I'm a Luthier. I don't make guitars but I make violins and violas. I wanted to comment on the Gretch "Block" inlays you mentioned. The advantage to those is that it reduces the "digging" into the fingerboard that so often happens from players fingernails. They also don't hold sweat and dirt like many other fingerboards often do. I also was surprised you didn't include the Guild line of 335 models. They are quite well made with VERY good materials and hardware. YES, a few models are up there in price but the Starfire II is quite affordable. I own 2 Gibson 1964 ES 325's, A 1965 ES 335, A 1966 Guild Starfire IV (mark 6 stereo) and a 1967 Guild Starfire IV (regular) in my collection. I love them all. I was asked to try the new Starfire II and found it a VERY good sounding, playable, and affordable instrument.
Ibanez AS 93 FM was the guitar I bought with my sister in law for my brother's 40th birthday. I was trying out all the traditional body shapes on a budget, and finally got to the Epiphone Dot. I liked the tone and it was so versatile, but my friend pointed out the unbound neck looked a little weird. As we were in Sky Music we glanced to our side and found the Ibanez, and it was perfect. Binding all round, flamed maple for all body woods, gorgeous neck, and great feeling knobs, not to mention the super 58 pickups. At $970 AUD this guitar was a winner.
I've got a Gretsch G2622LH Streamliner which is a stunning guitar. I bought mine second hand for £320, it is around £400 new which you could say isn't cheap (agreed) but it's close to the 355 and I ADORE it, it sounds stunning and plays like a dream. Never expected it to be so good when I bought it but I keep picking it back up and falling in love every time I do.
Super review. Thanks. The Epiphone I owned just sounded muddy and there seemed no fix. I sold it on. This year I purchased an Indio 335-style. The pickups are great! Clear! Crisp. and the guitar is a real pleasure to play. Finish is what you might expect for a $200 (US) instrument. But, I am pleased.
When Gibson moved from Michigan to Tennessee they left behind a few things, not the least of which were experienced guitar builders. The guitar builders, and other workers, who didn't follow Gibson to Tennessee, started their own company: Heritage.
Shane, I first stumbled on your vids 10+ years ago when you demo’d a blues driver vs a tubescreamer, and here I am al these years later still watchin your stuff. Cheers
I own an older Epiphone Sheraton II. They called it the 335 killers back in the day, I wouldn't go that far but I love mine. The Epiphone Dot is only $499 if you want to keep it in the Gibson family without losing an arm and a leg for the real deal. The Gibson ES 335 is from $2599 and up. If you have to have a Gibson go for it. I on the other hand can compromise without being disappointed, spend an extra $350 or so on some nice Handwired Humbuckers and still be way ahead on savings. The whole Epiphone inspired by Gibson line is knocking it outa the park and should not be overlooked in any way, play one and you will see. I have purchased 3 Epiphones last year and an Epiphone Les Paul 59' coming to me in 2 days. So, I'm very excited because of my experience with the new Epiphones.
I've owned a couple of Epiphone Dots over the years and I have to say that my Gretsch sounds and feels much better. Definitely worth the extra cash in my opinion
Crazy value, get a Firefly. I got one after hearing all the hype and it is amazing. For around $200 delivered, spalted finish, plays great. sounds great. build quality great. setup is great. I don't know how they do it but I love this guitar. only minor detail, it came with a dirty coating on the strings
I gave my 1999 dot to my grand nephew. It had Gibson probucker 2 in the neck and a gibson probucker 3 in the bridge. Awesome guitar. He wanted to learn & now he blows me away.
I know the feeling. Taught my best friends little brother the rudimentary chords when he was 7. When I got out of US Navy in 77, I was at my friends house, we were just getting our 1st few songs published. He recommended his little brother. I thought, well let's see. The kid came in with an L.P. Custom, he was SO good. I sat my guitar down, & said "Well now I can work the board." The guy was a monster, he kept asking me "Did I play that right man?"(like I was an expert) His ear is so good he can listen to any song, tell you the chords & changes (except the second chord to Stairway to heaven. He could play it, but didn't know what to call it.) Sorry to go on, so long, but your comment brought my memory of my first "student". He still heaps lavish praise on me.(I do not know why.)
Floridian here. Reverends really are great. Solid, always have a good setup, great pickups. Can't go wrong with any Reverend, and I specifically recommend a Rev with the Railhammer pickups
I recently acquired an Epi 339 for free (the guy was giving it away on Gumtree and i was just around the corner. I'm still pinching myself!). I've been lusting after a 335 for 30 years and this has almost filled that spot for me. The split coil tone is way better than I thought it would be, makes it a contender for my number 1 guitar out of the dozen or so that i have. My only reason for still searching for a 335 bargain is I'm still a fan of the full size body, as happy as I am with the 339's smaller size. I can see myself picking up one of the P90 versions of the 339 if one turns up in Pelham Blue one day. I was very keen to get an Eastman, tried the T486 model (block inlays and Seymour Duncans) and it was extremely nice but somehow didn't speak to me tonally like I was expecting, perhaps the pickups on a T386 might be the go? I love the art deco headstock btw, makes me want to tuxedo up.. And Shane, have you checked out (the band) Tauk? Some serious Eastman action going on there! I'm ultimately holding out for a Jap Tokai dot neck in sunburst, when the finances (and wife) allow. The Little Wing reminds me of the B&G Little Sister. Have you checked those out? They have their original series made in Israel or their cheaper line made in China, though they still seem top notch and are on my wish list. Slotted headstock mmmmm.... Great video as always!
I bought my lefty 2016 VOS 63 Gibson es-335 second hand for a decent discount, then ran into a Heritage H-535 lefty at guitar center used, for nearly half. Both are keepers. I've had a few inexpensive 335's (epiphone, agile, ibanez). The agile was bought from rondomusic when they was closing them out and bringing in the newer copyright friendly version. It was a fantastic guitar. I did eventually change the pickups out and the nut, but the guitar was only $299 new. I had 2 of them and both were great. but sold them to get the real thing. My heritage and my vos es-335 isn't going anywhere. I live just south of Jerry in Sarasota (about 40 miles) and visit him a couple times a year. Always buy something while I'm there. Always watch you videos Shane!!! keep it up
I have a 2004 Epi Sheraton II. No coil splitting back then. I replaced the volume/tone pots with CTS pots and replaced the weak Epi p'ups with Seymour Duncan "Antiquities". First off, the thing set up beautifully and the SDs make it sound like it's on steroids. I'll play this before the Gibson version all day.
The DeArmond Starfire made only between 1998 and early 2000s is a great option if you can find one, used of course. A Guild/Fender cheaper line, quality Korean made with genuine DeArmond USA pickups, in this case DeArmond Gold Tone humbuckers. Alternatively, the DeArmond Starfire Special has DeArmond 2K single coils, a single florentine cutaway and a DeArmond Bigsby style vibrato. I own both the Starfire and Starfire Special.
My favorite of your 335 imitations is the Epiphone Sheraton II. I got mine in September of '87 and have had it since it was new. It's a 1988 model (Korean-built in 1987), and the builders paid A LOT of attention to detail. It's white with 3-stripe binding, and that includes the headstock and the neck. It has the Epi "vine" headstock (same as the one you showed, and Epi has made them with that design for over 100 years) and it has the same block inlays with Epi's patented inverted "V" shape, like the ones on the Sheraton II Pro you showed. If they made a guitar with that name when this one was made, they would have called this one the "Pro" model. The humbucking pickups sound AMAZING! I had a couple of mods made to it - it got a Bigsby B7 tailpiece and a Bigsby bridge put on it in '87, as well as Grover tuning machines. The intonation is great, and this guitar would be fantastic for rock, blues, or anything else you'd want to use it for. It sold at the time for around $850 U.S. dollars. Years later it sold for the same price, but they'd moved its manufacture to China (with a commensurate drop in quality). I don't know where they make them now, but if you find one made in Korea, BUY IT!
