Gibson ES-335 vs ES-347 -- any takers?
thique
than it's a "souped-up" version of a ES-335 meant for the Fusion
players of the early 80's. Any insights would be greatly appreciated.
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Ron Veil (Uncle Spot)
of wood in the middle of the body (for better sustain), a coil split
switch (altough the 335s did have one for a few years in the mid to late
'70s), more body and neck binding, (bigger)neck block inlays (instead of
dots), the tailpiece has 'micro-tuners' instead of a 'stop-tail-piece'.
The negitives are the tuners, the tail-piece (which both can be changed
easy enough), and the additional weight (they're still lighter than a
Les Paul). I've had 3 ES-335s; sold them all and kept my '80 ES-347 - I
think it's a better guitar. You can get better sustain, a LOT more
'tonalities', and it's (STILL) a fraction of the cost of an ES-335. They
were made for about 17 years and there's plenty of them out there. I
plan on getting 2 or 3 more this year; I love 'em. I work on a fair
share of guitars, and change a LOT of pickups and vol/tone pots and the
ES-347 is one of my favorite-all-time 6-strings! -Ron
steve...@my-dejanews.com
"thique" <thi...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I've got a mint '81 Gibson ES-347 and know very little about it other
> than it's a "souped-up" version of a ES-335 meant for the Fusion
> players of the early 80's. Any insights would be greatly appreciated.
I played one for about 7 years as my main "Gibson" stage guitar (the other
being a 65 strat.) I had was playing out 5-6 nites a week and always had one
of each style.
The reason I bought the guitar new (in approx '78)was the neck. Love at first
touch. A close second was the sound. I had been playing a Les Paul which was
heavier and in need of a major neck job (it had at least 100,000 miles on it,
all from my gigs.) The 347 had been introduced as an upgrade to a 335, but
there are significant differences.
It turns out I prefer (I now know the terms after hanging around the NG's for
a while) a reasonably flat large radius neck. The neck on the 347-I was told-
was identical to the Les Paul Deluxe of the time, not the 335. I can't verify
it, I just know I fell in love with the neck immediately. FYI-I had owned a
335 in the past, bought new. It was nothing really special, but I was into
the 335 sound and players of the LA scene at the time, Larry C, Robben Ford,
Lee Ritenour etc.
Besides the neck, the other main difference in the 347 is apparently a wood
block inside the body to increase sustain, tone, solidity etc. It doesn't
have the 335 sound, but more of a versatile take on the Les Paul type sound.
I put the Duncan JB and 59's P/UP's from my Les Paul in guitar before selling
the LP, and it really rocked. BTW, selling the LP.... one of those Great
Moves-who woulda known back then that older Les Pauls were gonna eventually
be worth several times what they cost?....but as a working musician on a
'modest' income- no day job-a guitars pretty much had to earn their keep,
everything I had got played. A lot.
With the pickup install I was able to pretty much nail (imo) a Les Paul sound
(and others) first thru my Super Reverb, then through a Marshall JCM 800
combo (when they came out.)We were recording originals thru this period at a
decent studio (then known as The Record Plant, Sausilito, now The Plant) and
the engineer commented on the fact he had never heard a "335 be able to
soundf that 'heavy/thick' and Les Paulish". It did have more tonal
flexibility than a Les Paul, but (for me anyway) wasn't a 335 sounding
guitar-which was fine, I got it for the neck, the crunchy thick sound, and
the lighter weight...I have a permanently lower shoulder on one side due to
10+ years of playing a LP pretty much 4-5 hours a nite).
The upgrades, the better tuners, the micro tune bridge and the coil splitter,
I thought of as a bonus. I never really used the coil split switch to convert
to single coils. Maybe they've gotten better, but it just thinned out the
sound and there was nothing Fenderish about it. I would generally go the
strat or a borrowed tele for anything in that freq range and get a sound with
some character.
I can't remember what I paid for the guitar, but it was reasonable for a
(very) well made Gibson in those days, I'm guessing out the door at around
$800+. Maybe a little less. Gibsons at the time (imo) were in a kinda down
phase as far as mass appeal-as far as they'll ever get. "Old rule: (in
general) Gibsons bought at a sane price, generally are a decent investment.
You can usually get what you paid, minus a little depreciation for use."
Same with Fenders, you just have to be a little smarter now as they have so
many choices.
If you were lucky enough to buy an LP, 335 or Strat/tele at the 60's 70's and
early 80's new/used prices (especially the old ones-excluding late 50's Les
Pauls which went from outrageous even early on to ridiculous) and hung onto
it, you were always looking ok.
As I said, Gibson's were at a relative low (for them) in the late 70's-early
80's, Strats were popular. Eddie VH was starting to influence guitar players
(and thus builders) and a couple of years after I got the 347, everyone was
going for the solid body hotrodded strat thing that eventually dominated the
80's when companies like Charvel the Charvel/Jackson, Jackson, Ibanez and
even Kramer (who?) came out with a whole family of shred type guitars. At
this point I picked up a 1970 Les Paul Standard (unspectacular neck, but it
screamed) as a backup guitar for $200 cash. One of the few great deals I
made. I sold it for $950 later.
