BoaRepublic Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Hi! Well, I'm totally new here but I'm SOO happy to have finally experienced a Gibson. My first time playing one was a couple weeks ago and it was a natural color 335 Historic. I immediately fell in love with how it played. It definitely needed new strings and to be cleaned up a bit but it was awesome. I currently have a handful of Ibanez Jems and a PRS which is my main player. I've had the PRS since about 1992. I've not had a new "main player" in my hands since I got the PRS. The Jems are mainly for fun and collection. ANYWAYS...I'll cut to the chase. I decided to sell one of my Jems to allow me to buy the 335 historic. I've been SUPER SUPER excited since I made the decision to do so. However, now....I feel like a dummy, because it wasn't until after I went to the store and put a small deposit on it that I started to do some reading up on it. I've started reading a little about the Memphis vs Nashville versions. I remember seeing the sticker in the guitar said Memphis! Now I'm not sure I want to go though with the purchase. There's a chance I lose my deposit, but it was only $50 cash. I'm not sure if it matters for me to state what I'm paying for the guitar or not, but I am feeling like abandoning the guitar and waiting for a Nashville. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated. I'll provide any information if it helps. I'm supposed to return tomorrow afternoon for the guitar. Thanks so much in advance!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brantobrien Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 If it speaks to you, it really doesn't matter where it came from. There are many threads on the debate over which is better and at what time, but each thread is quick to point out that both have there merits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I don't know or care where my ES 335 was built It was purchased 'off the shelf' as representative of current production It's a terrific guitar and a definite keeper.... V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjmwrx Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 There's nothing wrong with the Memphis guitars. If it plays for you, that's all that matters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StijnV Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 The Memphis factory started building between the year 2000 and the year 2002. Everything before was thus made in Nashville/Kalamazoo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoaRepublic Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 Thank you guys so much!! I've seen (I took a iphone pic) the original invoice of the guitar I'm getting and it states: Gibson Musical Intruments, 309 Plus Park Blvd in Nasville, TN. I guess I had thought the guitar was from Nasville till I got a good look at the sticker yesterday and it said Memphis. I normally don't care about a detail like this, I was just concerned about any issues that a Memphis might have vs a Nashville, and then secondly....in the off chance I decide to sell it down the road (probably not) but I'd hate to have to then deal with buyers that only want a Nashville. Like I said, I'm totally new to Gibsons, so for all I know, it could be only 10 people in the entire world that give a crap where it's from, I have no idea. LoL I'm leaning toward following though and going to get it. It is a beauty. Let me see if I can get the pics off my phone and I'll post here ;) Thank you again!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoaRepublic Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 Ok, not the sharpest pics....but here they are :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoaRepublic Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 mmm....I was trying to upload a second pic but looks like it's giving me a max of 500k upload. Anyways, the first pic shows it pretty good :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Provided you paid the correct price for a Memphis ES 335, and not the price for a Nashville 335, you are just fine as long as you love the guitar. The Memphis guitars are not "Historics". That designation is reserved for certain Nashville shop ES-335 guitars, specifically the '59 ES-335 Historic, and the 1963 ES-335 Block Neck Historic. The Memphis shop makes its own versions of the same guitars under slightly different names: the "1959 ES 335 Dot Re-Issue", and the "ES-335 Block Inlay". The Gibson website also lists a "1963 ES-335 Block", which I believe is the only new Nashville-built ES-335 available. I think the Nashville-built '59 Historics are now out of production, and I suspect the "1963 ES-335 Block" may go the same route. The new street price of the Nashville-built models is more than $1000 higher than their Memphis cousins, which makes them a harder sell. Whether the Nashville guitars are worth the extra money is conjecture. There are Memphis-built ES-335's that are probably every bit as good, IMHO. And, by the way, I own a really fine example of the Nashville '59 Historic. You can identify the Nashville guitars by the label (which says "Nashville"), and the serial numbers, which are different from the Memphis numbering. Technically, the Nashville Historics were built under the "Custom, Art & Historic Division" label. Now, it seems that everything is just called the "custom shop", whether it is in Nashville or Memphis. Gibson does not make it easy to sort this all out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoaRepublic Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 Provided you paid the correct price for a Memphis ES 335, and not the price for a Nashville 335, you are just fine as long as you love the guitar. The Memphis guitars are not "Historics". That designation is reserved for certain Nashville shop ES-335 guitars, specifically the '59 ES-335 Historic, and the 1963 ES-335 Block Neck Historic. The Memphis shop makes its own versions of the same guitars under slightly different names: the "1959 ES 335 Dot Re-Issue", and the "ES-335 Block Inlay". The Gibson website also lists a "1963 ES-335 Block", which I believe is the only new Nashville-built ES-335 available. I think the Nashville-built '59 Historics are now out of production, and I suspect the "1963 ES-335 Block" may go the same route. The new street price of the Nashville-built models is more than $1000 higher than their Memphis cousins, which makes them a harder sell. Whether the Nashville guitars are worth the extra money is conjecture. There are Memphis-built ES-335's that are probably every bit as good, IMHO. And, by the way, I own a really fine example of the Nashville '59 Historic. You can identify the Nashville guitars by the