The Psychology of GASing for a Gibson (es-335)

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Re: The Psychology of GASing for a Gibson (es-335)

Post by fisonic » Tue Jul 20, 2021 2:04 am

mbene085 wrote:
Sat Jul 17, 2021 9:42 am
That's all great info, Larry, thanks.

I was checking out some 90s 335 demos on YouTube, and they don't seem to sound overwound.

My travels did take me to this video of the Epiphone "inspired by Gibson" 335.

Those things are like $800 CAD new, are gorgeous, and frankly sound a little brighter/underwound in comparison.

Epiphone is really stepping up their game.
Recently tried one out at my local guitar store. Was instantly put off by its weight. Much heavier than an Epi dot, which I purchased 15 odd years back & lacked the acoustic quality. They might not all be the same but put me off the idea of buying one online for sure.

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Re: The Psychology of GASing for a Gibson (es-335)

Post by Embenny » Tue Jul 20, 2021 1:21 pm

fisonic wrote:
Tue Jul 20, 2021 2:04 am
Recently tried one out at my local guitar store. Was instantly put off by its weight. Much heavier than an Epi dot, which I purchased 15 odd years back & lacked the acoustic quality. They might not all be the same but put me off the idea of buying one online for sure.
I do have to admit, this 335 surprised me with its weight. As a "semi-hollow", I assumed that would mean light weight. It's not. It's very solid and vibrant acoustically, but it's not remotely lightweight.

Of course, I've never owned or even played an Epiphone 335 or any other year of Gibson, so I have no idea how it compares to 335s overall. I'm not afraid of heavy guitars, but it would be a poor choice for someone who needs a light one for health reasons.
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Re: The Psychology of GASing for a Gibson (es-335)

Post by Larry Mal » Tue Jul 20, 2021 1:27 pm

I was surprised by it also, especially since I have had that ES-330 forever and that genuinely is a light guitar.

But no, I've had two ES-335s, and they are heavy.
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Re: The Psychology of GASing for a Gibson (es-335)

Post by Maggieo » Tue Jul 20, 2021 3:17 pm

I'd be interested in an ES-339, myself.
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Re: The Psychology of GASing for a Gibson (es-335)

Post by Larry Mal » Tue Jul 20, 2021 6:36 pm

Maggieo wrote:
Tue Jul 20, 2021 3:17 pm
I'd be interested in an ES-339, myself.
I had one in my possession and didn't find it worth buying after a lengthy audition. I feel that it probably would have been a lot better had I known how to set my guitars up better, though.

There is also another variant that has the P90s, so it's a slightly smaller ES-330, if that interests you.

Edit: here you go, it's the ES-390:

http://legacy.gibson.com/Products/Elect ... S-390.aspx
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Re: The Psychology of GASing for a Gibson (es-335)

Post by Maggieo » Wed Jul 21, 2021 11:27 am

That's cool. But jeeze, photographer, you could have found one with a perfectly finished f-hole.
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Re: The Psychology of GASing for a Gibson (es-335)

Post by wproffitt » Wed Jul 21, 2021 2:35 pm

Maggieo wrote:
Wed Jul 21, 2021 11:27 am
That's cool. But jeeze, photographer, you could have found one with a perfectly finished f-hole.
Are you referring to the marred finish in the photo under the caption that reads “finish first”? :D

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Re: The Psychology of GASing for a Gibson (es-335)

Post by Maggieo » Wed Jul 21, 2021 3:08 pm

wproffitt wrote:
Wed Jul 21, 2021 2:35 pm
Maggieo wrote:
Wed Jul 21, 2021 11:27 am
That's cool. But jeeze, photographer, you could have found one with a perfectly finished f-hole.
Are you referring to the marred finish in the photo under the caption that reads “finish first”? :D
AMIRITEORWUT?!?!?!

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Re: The Psychology of GASing for a Gibson (es-335)

Post by luau » Fri Jul 23, 2021 10:29 am

Thanks to Larry generously loaning me an amp, I can report the 345 sounds great plugged in. The pickups are nice with lots of clarity. The bass is big and awesome and the bridge pickup has a large amount of treble although it's not harsh. I need to flip the neck pickup ring and adjust the balance a bit as the neck pickup is too high, but the middle position sounds good as well. I haven't messed with dirty sounds yet.

