ES-335 love..anyone?

[Sanford]

Re: ES-335 love..anyone?

I have an inexpensive Ibanez; but am considering a more upscale 335 style guitar. How do you all think the Epiphone Elitist compares to a real deal Gibson 335?

Not sure about the Elitist versions, but the Sheraton II (see above) has a way cooler headstock, fancier inlays and plays/sounds great.

 

[PylonRacer]

Re: ES-335 love..anyone?

I really like the Elitist headstock. More straight pull than typical Epiphone or Gibson. This one is for sale locally; and I am really tempted. How do they hold their value? Gibson's seem to just go up in value even though the price of admission is higher.

 

[gilles27]

Re: ES-335 love..anyone?

yeh that elitist headstock is real nice. are the standard pickups on a sheraton II worth keeping or would i to need to chuck some seth loves in there to compete with the real deal 335 boys?

 

[Bludave]

Re: ES-335 love..anyone?

The last time I played a hollowbody was about 5 years ago. I'm actually cool with the thinckness but it's the width and everything that drove me nuts onstage, part of the reason I switched to an SG. Playing a hollow sitting down is easy and natural for me somehow, I just feel wakward with one on stage standing up. Have to admit, I am kind of hankering for that tone for some things nowadays.

Maybe a 339 or 336 is in your future. Although I don't think they sound as good, but they are very close.

 

[eggman]

Re: ES-335 love..anyone?

Howdy,

Gilles27: My ES-335 has SD 59s, fwiw. They sound great for almost anything. Seth Lovers are reputed to have a bit less treble than the 59s, owing to the AlNiCo V vs. AlNiCo II. On a Les Paul Std, I'd want the Lovers. Lovers sure are popular, though! For me, the 59s do the trick. YMMV.
What amps are your favorite for that lovely Epiphone?

Eggman

 

[PylonRacer]

Re: ES-335 love..anyone?

Maybe a 339 or 336 is in your future. Although I don't think they sound as good, but they are very close.

The Ibanez line is similar in size to the 336 & 9. This is what I have and it hides most of my belly mg:

 

[gilles27]

Re: ES-335 love..anyone?

cheers eggman
i've got a 59 in my SZ at the mo and it purty good, i just have this wierd thing about buying the same pickups twice lol. Fender bassman would be my amp of choice but i can't afford one so it'll probs be going through a Laney VC30 or a Fender Blues Deluxe.

PylonRacer, totally with you on the Ibanez love, this one would be my belly shield:
http://www.ibanez.co.jp/products/images/eg2008/AS93C_NT_12_01.gif

 

[PylonRacer]

Re: ES-335 love..anyone?

PylonRacer, totally with you on the Ibanez love, this one would be my belly shield:
http://www.ibanez.co.jp/products/images/eg2008/AS93C_NT_12_01.gif

Very nice. I haven't seen that finish on an AS before. Is that Bubinga? I know they are using that on some of their other models.

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: ES-335 love..anyone?

Ibanez love in the HOUSE!!

Here's my 2002 (I think) Ibanez Artstar AS-120

I took out the Super 58s, which sounded good, and replaced them with Duncan Seths...much more juicy now.

 

[eggman]

Re: ES-335 love..anyone?

Howdy,

Guitfiddle, Pylon: Ya'll sure have some purty ES-335 clones (Well, at least influenced by the ES-335, if not an outright clone.) Share with us your favorite amps for getting the right tone.
For me it's my Fender red knob "The Twin" for clean; My ES-335 can even do a fair job for Buck Owens stuff with this amp. I never use the overdrive channel. For raunch at livingroom volumes, it's my '68 Vibro Champ: puuure nasty! What about you ?

Eggman

 

[gilles27]

Re: ES-335 love..anyone?

PylonRacer, the body is made of Cocobolo (a rosewood type thing), from what i've read, it is one of the most desirable tonewoods for hollow bodied instruments. i've heard exciting things. i have a deep desire to buy one and attach seths or 59s

here is info;

http://www.rctonewoods.rcefaluguitars.com/cocobolo.htm

http://www.cbguitars.com/woods.htm

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: ES-335 love..anyone?

righto, seeing as this has blown out to other brands:

DeArmond Starfire. One day I'd like to get a real Guild, but I've got to admit this guitar plays amazingly and sounds great. It's all over the album I'm recording right now. we've got a pile of great guitars on hand and the DeArmond has done 90% of the work sofar.

 

[PylonRacer]

Re: ES-335 love..anyone?

