335 or similar semi-hollow GAS

[laxu]

Only buy MIJ Tokia the other ones are pretty bad but sell on the reputation built by the MIJ models over the years.

Agree with that. The Korean/Chinese made Tokais are not worth the money. The Gotoh pickups on some of the MIJ ones are pretty mediocre too but there's good bones in those guitars.

 

[spawnofthesith]

I don't typically go around recommending epiphones, but I was very impressed with the Sheraton Pro II I had, and rather surprised at the quality for an MIC guitar (older ones are MIK). It was a fun guitar, headstock not my favorite, but I did always appreciate the fact that sheraton was an actual epiphone design and not an epi replica of a Gibson


Otherwise I think an ibanez or yamaha would be the move for the money

 

[Jarick]

All the talk of the Dave Grohl sig started to fire up my gas I’ve got for it lol. Been wanting a semi hollow forever. But I do see they are back ordered for a long time.

Checking out the local shop, there’s a mint used Joe Bonamassa 1962 Epi 335. Cherry red with the same Gibson Burstbuckers and upgraded electronics. Looks awesome.

I’m going to swing in and check it out today. If it plays and sounds great and has the original case and candy, I may trade in a bunch of stuff I’m too lazy to sell like my Kemper and some cheap amps and speakers.

 

[la szum]

All the talk of the Dave Grohl sig started to fire up my gas I’ve got for it lol. Been wanting a semi hollow forever. But I do see they are back ordered for a long time.

Checking out the local shop, there’s a mint used Joe Bonamassa 1962 Epi 335. Cherry red with the same Gibson Burstbuckers and upgraded electronics. Looks awesome.

I’m going to swing in and check it out today. If it plays and sounds great and has the original case and candy, I may trade in a bunch of stuff I’m too lazy to sell like my Kemper and some cheap amps and speakers.

I swear I may have suggested that guitar to you a year or so ago.




I hope you dig it.

 

[la szum]

It's been on my radar since parting with the Gibson 335 last Summer.

Look forward to your thoughts on it.... if you have time to share.

 

[Jarick]

I swear I may have suggested that guitar to you a year or so ago.




I hope you dig it.

Guitar is solid, put it on hold and going to swing up later to try to make a deal!

 

[la szum]

Wow!!! That was fast!!!

 

[Warmart]

Suhwinnng, batter!

 

[Jarick]

Yeah it seems like a solid instrument. Looks brand new and everything works great. Very in tune up and down the board. Great color on the guitar and dark laurel board that looks like rosewood. Sounds very good plugged in too. I think a good setup would really make it great.

I compared it to a real Gibson 335 and while the Gibson looked nicer and rang out a little louder, the Epiphone played and sounded better. The Gibson really needed a setup.

 

[Eagle]

This is interesting and never talked about on the Edwards;

This is amazing considering the price.

 

[Jarick]

I wish we had Edwards in the US!

 

[Devin]

Do it kimg

Mine:

 

[oacikgoz]

Yamaha SA2100... Extremely underpriced, superb quality. Sounds different from ES335 though due to pickups, but that's an easy "fix".

 

[kartikg3]

I own both a semi-hollowbody and a Schecter Coupe full hollowbody. I also have a hollowbody Flaxwood that is regular guitar sized with no F-holes.

To me a ES-335 style semi-hollowbody is:

• Just feels nice due to the large body.
• Feedbacks easier but is generally controllable.
• Has this certain "openness" to its sound vs solid-bodies.

I think they work for anything but extreme metal tones.

The PRS style, smaller hollowbodies aren't IMO that different from solid bodies. Just feedback a bit more readily.

Hollowbodies are a bit more quirky:

• Less sustain than solid or semi-hollowbodies.
• More acoustic volume so fun to play even on their own.
• Even more of that acoustic character to the sound, but can also be somehow smooth?
• Feedback can be an issue at loud volumes.

I like playing mine for clean and lower gain tones. It can rock too of course but I think Filtertrons are especially beautiful for cleans and edge of breakup sounds.

But of course the primary reason to get these things is they look good. I mean typical Gretsch style hollowbody in the right color...oof!

View attachment 19431

Gawd that looks pretty! (G.A.S ignition..)

 

[jazzarian]

I got the ES-335 GAS but don't have Gibson money. Also don't like the bulging Epiphone headstocks. I remember playing an Ibanez Artcore in the early 2000s that was calling to me.

I know next to nothing about these guitars but want one. What should I look for or look out for?

Well, for once I didn't buy a Gibson, saved a ton of money, and got a better guitar than a Gibson selling for 4 times the price (CS-356).

Then some orange fellow came along and slapped embargoes on such items:

 

[hemmelight]

Well, for once I didn't buy a Gibson, saved a ton of money, and got a better guitar than a Gibson selling for 4 times the price (CS-356).

Then some orange fellow came along and slapped embargoes on such items:

Looks great, but what is it?

 

[jazzarian]

Looks great, but what is it?

Eastman T-184 circa 2015.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Well, for once I didn't buy a Gibson, saved a ton of money, and got a better guitar than a Gibson selling for 4 times the price (CS-356).

Then some orange fellow came along and slapped embargoes on such items:

View attachment 22876

As beautiful as the fully hollow, solid-wood t185/184 are, I found the necks to feel quite a bit different than a Gibson and the sound to be a loooot different than typical 335 territory. The t59, though, now there is an actual 335-style guitar to get behind.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Just in case anyone didn't see the NGD thread I'd posted when I got it, I got myself an Epiphone IBG ES-335. It wasn't my first choice of color but it was the best sounding and feeling one out of all of the other 335-like guitars they had on hand at the store (I also compared them all to one of the nice Gibsons they had) so it came home with me.

And I tried to capture a picture of my cat, Epiphone, with the Epiphone guitar. Tried...

 

[creative360]

As an alternative to outrageous Gibson prices I own a holy grail 1980 Greco SA-1200 (in my profile pic) that I found in a shop in Tokyo over a decade ago by Google-translating Japanese guitar blogs. It’s as good as any rock star vintage 335 I’ve ever held or played. That said, they’re even more rare now and go for over 5k. Takes the fun out of it. You might look in to those Larry Carlton signature guitars for $600. I bet it’s a nice headache-free way in, if you’re not a vintage snob (I am). Otherwise any of the legend Japanese brands more accessible models out of the Fujigen factory from that era will be pretty cool.