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Does anyone have experience with the 355 as a jazz box? Wondering too what the point of the Vibrola / Tremolo is on some of the '59 models, in terms of genre--same idea as the Gretsch tradition? Thank you for any perspective.
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09-01-2024 01:06 PM
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The 355 is just a 335 with more bling and sometimes a varitone.
Ive had one, the mono version with a Bigsby. It’s a very versatile guitar and would work fine for most kinds of jazz. If you’re looking for a very specific sound like a 175 or L-5, it’s going to get close but won’t be the same.
Advantages are smaller size, versatility and feedback resistance. The Bigsby isn’t something I use often but it’s cool to ad a little wiggle here and there. It will put the guitar out of tune if you get too aggressive. I have no experience with other types of Gibson vibrola.
The Bigsby does add some weight and could cause the guitar to balance poorly when sitting. Some do, some don’t.
I don’t see a need for a varitone circuit. I suppose some people use it.
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The 335 and 345 are both rosewood fretboards. The 355 has a larger headstock than a 335 or 345 and is an ebony fretboard instead of rosewood.
Originally Posted by Gilpy
I have a copy 355 that I don't use it for jazz but with a set of thicker flatwounds and the tone rolled back it can get you into good jazz territory plugged into something like a Twin.
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I like vibrolas, very simple idea, none of the spring sound a Fender gets. Good for gentle smooth sounds. They work well with nylon saddles. A Bigsby sounds similar , more complicated, taller profile.
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From the May, 1960, Gibson catalog blurb for the ES-355TD-SV: "This magnificent jazz guitar reflects all the beauty & Skill of the guitar maker's art." At $600 list for the SV version it was priced higher than the Byrdland and L-5C, as well as any of the laminates or solidbodies. Despite that, it was my favorite semi for more than forty years, eventually to be replaced by the smaller and lighter CS-356. Also, despite the catalog copy, I rarely used mine for jazz, not because they couldn't do a good job--I just had other guitars I thought better suited to the job.
I've had a bunch of them.
This one did most of my stand up (rock/pop) gigs throughout the '70s
Some newer ones:
Some older ones:
As for the vibrato tailpiece, I've been hot and cold on them over the years. During this century I've been Bigsby obsessed; all my current semis have them. Don't actually work them much, but appreciate them when I do. The Vibrola is fine too, but the Bigsby can be fine-tuned more. The angle on my '71 was good, but my '94 355/L-5 was higher than I'd like. As for the Varitone, every photo I have with one has it in the #1 position. It can provide some alternate tones, but at a great loss in signal.
Danny W.
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ES-3x5 can be a nice alternative to fully hollow for jazz. Compared to 175 it's got better ergonomics (except for the weight), more sustain, overall a bit more "modern" sound. Very flexible if you want a 1-guitar "quiver" to use for other genres as well.
ES-330s are somewhere in-between.
I like what Bigsby does to 330 sound even if you don't use them. 335 not so much - don't want the extra weight.
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I wish you'd stop posting that middle picture around the forum, lol. Gives me instant and nearly overwhelming GAS. Those are absolutely beautiful. Originally Posted by Danny W.
From the May, 1960, Gibson catalog blurb for the ES-355TD-SV: "This magnificent jazz guitar reflects all the beauty & Skill of the guitar maker's art." At $600 list for the SV version it was priced higher than the Byrdland and L-5C, as well as any of the laminates or solidbodies. Despite that, it was my favorite semi for more than forty years, eventually to be replaced by the smaller and lighter CS-356. Also, despite the catalog copy, I rarely used mine for jazz, not because they couldn't do a good job--I just had other guitars I thought better suited to the job.
I've had a bunch of them.
This one did most of my stand up (rock/pop) gigs throughout the '70s
Some newer ones:
Some older ones:
As for the vibrato tailpiece, I've been hot and cold on them over the years. During this century I've been Bigsby obsessed; all my current semis have them. Don't actually work them much, but appreciate them when I do. The Vibrola is fine too, but the Bigsby can be fine-tuned more. The angle on my '71 was good, but my '94 355/L-5 was higher than I'd like. As for the Varitone, every photo I have with one has it in the #1 position. It can provide some alternate tones, but at a great loss in signal.
Danny W.
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Danny W is the Man when it comes to beautiful high end Gibsons!
