Gibson ES335 Bass - New thread

[Sparky Mark]

I realise there are other threads on TB about this bass, but having just bought one in vintage sunburst I feel the need to start another to pose some questions and share my thoughts so far:-

1. The new ES335 bass sounds huge, with a great resonant semi acoustic tone and modern attack aided by the all maple construction. Although it is most definately a modern Gibson semi acoustic bass in its tonal character, the bridge pup does a great jazz bass(ish) fingerstyle tone whilst the neck pup can sound like a rounder sounding precision. The pickups are very hot and have a higher output than my active Ibanez SR1200 (Nordstrand big singles).

2. Does anyone know whether Gibson will make any more? I suspect from what I have read that Gibson cannot price these at a point where they make sufficient margin to justify taking the Memphis CS production capacity away from 6 string 335s ?

3. It truly is a thing of beauty and makes my solid body basses look ordinary in comparison.

4. Does anyone know how many were made? 400 as mentioned elsewhere on TB? If there will be no more then I can only see the value of these going up and up, even with the higher fret access issue, it is a great bass to play with fantastic modern tones from either or both pups.

5. I think the ES335 bass will be become a classic and sought after both by collectors and players looking for something a little less ordinary.

 

[Milk]

The 335 (or eb-2) have what i consider to be the best bass body ever made but i wish they'd have bothered binding the f holes. The black one doesn't even have body binding. It makes it look a lot more ordinary. Not that it matters anyway since ill never be able to afford it.

 

[RVRSCO]

I placed an order for one yesterday. Hopefully I will get it today. I order the faded cherry color. I'll be happy to post my finding as soon as it arrives and I get a little playing time in on it!

 

[audiorep2]

Here is my old school contribution to this thread. All pre 1970, all factory original colours.

 

[OneAri]

suddenly the Rivoli RI I missed out on in the week doesn't seem so desirable.....

Incredible collection, congratulations sir

 

[RVRSCO]

That's a sick collection! Just got my 335 tonight. I'll post picks tomorrow. Anyone know if there is a 335 club?

 

[RVRSCO]

Okay, here it is! My brand new Gibson CS ES-335 Bass in Cherry!

Really nice lows and a surprising poppy P Bass sound from the neck pickup!

 

[Killer Kadoogan]

That is beautiful. Congratulations!

 

[RVRSCO]

Thanks!

 

[BillyB_from_LZ]

Here is my old school contribution to this thread. All pre 1970, all factory original colours.

Wow...just wow!!!

 

[Polka4001]

Here is my old school contribution to this thread. All pre 1970, all factory original colours.

Holy moly, Jolie! Those are gorgeous.

 

[Rosebud]

Geez having mini heart attacks here audiorep, or maybe love palpatations, congrats on everybody's new Es-335 basses!

 

[PDGood]

Audiorep2 that is easily $20K worth of beautiful basses.

To me the cherry red is one of the most beautiful basses of all time.

Oh, and please put some furniture polish on those fretboards so that they will last another 40 years.

 

[stiles72]

Strange question - but do the Gibson Memphis instruments have the same sweet/vanilla-ish nitro smell that the Gibson USA ones do?

 

[Baird6869]

So I spent some time with a gorgeous looking sunburst ES335 today.

It sounded pretty damned good and played nicely.

In any cas I love Gibson guitars and basses, but the QC on this $2200 bass was brutal. Overspray on both sides of the headstock, the usual orange peeling where the neck and front of body joins and the end of the neck at the body had red stain on the binding. Also, the paint around the F holes looked amateur.

I have owned many Gibson basses from 70's G3/Grabbers, TBirds, SG, Lea Pauls, Money, etc but this bass was poorly made to say the least. Saw a couple of bad Midtowns lately also.

Not a step in the right direction IMO. Too bad.

YMMV

 

[JFOC]

Here is my old school contribution to this thread. All pre 1970, all factory original colours.

pfft, great, now I have to change my pants...!

 

[Mastermold]

So I spent some time with a gorgeous looking sunburst ES335 today.

It sounded pretty damned good and played nicely.

In any cas I love Gibson guitars and basses, but the QC on this $2200 bass was brutal. Overspray on both sides of the headstock, the usual orange peeling where the neck and front of body joins and the end of the neck at the body had red stain on the binding. Also, the paint around the F holes looked amateur.

I have owned many Gibson basses from 70's G3/Grabbers, TBirds, SG, Lea Pauls, Money, etc but this bass was poorly made to say the least. Saw a couple of bad Midtowns lately also.

Not a step in the right direction IMO. Too bad.

YMMV

That's a bummer ... you'd think with modern production ability the opposite would be true.

 

[lexington125]

My only negative comment concerns that bridge. It (or very similar variants) were used on numerous Gibson basses and I never met anyone who liked them (the bridge, not the bass) IMHO, this is the bridge that started the whole "badass" bridge industry

 

[Mastermold]

My only negative comment concerns that bridge. It (or very similar variants) were used on numerous Gibson basses and I never met anyone who liked them (the bridge, not the bass) IMHO, this is the bridge that started the whole "badass" bridge industry

It works well enough on their hollow body basses IMO. I've got a new Midtown and like it fine on that bass. Could be worse -- a floating bridge.

 

[RVRSCO]

So, I just had to send mine back. I noticed some awful fret buzz only at the 16th fret and then the entire E string started to buzz as well. Had a tech look at it and concluded that the fret work on the higher frets was off pretty bad and the neck had actually warped. Needless to say, I sent it back for a refund and ordered up a Fender 74' AVRI. Was very disappointed.

Also, as mentioned above...upon closer inspection, the pain job was awful. There was smudged red paint on the white binding near the body of the bass. Not what you would pay $2200 for.