Any one played a gibson 339?

Progrockabuse · Post by **Progrockabuse** » Tue Jan 13, 2015 8:26 pm

Hey all, I've asked nickd the same question but gonna open it up here.

I've seen a 2011 custom shop 339 for sale locally and I'm quite tempted. It's currently up for Â£1,375. Not sure if that's a good price or not.
Anyone got any thoughts?

Link to the guitar that's for sale
http://www.guitars4you.co.uk/gibson-cus ... sed+++1443

jcyphe · Post by **jcyphe** » Tue Jan 13, 2015 8:37 pm

If you like a 335, in a smaller size, yes. I like the regular 335. But all the 339s I've tried have been nice, but Gibson made a few different variations.

Here is a good photo from Harmony forums of the general size difference.

JJLipton · Post by **JJLipton** » Wed Jan 14, 2015 12:08 am

I like it better than the 335, but it's not really for me. I remember it sounding similar to a les paul, but the bass is a little muddy. For a smaller size hollow body i prefer PRS.

BobArsecake · Post by **BobArsecake** » Wed Jan 14, 2015 12:21 am

Looks fantastic, would love to have a go.

singlepup · Post by **singlepup** » Wed Jan 14, 2015 2:36 am

Me too. I think it looks perfect in terms of size.

ultratwin · Post by **ultratwin** » Wed Jan 14, 2015 2:50 am

I like 'em, the ones I've handled being really flexible in the toanz dept. and sounding to my ears like a good Dot should.

_____________________________

I might have told this useless story, but for what it's worth...

A close producer/guitarist friend of mine Daniel Hong was a student of the late Ross Bolton at M.I., and ended up buying Ross' ES-339 before leaving the States. Despite careful humidity/temperature care in his private Seoul studio, over the course of about 2 - 3 years the guitar's fretboard started to go wacko and do something I've never seen before: essentially the radius began to "flatten out" from about the 7th fret up, causing the frets to sprout not on the edges, but down the middle, if that makes any sense. The rosewood fortunately didn't split, but Daniel got rid of it a few months after it became unplayable and leaving guitar techs scratching their noggins.

Long story with an interesting ending (for a professional session artist): He sold all of his other guitars while he was at it and now plays everything on an MIA '62 RI Telecaster

sunshiner · Post by **sunshiner** » Wed Jan 14, 2015 6:20 am

I've read somewhere that 339 had two different neck profiles, one is the 59 rounded - full but not chunky, and the 60's - thinner and flatter. I think the 60's one feels more traditional for 335's, whereas the 59 is closer to the feel of Les Paul.

George · Post by **George** » Wed Jan 14, 2015 12:34 pm

i have the black sparkle epiphone version. it's nifty and has a lot of tricks, but ultimately i don't like the neck. it's the 60s profile but still a little too chunky. was thinkign about putting some jazzy pickups in it, but most likely will sell it.

sunshiner · Post by **sunshiner** » Wed Jan 14, 2015 2:29 pm

Epi's necks are stupid because their have pronounced shoulders, if you compared Gibson's 59, which is fuller but rounder, to Epi's Slim taper, you would like 59 better even if you have rather small hands. Though Gibson's 60's neck is more a slimmer version of 59 than a Slim Taper.

Concretebadger · Post by **Concretebadger** » Wed Jan 14, 2015 3:00 pm

For the record, I'd get one if I could afford it. Preferably with the opportunity to try out both neck profiles to see which one's more comfortable.

I effing love the sound and feel of a semi-hollow, but the full-size archtop body is a bit cumbersome for those of us of a less-than-huge stature. It's fine for the studio, but I'd definitely go for the 339-sized body for live stuff.

Progrockabuse · Post by **Progrockabuse** » Wed Jan 14, 2015 3:14 pm

Thanks guys, From link gather it's a 58 style neck. Think I'll nip over and try it out tomorrow and see what it's like.