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This is the second or third time I've had the pleasure of seeing those pics. I love 355's and Danny has impeccable taste in them! Originally Posted by jads57
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Danny W. has great taste in gear and having made a couple of purchases from him through this forum, I can report that he is a solid cat to do business with. Originally Posted by DawgBone
I have played many jazz gigs over the years with Gibson 335's. I have owned 3 ES-335's, an ES-330, an ES-355, 2 Guild Starfires (a IV and a V) and a Heritage H-535. A few of these guitars had Bigsbys but I have never had one with a vibrola. I found the Bigsbys added weight and made string changes challenging. Jazz tone from these guitars is good, though frankly, I prefer either an ES-175 or a Les Paul for that purpose. I also do not care for the look of the double cutaway Gibsons (for me, the only double cutaway guitar that looks good is the Stratocaster.)
I have owned a few other thin line guitars in the past, but today, I have no thin line guitars (hollow or semi hollow) in the stable. After years of trying to like them, I finally figured out that they are not for me. But I would encourage those jazz guitarists who have not tried one to experiment with them. A lot of cats love them. And FWIW, my ears could not discern any tonal difference between the Ebony board 355 from the rosewood board 335. I think with a semi hollow design, you hear more of the pickups than the wood.
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To my ears the ebony board makes a difference. The rosewood is warmer and a bit richer sounding, the ebony has more of a crisp brightness to the high end. I can def hear the semi hollow nature of the guitar versus a double humbucker equipped solid body like an LP, even with some volume but a good set of JBL's seem to accentuate it more than other speakers do IME. A winning combo. Originally Posted by Stringswinger
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Here's a better edit of that photo: Originally Posted by DawgBone
Used to be. Originally Posted by jads57
This is true! Originally Posted by DawgBone
Thank you! Originally Posted by Stringswinger
some more photos, with a couple of ringers::
The wine red in the group photo above was much more attractive than that photo shows. A Custom Shop build from 1985, it had a perfect neck with no volute:
Another Custom Shop build from the '80's with banjo and Epiphone inlays:
Ultra-rare ES-357:
Heritage H555:
Ibanez 2630:
Danny W.
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Wow Danny, you even have the most beautiful 2630 I've ever seen!! What's the story on that one?
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So on the top pic you edited....the guitar laying crosswise, what finish is that? Absolutely gorgeous. Originally Posted by Danny W.
Here's a better edit of that photo:
Used to be.
This is true!
Thank you!
some more photos, with a couple of ringers::
The wine red in the group photo above was much more attractive than that photo shows. A Custom Shop build from 1985, it had a perfect neck with no volute:
Another Custom Shop build from the '80's with banjo and Epiphone inlays:
Ultra-rare ES-357:
Heritage H555:
Ibanez 2630:
Danny W.
And Wine Red guitars always look amazing. The guitar with banjo inlays is awesome.
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According to the ledger I used to keep, I bought it new on 4/25/79 and sold it on 3/24/80, probably the shortest time I've ever kept a semi. That's all the story I can tell you about it. Originally Posted by Gitfiddler
Originally Posted by DawgBone
I'd been after Gibson to build an ES-355 with L-5 trim for twenty years when they agreed to make one for me in 1994. At that time the Custom Shop existed primarily to do custom paint jobs on LPs, but they had a "Custom Shop West" manned by Roger Giffen. I'd asked him for vintage cherry sunburst--the color in the photos is probably a little brighter than it actually was. It was gorgeous in person.
The color on the wine red one was quite dark, could look black under stage lights. It was another stunner. The one with banjo inlays was an attention-getter too.
Danny W.
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My understanding is that the 335 does not have bracing while the 345 and 355 does. Here's a list of features in the recent 355.
• 3-ply Maple/Poplar/Maple Top and Back
• Weight Relieved Maple Centerblock
• Quarter Sawn Adirondack Spruce Bracing
I don't know what that bracing is and what it does.
Some very nice jazz can be performed on a Tele, so I'm sure the 335/355 works well, too.
There are two shallow comments I have on the 355. First, most of the finishes are stunning with 16" of surface to gawk at. The second is that there are ebony fretboards. Hanging on the wall or lying in the case, there's ebony. Of course, when you're playing and look down, it's still ebony.
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