The 335 That Started It All
Since 1958, the ES-335 has been the guitar that made semi-hollowbody design work for everyone — jazz players who needed less feedback, blues players who wanted more sustain, rock players chasing that perfect balance of warmth and bite. This Vintage Burst model keeps that tradition alive with the same semi-hollow construction, hand-rolled neck, and versatile electronics that made the 335 a studio and stage staple from day one.
The three-ply maple/poplar/maple body with its solid maple centerblock gives you the acoustic-like resonance of a hollowbody without the howling feedback. You get sustain that hangs in the air, clarity that cuts through a mix, and enough woody warmth to make chord work feel alive under your fingers. The mahogany neck has Gibson's Rounded C profile — not too chunky, not too slim — and the rosewood fretboard with its classic acrylic dot inlays feels instantly familiar whether you're up at the nut or exploring the upper register.
This is a guitar that works across genres because it doesn't force you into a corner. The Calibrated T-Type humbuckers deliver everything from warm jazz tones to growling rock leads, and the hand-wired controls with Orange Drop capacitors give you responsive, musical tone shaping that actually matters when you're playing. If you've been eyeing a 335 for years or you're just ready for a semi-hollow that can handle whatever you throw at it, this is the one.
Semi-Hollow Construction That Actually Works
The ES-335's body is built from three-ply laminated maple and poplar with a solid maple centerblock running down the middle. That centerblock is the secret — it gives you the sustain and feedback resistance of a solidbody while the hollow wings add resonance and acoustic character. You're not choosing between a Les Paul and a full hollowbody; you're getting the best parts of both.
The gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finish in Vintage Burst shows off the wood grain and gives the guitar that classic Gibson aesthetic. The single-ply cream binding around the body adds a touch of class without going overboard. At around 8 to 9 pounds depending on the individual guitar, it's substantial but not back-breaking for a long set.
Neck and Fretboard Built for All-Day Playing
The mahogany neck on this ES-335 has a Rounded C profile that Gibson describes as hand-rolled, and you'll feel it the moment you pick it up. It's comfortable for chord work in the lower positions and still feels natural when you're stretching for bends up high. The rosewood fretboard has a 12-inch radius and 22 medium jumbo frets, giving you enough room to bend strings without fretting out.
The 24.75-inch scale length is classic Gibson, and the 1.695-inch nut width (just under 1.7 inches) keeps string spacing comfortable for fingerpicking and rhythm work alike. Gibson uses a Graph Tech nut for smooth tuning stability, and the acrylic dot inlays keep the look clean and timeless. The fretboard is bound, which not only looks sharp but protects the fret ends.
Calibrated T-Type Humbuckers and Hand-Wired Electronics
Gibson loads this ES-335 with Calibrated T-Type humbuckers in both the neck and bridge positions. These pickups are voiced to deliver a wide tonal range — the neck pickup gives you warm, singing leads and smooth jazz chords, while the bridge pickup has enough bite and clarity for rock, blues, and everything in between. They're not trying to be vintage replicas; they're modern humbuckers designed to work with the 335's semi-hollow body.
The electronics are hand-wired with 500k potentiometers and Orange Drop capacitors in the tone circuit. You get individual volume and tone controls for each pickup, plus a three-way toggle switch. That means you can blend the pickups by adjusting their individual volumes, giving you way more tonal flexibility than a typical two-humbucker setup. The black Top Hat knobs with silver reflectors are a nice touch, and the cream switch tip completes the vintage-inspired aesthetic.
Hardware That Stays in Tune
The ES-335 is equipped with a lightweight aluminum ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge and an aluminum Stop Bar tailpiece. This hardware combo is anchored by steel thumb-wheels and tailpiece studs, giving you precise intonation adjustment and rock-solid tuning stability. The bridge's individual saddles let you dial in intonation for each string, which matters when you're playing in different tunings or with different string gauges.
Up on the headstock, you'll find Vintage Deluxe tuners with Keystone buttons. These tuners are smooth, reliable, and keep the vintage Gibson look intact. The nickel-plated hardware gives the guitar a warm, slightly understated appearance that suits the Vintage Burst finish perfectly. The black five-ply pickguard protects the top from pick wear and adds visual contrast.
Product Features:
- Semi-hollow body: 3-ply maple/poplar/maple construction with solid maple centerblock for feedback control and sustain
- Mahogany neck: Hand-rolled Rounded C profile, 24.75-inch scale length, set neck construction
- Rosewood fretboard: 12-inch radius, 22 medium jumbo frets, acrylic dot inlays, single-ply binding
- Calibrated T-Type humbuckers: Neck (rhythm) and bridge (lead) positions, versatile tonal range
- Hand-wired electronics: 2 volume, 2 tone controls with 500k pots and Orange Drop capacitors, 3-way toggle switch
- ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge: Lightweight aluminum construction with Stop Bar tailpiece for precise intonation
- Vintage Deluxe tuners: Keystone buttons, Graph Tech nut, 1.695-inch nut width
- Hardware and finish: Nickel-plated hardware, gloss nitrocellulose lacquer in Vintage Burst
- Body shape: Classic ES-335 double-cutaway with f-holes, single-ply cream binding
- Includes: Gibson hardshell case
Brand: Gibson
Model: ES-335
SKU: ES3500VBNH1
Condition: New
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