROFILE you're actually getting becomes very cloudy. 50's, 60's 'style taper', 60's slim taper, 63 slim taper, 59 baseball bat, etc, etc. With a wider nut width I really need a 60's Slim Taper but all the used guitars I'm looking at I'm getting all kinds of different answers with few committing to one size or another.

 

So question one, does anyone have actual dimensions of these different necks?

 

2, what are all the neck variations.

 

And 3, what's the normal neck you'd find on a 335 from the 90's (not a reissue)?

 

I'm looking at a 90 and a 99 but they're being described as 'bigger than 60's slim but not 50's sized' so what does that mean? I found a beautiful 2003 that I'd have bought in a second but it was described the same.

 

So where to find a 60's slim on a 335? Or do I just need to buy an 'altered' vintage with the neck I like and give it up?

 

Thanks much, I'm a huge fan and the 335 series so thanks and Happy Playing!!

[Drew816]

I have a few measurements from various necks I'll post and let me know your thoughts (1st and 12th frets):

 

 

• 81 335 Dot Reissue Proto? 0.822 1.001

• Gibson 50's Profile 0.818 0.963

• Gibson 60's Slim Taper 0.8 0.875

• Gibson 30/60 on a 335 0.845 0.907

• 1999 '59 ES-335 Hist. 0.880 0.985

 

So were the older ES style Slim Tapers of old before Gibson had a name like the 30/60 necks? Or more towards the 60's Slim?

 

I have a lead on two VERY nice looking 335's but nobody wants to put a caliper to the necks; I don't understand the 'stigma' here besides they think I'm just kicking the tires and being a pain in the butt. HECK, I even offered to buy and send calipers to the dealers that they can KEEP; just measure the flipping neck already?!?!

 

I currently have a few guitars that measure dead on the 30/60 specs and I can live with those, a 60's Slim would be ideal for me but if push comes to shove... I just need to know if those specs are what were common on ES-335 necks before all these names and reissues came about.

 

Thanks and Happy Playing!