Gibson unveils the new ES-335 Studio, a relatively affordable alternative to their popular semi-hollow body guitar.
Related Feature:
Gibson Rich Robinson ES-335
Thankfully they’ve done away with last year’s ES-335 Studio that had a single bridge humbucker and trapeze tailpiece. This version faithfully follows the original ES-335 with only the visual aesthetics toned down.
Compared to the more expensive Gibson Memphis ES-335, the Studio version has a stripped-down look. It lacks the binding and pickguard of the original, which thankfully does not really matter when it comes to sound.
However they did mess with the controls, instead of the four control knobs found on the original, this one has a more streamlined two-knob configuration. I believe Gibson is trying to put a distinction between the two models, but I personally find this control modification to matter because it has effectively limited the sonic flexibility available to the original. On the plus side, it does mesh well with the guitar’s streamlined look.
The same body design used back in 1958 (when the ES-335 was first introduced) is followed in this Studio version. It has a semi-hollow body with an arched top, built by putting together laminated maple. The familiar pair of F-holes are present along with the solid maple center block which helped turn the ES-335 into its own category of guitars.
Gibson equipped the guitar with their older pickups, a 57 Classic humbucker on the neck and a hotter Super 57 humbucker on the bridge. Although these are not the latest Burstbucker pickups, these were used on many Gibson branded guitars. They are described as being built to Seth Lover’s specs, mimicking the vintage vibe and warm tones of PAF pickups from the late ’50s.
Other features of the guitar include Grover Rotomatic tuners, TonePros AVR2 bridge and long-anchor tailpiece studs and CTS pots with Orange Drop tone caps. The guitar is currently available in two nitrocellulose lacquer finishes – Ebony or Vintage Sunburst.
The new Gibson ES-335 Studio has a list price of $1,399. Visit Gibson for the complete specifications and other details.
Related Articles:
Check out our selection of the best Semi-Hollow Guitars.