DISC Gibson ES-335 Dot P-90, Vintage Burst

Full Description

The Handcrafted Icon

It’s the attention to detail and craft that makes Gibson stand out so much. A bandsaw is the only piece of machinery that is used for the necks. It is pure skill in the hands and eyes of the workers that make these necks feel beautiful. The bodies and bindings on the 335 are worked and finished by hand with the use of tools and very few machines.

It is iconic in looks as it is in tone, the 335 is washed in awe. Using a 3-ply maple-poplar-maple and spruce bracing, it is more than eye catching. The grain still looks fresh and the finish still being hand applied, there is care to every element. In a world that requires huge production numbers, a high-end popular brand like Gibson are still committed to a special level of quality. Every guitar feels personal and always to an astonishing quality - each instrument is unique.

As Gibson factory worker Joe McGee said "Really, in this age of mass production, it's hard for customers to understand just how labour intensive building every guitar is".

MHS P-90

Adding P-90s to the formula, Gibson have designed historically accurate P-90 perfectly replicating the midrange growl, sweet treble and rich tone, especially slightly overdriven. The bridge pickup is in reverse polarity meaning noise cancelling akin to a humbucker. An addictive sound that may lead to taking some time out from everything that isn’t this 335.

Reliable and Practical Gibson Class

Up to date reliability - the Grover vintage ‘Milk Bottle’ tuners allow for great accuracy and improved stability. The ABR-1 bridge comes loaded with titanium saddles allowing for perfect accuracy when intonating and adjusting the action. The bridge is secured with locking tail piece studs, ensuring incredible stability and consistency. This guitar is reliable and ready to be used.

Recent innovations like the MTC Plus Control Assembly means no drop-off in tone when you decide to lower your guitar volume. Is that subtle? Yes, but this is exactly the attention to detail that solidifies the Memphis line prestige. Practically this gives a wider palate of usable tones that just weren’t achievable before, but it is also symbolic of Gibson’s granular approach to their guitars.

Touch Sensitive Feedback

A special instrument in the history of guitars. The ES-335 was the first ‘semi-hollow’ guitar in production - the ‘ES’ refers to ‘Electric Spanish’. The persisting microphonic feedback that commonly was a problem with hollow body guitars was solved with the arrival of the 335. It was controlled by the solid wood block running through the centre of the guitar, leaving you with a palette of controllable noise.

There isn’t enough adjectives and superlatives to describe how it feels to manipulate feedback with a 335. Learning how to use it is akin to wrestling, it is about the pressure you put on the body, how you twist and turn. It all effects tone, pitch, and volume.

Prestige

It’s no secret that people get attached to 335s. Maybe one of the reasons they have permeated history and are still revered today.

BB King’s main instrument for many years was the Gibson 335. Lovingly known as ’Lucille’, it was named after a bar fight induced fire caused a venue to burn up. BB King discovered it was over a woman of the same name.

Chuck Berry famously influenced Keith Richards. When Richards saw ‘Johnny B. Goode’ performed live he recalls - ”It knocked me out” - legends inspire legends. Today, Dave Grohl and Tom Delonge have signature model 335s, introducing new guitarists to this icon.

Specifications

Body

• Series: ES-335 DOT
• Body Top Material: 3-ply Maple/Poplar/Maple
• Body Back Material: 3-ply Maple/Poplar/Maple
• Body Rim Material: 3-ply Maple/Poplar/Maple
• Bracing: Spruce
• Body Center Block: Maple
• Body Finish: Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
• Body Colour: Antique Faded Red

Neck

• Neck Material: Quarter Sawn Mahogany
• Neck Shape: Rounded ‘’C’’, rolled binding
• Neck Finish: Gloss Nitrocellulose Lacquer
• Scale Length: 24.75"
• Fingerboard Radius: 12”
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
• Number of Frets: 22
• Fret Size: Medium Jumbo – 18% Nickle Silver
• Nut: Bone
• Nut Width: 1.687’’
• Position Inlays: Pearloid Dot

Hardware & Electronics

• Bridge Pickup: MHS P-90 Lead Reverse Polarity
• Neck Pickup: MHS P-90 Rhythm
• Controls:Memphis Tone Circuit Plus: 2 volume, 2 tones, 1 toggle
• Pickup Switching:
• Bridge: ABR-1 w/ Titanium saddles
• Tailpiece: Stopbar
• Tuning Machines: Grover Rotomatics
• Control knobs: Gold Top Hats
• Strings: .10 - .46
• Pickguard: 5 ply Black
• Case:Gibson Hardshell