Anyone got a Gibson 59 Reissue 335?

[Cruz Azul]

Was looking at a couple and would love to hear from any owners out there. Seen some 2010 models made at the Memphis plant???

 

[archtop]

I have an '09 Memphis. What do you want to know?

 

[Cruz Azul]

Was just wondering about the difference with the Custom or USA made guitars? Have seen the 59 dot reissue described as a few different things and from what I can see these are different to the Memphis guitars also?

Sorry for the dumb question! Looking at 335's and confused myself reading up on all these different models...

 

[archtop]

i haven't played a Nashville '59 335, but the Memphis '59 335 was head and shoulders above the regular production 335's... I compared directly with the Memphis "Fat neck" model.

I love the neck on it. It has a slightly V-ish feel at the nut and rounds out towards the 12th fret.

The different models are very confusing.

The only thing I wish was different about it is the frets. I also have an R6 Les Paul, which has low/wide frets. The 335 has thinner/taller frets. I prefer the R6 frets, and have wondered if a Nashville 335 might have those, seeing as the R6 came out of Nashville.

 

[archtop]

When I say "head and shoulders above", I'm referring to the general attention to detail, and the way the guitar ultimately feels in your hands.

On paper, the differences are the neck profile, the holly headstock veneer, the construction/routes of the maple centre block.

I'm guessing the Nashville and Memphis 59s are basically the same, but due to making a larger volume of 50th Anniversary guitars, they needed to move production.

Of the '09 '59 Reissues there were:
250 Sunburst Gloss
250 Sunburst VOS
250 Natural Gloss
250 Natural VOS

Strangely I've come across a couple online that were cherry red. I would've loved one of those.

The '10 '60 50th Anniversaries have the slim taper neck.

 

[Cruz Azul]

Thanks for the reply mate! Yep, I've confused the heck out of myself reading up on a few different models....

 

[Bhodie]

I have an A59 from Nashville.. in blond. Best guitar I have ever owned.. when guitars come and go, this one is NEVER in the mix for consideration..

You really want to get confused, go to the Les Paul Forum and do a search on Historic 335...

 

[Quartertank]

i got my Memphis Built 1959 ES-335 last night and got like an hour of time with it. Just to find ways to confuse us more, on Gibson's label on the box they call it a "Historic Cherry 1959 ES-335" and below that it says "Antique Red". Whatever.

It's a very nice playing guitar for sure. As archtop says, the neck carve is a bit different than i expected, it definitely has a soft V feel to it. not the same roundback profile that my R9 has. It also definitely has taller/thinner frets than the R9. I believe the historics have the same frets as the R9. Honestly, I'm not sure yet if i think this is a good thing or bad thing, just a little different.

of course, this being TGP, I immediately removed the pickups to look around inside. solid center maple block, no cut-outs like some other memphis built 335's have. It also has the long/wide neck tenon that i've seen on pictures of historics. looks like the thinner binding on the neck with nibs and tortoise shell side dots.

Overall, it's a very nice player and in the short time i've had it am pretty impressed so far. it has a nice acoustic resonance to it. it is very balanced across the strings, which was important to me, cause the previous 335 that i had about a year ago was a little boomy on the lower end. the guitar is going to need to be set up a bit better, with some nut work done. it's not as bad as other gibsons i've had issues with, but it's not perfect. and there is a slight bit of gumminess to the finish on the back of the neck. i may try the micromesh approach, but i'll see if it gets any better after a few weeks of playing. but so far, very happy with the purcahse.

 

[Bhodie]

i got my Memphis Built 1959 ES-335 last night and got like an hour of time with it. Just to find ways to confuse us more, on Gibson's label on the box they call it a "Historic Cherry 1959 ES-335" and below that it says "Antique Red". Whatever.

It's a very nice playing guitar for sure. As archtop says, the neck carve is a bit different than i expected, it definitely has a soft V feel to it. not the same roundback profile that my R9 has. It also definitely has taller/thinner frets than the R9. I believe the historics have the same frets as the R9. Honestly, I'm not sure yet if i think this is a good thing or bad thing, just a little different.

of course, this being TGP, I immediately removed the pickups to look around inside. solid center maple block, no cut-outs like some other memphis built 335's have. It also has the long/wide neck tenon that i've seen on pictures of historics. looks like the thinner binding on the neck with nibs and tortoise shell side dots.

Overall, it's a very nice player and in the short time i've had it am pretty impressed so far. it has a nice acoustic resonance to it. it is very balanced across the strings, which was important to me, cause the previous 335 that i had about a year ago was a little boomy on the lower end. the guitar is going to need to be set up a bit better, with some nut work done. it's not as bad as other gibsons i've had issues with, but it's not perfect. and there is a slight bit of gumminess to the finish on the back of the neck. i may try the micromesh approach, but i'll see if it gets any better after a few weeks of playing. but so far, very happy with the purcahse.