I have played guitar for 15 years and for the longest time, my only electric guitar was a telecaster. About 6 months ago, I got a Sheraton from around 2003. I absolutely love this guitar both the sound and the feel are perfect for everything from jazz to rock to blues. With it and the telecaster, I don’t think I’ll ever need another guitar they both cover every sound I can think of. I am thinking about putting a bigsby on it and it’s nice to hear you like yours with the vibrato. Did you notice any change in tone from the bigsby? The thing I love most about the Sheraton is that it has a very bright sound and I’m scared of losing some of that high end when adding the bigsby.
I have a Korean-made 'Spirit by Oscar Schmidt' 335 copy (OE-20). So it's a sub-brand of a sub-brand of a sub-brand, but as soon as I played it in a second-hand place, I knew I had to buy it. I already used a Samick Artist-series jazzbox as one of my main guitars, so I knew how good the Korean models could be. It's as good as any Gibson I've tried.
I really like your mention of the air coming out of the f holes. When it first happened to me ( with my Marshall plexiglass) it was a brilliant sensation. Some folk actually don’t actually believe it happens!
Can vouch for the Epi Sheraton II. Solid guitar, extremely versatile and the neck is perfect; it sits perfectly between a 60’s slim-taper neck and a 50’s rounded neck.
Great review! I picked up a 1982 Wing Series Washburn HB35 and it has become one my favorite guitars - stunningly good. Have not tried the newer models.
Sitting around playing my eastman t386 watching this. They really are awesome. I switched my pickups to duncan antiquities and went to Bourne low friction pots, and now my lust for a 335 is pretty much gone. I went with the sunburst finish and its a sexy guitar. "Hand built" with a thin finish. Well worth the $1,000 or whatever they are these days.
I just picked up a new T85mx blond Eastman guitar. Hollow body small block under bridge. Maple top, mahogany neck, back, sides. SD 59's; gotoh hardware, ebony board. Plays like butter, sounds, reasonance, sustain is incredible, very similar to ES 335. The Eastman 386, 486 (big brother), and the 484 are great. Eastman is doing it.
I guess my choice would bend the "inexpensive" part of your statement. I wanted a Semi hollowbody really bad and Gibson would not make me one. I am left handed. But Taylor made me T3/B which is with a Bigsby. It was $2,200.00 which is less than half of the Gibson. It is astoundingly well built, made in the USA and it plays and sounds great.
Per my other post above, I got a new Gibson ES-339 for $1900. I'm asking around why the ES-335 is preferred over the ES-339, and so far I can't find a single reason to take the 335 over the 339 - unless there's a collectability or acoustic volume issue. Also, I feel for you re: left handed guitars. I see the extra hills you must climb to get a LH model & well it sucks. My brother's left handed & just started playing a couple of years ago - and his friend gave him early advice to learn as a righty from the beginning. Taylor a great guitar & from what I hear, an ethical company re: what wood they use, how they preserve forests, etc.
Another great choice is the Yamaha SA 2200. Quality all around, ebony board, and if you got a Gibson with half the features of this fine instrument, you'd part with at least 5K.
Dig it. If you're looking for affordable Gibson ES-335 alternatives I would highly suggest a Gibson ES-339. I know it's not the same because of the size, and it won't sound exactly the same, but they're amazing and great value. You can get a similarly equipped and finished 339 dot for something like $1000-1500 cheaper than it's 335 dot model equivalent and it's a real Gibson.
The Samick Greg Bennett Royale is worth a mention. Duncan design pickups and grover tuners. All round well built instrument. Single horn design and they look great.
Great review Shane. Love the brevity and to-the-point comments. Would be good too if you had a still at the end of all guitars side by side and prices as of a certain date.
I watch your vids quite a bit, awesome playing thankyou. I bought a second hand 1963 335 TDC Gibby back in 1967, paid NZ $400, music shop in Auckland which I still have. I still play today, incidentally I still run my old Watkins tape echo from same era. Bill Belton was the sales person, bass player for Max Merritt back in that time.
In 1970 I bought a 1969 Cherry Red Gibson 335 from Lloyd Duckworths music shop in Napier for $639. Traded my 1970 Fender Strat in (paid $454.00) for the Strat, but didn't like it. Gibson 335's sell for insane prices today, but the interesting thing is that a recently acquired Artist Cherry 58 is so close to that 69 Gibson in both sound. finish, and playability, thats its hard to believe that it only cost $270..
Hello friend! I love your videos. So informative. I am a 76 year old left handed player since @ 1950 I used to play right hand guitar upside down up until @ 25 years ago. Best move I ever made. Now I'm playing Finger style which has always been my fav. Guitar style. Which I couldn't play before I turned the strings around. Thanks for all you do for us pickers. PS.. I have relatives in Melbourne.
Just got an Artist Brownburst...:) A week later, and it has arrived 🤓 these pickups (bullbuckers as in the tc59) sing! A bit higher output than the Cherry 58, roller bridge, split coil (sounds better split than my YamPac) and locking tuners. Intonation and string height (subjective) were spot on. Amazing what you can get for
I have a Crafter semi-hollow. Company started out making stringed orchestra instruments and branched out to a few guitars. Very nice build quality and sound and plays great
I have a Harley Benton HB-35 Plus Cherry. I have had the Gibson and Epiphone version.. I have played guitar since 1978, and for the price, it plays and sounds very nice. Very rare I pick up a low priced guitar and not be able to pit it down for hours. The pickups are nice, and the action is awesome. I had to adjust the neck when I first bought it, but that was the only issue.
That Eastman is beautiful..love the headstock..once you actively start looking at guitars for there looks/art/sound only, rather than what you have seen your music heros play,it really opens what you like
I've owned a few ES-style guitars over my 50+ years of playing, including a couple of Gibsons, Yamaha SA2200, D'Angelico Excel DC. My current is the Ibanez AS93FM which, for the money, is quite honestly the equal of them all. Great Super 58 pickups, ebony 'board, nice chunky neck profile and a really excellent variation on the traditional Tune-o-matic bridge. Highly recommended.
@@JillandKevin As I understand it, no. I read somewhere that they are different from the originals but they still sound good. I haven't had an opportunity to do a comparison, but I know the originals are held in high regard. I believe the originals used Alnico II magnets; the current version has Alnico V.
Chunky neck profile meaning baseball bat-like? My current Fender sports Modern C shape and I currently consider Ibanez AS93 and I'm just wondering if that's gonna be a drastic change in terms of neck profile. I personally like Modern C; I'm into moderately slimmer profiles.
Nice informative presentation ! I own an old Gibson ES 335 and ES 355/Lucille...2 years ago I decided to keep them in for studio & home only. So I bought an Epiphone ES 335 Pro....an excellent reasonably priced guitar. I LOVE its neck and sound. Room for upgrades ? YES of course at only $400 w case. Nut, hardware, tuners, 3 way switch & volume + tone controls can all be upgraded. I really like its standard alnico pups. Not sure which magnet is used in them alnico 2,3,4 or 5's. I've been playing mine stock for that past 18 months. People are stunned when they hear it and seeing me play the Epi instead of my Gibsons. When it is dialed into my Fender Bandmaster , Vox AC 15 TBX UK, or Marshall 1962 with reverb, analog delay and the right OD...this guitar is just fun to play and sounds GREAT for the type of country, blues , jazz and southern rock influenced music.
Ahhhh, I have an Epiphone 335 Dot as one of my 5 guitars. Thank you for the reassuring appreciation of it. Mine, a late model, is fabulous sounding, virtually the same as the Gibson one.
I have a cherry epiphone 335 dot and it’s my favorite guitar . I also have a dot studio and it’s Great also. Very solidly built. I also own a epiphone Sg pro. Excellent instrument ! Epiphone guitars are amazing for the money. I could never afford a gibson. Beautiful guitars, just way out of my price range.
