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Gibson ES335 - Are there more ways to skin a cat?

Updated: Oct 2, 2023

Too many guitars so little time - Welcome to mdc vintage guitars.


Here at mdc vintage we have seen many of the semi hollowed body guitars available to todays guitar enthusiast, from the lowest price to the outlandishly high.

Six strings a centre block and two humbuckers "that's all we need to reproduce the perfect guitar" such words must have been heard in the executive offices of so many guitar manufactures down the decades.


Whether it be Guild, D'Angelico, Ibanez and a host of others; the ES335 style guitar can be purchased in a variety of very similar options. Question is, are they any good? From my own personal experience the Guild USA built Starfire from the 90's and early 2000's runs the Gibson very close to being a great guitar, and in terms of build quality perhaps has the edge. Nevertheless, can any of the guitars, past or present, really match the sound produced by the Gibson?






Does history override affordability?


Many would argue that what the Gibson ES335 has over all its rivals, is the position it holds in the history of rock music. The great players didn't choose to pick up this particular guitar because it sucked, they chose a guitar that offered great versatility and tone, plus in the right hands it's looks very cool. However, it could be argued that the guitar's historical pedigree is a direct link to its cost relative to other guitars available. That said, buying the right guitar is as much the association with great players. Those guitarists' such as Clapton, Berry and Richards, all used the same instrument to craft riffs that would became the soundtrack to your life.


Undoubtedly there are many guitars out there that will come very close to reproducing what the Gibson ES335 has, some may even surpass it in many areas, such as build and cost. But maybe in the case of a 335 style of guitar, the law of diminishing returns should be set aside and instead you should follow the dream given to you by your guitar heroes.


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