csprague Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Hey everyone - new member, first post, and I'll cut straight to the chase. I have been in the market for an ES-335 for awhile, and wow has it been frustrating. I've finally got a handle on (most) of the models and options, and have settled on a standard Dot Reissue in gloss with '57 PUPS. The local Guitar Center has a few on display, and after playing them all, there's one that stands out to me in feel and tone, and it happens to be in a color I like, vintage sunburst. GC is having their Les Paul-a-Thon right now, and even though this isn't a LP, it is part of the promotion and is marked at $2249 new, until Wednesday 10/3. The catch? Well two of them, one minor, the other possibly not so much. 1. The serial number indicates that it's a 2008, so it's been there for awhile. I've bought NOS guitars before (in particular, a beautiful Taylor GS5), but 4 years seems like a lot. 2. While there today I noticed a few checking cracks in the nitro starting at the top post for the tailpiece. There are 3 of them close together, and I suppose you could describe them as spider pattern, maybe 1/2" or less in length. Does this sort of thing tend to spread? If so, how rapidly? Being still new, would Gibson warranty this if I alerted them immediately? In any case, is this still worth buying or should I pass? For what it's worth, I beat them down another $100, but I was told I might do better talking to the head manager tomorrow. How much more should I try to beat the price down assuming this is worth buying still? It does seem like a steal for a new guitar - used ones with their own scratches and checking go for near that on ebay, assuming they're all even real. Thanks for your thoughts! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Personally, I think the best way to get the best guitar for your money is to play them. When I was shopping for a 335, I thought that they sounded more different to each other than most other types of guitars. I also thought the "feel" of them varied quite a bit. If the guitar is technically new, I don't think it makes a damned bit of difference if it is 2002, 2008, or 2012. New is new. One possible advantage to a four year old guitar verses a very fresh one, might be any finish issues or cured wood issues. I would feel a lot more confident the finish is stable seeing a crack on an older guitar than one only months old. Gibson doesn't warrenty finish issues. In cases of actual problems, I have seen them step up and replace the guitar when that has been the case. But, for the most part, a couple small cracks does not add up to a real problem. I have not seen it, so I can't say if it is bad, or "defective", or good or poor workamanship. But whatever the case may be, it's up to YOU brother. It's your guitar to like or not, to play or not. Personally, it the guitar that I thought played the best, sounded the best, and was the color I wanted was a little cheaper than the others available to me, it would be home already. If it was truly a good guitar, it would be getting scratches all over the pick plate, body and pickups, the finish on the sides of the neck would be getting thinner, and so forth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csprague Posted October 2, 2012 Author Share Posted October 2, 2012 That's my hunch, too. I do wonder how that could have happened in a showroom, though. Did the building lose power/heat or something in the dead of winter? I did like the guitar quite a lot, but am trying to be sensible instead of just staring at it and imagining it in my home, plugged into my amp, able to play whenever I wished. That day will come, maybe tomorrow, but I can be patient. Also, curious about this. I was watching the auction, but passed as I suspected a fake. Was my hunch correct? http://www.ebay.com/itm/2002-Gibson-ES-335-Dot-Reissue-Electric-Guitar-/271067555808?item=271067555808&ViewItem=&vectorid=229466&nma=true&si=3xiK3B3nmTwh9s3O6xAaApTLCFI%3D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Does this sort of thing tend to spread? If so, how rapidly? The checking will most likely spread. A climate with low humidity is frequently the issue, but the composition of some batches of nitro are more vulnerable than others. Since the process has already begun, expect it to continue. Can you live with that & love everything else about the instrument? If so, put out a realistic lowball price & go for the best deal you can possibly cut. They should be interested in moving it since it's been there a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csprague Posted October 2, 2012 Author Share Posted October 2, 2012 The checking will most likely spread. A climate with low humidity is frequently the issue, but the composition of some batches of nitro are more vulnerable than others. Since the process has already begun, expect it to continue. Can you live with that & love everything else about the instrument? If so, put out a realistic lowball price & go for the best deal you can possibly cut. They should be interested in moving it since it's been there a while. How fast should I expect it to spread? I live in southern Maine, not a particularly arid place, though it does get somewhat dry in the winter. I also may have a chance to pick up a used 1960 60th anniversary for not too much more. Can't stand the deluxe tulips on my mid 90s LP - are the newer ones used on these reissues any better? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny W. Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 I live in southern Maine, not a particularly arid place, though it does get somewhat dry in the winter. It's your heating system that makes it arid in your house. Checking is caused by changes in temperature and humidity and houses in the Northeast can be especially guilty in this regard. Danny W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 My new 335 purchased a while back was in fact 3yrs old... Triburst Dot perfect in every way FWIW some people hereon and hereoff find checking quite nice...the more the merrier So it is down to personal preference... And does not affect tone V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 the checking is of course 100% cosmetic - you can probably slow down the process by keeping the guitar in the case when you're not playing to help keep any climate control issues in check given our New England weather (I'm in Central Mass, about 90 miles from southern Maine, we share the same climate! I'm careful about using my cases - always. Especially with a few Taylor acoustics in the stable, they are the most sensitive to climate issues) I also agree with the opinion that if the guitar stands out tone/playability, point the finish issues out to them, tell them you are interested in it anyway, and low ball them,and let them counter, eventually you'll find where their bottom line is. you can probably do better than the promo sale price. And I will second the answer that Gibson does not warranty their finishes.. if they did, they'd probably have gone broke long ago. Nitro just has so many things that can damage it. I think at the end of the day, you'll be happy with a cool ES335, and walking out with a pretty good price to boot. Good luck! /KB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csprague Posted October 2, 2012 Author Share Posted October 2, 2012 Well just a follow-up, I did end up purchasing the guitar and it's now in my house. I played for an hour non-stop and will continue after I eat dinner. I managed to negotiate them down to an even 2k, which I think is pretty good for a brand new guitar with full warranty (whatever that's worth). Like I said, I liked the tone, the action, everything - more than any of the other ES 335s I played. Given the price I ended up getting, I can live with a few hairline finish cracks. Thanks for the advice! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanHenry Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Congratulations on your new guitar, I hope you enjoy it for many years. I have to agree with Stein, having bought a new 335 a couple of months age, each one that I tried was very different, far more so than a LesPaul. I even tried one, brand new 335 that had been in the shop for 10 years! Makes you wonder why no one else had bought it. The shop were prepared to do a deal on that instrument, but they could afford to, when you consider what the must have paid for it 10 years ago, I’m sure Gibson’s were a lot cheaper a decade ago. The one that I eventually found (with a lot of advice from people on this forum) was built in 2011. It seems to me that 335’s tend to hang around in shops for quite a while. Regards, Ian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogsPart2 Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Congrats on a great deal. Now, play the hell out of it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted October 11, 2012 Share Posted October 11, 2012 Good news man,, congrats and may it live long and well in your care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sok66 Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 If it speaks to you that's all that matters. Nice score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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