THIN, DOUBLE CUTAWAY - a newsmaker from its first appearance, this model offers outstanding performance for ensembles, recording, radio and TV at an amazingly modest price. It offers all the advantages of Gibson's thin-body design with its ease of handling, easy fingering, and fast action... its sparkling sustaining tone and instant response. Semi-solid body construction. Beautiful curly maple arched top and back, pearl dot inlays, and nickel-plated metal parts.
- Slim, fast, low-action neck joins body at 20th fret
- One-piece mahogany neck, adjustable truss rod
- Rosewood fingerboard, peral dot inlays
- Adjustable Tune-O-Matic bridge
- Twin humbucking pickups with separate tone and volume controls which can be pre-set
- Three-position toggle switch to activate either or both pickups
- 16" wide, 19" long, 1 3/4" thin...
- 24 3/4" scale, 22 frets
- ES-335TDN Natural finish $295.00
- ES-335TD Sunburst finish $279.50
- 519 Faultless plush-lined case $47.00
- ZC-19 Deluxe zipper case cover $30
REVIEW
Observations
In 2010 Gibson released a 50th anniversary tribute to the 1960 ES-335 combining the overlapping features of this transition year:- 50s features: dot neck, long pick guard, no headstock serial number;
- 60s features: Slim taper neck, reflector knobs & double ring tuners.
Gibson made 88 natural finish ES-335s in 1960. Ted McCarty (Gibson president 1950-66) commented, "On natural instruments wood had to be more perfect in appearance. I don't know if it was actually any better but it couldn't have any bare scratches of little imperfections".
The extra time/cost of making the natural finish resulted in a more expensive guitar historically (and today). The natural finish option was dropped after 1960 with the cherry finish being this most popular order from 1962.
Current Gibson Models
Gibson makes lots of 335 models which can be divided into three categories:
- Standard models: Made In USA production models with a mix of modern & 50-60 features. Build to a market competitive price. Standard bill of materials, less carefully chosen for individual models. Can be quite heavy;
- Custom shop models: featuring historical features (although not always 100% accurate) and more careful material selection (especially timber). While employing some modern manufacturing techniques these models are approach historic building standards.
- Signature models: e.g. Clapton '63 ES-335. Extensive effort spent in recreating wear and features. Very expensive.
Gibson's website is not explicitly differentiate between my Custom Shop 1960 Reissue vs. Made In USA models but I’ll note:
- Serial number in body, not on the on the headstock (as per 1960 model);
- Correct placement of logo and slight aged appearance of headstock inlay;
- Holly headstock veneer;
- Double ring tuners;
- Correct trust rod cover placement;
- Turtle shell side dot indicators;
- Thin neck binding;
- Light weight construction (7.9 lbs.);
- More accurate shape and body moulding;
- Long pick-guard.
However, there are some inaccuracies:
- Metal rather than plastic strap pins;
- There is much debate about the construction of the centre block and laminated body;
- The '57 pickups are fitted with chrome covers.
- ’60s Slim Taper neck profile
- Availble in VOS or gloss nitrocellulose finishes
- Pair of PAF-style ’57 Classic humbucking pickups
- "Bumble Bee" tone capacitors
- Green-button Kluson-style tuners
- VOS MSRP: $5645 (Antique Faded Cherry and Antique Vintage Sunburst) and $6115 (Antique Natural)
- Gloss MSRP: $5880 (Antique Faded Cherry and Antique Vintage Sunburst) and $6351 (Antique Natural)
Body
- Top: Laminated Maple
- Body: Type Semi-Hollow, Chambered
- Back: Laminated Maple
- Binding: Single-ply, Cream
Neck
- Species: Mahogany with Long Neck Tenon
- Profile: 1960 Thin Neck
- Truss Rod: Traditional
- Joint Angle 4° (+/- 15 seconds)
Neck Fit
- Joint Mortise & Tenon
- Adhesive Franklin Titebond 50
- Joint Angle Tolerance: +/- .005"
Fingerboard
- Species: Rosewood
- Frets: 22
- Radius: 12"
- Nut/E.O.B: 1.687/2.062
- Inlays: Mother-of-Pearl Dots
- Binding: Single-ply, Cream
- Other: Standard Fret Wire
Nut
- Material: White Corian
