Gibson ES 335
The Gibson ES-335 is an electric guitar-style quarter-box "(Thinline) and" semi-hollow "(semi-hollow) manufactured by U.S. firm Gibson Guitar Corporation.
In 1958 she appeared for the first time in the catalog of the firm in Kalamazoo and its production has never ceased. Like the Les Paul, it became one of the most iconic guitar brand. With great versatility, this guitar is used in all kinds of musical styles such as Blues, Jazz or Rock
Construction
The Es-335 that can be described as guitar semi-acoustic is a compromise between models with solid body Les Paul type, and those like hollow body ES-175. What characterizes the input is the shape of the body double notch. Again at its output is indeed the first guitar and have benefited from this arrangement to facilitate access to high notes.
Another key feature is the integration of a central beam in a solid maple hollow body, the device designed to facilitate the holding of the notes (sustain) and limit the effects of acoustic feedback (feedback). The body is made of laminated wood, made by multi-models and variants in the years to produce a piece of spruce sandwiched between two sheets of maple or maple / mahogany / maple or more recently maple / poplar / Maple. The back of the box and the table are curved. It is fitted with two narrow inlets in the form of "f" like a violin. The thickness of the body at the sides is 1 ¾ inches. The central beam is fixed to the body through spruce slats adjusted shape of the table and back.
The mahogany neck is usually in one piece but models were manufactured with a long handle three rooms in mahogany or maple. As is the case on virtually all Gibson guitars, it is glued to the box using the technique mortise-tenon. It is equipped with a built-in adjustable drawing, the truss rod used to adjust its curvature. Access to the truss rod is located under a small plate (truss rod cover) screwed onto the head of the handle. The rosewood, lined mesh (binding) creamy white, is equipped with 22 frets and markers inlaid in mother of pearl, "points" round dot called. The pitch is 24 ¾ inches.
The ES-335 is equipped with a fixed bridge type Tune-o-matic, to adjust the string action on the handle and make a very precise adjustment of the vibrating length of each string (compensation) and d ' a tailpiece type Stop bar, both being set across the table directly in the central beam. It is equipped with a shield, the pickguard, whose form has become a hallmark of the brand. This plate is held above the table by a screw and a small piece shaped bracket mounted on the side of the body to minimize contact with the table so as not to disturb the vibration. The mechanical type Kluson features with buttons shaped "tulip".
Two humbuckers, the very origin of "wanted" PAF (Patent Applied For) are positioned in cavities provided for this purpose, very near the end of the button and the other near the bridge. A selector (switch) 3 position, to choose either micro or both in parallel, located near 4 buttons adjustment knobs - a volume and a tone of grave / acute for each Mic - located on the lower right of the body. During the years of production of the ES-335 Gibson used buttons of different shapes depending on tastes. The output jack is a fixed directly on the table near the control knobs, which was originally a novelty when they were systematically placed on the sides in the bottom right of the box.
Like most instruments Gibson guitars finish ES-335 is made with a nitrocellulose varnish applied in several layers polished.
History
In 1957, Gibson was not very pleased with the sales results of Les Paul guitars. The guitarists were too heavy and too different from the hollow box models. However they liked the sound, the ability to play "fort" without feedback and side "comfort" of the thickness of the body. Gibson had created several half-body models (Thinline), the "Byrdland, the ES-350T, ES-225T, ES-225T, the ES-125T, but all these guitars apart their thin cash were too close traditional models. Ted McCarty, who was then president of the company decided it needed to create a radically different new model, combining both the sonic characteristics of Les Paul, the maneuverability of a Thinline guitar and light weight of a "hollow box .
Although it is almost clear that the guitarist Les Paul has hardly contributed technically to the development of the guitars that bear his name, its contract with Gibson was essentially commercial, we can assume that at some point will be McCarty recalled his experiments and his famous "the log (the log) that it had unsuccessfully proposed some ten years earlier at Gibson.
"The Log" contains the idea without being inconsistent with the specifications. It remained to find a new design combining innovation and forms of traditional stringed dear to Gibson. McCarty devised a symmetrical double notch, which was then completely new, and allowed to break the "classical" forms, but he kept the idea of the table and back uprights. The size of the fund was slightly reduced compared to the models existing hollow body. We had a guitar is both completely new in its concept and its online and yet not too avant-garde in order, according to Gibson, not to knock the formalism of guitarists. Half a century later, this guitar is almost always occurred without significant change from the original model and remains one of the most popular guitars.
