Guitar Review Ninja

The ES-335 brought hollowbody tradition and solidbody performance together in 1958, and is still one of the all-time classic guitar designs. Gibson’s Custom Shop offers this variation on a theme with a plain top and satin lacquer finish.

Gibson ES335 Memphis Series Satin Dot Reissue Semi-Hollowbody Electric Guitar Features…

Body and Hardware

Plain laminated maple top, back, and rims

Width: 16-1/2 in.

Length: 20 in.

Depth: 1-3/4 in.

Single-ply binding on top and back

Nickel hardware

ABR-1 bridge, stopbar tailpiece

Neck & Headstock

1-piece mahogany neck

22 fret rosewood fingerboard

Pearloid dot inlays

1960 slim taper neck profile

24-3/4 in. scale length

1-11/16 in. nut width

Vintage tulip tuners

Electronics and Strings

‘57 Classic humbucking pickups

2 volume, 2 tone, 3-way selector switch

Brite Wire .010 strings

Includes black levant case

Buy Gibson ES335 Memphis Series Satin Dot Reissue Semi-Hollowbody Electric Guitar

Rock, blues, jazz, etc. Freddy King lives!! I have run this guitar through a '63 Bassman, mid '60's Supro and a '82 Twin Reverb 2. Great tonal variety is available. Better highs than a Les Paul but does not have the Les chunk – pretty much sums it up. The tone has a lot of character and depth. I have been a fender guy for a long time and my main strat is in the shop almost three months now….this axe may become my new number one. These guitars are a great alternative to everybody's first Gibson choice and if you are willing to not play metal all the time try one out! By the way, sustain like you wouldn't believe……………………………………..

Bought new in early 2001. Standard 335 controls with '57 classic humbuckers, dot 22 fret neck, creme neck and body binding, mahogany neck, veneer headstock and Grover tuners. Body wood is quilt maple in a natural/blonde finish, which is just beuatiful. Short black pickguard. Neck seems to be a '60 slim taper but I am not sure – I just know I really like playing it.bn Gets a 9 for great wood along with great classic features.

Everything is right with this guitar except the nut. The finish is flawless, the frets are great, the neck is straight and so on. The nut was not cut or filed properly and as a result the G string intonation will be fine at the 5th fret but very sharp on an E chord. So they get points off for that. Otherwise flawless.

N/A

Dan (03/09/2001)

This guitar sounds great. I didn't play it long, but it wasn't difficult to get that really singing blues sound out of it that I crave…better than any of my other guitars.

2002 Gibson Dot Re-issue in Cherry. This is a new guitar with all the standard features including slim tapered neck, stop bridge and 57 Classic pickups. I got it from a reputable vendor on EBay for a decent price, $1600.

I didn't adjust it or change strings. The sound would probably be even better if I did. The set-up was pretty good out of the box, which shocked the hell out of me. This is a fantasy guitar for me. In high school…1967 or so, THE lead player in THE band had a cherry 335. I've wanted one ever since. Well, I opened the case and saw this tomato-red painted finish and the blood just stopped pumping. This guitar looks nothing like guitars from even 5 years ago. How can Gibson call this a "re-issue". I like all the features, Grover pegs, stop bridge, dot neck. I hate the knobs, but they can be replaced. The finish, however, is just sinful. I'm sending this guitar back and I feel terrible about it. Also, the neck at the upper binding has incomplete clear-coat resulting in an orange-peel feel. You don't notice it until you try to play it. That was the last straw. I hate to see a company with such a sterling market image command these high prices and put out marginal products like this.

My Ebay vendor couldn't be nicer. I have to pay shipping back, but I'm getting a full refund.

virgil (03/27/2003)

Featuring an ultra thin, two-horned body, the SG Series addressed two of what Ted McCarty saw as the major issues of the now-retired Les Paul body style: weight and limited access to the upper treble register. The new body shape of the SG Standard was dramatically lighter than the old Les Paul, and offered access to the entire fretboard. Now part of Gibson’s proprietary new Vintage Original Spec series — the next step in their journey toward perfection.