@@timothypaulo7060 May I ask, how is the dot studio compared to 335 dot? Im about to buy the dot studio, about $100 cheaper than the 335 dot. What do you think, should i go with the 335 instead? Thanks
@@Ginanjarmp hey there! They Are two very different guitars with two very different sounds. The studio body is I believe mahogany . Whereas the dot 335 is I believe maple. The studio has only two control knobs which makes it simple to dial in the sound you want. The studio has no pickup covers so it has a more aggressive tone in the bridge position especially , and especially when overdriven. I feel that the dot 335 responds much better and seems to breathe better at higher volumes like when I blast away with it through my fender twin or vox ac30. You can feel the air move through the f-holes! The studio tends to feed back more at high volume. You should buy both guitars if you can! They Are both excellent for the money. The studio is built like a tank. It handles time very well. Whereas the dot 335 is much more pleasing to the eye. In my opinion, this is only my opinion, if I absolutely had to choose, I would spend the xtra $ and get the dot 335. But neither guitar would disappoint you. Good luck. Hopefully this helped you.
Hey Shane, I am a fellow lefty and just wanted to express my thanks to you regarding all your great videos and the information you share. I imagine you spend a ton of time working on the videos so really appreciate it. Take care and looking forward to more! Cheers.
I have a Hagstrom Alvar. I agree with your assessment of the stock HJ-50 pickups. I swapped them out for a set of SD Seth Lovers and it now sounds incredible, big improvement in neck, bridge, and middle positions. It’s a keeper for sure.
The block inlays of the Gretsch are very much in Gretsch fashion/tradition. In the same way a Les Paul Standard is associated with the trapezoid inlays the Gretsch is the same with the large block inlays (including the 1st fret inlay as well).
I have HB 35 CH+. I put a Bigsby B7 on it and a Custom Made sticker. It is really great. Very versatile, especially with coil splits that come with it.
I have the Gretsch G2622. Great guitar at the price, it'll do everything from blues to fairly high gain rock. The fit and finish is superb, the paint job and binding in particular.
Hi. In 2017, I ordered a STARSHINE ES335, 180€, Copy of the 1963 cherry red... Really good instrument... Same materials used as for Gibson.... Sounds great
Bought a used black Hagstrom Viking Deluxe (with bixby-style whammy). Previous owner replaced pickups with Seymour Duncan’s, and it sound’s AMAZING! I have. ‘71 ES, and I almost like my $650 Hagstrom better. Great guitar!
I've had a Cort Source for nearly 7 years. It's a sunburst finish, stop tailpiece and plays really well. Got it for only about $800 from my local music store at Noosa.
so true - i'm an acoustic player , but i just bought the Epiphone ES-335 inspired by Gibson w/AAA flame maple veneer vintage kluson style tuners block inlay alnico pro humbuckers , ice tea burst ❕🐸 it sounds pretty amazing to me , and i have a cpl Gretsch electromatic to compare the tones with.... - my next foray into electric will be the Sheraton II Pro all black 🎸🍀
Great reviews! Throughly enjoyable and informative. Your comment about the Heritage line is spot on. I own a Heritage and absolutely love it. It plays beautifully and the craftsmanship is unsurpassed.
I _had_ a Harley Benton HB35+, but I gave it away to a friend who was really enthusiastic about it when he played it. So I am now waiting for the second one I ordered to arrive. With Corona and everything, the first order took half a year reach my doorstep, so I am in for quite a wait here. But it will be worth it.
ive got one as well, everything about it is amazing, pickups are a little muddy though especially using an orange amp and certain pedals, im planning on switching mine out.
I played a 59 es335. Tobacco finish, p90s and dot neck. It was a friend's gutair . I fell in love. For 50yrs I couldn't come up with the money to buy one. Epi comes out with a es335 for $399. I figure if I don't like it I'll sell it. WOW! Same as Gibson..I have 6 other gutairs and this one is the one I pick up and play all the time. Don't believe the Gibson people. If you really want the Gibson name pay $2500 more.
I would highly recommend the Guild Starfire IV. I have a recent Korean-made model and it's _fantastic_ I also have a Heritage H535 and the Guild gets played more.
I had an American made one from the 90's (Westerly, RI). Agree, they are wonderful guitars. I sold it during a financial crunch. I sure do regret that! :(
I have two Cort 335 copies . A late 80's performer series with EMG select pickups & a 2000's Cort Source BV with a bigsby and P90 pickups. Both are great guitars and as good as any other out there. My favorite genuine Gibson ES 335:is the original 80's Studio model with the non f- hole body. These are sleepers for sure and rear access for doing repairs. Smart.
Nice vid man :) i have an epiphone 335 pro limited, on her iced tea color, i'm loving it! Got the block inlays, better pickup and a much better color than the dot IMO.
2 top notch guitarists I've known over the years pros they both say the Starfire (original ones) were up there with some of the best guitars they've ever played.
I missed one guitar in the list, the washburn!! Lovely guitars good price second hand buy with nice specs. Thanks for the nice vid! Greets from Holland
Had a Washburn electric in the mid 80s, scooped back, neck thru body, Dimarzio pups with coil split. Awesome guitar, wish I still had it. Left it in Atlanta GA in 1986. I lament the loss of that guitar almost every day. Washburn is an old established company, never had a complaint about any of their guitars.
I recommend Yamaha SA2200. I've used it for 2 years and it's just as close as Gibson... My guitar teacher had an ES 335 and to be honest, I couldn't tell which one is which when I put the samples in the mix. Aesthetics overall beats the hell outta Gibson, and it has coil tap feature with which you can make it sound like tele with a little help of EQ. It's super durable, and finally the flame top is stunning!
My favorite economy semi-hollow is the Hofner Verythin CT. I've had Gretches, Epiphones, and D'Angelico and the Hofner just feels, looks, and sounds the best of the bunch. Granted, nothing is going to beat my Heritage H-535 built in the original Parsons Street Gibson Kalamazoo factory by original employees. The Heritage guitars are simply the best. PS: Heritage isn't an "offshoot" of Gibson. When Gibson moved from Kalamazoo, Michigan to Nashville, Tennessee, some of the original employees bought the factory and rights to keep building the designs they'd mastered for years. Not an offshoot, but literally the "Heritage" of the Gibson brand.
The Verithin is incredibly comfortable to play, because it is in fact very thin. Plus it sounds great and is very playable. I paid less than $450usd for mine including.hard case.
The Ibanez JSM10 is a GREAT guitar, it's in the AS153 family. I've had one for four years and still love it as much as I did the day I bought it. It's a John Scofield sig model made in China....but it's really more of a reissue of the original AS200 compared to the Japanese made Scofield JSM100. The fret ends on these things are dead perfect. I own a few "high end" Fenders & Gibson's....the fret ends on these are better. The black finish is the JSM20. Definitely worth checking out.
Every time you post anything involving Artist you make me wanna drive over there and try everything out. I'm even interested in their nylon stringed lefty...
Great video and list! Lefty here also. Been playing hollowbodies for decades, and I've had best luck with Epiphones (Emperor, Sheraton II, Sorrento). Where the neck joins the body is what eliminates the Gretschs and Ibanezes for me. Really jonsing for Godin now.
I too have an Epi dot, a blonde one, bought it new about ten years ago for 300 British pounds. It has the Gibson name in small letters on the headstock as well as Epiphone in the usual place. Cranked up through my AC 30 it sounds like Clapton's Gibby on Goodbye Cream.
Recently bought a BCP 335 ($150) copy. I levelled recrowned frets, adjusted the action, bought inexpensive replacement pups ($20 for the pair) cut the nut slots to the proper depth (.018 at 1st fret). Had to buy a $12 bridge as the original was misdrilled. So I've got less than $200 in it, it's easy to play, doesn't sound too bad (wasn't going to spend more $$$ for pups than the guitar cost. Got my eye on a Guitar Fetish 335 wiring harness & pups [$100 for whole shooting match]. It ain't too bad for the cost, sounds decent, plays nice, with only $35 in upgrades & about an hour & half worth of time.
