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Epiphone ES-355


Alan189

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Hi folks,

 

Really wanting to get my hands on a ES-355 in cherry.

 

Not seen many of these beautys around just wondered if they are still available?

 

Thanks,

Alan

 

According to the Anderton's website, it has been discontinued:

 

http://www.andertons.co.uk/semi-hollow-amp-hollow-body/pid21166/cid670/epiphone-limited-edition-es355-in-cherry-with-bigsby.asp

 

Nice guitar. If they had produced a 355 with the varitone option I would have got that instead of the 345 I did get.

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Thanks for the response mate.

 

Thats a shame that they've been discontinued... Finding it hard to locate a used one on eBay and the like. Will keep looking though!

 

I'm not so keen on the 345 because of the inlays and varitone thing, not my cuppa, really. Still it's nice in cherry red!

 

Thanks,

Alan

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Nice one! I wonder what the neck is like on these... hopefully not too chunky! :-)

 

Alan

I bought a white one when they first came out. The neck is very chunky. IIRC it is marketed as slim taper, but mine is 50's chunky.

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I bought a white one when they first came out. The neck is very chunky. IIRC it is marketed as slim taper, but mine is 50's chunky.

 

That's interesting, my ES345CH is slim taper - in fact pretty near identical to the 1965 Gibson 345 I owned once upon a time.

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That's interesting, my ES345CH is slim taper - in fact pretty near identical to the 1965 Gibson 345 I owned once upon a time.

There must have been a lot of variability coming out of the Qingdao factory.....hard to imagine that! [rolleyes]

 

Just for grins, I put the calipers on mine just now and compared it to my 1959 Les Paul Junior and '52 Reissue Telecaster. At the 12th fret, the 355 is a good millimeter thicker than the Junior or the Tele.

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I wonder, if they stopped production on the ES-355, so as not to dillute possible sales,

of the '62 Sheraton, which is actually an "Epiphone" model, as opposed to a less expensive

alternate, to a Gibson model??? Otherwise, it was out for such a short time, and carried

by so few retailers, that most of us didn't even get to see one, around these parts anyway...

(except in a photo) and so, there was little chance of owning one! Limited Edition, or not...

what kind of "marketing," is that?! [razz]

 

 

CB

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I wonder, if they stopped production on the ES-355, so as not to dillute possible sales,

of the '62 Sheraton, which is actually an "Epiphone" model, as opposed to a less expensive

alternate, to a Gibson model???

No, all of the '62 guitars are limited to 1962 pieces each. I dont think they'll have a hard time unloading any of them.

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  • 2 months later...

I've got an epiphone ES-355 in cherry red. Think I got the only one in Andertons! (Though to be honest not seen many in the UK at all!). Lovely guitar, so glad I bought it. Been offered £900 for it and a couple of £750's. Don't know if I could ever sell it especially considering how limited it was!!

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I picked up my ebony ES355 last fall. I think it was the only one they had and been on the floor of the store a year and heavily marked down, and already discontinued. I love the Ebony fretboard, though I'm on the fence about the 57CH pickups. Deep and sweet and bluesy, but not that good for rock but can crank out some Alman Bros. if you tone the bass down on the amp. Fit is and finish is excellent except the hand painted F-hole edges, but who is looking and feeling around in there? Nice big body and no neck heaviness.

 

Don't worry, it'll come back as another limited edition and when it does, they'll have the newer classic pro pickups.

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Cheers Oldhippie.

 

But thats a 'ES-335' I was talking about the 'ES-355' which has a little more bling, including block inlays, neck/headstock binding, gold h/w, split diamond headstock inlay etc.

 

335 Dot seems a good guitar but I've never played one. The closest thing I have is a Epiphone Riviera with Mini-Humbuckers/Frequensator.

 

If I can't get my hands on a 355 my next option would be 335 Pro, which is just as rare! sigh!

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I ordered one 2 weeks ago from Ikebe music store in Japan, did it via Amazon Japan's marketplace, didn't ship to the uk so used Tenso, a forwarding service. I was very nervous about the whole process, but didn't need to be. It's perfect. I was a bit tight with funds so chose the 2nd option, not a blemish on it and no 2nd stamp. Total price with all the custom charges, £540. Needed a bit of a set up as it was built in 2011 as per the serial but it's incredible for the price. They also had some available on the Rakuten Japan website too, in the uk it's play.com, similar price but would have been a postage charge to the tenso address and then again onto the uk, so went via Amazon as free postage. If you need any links/pictures, let me know.

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I ordered one 2 weeks ago from Ikebe music store in Japan, did it via Amazon Japan's marketplace, didn't ship to the uk so used Tenso, a forwarding service. I was very nervous about the whole process, but didn't need to be. It's perfect. I was a bit tight with funds so chose the 2nd option, not a blemish on it and no 2nd stamp. Total price with all the custom charges, £540. Needed a bit of a set up as it was built in 2011 as per the serial but it's incredible for the price. They also had some available on the Rakuten Japan website too, in the uk it's play.com, similar price but would have been a postage charge to the tenso address and then again onto the uk, so went via Amazon as free postage. If you need any links/pictures, let me know.

 

Can you PM me the details mate?

 

Cheers

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I love the Ebony fretboard, though I'm on the fence about the 57CH pickups...Don't worry, it'll come back as another limited edition and when it does, they'll have the newer classic pro pickups.

 

+1. I'm surprised they didn't come with Probuckers or Alnico Classic Pros.

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I ordered one 2 weeks ago from Ikebe music store in Japan, did it via Amazon Japan's marketplace, didn't ship to the uk so used Tenso, a forwarding service. I was very nervous about the whole process, but didn't need to be. It's perfect. I was a bit tight with funds so chose the 2nd option, not a blemish on it and no 2nd stamp. Total price with all the custom charges, £540. Needed a bit of a set up as it was built in 2011 as per the serial but it's incredible for the price. They also had some available on the Rakuten Japan website too, in the uk it's play.com, similar price but would have been a postage charge to the tenso address and then again onto the uk, so went via Amazon as free postage. If you need any links/pictures, let me know.

 

I am not in the market but just a vote of thanks to you for some very useful info for members!

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I ordered one 2 weeks ago from Ikebe music store in Japan, did it via Amazon Japan's marketplace, didn't ship to the uk so used Tenso, a forwarding service. I was very nervous about the whole process, but didn't need to be. It's perfect. I was a bit tight with funds so chose the 2nd option, not a blemish on it and no 2nd stamp. Total price with all the custom charges, £540. Needed a bit of a set up as it was built in 2011 as per the serial but it's incredible for the price. They also had some available on the Rakuten Japan website too, in the uk it's play.com, similar price but would have been a postage charge to the tenso address and then again onto the uk, so went via Amazon as free postage. If you need any links/pictures, let me know.

 

 

Photos!! Or, it didn't happen! [flapper][biggrin]

 

 

CB

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