label (which says "Nashville"), and the serial numbers, which are different from the Memphis numbering. Technically, the Nashville Historics were built under the "Custom, Art & Historic Division" label. Now, it seems that everything is just called the "custom shop", whether it is in Nashville or Memphis. Gibson does not make it easy to sort this all out. This was seriously great information. Thank you! So the shop I'm getting it from is clearing out thier inventory and I was able to take a picture of thier original invoice from Gibson. Exactly as you say, the Description states: "ES-355 Dot Reissue" On the invoice image, there is a glare on the serial number but I can see it starts with "0333(glare)13" The price I'm getting it at seems to be the invoice cost paied by the shop directly to gibson + my state sales tax. Maybe my last question is, is the Price Right, super good, or a bit high for the Memphis I'm getting? Again, thank you so much. I'm not trying to be so nit picky but it's not chump change and while I'm still so new to all this information, I want to feel confident as I can when I hand over the cash this afternoon and walk away with the guitar :) Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Maybe my last question is, is the Price Right, super good, or a bit high for the Memphis I'm getting? If you love the way it sounds, and have checked over carefully for problems, that is at least good price. The "ES 335 Dot Reissue" is the standard ES-335 unless it specifically says "1959 Dot Reissue". Even for the Memphis guitars, there is about $1k in street price difference between the standard ES 335 Dot Reissue and the 1959 Dot Reissue, so the "quality" of the price really depends on which one you have. It should come with a COA (certificate of authenticity) if it is a new guitar, and that should have all the details on it. At worst, it's a good price. At best, it's a great price. EDIT: It has the long 1959 style pickguard, which I take as a good sign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoaRepublic Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 If you love the way it sounds, and have checked over carefully for problems, that is at least good price. The "ES 335 Dot Reissue" is the standard ES-335 unless it specifically says "1959 Dot Reissue". Even for the Memphis guitars, there is about $1k in street price difference between the standard ES 335 Dot Reissue and the 1959 Dot Reissue, so the "quality" of the price really depends on which one you have. It should come with a COA (certificate of authenticity) if it is a new guitar, and that should have all the details on it. At worst, it's a good price. At best, it's a great price. EDIT: It has the long 1959 style pickguard, which I take as a good sign. The factory invoice it comes with states exactly: ES-355 Dot Reissue There is a cert that the guy showed me before I walked out yesterday but I didn't look at it really. I was like...ya, pretty. lol It comes in a black case, with like a black cover that goes over the guitar within the case. I did't get a look at the handle. I feel like, any of these nice 335's will play awesome and sound great. Meaning, I don't have too much of a problem walking away from this one, risking my $50 deposit, and seeing out a Nashville or even a Memphis '59 reissue. Cause it's sounding to me there's now another layer of detail I should consider...Memphis 335 dot re-issue or the Memphis '59 dot re-issue. LOL. I was going to call them in a an hour or so just to make sure it's cleaned up and restrung before I pick it up. But now I think I'll wait for your thoughts on this post of mine, then maybe still show up with my cash, but then take the time to look at the cert, look at the case, do another look over...etc....then decide to buy it or not. Too bad I was in such a rush yesterday when I went in. I just skipped out of work on my lunch break and had to get back quickly... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I was going to call them in a an hour or so just to make sure it's cleaned up and restrung before I pick it up. But now I think I'll wait for your thoughts on this post of mine, then maybe still show up with my cash, but then take the time to look at the cert, look at the case, do another look over...etc....then decide to buy it or not. Too bad I was in such a rush yesterday when I went in. I just skipped out of work on my lunch break and had to get back quickly... :) It's all about how it sounds and plays, and not what it says on the label. Don't get too hung up on this. But do look at the COA, and at the exact designation on the orange label inside the upper f-hole. For example, under "model" on the orange label inside my '59 Historic, it says '59-335. And, of course, it says "Nashville" at the bottom of the label. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6stringbobby Posted February 16, 2013 Share Posted February 16, 2013 I've been playing professionally for 40 years and looking for the perfect 335 for decades. One that had the right weight, neck shape, tone, no tuning or intonation issues, the right color sunburst and one that didn't cost a fortune. Well I found it in the 1959 ES-335 VOS from Memphis. This is the closest you will get to the real deal. The quality of workmanship is superb. I think the whole Nashville Historic reissue ES 335's is more hype than anything else and costs much more money for a Historic guitar that is far from period correct. The only thing I wasn't crazy about in the Memphis guitar was the VOS treatment on the body so I just polished it and the finish came up to a nice gloss. I also had to have the nut slots filed a bit deeper. No big deal. I had a 1999 blonde Nashville Custom 335 and Gibson put the bridge too far back so it wouldn't intonate correctly. So much for Nashville producing a better quality instrument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spitball Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 Great to hear, Bobby! I have owned about 10 Gibson electrics made between 1967 and 2004, and most were excellent. But the winner, hands down, for me is this 2011 ES-345 I picked up a few weeks ago. Gibson is obviously still proud of their work - at least in the ES line. Maybe Memphis and Nashville are in healthy competition to put out quality product. Sounds corny, but I am a believer with this instrument in my hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyl51 Posted February 17, 2013 Share Posted February 17, 2013 I for one just do not understand why Gibson has stopped putting the black tophat knobs on the volume and tone controls................jim in Maine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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