Good years for a Gibson 335?

[funbnme]

I got a nice bonus, so I want to get a vintage 335.

 

I think there were some years in the early 70's where Gibson quality may not be the best. Norlan years or something like that. Is that correct?

 

If I want to get something from the late 60's to early 80's, are there any years I should shy away from? Early 70's will probably be in my price range - compared to a late 60's.

 

 

I've got a pretty good budget for the purchase...just want to make sure I pick up one that both plays & sounds good...but also is a good investment.

 

 

Wish list is either Vintage Sunburst or Cherry finish.

Want an all original guitar with no repairs or refinish.

 

Also, don't like the look of the 335's with that long tail piece (TD model). I'd rather have the reguar tailpiece.

 

Let me know what to look for - or a good site to get some good gibson history.

[BoneNut]

Any year is good for plywood!

 

I think the older ones might seem to sound better because the wood has dried out (?) but I don't think the year would be as critical as the guitar itself.

 

Damn semihollows really can feel different one from a another. I love semihollows and was always on the lookout for a nice 335 under $4000 but I could never find one that could outshine a modded Sheraton I had.

 

I finally found one but it was a Yamaha SA2200. I'd recommend you try one of those out and probably a Heritage as well before you make your mind up. If you absolutely must have the Gibson brand on the headstock, I'd suggest you try out a few of their many semihollow variants before laying down your cash.

[Flogger59]

The SA2200 is nice, ask JKater. Look for an early 80's Dot Reissue, they're quite nice. I prefer blondes, as the cherry red on those was more tomato soup opaque.

If your budget stretches to more than that, know that trapeze tailpieces were the norm from the mid 60's on. Necks got quite narrow in 65-66. In Gibson circles 1964 in the "other 59" in terms of neck carve. 345s and 355s can be had for far less than a 335.

Here's one. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190343736598&rvr_id=&crlp=1_263602_263622&UA=WXF%3F&GUID=47073bd611e0a0b408871d67ffe5543d&itemid=190343736598&ff4=263602_263622

This guy is out of his mind. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370308243803&rvr_id=&crlp=1_263602_263622&UA=WXF%3F&GUID=47073bd611e0a0b408871d67ffe5543d&itemid=370308243803&ff4=263602_263622

Something that Norlin got right, the ES347. http://cgi.ebay.com/GIBSON-ES-347-1978-hollow-body-guitar-VINTAGE-excellent-/370375903772?cmd=ViewItem&pt=Guitar&hash=item563c1fca1c

[Roy Brooks]

Of the era that you are looking for there are really no years that you should shy away from. But it would be a good idea to play some first so you can find one that you know will feel good in your hands and sound the way you want.

 

The TD designation is thin body double pickup. All ES-335s are TDs. From about 1963 through about 1980 ES-335s came stock with a trapeze tailpiece. Bigsbys were an option. For an ES-335 of the late 1960s and 1970s a trapeze tailpiece was the "regular" tailpiece.

 

A trapeze tailpiece is not a bad thing. If you can live with the looks of an ES-335 with a trapeze tailpiece I think you could be happy with a good all original and playable example of an ES-335 from the late 1960s or early to mid-1970s. Though if you must have a stop tailpiece on an all original guitar you might want to invest in an early 1980s ES-335 dot inlay reissue that came stock with a stop tailpiece.

 

From about 1976 through about 1979 most ES-335s came with a coil tap switch on the lower cutaway.