Gibson Custom Historic SG Standard Vintage Original Spec Electric Guitar (with Case) Features…

Body & Hardware:

Solid mahogany body

Nickel hardware

ABR-1 bridge, lightweight aluminum stopbar or Maestro tailpiece

Neck & Headstock

1-piece mahogany neck w/ long neck tenon

22-fret rosewood fingerboard

Acrylic trapezoid inlays

Single-ply cream binding

1960 slim taper neck profile

24-3/4 in. scale length, 1-11/16 in. nut width

Holly headstock veneer

Vintage tulip tuners

Electronics & Strings

Burstbucker 1 and 2 humbucking pickups

2 volume, 2 tone, 3-way selector switch

Vintage Reissue .010 strings

Includes Custom Shop case, certificate of authenticity, and custom care kit.

Buy Gibson Custom Historic SG Standard Vintage Original Spec Electric Guitar (with Case)

As years pass I switched over to blues. Don't mind some free punk jazz.

IMO the guitar has a very rich and somewhat "distant" sound compared to the sound produced by my modest LP Faded armed with Probuckers Pro.

Nashville, 2001. Specifications as described in the previous review. Thanks for taking a trouble!

Mine is mahogany, all hardware is gold plated.

More exciting is that one of those twenty five Explorers'58 historical reissue (expected to be sold in Japan, as we know) happened to be purchased by me in Kiev, Ukraine in 2006. (+ the huge vintage-type case).

As far as I know two guitars of this breed were available for sale in Kiev, Ukraine, via a Russian guitar shop.

Just perfect.

I got replies by e-mail from Gibson Co and Gibson Europe containing the detailed info I requested the very next day.

I am sure the guitar will not need any repair in the future.

Yuriy Storozhuk (02/04/2008)

Awesome, Solid Guitar

This SG is the ultimate in SG design, if you ask me. It has a great finish (Cherry) and even a tremolo! Also, I love this guitar because I think it's the one U2's The Edge plays.

Anonymous Musician (Jun 15, 2008)

The new pickups on the Highway One Stratocaster guitar produce a more round tone that can sound glassy and great with high gain. The thin nitrocellulose lacquer finish lets the body wood’s natural tone shine through, making for one of the most exciting new instruments in the Fender family!

Fender Highway One Stratocaster Electric Guitar (Maple, with Gig Bag) Features…

Model Name: Highway One Stratocaster (Upgrade)

Model Number: 011-1160-(Color#) and 011-1162-(Color#)

Series: Highway One Series

Colors:

(300) 3-Color Sunburst

(304) Daphne Blue

(306) Flat Black

(367) Honey Blonde

(375) Wine Transparent

(Satin Nitrocellulose Lacquer Finish)

Body: Alder

Neck: Maple, Modern ‘C’ Shape, (Satin Polyurethane Finish)

Fingerboard: Rosewood (p/n 011-1160) or Maple (p/n 011-1162), 9.5? Radius (241mm)

No. of Frets: 22 Jumbo Frets

Pickups: 3 Hot Single-Coil Strat(R) Pickups with Staggered Pole Pieces, Alnico 3 Magnets and Reverse Wound/Reverse Polarity Middle Pickup

Controls:

Master Volume

Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), Greasebucket Tone Circuit, (Rolls Off Highs without Adding Bass)

Tone 2. (Bridge Pickup), Greasebucket Tone Circuit, (Rolls Off Highs without Adding Bass)

Pickup Switching:

5-Position Blade:

Position 1. Bridge Pickup

Position 2. Bridge and Middle Pickup

Position 3. Middle Pickup

Position 4. Middle and Neck Pickup

Position 5. Neck Pickup

Bridge: Vintage Style Synchronized Tremolo

Machine Heads: Fender/Ping Standard Cast/Sealed Tuning Machines

Hardware: Chrome

Pickguard: 3-Ply Parchment

Scale Length: 25.5 in. (648 mm)