I have a Godin Montreal Premiere LTD that is awesome. Canadian made, SD PRail humbuckers and mine has a bigsby. Fit and finish is amazing and the variety of tones is killer.
My Ibanez AS-93 VLS handles metal and hard rock just fine. Beautifully, in fact. I normally just use either my Marshall DSL 40C (with a pedalboard) or my Boss Katana 100 (with the internal "pedal" effects). In both cases, it serves up all the dirt you could ever need - whether you want it tight and crisp or loose and gravelly.
Hello Shane, Gibson is actually an off shoot of Heritage Guitars. The Heritage company is in the original Gibson Factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan USA. Some of the Gibson employees didn't want to move to Nashville when the company wanted to open a new factory there. They stayed behind, pooled their resources, bought the building, machinery and started the Heritage Guitar Company. Their guitars are just as good as Gibson's if not better in many models.
As a first timer with this style of guitar I first fell in love with the Epiphone Dot but decided to ease in to it. With that said I went for the HB-35Plus and am very happy. I think down the road I will upgrade to the Sheraton but for now HB is satisfying this itch and may just keep me satisfied enough. Thanks Shane. Good list indeed!
At one point I owned an older Yamaha SA-2000 which was a great guitar. I had Seymour Duncan Antiquity humbuckers in that guitar and it sounded very good but a bit dark to my ears. It lacked the spark of a good 335. Later on I was lucky enough to find a used cherry Gibson ES-333 for cheap. I changed the pickups for Gibson Classic '57 humbuckers and added a pickguard and I'm more than pleased with the result. I read that those 333s were made at the Gibson Memphis Custom Shop by craftmen who just joined the Custom Shop, coming from the main Gibson shop in Nashville.
I do have the AS 73 cherry as well. Really like the beefy neck and great fit and finish. Good PUs, but the rest of the electronics are crappy. Will upgrade to CTS pots and Switchcraft...
Just wanted to say thanks for the video. After watching, I picked up a White Hagstrom Viking and without a doubt, one of the nicest guitars I never heard about before. I also have the Sheraton Pro, which is an amazing guitar for the price. Together, they cover a range of sounds, and I use both everyday. I can't replace one with the other, since they both have unique tones. Keep up the great channel.
I owned a humbucker Source for a while and the overall fit and finish was very good. I did have to replace the tuners though with Grovers and it was amazing the difference it made. I found mine had a stockier neck and was great for fingerstyle. It had been modded hot with Stew Mac Parson Streets which sounded good but really not my cup of tea so can’t comment on the stock pickups.
I just picked up a new Epi Sheraton II Pro in Ebony. It's a beautiful guitar, plays great and sounds awesome. They've gotten better, as I had a 92 Sammick Korean version which I sold for a premium. The Sherry II Pro is a deal at it's price pt too. It's a sweet guitar.
Nice review. And watching this despite not being left handed. I did spend my entire career in sales/sales management & marketing. There should be a guitar brand dedicated just for left handed players. Something very well made, perhaps out of Japan. It started brewing in my higher profit margin marketing side of my brain, I think after you’d said they don’t make a LH version the 2nd time. Then you confirmed it with telling about a LH only store in Florida.
As a lefty, I agree. I spent 6 months searching for a lefty arch top, and eventually found one on ebay. A Ibanez Artcore AF75 in Sunburst. So few lefty guitars out there!
There are several lefty stores (Southpaw out of Houston comes to mind) but Ive never seen a lefty manufacturer. I know lefties are only about 13 percent of the guitar market, but with the highly competitive and crowded righty market, you'd think some upstart would see a creative advantage in this niche market. Maybe someone has, but I dont know.
Sheraton II owner for 15 years. Guitar still going strong, sounds great, no issues, still looks great (though of course the gold hardware fades as it does on any guitar). Can’t recommend enough.
I'm a Luthier. I don't make guitars but I make violins and violas. I wanted to comment on the Gretch "Block" inlays you mentioned. The advantage to those is that it reduces the "digging" into the fingerboard that so often happens from players fingernails. They also don't hold sweat and dirt like many other fingerboards often do. I also was surprised you didn't include the Guild line of 335 models. They are quite well made with VERY good materials and hardware. YES, a few models are up there in price but the Starfire II is quite affordable. I own 2 Gibson 1964 ES 325's, A 1965 ES 335, A 1966 Guild Starfire IV (mark 6 stereo) and a 1967 Guild Starfire IV (regular) in my collection. I love them all. I was asked to try the new Starfire II and found it a VERY good sounding, playable, and affordable instrument.
Ibanez AS 93 FM was the guitar I bought with my sister in law for my brother's 40th birthday. I was trying out all the traditional body shapes on a budget, and finally got to the Epiphone Dot. I liked the tone and it was so versatile, but my friend pointed out the unbound neck looked a little weird. As we were in Sky Music we glanced to our side and found the Ibanez, and it was perfect. Binding all round, flamed maple for all body woods, gorgeous neck, and great feeling knobs, not to mention the super 58 pickups. At $970 AUD this guitar was a winner.
I've got a Gretsch G2622LH Streamliner which is a stunning guitar. I bought mine second hand for £320, it is around £400 new which you could say isn't cheap (agreed) but it's close to the 355 and I ADORE it, it sounds stunning and plays like a dream. Never expected it to be so good when I bought it but I keep picking it back up and falling in love every time I do.
Super review. Thanks. The Epiphone I owned just sounded muddy and there seemed no fix. I sold it on. This year I purchased an Indio 335-style. The pickups are great! Clear! Crisp. and the guitar is a real pleasure to play. Finish is what you might expect for a $200 (US) instrument. But, I am pleased.
When Gibson moved from Michigan to Tennessee they left behind a few things, not the least of which were experienced guitar builders.
The guitar builders, and other workers, who didn't follow Gibson to Tennessee, started their own company: Heritage.
Shane, I first stumbled on your vids 10+ years ago when you demo’d a blues driver vs a tubescreamer, and here I am al these years later still watchin your stuff. Cheers
Hahaha me too. I still remember that video!
Yes! I got my Harley Benton HB-35+ CH yesterday after months of waiting! It's superb!
I own an older Epiphone Sheraton II. They called it the 335 killers back in the day, I wouldn't go that far but I love mine. The Epiphone Dot is only $499 if you want to keep it in the Gibson family without losing an arm and a leg for the real deal. The Gibson ES 335 is from $2599 and up. If you have to have a Gibson go for it. I on the other hand can compromise without being disappointed,
spend an extra $350 or so on some nice Handwired Humbuckers and still be way ahead on savings. The whole Epiphone inspired by Gibson line is knocking it outa the park and should not be overlooked in any way, play one and you will see. I have purchased 3 Epiphones last year and an Epiphone Les Paul 59' coming to me in 2 days. So, I'm very excited because of my experience
with the new Epiphones.
I've owned a couple of Epiphone Dots over the years and I have to say that my Gretsch sounds and feels much better. Definitely worth the extra cash in my opinion
I just got a Harley Benton HB-335plus with the coil split feature a couple weeks ago. It's absolutey perfect. I'm really digging it. Incredible value.
I love my old Epi Dot! Such a great piece of gear. Bought it at a pawn shop years ago and it just works and has never failed me.
Mine too.
Ditto
I have a Yamaha SA2200, and it’s expensive.
But not as expensive as a new 335, and It’s a absolutely fantastic playing and sounding guitar.
Crazy value, get a Firefly. I got one after hearing all the hype and it is amazing. For around $200 delivered, spalted finish, plays great. sounds great. build quality great. setup is great. I don't know how they do it but I love this guitar. only minor detail, it came with a dirty coating on the strings
Went to the guitar store and fell absolutely in love with Gretsch Streamliner. Amazing neck, great sound..Just amazing all-round.Totally my goto.
