NGD: Pan ES-335 (Aria 5502 Lawsuit copy)

SKC Willie · Post by **SKC Willie** » Wed Dec 05, 2012 7:50 pm

Through a little research, these are the same guitars as the Aria 5502. Supposedly, Aria used the name Pan at one point. Picture searches would certainly suggest they are the same guitar.

The guitar has lots of wear, lots of dents and dings, and lots of character. All maple construction with maple flamed top, backs, and sides. The guitar is a semi-hollow body but behind the bridge it is all hollow so it actually sounds much more like a hollow body. The pickups are good. Taking it to band practice on Thursday where I would imagine it feedbacks like crazy. Also, the previous owner had issues with the neck screws stripping the wood, so to accommodate he "set the neck" and drilled out the holes and added these huge dowels.

Either way, this guitar is a great guitar and if you're looking for a 335 would be really hard to beat value wise. They don't come often but when they do, they don't seem to be going for over $400; I picked this one up on the cheap for much less.

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Johno · Post by **Johno** » Thu Dec 06, 2012 8:31 am

I had one of these a few years ago in sunburst. It looked alright & played ok unpluged but sounded awful amplified, thats when it didn't feedback. I got rid of it after a few weeks. I guess I could have tried different pickups or a 100ft cable but could'nt be arsed.

Hope yours is better than the one I had.

Gabriel · Post by **Gabriel** » Thu Dec 06, 2012 2:29 pm

That's an awesome guitar, I'd love an old semi like that to extend my guitar collection a bit.

I play a full hollow body and also my flatop acoustic amplified quite a lot.

Tricks to avoid feedback:
- Never ever face the amplifier
- Have the amp behind you to your left - the sound will be directed more towards the neck rather than the body reducing feedback significantly
- If you're having really bad trouble, stick some tape over the f-holes. Covering the f-holes reduces the airflow and cuts back on feedback a bit.
- If the above haven't work stuff the guitar with socks/foam/newspaper or I've heard of people inflating balloons inside the guitar to stop the top from vibrating.

I don't normally have much a problem with feedback unless the volume is painfully loud, and that was only once when I was using two 4x12s.

SKC Willie · Post by **SKC Willie** » Thu Dec 06, 2012 10:34 pm

doesn't stuffing the guitar with crap kind of defeat the point of a hollow body?

also, we're not playing at crazy loud volumes but I do play fairly loud music with dirt. we're practicing tonight with no drummer, so I'll get some idea of what it's going to be like but we won't be at 100% volume.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Thu Dec 06, 2012 11:37 pm

SKC Willie wrote:doesn't stuffing the guitar with crap kind of defeat the point of a hollow body?

No, but buying a semi-hollow does. Won't rob too much existing vibe, IMO. Massive feedback from hollowbodies exists because the pickups are mounted to a thin top like the bridge, so everything is moving as it vibrates. Semis have a thin enough top at the wings to still vibrate and cause feedback (to a lesser extent), but the pickups and bridge are pretty solid due to the center block.
I'd be very skeptical about stuffing the wings causing a drastic change in plugged-in tone on a center-block design, but who knows. Every guitar is different, and this is no 335.

SKC Willie · Post by **SKC Willie** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 6:02 am

played it today and didn't feel back a bit. we were at low volumes and wanted to feed back if the wah was left on but otherwise it wasn't bad at all. Definitely doable. The guitar sounded amazing through the neck pickup. The bridge pickup was a little thin for a humbucker but the neck sounded really good.

why is this not a 335?

Simon · Post by **Simon** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 8:12 am

SKC Willie wrote:why is this not a 335?

It's not a semi-hollow body? If you're trying to answer Paul's question. I'd imagine that's what he's trying to get at...

SKC Willie · Post by **SKC Willie** » Sat Dec 08, 2012 1:31 am

It is semi, the block runs to the bridge and it's hollow behind that.

Mo Law-ka · Post by **Mo Law-ka** » Sat Dec 08, 2012 5:16 am

I think that it's technically a 330 style rather than a 335. Difference being the trapeze tailpiece.

SKC Willie · Post by **SKC Willie** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 1:37 am

I thought the 330 had P90s instead of humbuckers.

Noirie. · Post by **Noirie.** » Sun Dec 09, 2012 1:40 am

It's a Coronado copy and that's the fucking end of it.

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 7:31 am

something tells me i would not like the neck on this?

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 8:16 am

ES-330s are completely hollow, like Casinos. A center block is ES-335/345/355 construction. Guitars with the center block feedback less, which is why they did them... they have the benefits of a solidbody guitar because the pickups and bridge are stabilized and don't move independently of the strings as the top vibrates. The hollow wings can still contribute to feedback but it's usually not crippling in high volume/gain situations like with a full hollowbody.

You can put a trapeze on anything, but 330s and Casinos have to have it because there's no wood underneath for a stopbar to go into.

SKC Willie · Post by **SKC Willie** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 1:56 pm

hotrodperlmutter wrote:something tells me i would not like the neck on this?

actually, you'd dig it. The thickness is between our dots but it actually feels much more like a Fender neck shape wise.

also, after trying to play it with a drummer, the feedback was overwhelming. As soon as I turn my dirt on it would feedback regardless of amp location. guess I'm going to try stuffing it.

theshadowofseattle · Post by **theshadowofseattle** » Wed Dec 12, 2012 9:42 pm

SKC Willie wrote:
hotrodperlmutter wrote:something tells me i would not like the neck on this?
actually, you'd dig it. The thickness is between our dots but it actually feels much more like a Fender neck shape wise.

also, after trying to play it with a drummer, the feedback was overwhelming. As soon as I turn my dirt on it would feedback regardless of amp location. guess I'm going to try stuffing it.

POT THEM PICKUPS, SON.

Stuffing your guitar full of socks is hella lame.

cobascis · Post by **cobascis** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 3:17 am

Putting anything in a hollowbody instantly makes the guitar sound like shit pretty much. Most of the sound is from that body, thats why they made it a hollow body. I've just learned to not use my Coronado for the SUPER RAWKING shows. When you are mic'd and relying less on amp volume it is totally useable with gain.