Width at Nut: 1.6875 in. (43 mm)

Unique Features:

Satin Nitrocellulose Lacquer Body Finish

Parchment Plastic Parts

Large ’70s Style Headstock Shape

Large ’70s Style Headstock Logo

Original Body Shape

?Original Contour Body Decal on Headstock

H/S/H Pickup Routing

Reverse Wound/Reverse Polarity Middle Pickup

Strings: Fender Super Bullets 3250L, Nickel Plated Steel, (.009 to .042), p/n 073-3250-003

Accessories: Deluxe Gig Bag

Case: Deluxe Gig Bag

Introduced: 7/2006

Notice: Product Prices, Features And Specifications Are Subject To Change Without Notice

Buy Fender Highway One Stratocaster Electric Guitar (Maple, with Gig Bag)

i play a lot of styles from country to metal and this covers the ground well. sure it isn't as fat as a humbucker equipped LP but it can do metal. use amp gain for that. this is far from thin sounding. i prefer a Fender scale for hard music anyway, less flab on the low notes.

i use an Orange Tiny Terror into an Epi valve junior cab, with occasional Rat2 boost.the sound is big bell tone and can get skanky in the 2 and 4 pos and crunchy in the bridge. this guitar is a winner. the sounds i look for are always a selector switch away or achieved with a volume adjustment. no stomping on effects just do it all from the guitar, providing i have the amp cranked to drive.

single coils do hum and i have never had an issue with this. there is a lot of classic music done with humming strats. this is by no means a bad guitar. if you don't like hum don't buy a real single coil equipped Strat, duh.

you know the features by now.

this is well equipped as most Strats are. alnico III single coils and vintage trem with steel block. and the late 60's headstock which i used to hate but it is super sexy to me now.

nice alder body with a satin nitro finish that shows the sunburst well.

super comfy maple neck and fretboard. big frets but c'mon they are not that huge as some may claim. the neck is one of the best playing necks i have ever felt.

i really like how the pickups can cover sweet bell tones and crunch in my Tiny Terror. a Strat is possibly the best designed guitar ever. and yeah single coils hum, get over it. i would take these over the sterile noiseless pickups Fender offers on other models.

it was set up well as most Strats. i prefer my trem flat on the body so i tightened the springs abit. this lowered my action but that is easily changed. don't expect a guitar to pleae everyone. some like high action and some like low. i am familiar with Fender's standard setup. this was well setup. better than Gibson does thier guitars.

i was suprised when i removed the rear plate to adjust the springs and seen super clean routing and finish. good job Fender, no runny finish or goop, just super tight workmanship. the fret ends are nicely polished and have no sharp edges. the fret tops are not quite as polished as on the Am Std, but close. everything is tight and in it's place. the neck is awesome.

the finish is starting to polish where my ar rests, i may polish the guitar to a shine eventually.

tuners do a good job. the nut is cut well and the proper height, but slightly binding the g. an easy fix. some people need to learn about their guitars. Strats are the easiest guitars to tweak, all you need is a screwdriver and brains.

it is a vintage trem and not a floyd rose, it isn't going to stay in tune for heavy whammy use but it can be optimized for that with a few tricks. i would have no problems gigging without a back up. i know enough to keep this thing in top shape and i don't break strings. really. my guitar stays in it's case and i change strings regularly. most people break strings because of corrosion. take care of you axe and it will be dependable.

don't know, i do my own work. don't really need their help right now. but i will say they set this up as well as they do most of their guitars. i think any claims of Fender being slack in quality control are a bit much.

sure there may be the occasional dog as there will be in any factory. some workers are bound to be lazy. but generally speaking i believe Fender is doing great in their quality control.