I have a 2627t with 3 humbucker pickups after I get done modding it it will be perfect
I gave my 1999 dot to my grand nephew. It had Gibson probucker 2 in the neck and a gibson probucker 3 in the bridge. Awesome guitar. He wanted to learn & now he blows me away.
I know the feeling. Taught my best friends little brother the rudimentary chords when he was 7. When I got out of US Navy in 77, I was at my friends house, we were just getting our 1st few songs published. He recommended his little brother. I thought, well let's see. The kid came in with an L.P. Custom, he was SO good. I sat my guitar down, & said "Well now I can work the board." The guy was a monster, he kept asking me "Did I play that right man?"(like I was an expert) His ear is so good he can listen to any song, tell you the chords & changes (except the second chord to Stairway to heaven. He could play it, but didn't know what to call it.) Sorry to go on, so long, but your comment brought my memory of my first "student". He still heaps lavish praise on me.(I do not know why.)
@@bluesingmusic3443 Thank you for you service. I am a Vietnam Vet, Medic in Phu Bai. I get the reminiscent.
Floridian here. Reverends really are great. Solid, always have a good setup, great pickups. Can't go wrong with any Reverend, and I specifically recommend a Rev with the Railhammer pickups
I recently acquired an Epi 339 for free (the guy was giving it away on Gumtree and i was just around the corner. I'm still pinching myself!). I've been lusting after a 335 for 30 years and this has almost filled that spot for me. The split coil tone is way better than I thought it would be, makes it a contender for my number 1 guitar out of the dozen or so that i have. My only reason for still searching for a 335 bargain is I'm still a fan of the full size body, as happy as I am with the 339's smaller size. I can see myself picking up one of the P90 versions of the 339 if one turns up in Pelham Blue one day.
I was very keen to get an Eastman, tried the T486 model (block inlays and Seymour Duncans) and it was extremely nice but somehow didn't speak to me tonally like I was expecting, perhaps the pickups on a T386 might be the go? I love the art deco headstock btw, makes me want to tuxedo up..
And Shane, have you checked out (the band) Tauk? Some serious Eastman action going on there!
I'm ultimately holding out for a Jap Tokai dot neck in sunburst, when the finances (and wife) allow.
The Little Wing reminds me of the B&G Little Sister. Have you checked those out? They have their original series made in Israel or their cheaper line made in China, though they still seem top notch and are on my wish list. Slotted headstock mmmmm....
Great video as always!
Update : just bought an Orville 335. I'm very happy
Love Tauk - killer band w amazing guitar work
try Gibson Demo Shop. Ive seen sub $2K 335s there, some one-offs with "custom" paint jobs (they go faster).
I bought my lefty 2016 VOS 63 Gibson es-335 second hand for a decent discount, then ran into a Heritage H-535 lefty at guitar center used, for nearly half. Both are keepers. I've had a few inexpensive 335's (epiphone, agile, ibanez). The agile was bought from rondomusic when they was closing them out and bringing in the newer copyright friendly version. It was a fantastic guitar. I did eventually change the pickups out and the nut, but the guitar was only $299 new. I had 2 of them and both were great. but sold them to get the real thing. My heritage and my vos es-335 isn't going anywhere. I live just south of Jerry in Sarasota (about 40 miles) and visit him a couple times a year. Always buy something while I'm there. Always watch you videos Shane!!! keep it up
Hi Shane!
Delighted to hear you mentioning the Reverend again. Excellent guitars.
I have a 2004 Epi Sheraton II. No coil splitting back then. I replaced the volume/tone pots with CTS pots and replaced the weak Epi p'ups with Seymour Duncan "Antiquities". First off, the thing set up beautifully and the SDs make it sound like it's on steroids. I'll play this before the Gibson version all day.
The DeArmond Starfire made only between 1998 and early 2000s is a great option if you can find one, used of course. A Guild/Fender cheaper line, quality Korean made with genuine DeArmond USA pickups, in this case DeArmond Gold Tone humbuckers. Alternatively, the DeArmond Starfire Special has DeArmond 2K single coils, a single florentine cutaway and a DeArmond Bigsby style vibrato. I own both the Starfire and Starfire Special.
ES 335 is CLASSIC. thanks for a good review…you’re right about the switch…don’t give too much info, owners can mod to their heart’s content
My favorite of your 335 imitations is the Epiphone Sheraton II. I got mine in September of '87 and have had it since it was new. It's a 1988 model (Korean-built in 1987), and the builders paid A LOT of attention to detail. It's white with 3-stripe binding, and that includes the headstock and the neck. It has the Epi "vine" headstock (same as the one you showed, and Epi has made them with that design for over 100 years) and it has the same block inlays with Epi's patented inverted "V" shape, like the ones on the Sheraton II Pro you showed. If they made a guitar with that name when this one was made, they would have called this one the "Pro" model. The humbucking pickups sound AMAZING! I had a couple of mods made to it - it got a Bigsby B7 tailpiece and a Bigsby bridge put on it in '87, as well as Grover tuning machines. The intonation is great, and this guitar would be fantastic for rock, blues, or anything else you'd want to use it for. It sold at the time for around $850 U.S. dollars. Years later it sold for the same price, but they'd moved its manufacture to China (with a commensurate drop in quality). I don't know where they make them now, but if you find one made in Korea, BUY IT!
I have played guitar for 15 years and for the longest time, my only electric guitar was a telecaster. About 6 months ago, I got a Sheraton from around 2003. I absolutely love this guitar both the sound and the feel are perfect for everything from jazz to rock to blues. With it and the telecaster, I don’t think I’ll ever need another guitar they both cover every sound I can think of. I am thinking about putting a bigsby on it and it’s nice to hear you like yours with the vibrato. Did you notice any change in tone from the bigsby? The thing I love most about the Sheraton is that it has a very bright sound and I’m scared of losing some of that high end when adding the bigsby.
I have a Korean-made 'Spirit by Oscar Schmidt' 335 copy (OE-20). So it's a sub-brand of a sub-brand of a sub-brand, but as soon as I played it in a second-hand place, I knew I had to buy it. I already used a Samick Artist-series jazzbox as one of my main guitars, so I knew how good the Korean models could be. It's as good as any Gibson I've tried.
I have a 1983 Epi Sheraton MIJ and it's a work of art, lovingly cared for 38 years. I have various other brands but it's by far the most versatile.
I really like your mention of the air coming out of the f holes. When it first happened to me ( with my Marshall plexiglass) it was a brilliant sensation. Some folk actually don’t actually believe it happens!
Can vouch for the Epi Sheraton II. Solid guitar, extremely versatile and the neck is perfect; it sits perfectly between a 60’s slim-taper neck and a 50’s rounded neck.
I would have bought one YEARS ago if it wasn't missing inlays.......
@@newgunguy4176 how so as in missing inlays?
@@jensen4070 17th, 19th and 21st frets don't have inlays. Inlays go up to 15th fret only.
@@newgunguy4176 ah i see.. i’ve got one coming soon though : )
@@jensen4070 I would go for a D'Angelico DC or Mini DC, instead.
Great review! I picked up a 1982 Wing Series Washburn HB35 and it has become one my favorite guitars - stunningly good. Have not tried the newer models.
The Epiphone 335 Pro is a great deal too. Also, if you can find one, the Firefly 335 style are actually good guitars.
Sitting around playing my eastman t386 watching this. They really are awesome. I switched my pickups to duncan antiquities and went to Bourne low friction pots, and now my lust for a 335 is pretty much gone. I went with the sunburst finish and its a sexy guitar. "Hand built" with a thin finish. Well worth the $1,000 or whatever they are these days.
Check out the Sire H7 Larry Carlton.
They do offer a lefty version of the H7.
I just picked up a new T85mx blond Eastman guitar. Hollow body small block under bridge. Maple top, mahogany neck, back, sides. SD 59's; gotoh hardware, ebony board. Plays like butter, sounds, reasonance, sustain is incredible, very similar to ES 335. The Eastman 386, 486 (big brother), and the 484 are great. Eastman is doing it.
