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I picked this up yesterday. It’s one year old, perfectly setup, and played-in by its previous owner. Plus it was $300 cheaper at $999 than a new one 🙂
It’s an Epiphone ES-355 1959 from their IBGC (“Inspired by Gibson Custom”) range. If you’re like me and want a Gibson but can’t justify the crazy prices I highly recommend checking out the Epiphone IBGC range.
I compared it in the store, both unplugged- & plugged-in to a Fender Deluxe Reverb ’65 reissue like mine, with a brand new ES-335 from the same range. I took my wife with me and asked what she thought. She said “Well, it’s a bit blingy but it sounds amazing”. I agreed.
I honestly thought I’d be walking out of there with the new ES-335, more my scene. But the ES-355 sounded and played better than the 335, which was a bit too new and harsh. Though I’m sure with a setup and some playing-in the 335 would have equaled the 355.
I preferred the slightly deeper neck (though same width at the nut) on the 355. It also had a lot more resonance which I always want to feel when auditioning guitars. I also preferred the tuners on the 355.
I’m extremely happy with my purchase, having been craving a good semi-hollow body for years.
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Thanks guys, I got really lucky with this. From my extensive research in the last few months into 335 type guitars that don’t cost as much as a small car I’d still like a Sire Larry Carlton H7V (P90s) to go with it. But this’ll do for now…
BTW it came with a hard shell case w/pink fluffy lining a la Gibson. Amazing value all round.
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After 3+ days with it I’m no longer concerned about developing bling aversion. The shell and gold are there, but nicely done. I love the ebony fretboard and Grover Rotomatics. So in this case, “edge of bling” is a thing to be appreciated, like “edge of breakup”.
The Gibson Custombucker PAF copies, CTS pots, Switchcraft switch & jack all contribute to highlighting the weakest point in all this: My playing.
So I won’t be spending any money upgrading parts. Having said that, some players on the net think the Tune-o-matic bridge could be improved upon. There’s always something.
Still highly recommended, five stars.
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Congrats Mark, you will get many years of enjoyment and great tone from that guitar.
The 335 is an amazing & versatile design that has stood the rest of time and has been used by many greats – Larry Carlton and Alvin Lee immediately come to mind Alvin’s Big Red was his main guitar for all of the Ten Years After years and he only retired that because of it’s value and the possibility of theft.
The IBGC Epiiphone guitars allows players to have a higher grade instrument without Gibson prices which are prohibitive to many people. Seems that line of guitars are really giving Gibson some stuff competition due to their overall qualityJack Ruch is one the greatest of our time, he gives an excellent rundown on the 335
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