The first models ES-335 also called ES-335 T (T Thinline) were available in color "gradient" (sunburst). Gibson also suggested a lesser extent a version ES-335 TN in natural finish (blonde). The shield (pickguard) was longer than current models and the key was not surrounded by a net. From 1960 the ES-335 became T-335 TD ES and the key was lined. That same year Gibson proposed a red finish called ES-335 TDC (C Cherry) who later became the best-selling finish. In 1961 the length was shortened pickguard but it was wide enough and it was only in 1968 it was adjusted to its current size. In 1962, Gibson replaced the benchmarks pearl (dot) button by small rectangles. Then the stop-bar tailpiece was replaced some time with a trapeze tailpiece thereby facilitating the interchangeability with vibrabo Bigsby. There are few models originally equipped with a stop bar which have been modified by Gibson to get a Bigsby. In this case the holes in the stop-bar is hidden by a plate labeled "Custom Made".
Major models and variants
ES-355 T
Very soon after the launch of the ES-335, in made in late 1958, Gibson decided to expand its new range Thinline offering a more luxurious. The ES-355 T has an ebony fingerboard with large mother of pearl markers and the head is decorated with the "split diamond" just like the Les Paul Custom. Most of the ES-335 T are equipped with a vibrato begins with a Bigsby, and in 1960 developed a vibrato by Gibson, Vibrolance whose mode of use is significantly different. The ES-355 TD-SV (S for stereo, V Varitone) was born in 1959. The stereo effect in this case, of making out each mic on a different channel. The Varitone for his part as a device to filter the frequency gradually. The 6 positions Varitone combined with 3-position selector microphones can get 18 different sounds. The ES-355 have been officially produced from 1959 to 1981.
ES-345
The ES-345TD is an intermediate model between the ES-335 TD and the luxurious ES-355 TD-SV. It is a stereo model with a Varitone as the ES-355 TD-SV, but it has no suffix "SV" in its name because there was no model "mono". The level of finish is that of a ES-335 TD with a rosewood fingerboard and pearl markers identical to the model ES-175. The ES-345 TD was produced from 1959 to 1980.
Trini Lopez
From 1964 Gibson sells 2 versions of the model "signature" on behalf of the Latin American musician Trini Lopez: The TLD and TLS. These 2 guitars from the ES-335 are characterized by gills diamond-shaped head and narrow style Fender Stratocaster with mechanical line one side. Benchmarks pearl button has a form of "split diamond". The difference between the 2 models Trini Lopez is at the notches. On the TLD they are pointed in the style of Barney Kessel model and the TLS have the rounded shape of the ES-335. These guitars were produced until 1972.
Crest
The Crest is a deluxe model whose body has rosewood back plate decorated with marquetry. The assembly of the handle on the fund is made at the 16th box, which is unusual on the guitar family ES-335. It has 2 mini humbuckers and tailpiece type of lease is identical to that of Tal Farlow. The fittings are gold plated. It was produced in small quantities between 1969 and 1972.
Les Paul Signature
The Signature Les Paul except that it features a logo "Les Paul" is not a Les Paul as the idea that it usually does. This is a guitar to the family of ES-335 with a semi-hollow body, a central beam, 2 notches asymmetric and 2 gills on the soundboard. It is equipped with 2 low-impedance microphones. A little less than 1,500 copies have been produced from 1974 to 1978.
ES-347
The ES-347 is an extrapolation of the luxurious ES-355 TD. Equipped with 2 humbuckers, a stop tailpiece with fine adjustment for each string, a metal sleeve nut, the usual control knobs and selector microphones, it is endowed with more than a second selector 2 positions to switch the microphones in use humbucker or single coil (single coil), which makes her special. The ES-347 was produced from 1978 to 1992
Lucille
In 1982, Gibson signed with the Blues guitarist B. B. King endorsement contract that provides for the supply of guitars specifically designed according to the demands of the artist. The BB King Lucille is based on the model ES-355 TD-SV that is to say equipped with Varitone and a stereo output. It lacks gills to avoid any risk of feedback. The stop-bar tailpiece is the model with fine tuning for each string. Delivered in black or red finish, replaced the Lucille model ES-345 ES-355 in the Gibson catalog.
Many other variations on the theme of the ES-335 had an existence more or less short. These include the ES-330 (1959-1972) without central beam, the ES-150 DC (1969-1975) not to be confused with the ES-150 Charlie Christian, the ES-340 (1969-1974), the ES-320 (1971-1975), The ES-325 (1972-1979), The ES-369 (1982 only), ES-335-12 (1965-1971) model 12-string, and finally the EB - 2 and EB-6, low format ES-335 produced irregularly between 1958 and 1972.
Guitarists and the ES-335
With its versatility, the ES-335 (or alternative) does not sound typically easy to identify. For proof just listen to a solo by BB King and another by Alvin Lee known to use almost the same model, there is no real similarities. Also, be aware that guitarists use all sorts of special effects which do not facilitate the task in identifying a guitar only by the sound.
Moreover, except for 2 or 3 artists mentioned above, few guitarists use a "remarkable" of a ES-335. However, many guitarists including the "greatest" have used or are using an ES-335, so that to achieve fairness seems best to avoid the development of a list can not be exhaustive.