Awesome! My Nashville has the real deep rounded 1959 neck profile with the same frets as my R9 had.. and not sticky.. maybe just because it is new, the lacquer needs some more curing time??? You might want to hold off on the micromesh to see if it cures some more..

Mine does tend to be a bit "boomy" on the low end, so I had to adjust it out a little with the pickup heights.. but I kind of like it

 

[ecbluesman54]

I have a 59 reissue, and it is a great guitar, and very well built. For comparison, I had a Collings I35-LC, which is also an amazing guitar, but I prefer the feel of the 335. Only thing I may change is pickups.

 

[Steve73]

I have a sunburst '59 50th ann. 335 (Memphis) and it is a great guitar. Easily the best 335 I've played. My neck is more rounded than the other guys have described, it is more like my R8 neck. I love it though I did change the pickups to some Tom Short Fordbuckers. I found the '57 Classics a bit boomy, regardless of how I adjusted them.

 

[Quartertank]

Awesome! My Nashville has the real deep rounded 1959 neck profile with the same frets as my R9 had.. and not sticky.. maybe just because it is new, the lacquer needs some more curing time??? You might want to hold off on the micromesh to see if it cures some more..

Mine does tend to be a bit "boomy" on the low end, so I had to adjust it out a little with the pickup heights.. but I kind of like it

i'm sure you're right, the lacquer needs to cure. i don't plan on doing anything to it for a while to see how it goes.

so i love the neck/frets on my R9. i'm not sure if i would like the 335 better or worse with that neck and frets. need more time to figure that out, but it seems that we've at least solved the mystery on the key difference between the memphis 1959 es-335 and the nashville...neck and frets.

 

[Patrick2]

Here's the difference as I understand it. The Memphis guitars are not as focused on "period correctness" as the Nashville guitars are. Thus the difference in the neck profile. The build quality on each is far above their production model 335s. But, the Historic Collection designation denotes the Nashville Custom Shop. The Memphis ES335s are still Custom Shop quality, but not necessarily as accurate to the original '59s as the Nashville shop . . . which might be more of a positive than a negative for the non-collector type player.

 

[buckwild]

I've got a 59' Anniversary Memphis. GREAT guitar. One of the all time best Gibson's I've ever owned. Large neck on it too, R8 style.

 

[coreybox]

The build quality on each is far above their production model 335s. But, the Historic Collection designation denotes the Nashville Custom Shop. The Memphis ES335s are still Custom Shop quality, but not necessarily as accurate to the original '59s as the Nashville shop . . .

It's my understanding that there are no "production model" 335's. They are all labeled "custom-shop" now. The majority are from the memphis custom shop, the historic and truly custom (like my wraparound bridge '59 335) from nashville.

The whole memphis/nashville thing is very confusing, calling two different factories the "custom shop".

 

[Bhodie]

It is my understanding that there is no 335 being made in Nashville.. (since 2009 when they moved all 335 production to Memphis) but I have been wrong before.. so YMMV!

 

[Alister]

I had a chance to play both (Nashville historic and Memphis 50th Anniv. '59), and went with the Memphis. The Nashville was used, but still a slightly more $$$'s, so I went with the Memphis. I loved both guitars, obviously.

I didn't really spend enough time with them to note the minutia, but I really couldn't tell any difference, sonically or playing-wise. (My eyesight is ****, so there may have been cosmetic differences b/w them.)

All of the 335 bodies are pressed in the 'custom shop' in Memphis now, btw, but the Nashville c.s., as stated, finishes out their guitars to more historic specs and sends out far fewer guitars.

I always try to notice these 335 threads, and I've never noticed anyone less-than-delighted with either choice.

I am somewhat surprised at those encountering 'soft V' necks. Never heard of that before. I would call mine, and the other one I test drove, rounded '59. It's actually only slightly thinner than the neck on my R7 w/maybe slightly softer shoulders.

I love this guitar. Have not found it 'boomy,' and love the '57 Classics.

 

[archtop]

The V is subtle, but it's there. My R6 has a very rounded baseball bat neck. In comparison, my 335 feels equally deep but with less meat on the shoulders.

More pics everyone

 

[archtop]

Tortoise Side Markers, Thin/Tall Frets

You can kind of see the neck profile at the nut here. Also, the pale line of the Holly headstock veneer (would be black on a cheaper 335)

No Serial# on the headstock, it's on the label inside

Mine has plain maple on the front and back, and a tiny bit of flame on the rims

Chunky Neck. Also, thinner binding than a cheaper 335.

The Les Paul Forum guys think the shape isn't quite right (ie. Mickey Mouse ears), but it looks nice to me.

 

[Bhodie]

Nice Blond.. here is the Nashville version..

My "ears"

side markers

neck