ES355 Silverburst

[datastatic]

Hi

 

I am new here and looking to get my first proper Gibson so hi everyone.

 

I have my eye on a nice ES355 Silverburst but cant seem to find any information on it anywhere. Is it a standard production model just in a limited colour, if so it wouldn't seem to be worth the extra money (which is a lot) over a standard ES355.

 

Any help or info would be very greatfully appreciated.

 

 

Thank you very much

[JellyWheat]

Hi

 

I am new here and looking to get my first proper Gibson so hi everyone.

 

I have my eye on a nice ES355 Silverburst but cant seem to find any information on it anywhere. Is it a standard production model just in a limited colour, if so it wouldn't seem to be worth the extra money (which is a lot) over a standard ES355.

 

Any help or info would be very greatfully appreciated.

 

 

Thank you very much

 

Believe me, there are others lurking about who know FAR more about ES 355s than I do. This having been said, I have never heard of one in silverburst. Are you saying you have actually located one that you are thinking of purchasing, or are you trying to locate one?

 

The reason I ask is that: unless it was a factory custom order, I always worry about those high-enders that have non-standard opaque finishes. Often times, the paint job is applied to conceal some nasty structural repairs.

 

I think you need to find out considerably more before you open your wallet...

 

J/W

:unsure:

[datastatic]

No I have found one and seen one. It looks like they have made a special custom shop model as it has the same neck (blocks, headstock) that a Les Paul Custom has. It just costs nearly twice as much as a standard 355. If it's just the colour then its obviously not worth it, but there seems to be NO info on this model on the interenet at all.

 

Thanks for your input though, it's appreciated.

[JellyWheat]

No I have found one and seen one. It looks like they have made a special custom shop model as it has the same neck (blocks, headstock) that a Les Paul Custom has. It just costs nearly twice as much as a standard 355. If it's just the colour then its obviously not worth it, but there seems to be NO info on this model on the interenet at all.

 

Thanks for your input though, it's appreciated.

 

 

Is the guitar you are looking at new or used? If new, does it have a Custom Shop certificate of authenticity? If you are evaluating the authenticity of this instrument just on the shape of the headstock and inlays, you risk making a mistake. Something doesn't sound right to me, because a custom finish does not usually double the price of a high end guitar...

 

My $0.02/FWIW

J/W

[datastatic]

I have no doubt it is authentic as it comes from a dealer with all the case candy etc etc which I assume will include the COA (wont buy without. In a way its appealing because it seems to be quite unique, but this is also making finding info on it very difficult.

 

It's actually more like a 335 with a custom shop neck, there are no varitone controls on it so it is very much an odd one.

[JellyWheat]

I have no doubt it is authentic as it comes from a dealer with all the case candy etc etc which I assume will include the COA (wont buy without. In a way its appealing because it seems to be quite unique, but this is also making finding info on it very difficult.

 

It's actually more like a 335 with a custom shop neck, there are no varitone controls on it so it is very much an odd one.

 

OK... sorry I can't be of greater assistance.

 

J/W

[datastatic]

No, thanks a lot its been helpful. Hopefully someone else will have some insight...

[JellyWheat]

No, thanks a lot its been helpful. Hopefully someone else will have some insight...

 

 

http://www.guitarvillage.co.uk/productdetail.aspx?pid=11495&product=Gibson+ES-335+Dot+%28HB062M%29%2C+New%2C+Silverburst%2C+Inc.+Case+%26+COA

[JimR56]

It looks like they have made a special custom shop model as it has the same neck (blocks, headstock) that a Les Paul Custom has.

I don't understand this comment. Since its introduction, the ES-355 has always had the same inlays (fretboard blocks, split diamond headstock) as the Les Paul Custom.

[datastatic]

if this is the case my bad, told you I was new. I thought they had dots and the crown type thing.

[JimR56]

http://www.guitarvillage.co.uk/productdetail.aspx?pid=11495&product=Gibson+ES-335+Dot+%28HB062M%29%2C+New%2C+Silverburst%2C+Inc.+Case+%26+COA

After living through the era of Gibson being widely criticized (to put it politely) for its "guitar pick" sunburst finishes, it's sad and difficult to believe that the instrument advertised on that site was actually made by Gibson (and in my opinion, this one looks significantly worse than any of the more traditional sunburst "guitar pick" finishes of the past).

[JellyWheat]

I don't understand this comment. Since its introduction, the ES-355 has always had the same inlays (fretboard blocks, split diamond headstock) as the Les Paul Custom.

 

Jim, I'm no great expert on this model, but if the Varitone switch is absent, is it not, therefore, an ES 345?

 

J/W

[datastatic]

Jellywheat thanks for the link, I might get that one.

 

This is the actual one

 

http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/electric_guitars_detail.asp?stock=10121416441058

 

 

Can anyone tell me if its worth a grand or so more, and if so why. I am not very clever when it comes to the differences between ES guitars apart from the obvious cosmetics.

[JimR56]

if this is the case my bad, told you I was new. I thought they had dots and the crown type thing.

No problem. We've all been new at some point in time. B)

[JimR56]

Jim, I'm no great expert on this model, but if the Varitone switch is absent, is it not, therefore, an ES 345?

 

J/W

No, some ES-355's (wired in mono rather than stereo) were made without a varitone control. An ES-345 has different features (different inlays; rosewood fretboard rather than ebony, for example).

[JellyWheat]

Jellywheat thanks for the link, I might get that one.