I guess my choice would bend the "inexpensive" part of your statement. I wanted a Semi hollowbody really bad and Gibson would not make me one. I am left handed. But Taylor made me T3/B which is with a Bigsby. It was $2,200.00 which is less than half of the Gibson. It is astoundingly well built, made in the USA and it plays and sounds great.
Can't go wrong with the Taylor. Better than the Gibson all day long.
Per my other post above, I got a new Gibson ES-339 for $1900. I'm asking around why the ES-335 is preferred over the ES-339, and so far I can't find a single reason to take the 335 over the 339 - unless there's a collectability or acoustic volume issue. Also, I feel for you re: left handed guitars. I see the extra hills you must climb to get a LH model & well it sucks. My brother's left handed & just started playing a couple of years ago - and his friend gave him early advice to learn as a righty from the beginning.
Taylor a great guitar & from what I hear, an ethical company re: what wood they use, how they preserve forests, etc.
Another great choice is the Yamaha SA 2200. Quality all around, ebony board, and if you got a Gibson with half the features of this fine instrument, you'd part with at least 5K.
Damn, that's A LOT of money
@@rodriguezelfeliz4623 only for the 1%
Dig it. If you're looking for affordable Gibson ES-335 alternatives I would highly suggest a Gibson ES-339. I know it's not the same because of the size, and it won't sound exactly the same, but they're amazing and great value. You can get a similarly equipped and finished 339 dot for something like $1000-1500 cheaper than it's 335 dot model equivalent and it's a real Gibson.
I have a Hamer Echotone that i have had for probably 15 years or longer. Sounds great, plays great. I have seen some on reverb in the $400 range.
The Samick Greg Bennett Royale is worth a mention. Duncan design pickups and grover tuners. All round well built instrument. Single horn design and they look great.
Great review Shane. Love the brevity and to-the-point comments. Would be good too if you had a still at the end of all guitars side by side and prices as of a certain date.
I watch your vids quite a bit, awesome playing thankyou. I bought a second hand 1963 335 TDC Gibby back in 1967, paid NZ $400, music shop in Auckland which I still have. I still play today, incidentally I still run my old Watkins tape echo from same era. Bill Belton was the sales person, bass player for Max Merritt back in that time.
In 1970 I bought a 1969 Cherry Red Gibson 335 from Lloyd Duckworths music shop in Napier for $639. Traded my 1970 Fender Strat in (paid $454.00) for the Strat, but didn't like it. Gibson 335's sell for insane prices today, but the interesting thing is that a recently acquired Artist Cherry 58 is so close to that 69 Gibson in both sound. finish, and playability, thats its hard to believe that it only cost $270..
I owned a 1982 Gibson ES-335, sadly it was stolen, but I'm very happy with my Ibanez as73 which is becoming one of my favorite guitars
What year is your as73? I have an as73 but it's garbage compared to a mim fender
Hello friend! I love your videos. So informative. I am a 76 year old left handed player since @ 1950 I used to play right hand guitar upside down up until @ 25 years ago. Best move I ever made. Now I'm playing Finger style which has always been my fav. Guitar style. Which I couldn't play before I turned the strings around. Thanks for all you do for us pickers. PS.. I have relatives in Melbourne.
The blocks are for jazz players...decoration...I love em. Can’t ever have too much mother of Pearl!
Just got an Artist Brownburst...:)
A week later, and it has arrived 🤓 these pickups (bullbuckers as in the tc59) sing! A bit higher output than the Cherry 58, roller bridge, split coil (sounds better split than my YamPac) and locking tuners. Intonation and string height (subjective) were spot on. Amazing what you can get for
The Streamliner by Gretsch is so kickass; I have one and it’s legitimately my favorite electric guitar, more so than my strat, tele and les paul
I have a Crafter semi-hollow. Company started out making stringed orchestra instruments and branched out to a few guitars. Very nice build quality and sound and plays great
I got my Ibanez AS80 back in 1994. Still one of my favorite guitars and still my only 335 style. It has the smaller head stock design that I prefer.
I have a Harley Benton HB-35 Plus Cherry. I have had the Gibson and Epiphone version.. I have played guitar since 1978, and for the price, it plays and sounds very nice. Very rare I pick up a low priced guitar and not be able to pit it down for hours. The pickups are nice, and the action is awesome. I had to adjust the neck when I first bought it, but that was the only issue.
I recently rented a G 2622 green lefty , light and sweet sound to my ears .
A bit more trebly, bitey and jangly than an ES, but definitely a nice instrument.
That Eastman is beautiful..love the headstock..once you actively start looking at guitars for there looks/art/sound only, rather than what you have seen your music heros play,it really opens what you like
I've owned a few ES-style guitars over my 50+ years of playing, including a couple of Gibsons, Yamaha SA2200, D'Angelico Excel DC. My current is the Ibanez AS93FM which, for the money, is quite honestly the equal of them all. Great Super 58 pickups, ebony 'board, nice chunky neck profile and a really excellent variation on the traditional Tune-o-matic bridge. Highly recommended.
Do you know if the Super 58's are the same as they were 40 or so years ago, in the 335 style Artist?? They were wonderful pickups!!
@@JillandKevin As I understand it, no. I read somewhere that they are different from the originals but they still sound good. I haven't had an opportunity to do a comparison, but I know the originals are held in high regard. I believe the originals used Alnico II magnets; the current version has Alnico V.
Chunky neck profile meaning baseball bat-like? My current Fender sports Modern C shape and I currently consider Ibanez AS93 and I'm just wondering if that's gonna be a drastic change in terms of neck profile. I personally like Modern C; I'm into moderately slimmer profiles.
Nice informative presentation ! I own an old Gibson ES 335 and ES 355/Lucille...2 years ago I decided to keep them in for studio & home only. So I bought an Epiphone ES 335 Pro....an excellent reasonably priced guitar. I LOVE its neck and sound. Room for upgrades ? YES of course at only $400 w case. Nut, hardware, tuners, 3 way switch & volume + tone controls can all be upgraded. I really like its standard alnico pups. Not sure which magnet is used in them alnico 2,3,4 or 5's. I've been playing mine stock for that past 18 months. People are stunned when they hear it and seeing me play the Epi instead of my Gibsons. When it is dialed into my Fender Bandmaster , Vox AC 15 TBX UK, or Marshall 1962 with reverb, analog delay and the right OD...this guitar is just fun to play and sounds GREAT for the type of country, blues , jazz and southern rock influenced music.
Ahhhh, I have an Epiphone 335 Dot as one of my 5 guitars. Thank you for the reassuring appreciation of it. Mine, a late model, is fabulous sounding, virtually the same as the Gibson one.
I have a cherry epiphone 335 dot and it’s my favorite guitar . I also have a dot studio and it’s Great also. Very solidly built. I also own a epiphone Sg pro. Excellent instrument ! Epiphone guitars are amazing for the money. I could never afford a gibson. Beautiful guitars, just way out of my price range.
@@timothypaulo7060 May I ask, how is the dot studio compared to 335 dot? Im about to buy the dot studio, about $100 cheaper than the 335 dot. What do you think, should i go with the 335 instead? Thanks
@@Ginanjarmp hey there! They Are two very different guitars with two very different sounds. The studio body is I believe mahogany . Whereas the dot 335 is I believe maple. The studio has only two control knobs which makes it simple to dial in the sound you want. The studio has no pickup covers so it has a more aggressive tone in the bridge position especially , and especially when overdriven. I feel that the dot 335 responds much better and seems to breathe better at higher volumes like when I blast away with it through my fender twin or vox ac30. You can feel the air move through the f-holes! The studio tends to feed back more at high volume. You should buy both guitars if you can! They Are both excellent for the money. The studio is built like a tank. It handles time very well. Whereas the dot 335 is much more pleasing to the eye. In my opinion, this is only my opinion, if I absolutely had to choose, I would spend the xtra $ and get the dot 335. But neither guitar would disappoint you. Good luck. Hopefully this helped you.