Guitarzan (04/08/2008)

The gitar has quite bright sound (thanks to its vintage pickups which are not very "hot") but special tone controls which can roll off highs without adding bass are quite useful for creating a warmer tone. The pickups are great compared to noisy ones on my Mexican Standard Strat… and pots and switch are very smooth to operate, without any clicks and scratching sound. This guitar has wonderful sustain!!! And I mean it! I play modern rock and a bit of Jazz and some 60-70ties stuff. This guitar is really versatile although I will probably replace the pickups with 'hotter ones" (perhaps even a humbucker).

Mine is Honey Blonde (alder body) with maple neck (22frets) and 3 single Vintage pickups, satin finish… all as factory originals. It has a Vintage style (6 screw) tremolo with 3 springs which has a very thick and solid base which makes the guitar a bit heavier than Standard (Mexican) Strats… (3.7kg) but improves sustain greatly. Tone pots give control over bridge and neck pickups.

Came with a standard Fender gig bag and allen keys and got a spare set of Bullet sttrings and a cable too. The little allen key wouldn't fit the screws though – a mess up in the factory?

The factory setup was average. Action quite low but terrible buzz… After playing with rod truss and the brigde height I achieved acceptable results but still not perfect. I had to dress and polish the frets. They had almost no crown – flat!!! But after doing that the guitar changed from an average Joe to a monster. It is now very playable and feels great. It has very low action and no buzz whatsoever. The workmanship is on the other hand just great. Finish is perfect, the neck is dead straight and very smooth. All the hardware works fine, looks good and seems to be installed properly.

The warranty is 1 year … the salesperson in the shop I bought from was very helpful and friendly. I was really happy with the service. My only objection is the price (sort of a rip off compared to USA prices) but that is the reality in NZ and AU.

Soro (11/01/2005)

Featuring an ultra thin, two-horned body, the SG Series addressed two of what Ted McCarty saw as the major issues of the now-retired Les Paul body style: weight and limited access to the upper treble register. The new body shape of the SG Standard was dramatically lighter than the old Les Paul, and offered access to the entire fretboard. Now part of Gibson’s proprietary new Vintage Original Spec series — the next step in their journey toward perfection.

Gibson Custom Historic SG Standard Vintage Original Spec Electric Guitar (with Case) Features…

Body & Hardware:

Solid mahogany body

Nickel hardware

ABR-1 bridge, lightweight aluminum stopbar or Maestro tailpiece

Neck & Headstock

1-piece mahogany neck w/ long neck tenon

22-fret rosewood fingerboard

Acrylic trapezoid inlays

Single-ply cream binding

1960 slim taper neck profile

24-3/4 in. scale length, 1-11/16 in. nut width

Holly headstock veneer

Vintage tulip tuners

Electronics & Strings

Burstbucker 1 and 2 humbucking pickups

2 volume, 2 tone, 3-way selector switch

Vintage Reissue .010 strings

Includes Custom Shop case, certificate of authenticity, and custom care kit.

Buy Gibson Custom Historic SG Standard Vintage Original Spec Electric Guitar (with Case)

Nice guitar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've played this guitar not this one but and actual 1960's sg. Nice really nice. I have and sg but if your going to get an good sg this is the one.!

Gibson rocks from Us texas (Aug 21, 2006)

Awesome, Solid Guitar

This SG is the ultimate in SG design, if you ask me. It has a great finish (Cherry) and even a tremolo! Also, I love this guitar because I think it's the one U2's The Edge plays.

Anonymous Musician (Jun 15, 2008)

Featuring an ultra thin, two-horned body, the SG Series addressed two of what Ted McCarty saw as the major issues of the now-retired Les Paul body style: weight and limited access to the upper treble register. The new body shape of the SG Standard was dramatically lighter than the old Les Paul, and offered access to the entire fretboard. Now part of Gibson’s proprietary new Vintage Original Spec series — the next step in their journey toward perfection.