Howdy,

Guitfiddle, Pylon: Ya'll sure have some purty ES-335 clones (Well, at least influenced by the ES-335, if not an outright clone.) Share with us your favorite amps for getting the right tone.
For me it's my Fender red knob "The Twin" for clean; My ES-335 can even do a fair job for Buck Owens stuff with this amp. I never use the overdrive channel. For raunch at livingroom volumes, it's my '68 Vibro Champ: puuure nasty! What about you ?

Eggman

I'm using a Rivera R30. Clean it has a Fender blackface (very full sounding) and a tweed mode (very chimy). The overdrive channel is based on a Marshall plexi circuit - very tasty. I run the fenderside clean only since it gets a flabby bottom when driven. The marshal side goes from the little grit to full on gain, but smooth gain. This is a perfect Strat amp; but the Ibanez sounds great through it too. I would love to hear what the Ibanez would sound like through a cranked Fender deluxe reverb. I have yet to play through one; but I've heard a few ES-335s through them and they sounded quite nice.

 

[PylonRacer]

Re: ES-335 love..anyone?

Ibanez love in the HOUSE!!

Here's my 2002 (I think) Ibanez Artstar AS-120

I took out the Super 58s, which sounded good, and replaced them with Duncan Seths...much more juicy now.

How do the Seths sound different than the Super 58s? I have some Seths on order to drop into the AS83.

 

[guitfiddle]

Re: ES-335 love..anyone?

How do the Seths sound different than the Super 58s? I have some Seths on order to drop into the AS83.

The Super 58 sound woody...nice and mellow, but the SL set just makes the mids more complex and rich. The tone takes to the 2nd order harmonic feedback much easier with these in it. Just shake a note, and turn a bit to the side and it'll go for days.

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: ES-335 love..anyone?

Had an interesting 335-related experience yesterday. Went to a local store to try a bunch of Reverends. ended up moving to Gibsons and played a couple of very nice Les Pauls. Now, I've played dozens of Pauls, several of them very nice, but I'm yet to buy one. Then, for a laugh, I pick up a Gibson Tom Delonge model (that horrid looking brown striped single pickup 335), and give it a strum. Sure enough, it was the best sounding and playing guitar of the lot.

The lesson: I should face facts and realise that I'm a 335 guy, not a Paul guy. In my case, a 335 or similar is a round peg for a round hole.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: ES-335 love..anyone?

I'm going to bet that your 335 has the same pups as mine, the infamous Shawbuckers. They are great pups. If you REALLY want to open up the tone though, mine were dark, replace the stock 300Ks with 500Ks. WOW it really brought mine to life.

Here's mine, a 1984 Dot Reissue. Not the most flattering pic, but all right.

I did put a Tonepros aluminum TP on it, and eventually I'll get a tonepros bridge too.

This guitar sounds KILLER through my Marshall 2204 that Jeff Seal rebuilt. In fact I think he used this guitar to tune it when he was out here in July. Thing is this guitar sounds really good through everything. I can get some great Cream tones using it and my Dr. Z Rt. 66.

Luke

Great taste Luke - if I could have just 1 semi hollowbody it would be yours - straight down to the dot inlays and plain black finish - it's beyond classy! :fing2:

 

[lex666]

Re: ES-335 love..anyone?

I've been waiting for my 335 to arrive before I posted on this thread. It finally arrived last week so all I've got is a lousy pic I took with my phone. Anyways, here it is, my new baby, Gibson ES 335 in honey burst. I love the semi hollow tone... Its really expanded my sonic textures...

 

[eggman]

Re: ES-335 love..anyone?

Howdy,

Lex and The Chris: Those are lovely! Ebony is so "dressy" and classic; simple. The Lightburst or Honeyburst ES-335 is almost 3 dimensional with that flame. I'll bet they sound great through Marshalls.

Do ya'll just plug straight into the "Clean" channel and turn it up? I don't use pedals. For "Beano" tone, I simply plug my 1980 ES-335 (w/ SD 59s) into my '68 Vibro Champ, turn it up and wail! Of course, my wife and Airedale Terrier may not always appreciate my brilliant guitar playing

Eggman

 

[mrfjones]

Re: ES-335 love..anyone?

righto, seeing as this has blown out to other brands:

DeArmond Starfire. One day I'd like to get a real Guild, but I've got to admit this guitar plays amazingly and sounds great. It's all over the album I'm recording right now. we've got a pile of great guitars on hand and the DeArmond has done 90% of the work sofar.

they are great guitars, and some day I too will have a guild starfire.