New ES-335 Price Differences

[Rob_J]

I've noticed that the new retail price for an ES-335 Plain Dot is roughly $1600 LESS than the next step up - A Custom '59 or '60. On the surface they don't look much different. So, spec-wise what is the extra $1600 dollars getting you other than the '59/'60 mojo?

[Guest Farnsbarns Wunterslausche]

The custom is far more hand made. Also the best materials available and period correct construction.

[ES345]

Agree with Farnsbarns, best materials, ie better of the wood on hand, electronics, caps wire etc. that is most period correct, knobs and most probably better craftmanship.

 

I have a '62 345 and i haven't picked up anything new that feels or plays like it, i would like to think the the '60 reissue might come close.

 

My '03 R6 gold top les paul, a custom shop guitar, plays and feels so much better than other production usa les pauls it is like night and day. so possibly this would be analogous to the 335 reissues.

[Guest Farnsbarns Wunterslausche]

Agree with Farnsbarns, best materials, ie better of the wood on hand, electronics, caps wire etc. that is most period correct, knobs and most probably better craftmanship.

 

I have a '62 345 and i haven't picked up anything new that feels or plays like it, i would like to think the the '60 reissue might come close.

 

My '03 R6 gold top les paul, a custom shop guitar, plays and feels so much better than other production usa les pauls it is like night and day. so possibly this would be analogous to the 335 reissues.

 

Funny that, my '10 R6 is also a beaut, outplays the '02 (relieved, not chambered) standard. Of course it's a different sound with the p90s but just feel and construction is much better.

[j45nick]

On the good advice of a friend and ES 335 mentor, I spent the substantial extra amount of money for a Nashville-built '59 ES 335 Historic. At a list price (not street price) of almost $6900, it is $3k more expensive (list price) than the gloss Dot Plain ES 335 out of the Memphis "custom" shop, and about $1200 more than the Memphis-built '59 Re-issues, which are NOT "Historics", although they are frequently represented as such.

 

My guitar was about as perfect as it gets in the wood selection, the construction details, and the factory set-up. I have read many complaints in this forum about poorly-detailed and difficult-to-set-up Memphis guitars. Based on my own experience, I would spend the extra money for a Nashville-built ES 335 Historic, if you can find one. Read the label: if it says Nashville rather than Memphis, it's going to cost a lot more, but it may well be worth it in the long run.

[Albert]

After researching and playing vintage and new 335s, I bought a Memphis 1960 reissue and, after a few adjustments, I'm quite happy with it.

 

Tonally, I think the larger neck tenon and the solid block under the bridge pickup cavity gives the '59 and '60 reissues a leg up. When you play lead, especially high on the neck, you get a midrangey undertone, a kind of singing or moaning tone, similar to a good Les Paul. I haven't heard that on the ES guitars that lack these structural features, and I heard it on all three of the 1960 reissues I've played. It's more noticeable with certain amps, and having them lightly overdriven. With my POD 2.0 amp modeler, I like to use the "Tweed Blues" (Bassman) model, with the drive knob at about 1 o'clock.

 

Granted, I had to have the B-string nut slot back-angle deepened to eliminate some buzzing of that string, and the Memphis reflector knobs look quite inauthentic. but it's not hard to find better replacements. I've often had problems with Gibson nut slots (even on pricey Historic Les Pauls), and I suspect many players switch to Grovers when it's the nut slots at fault for tuning-stability problems. On the other hand, the 1960 335 neck is set closer to the originals, so the pickups can be adjusted lower in their rings, although not as low as the vintage guitars. This is probably more of an aesthetic thing than a tonal one, I don't really know. I suspect Gibson changed the neck joint to avoid the problem on old 335s of the ABR bottoming out, having to be lowered down to the surface of the guitar, as the neck shifts upward over the years.

 

So there's more to these reissues than just the superficial "mojo" or cosmetic items like the double-ringed tuner buttons and the long pickguard (which didn't come on my very early 1960 reissue--see photo). I'm very picky about my guitars, and I like the 1960 335 as much or more than any of the Historic/Nashville Gibsons I've bought.

 

[BillyGibson]

It looks to me that there are subtle variations in appointments and period correct specifications

in the more expensive ones

 

For some, period correct items are important. For others, like me, just getting one would

satisfy my desires. Although, I would prefer a vintage sunburst with a 50's neck, but that's

going to cost more. Right now my budget didn't allow it, so I went the used Sheraton route instead.

Down the road, maybe I'll get one.

 

I did the comparison thing when I bought my Traditional Plus LP last year. Budget played

a big role in choosing it too. I would have loved a VOS, because of it's mamouth neck.

However, at twice the cost, I am very happy with the 50's rounded neck.

 

It's like everything else, there's a cost associated with different features and what they

are worth to each person.