Gibson Custom Historic SG Standard Vintage Original Spec Electric Guitar (with Case) Features…

Body & Hardware:

Solid mahogany body

Nickel hardware

ABR-1 bridge, lightweight aluminum stopbar or Maestro tailpiece

Neck & Headstock

1-piece mahogany neck w/ long neck tenon

22-fret rosewood fingerboard

Acrylic trapezoid inlays

Single-ply cream binding

1960 slim taper neck profile

24-3/4 in. scale length, 1-11/16 in. nut width

Holly headstock veneer

Vintage tulip tuners

Electronics & Strings

Burstbucker 1 and 2 humbucking pickups

2 volume, 2 tone, 3-way selector switch

Vintage Reissue .010 strings

Includes Custom Shop case, certificate of authenticity, and custom care kit.

Buy Gibson Custom Historic SG Standard Vintage Original Spec Electric Guitar (with Case)

awesome!!!

well i want this guitar so bad i cant hardly stand it. i love the aged look that it has. this is and always will be my dream guitar. i always wanted a gibson sg with a maestro tremelo cause it gives it a more vintage look. the price is a little to high but get over it its a gibson custom shop. plus its more than likely worth every penny. hopefully i'll get mine very soon. oh yeah i had 1 more thing…can you polish the hardware with guitar polish? i love the finish but the hardware i dont really like.keep on rockin!!!!!

angus fan from luverne, alabama (Jul 16, 2008)

Holy '60's!

Gettin' this one for my B'day. Cool, cool, cool, from its maestro vibrola to its headstock crown. Nice and light with tons of tone and vibe. Frets stand up nice and plays with ease all up and down the neck, which btw is easy access. A little pricey, but its a custom. Can't touch a real vintage in mint condition for less than $18,000.

GibsonRox from New Jersey (Dec 24, 2008)

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This faithful reissue pays homage to Fender’s original classic that revolutionized the electric guitar. Its efficiency in form and function have made the Telecaster one of the most played and heard instruments in musical history. All original specs are detailed including neck shape, fingerboard radius, hardware, pickups, and electronics.

Fender American Vintage ‘52 Telecaster Electric Guitar (Maple, with Case) Features…

Body: Premium Ash Body

Neck: One-Piece Tinted Maple Neck

Fingerboard: Maple (7.25 in. Radius/184mm)

Scale Length: 25.5 in. (648mm)

Number of Frets: 21 Vintage Frets

Width at Nut: 1.650 in. (42 mm)

Machine Heads: Fender/Gotoh Vintage Tuning Machines

Pickups: 2 “New” American Vintage Tele

Pickup Switching: 3-Position Blade

Controls: Master Volume, Master Tone

Pickguard: 1-Ply Black

Bridge: “Original” 3-Saddle Vintage Tele

Unique Features: Nitro-Cellulose Lacquer Finish , 1 Piece, Tinted “V” Shape Maple Neck

Buy Fender American Vintage ‘52 Telecaster Electric Guitar (Maple, with Case)

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 Owner’s Manual

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Fender Fever

I bought one of these last year and I'm very happy with it. I think it is a little pricey for what it is but still cheaper than trying to pick up an original one (duh). I prefer my Telecaster Deluxe but I'm glad to have this one in my collection.

Boss Man 68 from Flemmington, NJ (Feb 23, 2009)

Fender '52 Telecaster Customer Review

bridge pick-up is just screaming! Mid positon is nice for rhythm or lead. A little more laid back but with a sound of it's own. Neck
pick-up has a very bassy tone. I play this Telecaster through my
Traynor Custom Valve 80 and the sound is simply Great! Needless to
say the playability and finish of this guitar are excellent. My
finger never slip off the high E string.

This guitar represents a good value for your dollar,

This guitar is made to the highest standards and I know from playing
this instrument it will never let me down. I fell in love with this
guitar the first time I played it. I was going to buy a Les Paul.

Submitted: 12/6/2004