Gibson ES 335
The Gibson ES 335, also known as the “Electric Spanish” (ES), has been a staple of Gibson’s since 1958. This semi-hollowbody, set neck guitar was designed to bridge the gap between solid body electric guitars and straight acoustic guitars. It does the job well.
Because this axe is so versatile, and because it’s slim neck and double cutaway offers access to the upper frets, this has been a stable seller for Gibby since its birth. Unlike some other popular Gibson electric guitars, the ES-335 has been in constant production since 1958.
How diverse is this beast? Well, you can get excellent jazz and blues tones, as evidenced by BB King and Chuck Berry. But heck, even Buckcherry has been know to play this axe, talk about diversity!
Prime Players of the Gibson 335:
1. Chuck Berry
2. B.B. King
3. Larry Carlton
Check Out This Very Thorough Review of the Gibson ES 335
Playing the Gibson 335
This semi-hollowbody is versatile. I mean, you’ve got the ’57 humbuckers in there, so playing rock is a good fit (Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters even had his Signature Model based on the 335) You’d be surprised how little this guitar feeds back, even in high-volume situations.
That being said, the ES-335 won’t ever sound like anything but itself… it’s not a chameleon like the Darkfire. But, if you love that retro tone and you can splash out on a nice axe like this, it’s a great investment in tone.
The slim, ’60′s style neck makes for very easy play, and because this guitar is semi-hollow it’s very easy on the back. If you’re used to playing a solidbody electric, the size can take a minute to get used to… but this guitar stands out and looks beautiful onstage.
Playability and tone is where this axe stands out. Picking out a guitar is such a personal choice, but if you’re leaning towards the 335 just know it’s a great investment.
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