The Gibson ES-339 is a semi-hollowbody instrument that is a cross between a Gibson Les Paul and a Gibson ES-335. While the ES-335 is cherished by guitar players for its rich semihollow tones, its body size is comparable to an archtop guitar and is unwieldy for some. Enter the ES-339, which weds the Les Paul feel with the ES-335 sound.
The details of the construction are as follows. The hardware is general Gibson fare, with a tune-o-matic bridge and stop tailpiece, Kluson tuners, chrome hardware, and ’57 Classic Humbuckers. The top and body are a maple and poplar laminate. The neck has what Gibson terms a 30/60 profile, and is made from mahogany. Another Gibson exclusive is the the instrument’s ”Memphis Tone” electronics.
What exactly is ”Memphis Tone”? As you turn the guitar’s volume knob down, you will retain the consistency as you turn down volume. Ordinarily, high-end loss is standard when you decrease the volume, but not so here. It also has a nice, even volume decrease. So, the ”Memphis Tone” electronics aren’t just a gimmick. It really does give the guitar a unique sound and feel.
The neck is called a ”30/60” because it has a 60’s style neck, but with an extra .030” back to front. This neck profile helps keep that authoritative Gibson semi-hollowbody tone while enhancing playability. Really nice.
As we put the ES-339 through its paces, that’s really the thing that stood out to us, the playability. Both chording and lead work were wonderful. It was a nice change to get ES-335 tones from a Les Paul sized guitar.
Sound-wise, you can find just about any standard semi-hollowbody sound you’re looking for. From Clapton to Carlton, it’s all here!
Feedback was usable and easy to control when we cranked it up. We simply couldn’t get a bad sound out of the ES-339. From rock and blues to jazz and country, this is one of the most complete and well-playing guitars we’ve went over in a while.
At first, we were wary of the ”Memphis Tone” circuit, but we became believers pretty quick. It really does allow the ES-339 to keep tonal unity throughout the volume spectrum. It in reality makes the instrument’s volume and tone controls more usable, which is a extremely good thing!
While we’re talking about electronics, the pickups are surely keepers as well. We’re so used to swapping out stock pickups for some custom substitutes, but the Classic Humbuckers actually do the job just fine. Finally, the 30/60 neck, despite its rather weird name, is all the same quite comfortable and completes the package well. Superb sounds and fantastic playability. What more could you wish?
We can’t conceive of anything to improve on this guitar. The fit and finish were consummate from the factory, and is a testimony to the quality of the Gibson Custom Shop. We recommend this instrument highly.
The Gibson ES-339 is an incredibly versatile instrument. If you want to purchase yours today, then you should head on over to Ray’s Guitar Shop, which offers the best prices on all new and used acoustic and electric guitars. It doesn’t matter if you want a Gibson Les Paul, a Fender Stratocaster, or a PRS Mira, they offer the best deals on the Internet.
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