@@timothypaulo7060 hey thank you so much for the detailed explanations, thanks to you I decided to order the dot today!
@@Ginanjarmp awesome ! Glad I could help. Enjoy your new guitar. What color did you get?
I just bought a HB 35 Plus BK yesterday and hadn't seen your video. I am so looking forward to it arriving.
Hey Shane, I am a fellow lefty and just wanted to express my thanks to you regarding all your great videos and the information you share. I imagine you spend a ton of time working on the videos so really appreciate it. Take care and looking forward to more! Cheers.
Veleu irmão domir amanhã meia noite casando vou música encontro Relaxa
Dmomir dormindo sonho viagem café
I have a Hagstrom Alvar. I agree with your assessment of the stock HJ-50 pickups. I swapped them out for a set of SD Seth Lovers and it now sounds incredible, big improvement in neck, bridge, and middle positions. It’s a keeper for sure.
The block inlays of the Gretsch are very much in Gretsch fashion/tradition.
In the same way a Les Paul Standard is associated with the trapezoid inlays the Gretsch is the same with the large block inlays (including the 1st fret inlay as well).
Canadá guitar comprar viagem parecer
I have HB 35 CH+. I put a Bigsby B7 on it and a Custom Made sticker. It is really great. Very versatile, especially with coil splits that come with it.
I have the Gretsch G2622. Great guitar at the price, it'll do everything from blues to fairly high gain rock. The fit and finish is superb, the paint job and binding in particular.
Hi. In 2017, I ordered a STARSHINE ES335, 180€, Copy of the 1963 cherry red... Really good instrument... Same materials used as for Gibson.... Sounds great
Yamaha SA2200 is a beautiful guitar in this style.
Have you played a Vintage 500??
@@mikegalvin122 I've got a Yamaha SA60 from 1974. Definitely nails the tones of 60s and early 70s music!
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Absolutely, probably better than a Gibson ES335 specs are even better than an ES345, it’s an excellent instrument with “Made in Japan” craftsmanship
Bought a used black Hagstrom Viking Deluxe (with bixby-style whammy). Previous owner replaced pickups with Seymour Duncan’s, and it sound’s AMAZING! I have. ‘71 ES, and I almost like my $650 Hagstrom better. Great guitar!
I've had a Cort Source for nearly 7 years. It's a sunburst finish, stop tailpiece and plays really well. Got it for only about $800 from my local music store at Noosa.
Nice score! :)
The Gretsch Streamliners and Electromatics are fantastic guitars for the price. I own one of each and they both play great.
I recently acquired a Squier Starcaster.
The offset body as well as the weird headstock and the maple fretboard makes it unique and I love it! 🤘🤘🤘
Yup, a great guitar, with pickups which are not the Fender full-range of the 70s but voiced like Gibson pickups. A great choice for the money.
My best back up guitar.
so true - i'm an acoustic player , but i just bought the Epiphone ES-335 inspired by Gibson w/AAA flame maple veneer vintage kluson style tuners block inlay alnico pro humbuckers , ice tea burst ❕🐸
it sounds pretty amazing to me , and i have a cpl Gretsch electromatic to compare the tones with....
- my next foray into electric will be the Sheraton II Pro all black 🎸🍀
Another great ES style guitar is the Yamaha SA500. I've owned one for over 10 years and it's marvelous
Great reviews! Throughly enjoyable and informative. Your comment about the Heritage line is spot on. I own a Heritage and absolutely love it. It plays beautifully and the craftsmanship is unsurpassed.
Would have loved if the Epiphone inspired by Gibson Es- 335 was out when you made this video! Would love a video review of that guitar!
I _had_ a Harley Benton HB35+, but I gave it away to a friend who was really enthusiastic about it when he played it. So I am now waiting for the second one I ordered to arrive. With Corona and everything, the first order took half a year reach my doorstep, so I am in for quite a wait here. But it will be worth it.
Epiphone has recently released the ES-335 in their "Inspired by Gibson" range. Appears to be an absolutely fantastic guitar.
I’ve got one and your right it’s really nice 👍
ive got one as well, everything about it is amazing, pickups are a little muddy though especially using an orange amp and certain pedals, im planning on switching mine out.
I played a 59 es335. Tobacco finish, p90s and dot neck. It was a friend's gutair . I fell in love. For 50yrs I couldn't come up with the money to buy one. Epi comes out with a es335 for $399. I figure if I don't like it I'll sell it. WOW! Same as Gibson..I have 6 other gutairs and this one is the one I pick up and play all the time. Don't believe the Gibson people. If you really want the Gibson name pay $2500 more.
I love mine...wouldn't change a thing about it.
I never liked epiphone quality they are hit or miss funny enough just like Gibson lol I would go with Sire H7 or Ibanez for sure
Bought the Eastman T486 but have been waiting forever it seems for it to come in. I bought it in the classic finish. It's beautiful!
I would highly recommend the Guild Starfire IV. I have a recent Korean-made model and it's _fantastic_ I also have a Heritage H535 and the Guild gets played more.
I had an American made one from the 90's (Westerly, RI). Agree, they are wonderful guitars. I sold it during a financial crunch. I sure do regret that! :(
I owned a 1980s starfish with a bigsby. Wish I never would have sold it.
I have two Cort 335 copies . A late 80's performer series with EMG select pickups & a 2000's Cort Source BV with a bigsby and P90 pickups. Both are great guitars and as good as any other out there.
My favorite genuine Gibson ES 335:is the original 80's Studio model with the non f- hole body. These are sleepers for sure and rear access for doing repairs. Smart.
Nice vid man :) i have an epiphone 335 pro limited, on her iced tea color, i'm loving it! Got the block inlays, better pickup and a much better color than the dot IMO.
I have an ESP/LTD XTone. It’s super cool. I played it in a punk band at the same time my brother in law would borrow it to play jazz gigs.
A couple other worth mentioning are D'Angelico and The Guild Starfire!
D'angelico makes some beautiful instruments. I've had my eye on the Teardrop for awhile.
I have a D'angelic DC deluxe that sounds FANTASTIC works great with pedals and Super versatile to sounds
I love my Guild Starfire!
@@SteveTalamantes my cousin has one from the 60's. Theyre such great guitars! the new ones too!
2 top notch guitarists I've known over the years pros they both say the Starfire (original ones) were up there with some of the best guitars they've ever played.
I missed one guitar in the list, the washburn!! Lovely guitars good price second hand buy with nice specs. Thanks for the nice vid! Greets from Holland
Had a Washburn electric in the mid 80s, scooped back, neck thru body, Dimarzio pups with coil split. Awesome guitar, wish I still had it. Left it in Atlanta GA in 1986. I lament the loss of that guitar almost every day. Washburn is an old established company, never had a complaint about any of their guitars.
I recommend Yamaha SA2200. I've used it for 2 years and it's just as close as Gibson... My guitar teacher had an ES 335 and to be honest, I couldn't tell which one is which when I put the samples in the mix. Aesthetics overall beats the hell outta Gibson, and it has coil tap feature with which you can make it sound like tele with a little help of EQ. It's super durable, and finally the flame top is stunning!
My favorite economy semi-hollow is the Hofner Verythin CT. I've had Gretches, Epiphones, and D'Angelico and the Hofner just feels, looks, and sounds the best of the bunch.
Granted, nothing is going to beat my Heritage H-535 built in the original Parsons Street Gibson Kalamazoo factory by original employees. The Heritage guitars are simply the best.
PS: Heritage isn't an "offshoot" of Gibson. When Gibson moved from Kalamazoo, Michigan to Nashville, Tennessee, some of the original employees bought the factory and rights to keep building the designs they'd mastered for years. Not an offshoot, but literally the "Heritage" of the Gibson brand.