FWIW, it's purportedly 7.6lbs but I don't have a scale to verify. It seems about right.

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Re: The Psychology of GASing for a Gibson (es-335)

Post by Larry Mal » Sat Jul 24, 2021 7:08 am

Great to hear, Tom. Glad the amp is helping you audition your guitar, and it was wonderful meeting you and your wife the other day. Welcome back to St. Louis.

I think I said a cautionary word about the titanium saddles, also, and I later got home and played my 335 and didn't really feel that they were harsh at that point. Maybe the strings had just settled in and the added brightness of the titanium saddles no longer seemed harsh.
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Re: The Psychology of GASing for a Gibson (es-335)

Post by luau » Mon Jul 26, 2021 4:25 am

Thanks the warm welcome, Larry, it was great meeting you as well. The amp, a Fender Frontman 15g, sounds really good. I was pleasantly surprised and really appreciate it.

Glad the saddles are working out. I think I'm going to follow your Faber recommendation on my Deluxe and see where that takes me.

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Re: The Psychology of GASing for a Gibson (es-335)

Post by Larry Mal » Mon Jul 26, 2021 7:12 am

luau wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 4:25 am
Thanks the warm welcome, Larry, it was great meeting you as well. The amp, a Fender Frontman 15g, sounds really good. I was pleasantly surprised and really appreciate it.

Glad the saddles are working out. I think I'm going to follow your Faber recommendation on my Deluxe and see where that takes me.
Yeah, that amp really isn't bad for a $30 used amp, is it? I could honestly see it being useful for recording at some point.

Just remember with the Faber iNsert stuff that it's really not reversible. I don't think you would ever regret it, but I feel you might want to know that, and who knows what this might do to the value of a vintage instrument (which I think yours is).
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Re: The Psychology of GASing for a Gibson (es-335)

Post by Maggieo » Mon Jul 26, 2021 8:11 am

Larry Mal wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 7:12 am
luau wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 4:25 am
Thanks the warm welcome, Larry, it was great meeting you as well. The amp, a Fender Frontman 15g, sounds really good. I was pleasantly surprised and really appreciate it.

Glad the saddles are working out. I think I'm going to follow your Faber recommendation on my Deluxe and see where that takes me.
Yeah, that amp really isn't bad for a $30 used amp, is it? I could honestly see it being useful for recording at some point.

Just remember with the Faber iNsert stuff that it's really not reversible. I don't think you would ever regret it, but I feel you might want to know that, and who knows what this might do to the value of a vintage instrument (which I think yours is).
I put Faber gear on the SG luau sold me, and it became magic. Almost as good as my '61 SG Special.
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Re: The Psychology of GASing for a Gibson (es-335)

Post by Embenny » Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:28 am

I've got that SG and it is indeed fantastic.

Also, I had a good few hours to play the 335 yesterday am getting to know it better. It's so different from anything I've owned before and it's quite thrilling to play. The neck is amazing and the whole guitar is acoustically loud and vibrant in a way I'm not used to.

I found myself playing very differently on it than I do on my usual guitars. I'd try something I'd normally play on a Jaguar or Strat and get frustrated that it sounded wrong and muddy, but then I'd stumble on something that wouldn't have worked on my other guitars and marvel at how lovely it sounded.

I still feel like I don't really know what to do with it, but I'm figuring it out. It's an incredibly inspiring guitar to play. I wasn't expecting that at all. I think I'm starting to get what's going on with these Gibsons.
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Re: The Psychology of GASing for a Gibson (es-335)

Post by Larry Mal » Mon Jul 26, 2021 10:24 am

mbene085 wrote:
Mon Jul 26, 2021 9:28 am
I've got that SG and it is indeed fantastic.

Also, I had a good few hours to play the 335 yesterday am getting to know it better. It's so different from anything I've owned before and it's quite thrilling to play. The neck is amazing and the whole guitar is acoustically loud and vibrant in a way I'm not used to.
How are you liking the pickups?
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