 

This is the actual one

 

http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/electric_guitars_detail.asp?stock=10121416441058

 

 

Can anyone tell me if its worth a grand or so more, and if so why. I am not very clever when it comes to the differences between ES guitars apart from the obvious cosmetics.

 

All I can tell you is that this might be some sort of special offering for the European market. I would feel better if I could see closeups of the serial number stamping and examine the inside of the instrument. I have never seen an ES 355 sans Varitone like this one in North America.

 

FYI, you can easily spend a grand on luxury appointments such as mother-of-pearl block markers, ebony fingerboard, bound headstock, multiple-ply bindings, etc, etc. I would never pay extra for such appointments myself, unless they were on a guitar that played and sounded like no other. I like 'em plainer, myself...

 

J/W

 

...thanks for the pic.

[JimR56]

Between 1958 and 1965, Gibson made about 750 ES-355's with mono wiring (no varitone control). Most of the Custom Shop models I've seen in recent years were built this way, no doubt due to the general preference for mono wiring and general displeasure that players have with the varitone control.

[JimR56]

From what I've seen, the average price for a used Custom Shop ES-355 is in the $3000 to $3500 range.

 

I know noting about "silverburst". I personally don't care for it. It's non-traditional, which may limit its general appeal on the resale market. The best thing I can say about this example is that the shading of the finish looks far more professional than the finish on the ES-335 in the previous link.

[JellyWheat]

Between 1958 and 1965, Gibson made about 750 ES-355's with mono wiring (no varitone control). Most of the Custom Shop models I've seen in recent years were built this way, no doubt due to the general preference for mono wiring and general displeasure that players have with the varitone control.

 

Thanks for the explanation, Jim. I never liked the Varitone myself, so this mod would be a welcome one for me. Very few of these fancy guitars come through the channels out here in the boonies where I live, and when I do visit the big city stores, I'm usually drawn to other types of guitars. [i don't think milod is around, so I'll admit that I'm a sucker for playing ES 165, 175, and L-4 mahogany models!]

 

Regards,

J/W

[thatsampsonguy]

I know this is very late but here is the skinny. Hope it helps. Apparently Gibson made a limited run of Custom Shop Silverburst ES-335's in 2011. I own one. I paid 2850 CAD for one back in April. I just saw one for sale used for $3199 US. Nice appreciation over six months. They are apparently regular run es-335's with th exception of the paint scheme. I have asked Gibson how many they produced in that color but they blew me off without even a reply. I guess a $3000 Custom Shop purchase doesn't rate recognition in their world. The dealer who sold it to me claimed it was the only one for sale on the East Coast of Canada. I am dubious about that due to the serial number. Following Gibsons serial number guide it says there are over 50,000 of them made. But again I have to guess as Gibson is silent on the issue. The guitar is for real, comes with a case and Certificate of Autheticity. In Canada the case is made by Yorkville for Gibson. It's nice with a sewn in satin cover to put over the guitar before closing the case. I do not know about cases anywhere else. Plays and feels real sweet. My only complaint is that it comes with no pickguard. Very very easy to damage the finish if you play it at all using picks. Pretty sure this was meant as an investment piece but does it rocks through my fender, peavey and marshall amps. I've included a picture. Second in from the left if it isn't obvious.

 

Here are the specs on it.

 

Top Species: Maple and Poplar Laminate

 

Back Species: Maple and Poplar Laminate

 

 

NECK

 

Species: Mahogany

 

Peghead Pitch: 17

 

Thickness at 1st fret: .790"–.810"

 

Thickness at 12th fret: .865"–.885"

 

Heel Length: .500"

 

Neck Joint Location: 19th Fret

 

 

FINGERBOARD

 

Species: Rosewood

 

Scale Length: 24 3/4"

 

Number of Frets: 22

 

Nut Width: 1.6875"

 

Width at 12th Fret: 2.062"

 

Inlays: Pearloid Dot

 

 

HARDWARE

 

Plating Finish: Nickel

 

Tailpiece: Stopbar

 

Bridge: ABR

 

Knobs: Black Tophat

 

Tuners: Grover

 

 

ELECTRONICS

 

Neck Pickup: ’57 Classic Humbucker

 

Bridge Pickup: ’57 Classic Humbucker

[Bob Isaac]

Guitar Village and Guitar Guitar are quality UK stores. Guitar Village is a Gibson 5-Star Dealer; don't know about GG. If this is a limited run they would know. Give GV a call, I have bought 2 guitars from them recently and they are very helpful.

 

Bob

[Danny W.]

I have no doubt it is authentic as it comes from a dealer with all the case candy etc etc which I assume will include the COA (wont buy without. In a way its appealing because it seems to be quite unique, but this is also making finding info on it very difficult.

 

It's actually more like a 335 with a custom shop neck, there are no varitone controls on it so it is very much an odd one.

 

Gibson has been building the ES-355 with or without the varitone, so that's not the odd part, but the color sure is. Sometimes Gibson builds a run of a custom dealer for a dealer or group of dealers, or they may have just has some leftover silverburst in the spray booth that day :-)

 

If it's this one:

 

My link

 

it seems to be legit and it has all the standard features of an ES-355 as Gibson has been building them lately.

 

Edit: Looking at it again, it doesn't appear to have the ES-355 fingerrest (pickguard), which would be five-ply bound instead of laminated, but the rest looks okay.

 

Danny W.