Slash kinda put Les Pauls and Gibsons back on the map in the middle of the
80's shred guitar frenzy. (Don't get me wrong, there are some excellent
Jacksons etc out there for the right players.) Gibsons began gaining in
popularity and when I got out of the fulltime player routine, I had again
worn out my Gibson (347). It needed a major fret job. To be honest, I was
fairly tired of the live music scene (after 15 years) and had a friend who
wanted the guitar. I sold it to him in 1987 for $750, which was low book at
the time, with first option to buy it back if he ever sold it.
The 347's never got ridiculously popular the way dot 335's did. Has to be
the tone I guess. Mine played as good or better than any 335 I ever played.
They come standard with upgraded hardware. But they get a heavier tone, not a
335 tone. They Were designed to exploit the 335 craze on the West Coast
during the 70's, but Gibson didn't know Ed was gonna come along and change
public preference.
Also the development and use of synthesizers was happening and players and
producers were looking for 'less thick' guitars to "sit" better in some of the
synth heavy music of the time. Even 'Mr. 335', Larry Carlton, went to a custom
strat type Valley Arts guitar. Robben Ford went to strats for a while before
settling on the Fender Elite, now the Robben Ford model-a back-to- 'thicker
sounding', double cutaway Gibson-type guitar, probably the only semi-sucessful
venture Fender has made into a real Gibson style instrument. It would be more
successful, if they hadn't gone custom shop with it and raised the price into
the $3k range. When Robben got his first Elite, I believe they were $1k or
less.
Hamer successfully (IMO), and less expensively achieves a very nice
Gibsonish, Fender Elite etc type guitar with their 'Special' series, starting
from a bare bones P-90 equipped Special, all the way up to an new hollowbody
archtop (thier take on a 335) now that's over $2k list. Most of these guitars
are excellent values for the money. I don't think I've ever played one with a
neck that was less than 'very good' -for me. The Specials are like a better
DC Les Paul Jr/P- 90's. The FM Special adds nicer wood and Duncan JB-59's. I
play the major upgrade Studio Archtop. I was looking for something like a
Robben Ford, archtop, nice, good sounding wood that looks good as well- with
double cutaways, Duncan JB-59's and good tuners stock, at a reasonable price.
These sell new for probably $1100 or so out the door, they sell used for
$7-800. One of the best deals out there. So are the FM Specials and Base
P-90 Specials at usually $500 or less used.
Gibson finally caught on, about 5 years later (last year or so) and came out
with the Les Paul DC, which comes, I believe in a base model and an expensive
model. I won't offer an opinion. If you are interested in these type of
guitars (which sort of do have a line back to the 347-a heavier sounding LP
type guitar, weighing less-thus not exactly an LP tone, but a great one-with
double cutaways) just go compare the 2. Make sure your comparing apples to
apples. The choice (to me) is obvious.
There is an entire line of guitars which kind of floats through all this, with
the exception of straight Fender and many of the shred models- Paul Reed Smith
guitars. I have never been inclined to spend that kind of money on a guitar,
I'm still pretty much topping out at $1k as I feel you can get very good
instruments for that money. I like to have good amps and other equip as well.
So you make choices.
The PRS's apparently are excellent. I've played some great ones in stores
(then walked over and played a Hamer with a neck I liked as much for 1/3 the
money- but obviously without the special circuitry that gives the PRS a wider
pallette of tones and the superior constuction/wood etc...I guess -(the
inlays Are nice.) For my money, Hamers fill the bill. They are very well
made, great sounding guitars at a reasonable price. Also, none of my favorite
players really use the PRS's, except maybe some of the session guys and David
Grissom. I think Dickey Betts may use one now and some of the other southern
rock guys, but the recordings I listen to have them playing Les Pauls.
I should mention that my friend called a couple of years ago to offer me the
347 as he was selling it. He had done nothing to the neck and wanted $50 more
than I sold it to him for. I passed. I loved it at the time, and might
reconsider if the neck was in shape, but I still don't 'collect'-all my
guitars get played. That "Gibson" base is covered well by by the Hamer.
Better than the 347 would. I would still like a real 335 for the unique tone
but they are too expensive. I'd also like something with P-90's, probably a
Hamer Special, although if I could find a Gibson LP Jr or Special that played
as well, I might go the extra couple of hundred coz I'd get it back on
resale....I just haven't found one locally that plays as well as the Hamers,
and neither guitar is a priority right now...
All of the Above is totally IMOHO..
Steve
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gre...@hotmail.com
Excellent guitar and kind of a sleeper from the 80's that's often
overlooked..Does yours have the brass nut?...I don't know about a
"larger" sustain block but I do know they put brass inserts into the
sustain block for added mass and sustain...they called them the
"Sustain Sisters".You're right about it having a lot more tonal
choices from say a 335 that ebony fretboard probably gives it even
more brightness.. and no, I never cared much for the TP-6 tail pieces
either..I like to anchor my hand there and I remember playing one and
it not being comfortable for me personally..and as I recall that has a
headstock like a J-200...Nice guitar..you said "hotter pups..what do
you have in it? the "Dirty Fingers"?..yeah as I recall those were some
hot guitars. Hang on to it..it's on it's way up and if you can get a
hold of more grab them too...
Gregzy