- Width: 1.687
- Slots: Gibson PLEK System
Headstock
- Inlay: Mother of Pearl
- Logo: Gibson Inlay
- Truss Rod Cover: Vintage Truss Rod Cover
- Angle: 17 Degrees
Finishes
- Sealer Nitrocellulose Lacquer
- Antique Faded Cherry, Antique Vintage Sunburst, Antique Natural
Case
- Type: Custom Shop Silkscreened Case
- Case Exterior: Black Pleather
- Case Interior: Charcoal Plush
Accessories
- Certificate of Authenticity: Custom Shop COA
- Additional Materials: Owners Manual; Adjustment Literature & Lifetime Warranty Information
Electronics and Hardware
The '57s are a great match for the ES-335 but the chrome pickup covers anre out of place.Tuners
- Model: Vintage Tulip (Double Band)
- Plating: Nickel
- Tuning Ratio: 12:01
Bridge
- Type: Tune-o-matic (ABR-no wire)
- Material: Zinc Surrounded by a die casting alloy
- Plating: Nickel
Tailpiece
- Type: Stop Bar
- Material: Lightweight Aluminium
- Plating: Nickel Plated Gloss
Hardware
- Antique Faded Cherry: Black Top Hat Knobs with Silver Inserts
- Antique Natural & Vintage Sunburst: Gold Top Hats Knobs with Gold Inserts
- Pickguard: Reissue with 5-ply binding
- Strings: .010 - .046, Vintage Style strings
- Strap Buttons: Aluminum End Pins
Pickups
- Neck Position: '57 Classic Alnico II
- Bridge Position: '57 Classic Alnico II
Electronics
- Potentiometers: 2 Volume, 2 Tone Controls - Bumble-bee Capacitors
- Type: 500k Audio Taper
- Coil: Wiring Parallel-Machine Wound
- Toggle Switch: Switchcraft Axial Toggle with Vintage Toggle Cap
- Output Jack: 1/4" Switchcraft
Sound
The guitar is sound is not as aggressive as an LP or even SG. The semi-acoustic body mellows it out quite a bit. It can howl on the bridge pickup but it just doesn't seem right. Rock or blues is more it's kinda thing. The neck pickup has far more definition than any of my 10 other solid body humbucker guitars although maybe I don't play it with as much distortion - sounds so great clean!Action, Fit and Finish
One of the tuning keys is off centre by about 1/8 of an inch. Not much of a problem but it makes the one of keys look bent or out of alignment from the front view. It must be difficult to line the keys up perfectly cause I've seen a few others with the same problem.There are no flaws in the timber used in the maple body without flame or figure on the body. Perhaps 1960 ES-335s used less dramatic timber than 1958-59 natural bodies like changes in 1959 vs. 1960 Les Pauls.
I've ignored 335's for the longest time even though the 335 is one of the great four guitar designs being i.e.:
Reliability/Durability
I've had the guitar since 2011. No issues (although it doesn't see as much action as some of my guitars).Final thoughts
- Telecaster;
- Les Paul (I include the SG in this category given how similar it sounds to a Les Paul)
- Stratocaster &;
- 335.
- Good value (low cost) - so signature guitars were off the list so I a 2nd hand custom shop model, USA import or eBay.
- Not to heavy - custom shop guitars are usually quite light. Some of the Made in USA models head towards 10 lbs. (timber selection?)
- Slim neck - I have a '59 Les Paul and like it but prefer thinner necks.
- Heritage Cherry
The guitar has really nice acoustic tones at lower volumes and great humbucker sound at higher volumes. It can cover Les Paul sounds but also gold for jazz or funk.
Over time I’ve come to really appreciate the design of ES-3XX guitars. They provided a cross-over from the big body jazz guitars and more modern solid bodies. Excellent upper neck access in a small body thin-line guitar with the upper bout and waist dimensions similar to a SG. The lower bout is larger than solid body guitars but this provides good balance and comfort whether on the strap or sitting down and lightweight due to the semi-acoustic construction.
Back in the ‘50 Gibson top of the line, big body jazzers were the hallmark of the brand. The centre-block ES-3XX models, with their comfort and ability to reject feedback, usurped the hollow body jazz guitar market. ES-3XX models remain as popular as ever while big body jazz guitars like ES-295 are now limited production models or specials orders.
