Gibson Custom Shop ES339 Electric Guitar with Case
Versatile and bold, the Gibson ES-339 is a great guitar for any genre. The sleek body design makes this ax feel as good as it sounds.
Overall User Ratings (based on 2 ratings)
Submitted June 25, 2012 by Dave D in Walnut Creek, CA
"Amazing Guitar"
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I bought this guitar on a whim having never actually played one. I own a Les Paul and I pick up an ES-335 just about every time I walk into a music store, so I had an idea of what to expect. I can honestly say my expectations were exceeded.I love my Les Paul. The tone is sweet and singing but it also growls when I want it to. Problem is, it's way too heavy. I can't play it for long periods of time because it hurts my back and shoulder. Even when playing it while seated hurts because it digs into my leg.The ES 335 on the other hand also has great tone but is too big and bulky for me. I just find a large guitar uncomfortable.Enter the ES-339. Calling it a hybrid between a Les Paul and a 335 is spot-on. It has a nice woody tone like a 335 but it can also growl like a Les Paul. Size-wise it's just about the size of a Les Paul. Maybe a tiny bit bigger. Certainly a bit thicker, but this is a semi-hollow after all. It's nice and light and it feels very similar to the LP.The Memphis tone circuit works as advertised. The highs stay when you roll off the volume. Very nice. I thought it would be gimmicky but it's actually quite useful. Oh, and it's a beautiful guitar to look at. I got the antique vintage sunburst and I can tell you that photos don't do it justice. Gibson got it right with this one!
Sound
Great tone. I was prepared to hate the pickups. I generally dislike the pickups Gibson puts in their guitars these days. I love the vintage PAF tone and I have Seymour Duncan Limited Edition Joe Bonamassa PAFs in my Les Paul and love them. I thought I would pick up another set to drop into the ES-339. Not necessary. The Classic '57 humbuckers sound really great. I was genuinely surprised. No need to replace them.
Features
The Memphis tone circuit is great, as is the 30/60 neck. Nice and comfortable to play. I also like the the output jack is on the side of the guitar rather than the top. It just looks a lot better.
Ease of Use
The guitar needed a proper setup right out of the box. No surprise here. After 30 minute of tweaking I had it set up like a dream.
Quality
Gibson guitars usually have some minor flaw or blemish right out of the box. I don't know why that it, but it's usually the case. With mine there is a little bubble in the binding around the body. Nothing big and frankly I had to really search for it, but it's there. Gibson's quality control has left something to be desired for a long time. I guess I have learned to accept it. Mind you, it's not worth returning a guitar over something this minor, but for this price there shouldn't be any defects. I justify it by telling myself that it gives the guitar character. There are plenty of Gibson haters out there that point to stuff like this as validation that Gibson makes a lousy product. Here's my take: Gibsons tend to have minor defects in them. VERY minor things, but they're there. The tone is just so sweet that we're willing to look past it.
Value
Meh. The guitar costs more than it probably should, but so do all Gibsons. Can you get a great guitar for less? Probably, but they never seem to have a soul the way Gibsons do. That's why I keep buying them. There's something intangible that I can't quite put my finger on. But it's real and it's there.
Manufacturer Support
No experience dealing with them.
The Wow Factor
Looks great, plays great and it even smells great. I love it. It has a soul and it wants to be played.
Musical Background:
Hobbyist - 25+ years
Musical Style:
Blues
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Submitted December 21, 2013 by Gery S in Philadelphia, PA
"Sweet Gibson"
Love the way it plays, looks and sounds. So versatile but really can rock too. A tad larger than a Les Paul, it is comfortable to play. I have the fat '59 neck which I like a lot.
Musical Background:
2010 Gibson ES 339, 1987 American Standard Fender Stratocaster, 2007 Taylor 414CE, 1991 Taylor 410,
Musical Style:
Blues, Rock, folk
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