I had a Verithin and a Vibraslim. Both great guitars...
Verythins are awesome.
The Verithin is incredibly comfortable to play, because it is in fact very thin. Plus it sounds great and is very playable. I paid less than $450usd for mine including.hard case.
The Ibanez JSM10 is a GREAT guitar, it's in the AS153 family. I've had one for four years and still love it as much as I did the day I bought it. It's a John Scofield sig model made in China....but it's really more of a reissue of the original AS200 compared to the Japanese made Scofield JSM100. The fret ends on these things are dead perfect. I own a few "high end" Fenders & Gibson's....the fret ends on these are better. The black finish is the JSM20. Definitely worth checking out.
Every time you post anything involving Artist you make me wanna drive over there and try everything out. I'm even interested in their nylon stringed lefty...
Sim top
Great video and list! Lefty here also. Been playing hollowbodies for decades, and I've had best luck with Epiphones (Emperor, Sheraton II, Sorrento). Where the neck joins the body is what eliminates the Gretschs and Ibanezes for me. Really jonsing for Godin now.
I have the Epiphone Limited Edition 335 Pro and love it.
I too have an Epi dot, a blonde one, bought it new about ten years ago for 300 British pounds. It has the Gibson name in small letters on the headstock as well as Epiphone in the usual place. Cranked up through my AC 30 it sounds like Clapton's Gibby on Goodbye Cream.
Gig very well also. Push pull pots also, mine powers the rock songs wonderfully. Sounds like my les paul. And very much lighter. Love it.
Nome Sou eu Gabriel christ 190 200 mil reais. Combras arponto café avião eu vou acha uniforme vermelho sou eu
I just got an Epiphone es335 pro.
It's awesome. Love the pair of coil splitting alnicos. Great quality. Mines a 2017 vintage sunburst.
I just bought a lefty T484 by Eastman and the headstock seems to have been addressed, much more balanced
Recently bought a BCP 335 ($150) copy. I levelled recrowned frets, adjusted the action, bought inexpensive replacement pups ($20 for the pair) cut the nut slots to the proper depth (.018 at 1st fret). Had to buy a $12 bridge as the original was misdrilled. So I've got less than $200 in it, it's easy to play, doesn't sound too bad (wasn't going to spend more $$$ for pups than the guitar cost. Got my eye on a Guitar Fetish 335 wiring harness & pups [$100 for whole shooting match]. It ain't too bad for the cost, sounds decent, plays nice, with only $35 in upgrades & about an hour & half worth of time.
I have a Godin Montreal Premiere LTD that is awesome. Canadian made, SD PRail humbuckers and mine has a bigsby. Fit and finish is amazing and the variety of tones is killer.
My Ibanez AS-93 VLS handles metal and hard rock just fine. Beautifully, in fact. I normally just use either my Marshall DSL 40C (with a pedalboard) or my Boss Katana 100 (with the internal "pedal" effects). In both cases, it serves up all the dirt you could ever need - whether you want it tight and crisp or loose and gravelly.
Hello Shane, Gibson is actually an off shoot of Heritage Guitars. The Heritage company is in the original Gibson Factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan USA. Some of the Gibson employees didn't want to move to Nashville when the company wanted to open a new factory there. They stayed behind, pooled their resources, bought the building, machinery and started the Heritage Guitar Company. Their guitars are just as good as Gibson's if not better in many models.
The Guild Starfire IV and V are definitely worth a look.
Those are not cheaper options lol
Great presentation. Really up my street in terms of style. No 'humour'/or zany stuff, just a straight-ahead and pleasant discourse.
Thanks a lot.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks a lot.
As a first timer with this style of guitar I first fell in love with the Epiphone Dot but decided to ease in to it. With that said I went for the HB-35Plus and am very happy. I think down the road I will upgrade to the Sheraton but for now HB is satisfying this itch and may just keep me satisfied enough. Thanks Shane. Good list indeed!
Look for an older Korean made Sheraton, they're great builds.
At one point I owned an older Yamaha SA-2000 which was a great guitar. I had Seymour Duncan Antiquity humbuckers in that guitar and it sounded very good but a bit dark to my ears. It lacked the spark of a good 335. Later on I was lucky enough to find a used cherry Gibson ES-333 for cheap. I changed the pickups for Gibson Classic '57 humbuckers and added a pickguard and I'm more than pleased with the result. I read that those 333s were made at the Gibson Memphis Custom Shop by craftmen who just joined the Custom Shop, coming from the main Gibson shop in Nashville.
I dig my Ibanez AS 73 cherry red - sounds great and can't beat the price
tomblaze2 I’ve got the same bro best bang for the buck guitar I own the rest are expensive
I also have an AS73 in Tobacco-burst. It's my goto 335 style guitar. Looks, sounds, feel and playability can't be beaten for the price.
I do have the AS 73 cherry as well. Really like the beefy neck and great fit and finish. Good PUs, but the rest of the electronics are crappy. Will upgrade to CTS pots and Switchcraft...
The 73 was a great run. Exceptionally good bang for your buck and I kind of regret not buying one.
My 335 style is an Ibanez ASV93: ebony fingerboard, pups super58, satin finish... And lighter than a 335. Nice instrument
Just wanted to say thanks for the video. After watching, I picked up a White Hagstrom Viking and without a doubt, one of the nicest guitars I never heard about before. I also have the Sheraton Pro, which is an amazing guitar for the price. Together, they cover a range of sounds, and I use both everyday. I can't replace one with the other, since they both have unique tones. Keep up the great channel.
Surprised that you overlooked the Yamaha SA series. Fantastic instruments and quite affordable.
Yeah, I’d love to give a Reverend guitar a try. The bass contour is a very smart feature.
I wanted The Dot.
I planned to get The Dot.
I saw The Sheraton.
I left with The Sheraton.
I call her Blondie... she's beautiful.
The Epiphone 335 Pro should be on your list to me the best sounding Epiphone.
Best video on 335 styled guitars to date. Spot on, mate.
What about the Cort Source models? They've got a P-90 and Humbucker model that are amazingly well constructed es-335 esque guitars.
I owned a humbucker Source for a while and the overall fit and finish was very good. I did have to replace the tuners though with Grovers and it was amazing the difference it made. I found mine had a stockier neck and was great for fingerstyle. It had been modded hot with Stew Mac Parson Streets which sounded good but really not my cup of tea so can’t comment on the stock pickups.
I just picked up a new Epi Sheraton II Pro in Ebony. It's a beautiful guitar, plays great and sounds awesome. They've gotten better, as I had a 92 Sammick Korean version which I sold for a premium. The Sherry II Pro is a deal at it's price pt too. It's a sweet guitar.
Nice review. And watching this despite not being left handed. I did spend my entire career in sales/sales management & marketing. There should be a guitar brand dedicated just for left handed players. Something very well made, perhaps out of Japan.
It started brewing in my higher profit margin marketing side of my brain, I think after you’d said they don’t make a LH version the 2nd time. Then you confirmed it with telling about a LH only store in Florida.
As a lefty, I agree. I spent 6 months searching for a lefty arch top, and eventually found one on ebay. A Ibanez Artcore AF75 in Sunburst. So few lefty guitars out there!
I had a beautiful Epi Emperor that played great. Stupid me sold it, what a mistake.
See there should be a left handed brand. But then I also think there should be a smokers airline. Just charge a premium to fly on it.
There are several lefty stores (Southpaw out of Houston comes to mind) but Ive never seen a lefty manufacturer. I know lefties are only about 13 percent of the guitar market, but with the highly competitive and crowded righty market, you'd think some upstart would see a creative advantage in this niche market. Maybe someone has, but I dont know.
@@gregaltenhofel7326 only if the smoke was of the right kind
Sheraton II owner for 15 years. Guitar still going strong, sounds great, no issues, still looks great (though of course the gold hardware fades as it does on any guitar). Can’t recommend enough.