Thinking of going to the dark side... Gibson 339

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:05 pm

I keep picking this guitar up at work... & lovin' it. Compared to a 335 it's so comfy to play.

It's soon to be discontinued and we have one in this colour on its way.

Trying to decipher whether this is daft decision to purchase one... hmmmm.... it looks so nice too.

gaybear · Post by **gaybear** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:11 pm

if you love it, wouldn't it be more daft to not buy it?

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:12 pm

When it arrives, if its good, buy it and keep it.
I regret selling the Gibsons i've owned. A good Gibson is an outstanding guitar, like Fender. They make some shit equally. Base your judgement on how it plays and sounds not the aesthetic or decal

Mages · Post by **Mages** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:15 pm

I do like the idea of these. not totally down with the aesthetics though. I think it would be cooler if they made it just a single cutaway.

....and had some more interesting finish options.

SGJarrod · Post by **SGJarrod** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:20 pm

I'm pretty sure if u buy a new Gibson Westie gets to issue u a light saber

benecol · Post by **benecol** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:28 pm

I love 335s, but alway think the dimensions of a 339 look a bit daft.

Haze · Post by **Haze** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 11:18 pm

love em, if I had the coin I'd buy one and probably never put it down

ultratwin · Post by **ultratwin** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 11:40 pm

The feel of my friend's 339 was so sweet, I could play that thing all day.

What he couldn't foresee was what later happened. Despite babying the thing and keeping it cased in his temp/humidity controlled studio, in about 3 years' time the 12" radius literally "flattened out" in certain places. Hard to describe, but the frets began to sprout not from the edges, but from the middle of a few, exposing a tiny recess under about the 12th fret and down the fretboard in a few places. I say it was a bad egg in the carton, but a part of me wants to pull out the accusatory Gib finger and yet once again point with disdain toward Nashville. Of course, I could also talk about the fantastic job Gib's Custom Shop did misaligning the bridge posts on Jazz guitarist Sam Lee's "Mr. 335" Larry Carlton sig I got to see...Will save the bashing for another day.

Aesthetically, I agree with Benecol. It's like you'd have to be as diminutive as Susanna Hoffs to look awesome with one in your hands. Same reason the 6122JR and later Falcon JR look toy-like, as if they somehow both lack a significant amount of testosterone.

SKC Willie · Post by **SKC Willie** » Tue Jul 19, 2011 11:44 pm

I think they look and play great. they feel a little goofy but if you don't have that problem; I wouldn't worry about it.

damienblair17 · Post by **damienblair17** » Wed Jul 20, 2011 1:29 am

I think I might actually get on with a 339 really well, since I like the 335 body style, but it feels and looks way too big when I play it.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 10:21 am

Oddly I've always felt totally comfortable with a 335. More so than many small solid bodies. As long as you don't sling it up too high on the body anyways.

Simon · Post by **Simon** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 11:02 am

I think they have two different necks... a slim one and a chunkier one. Worth thinking about perhaps?

Our singer has one that he plays in his other band and it sounds pretty awesome. I just look at it as a mini 335. Then again he's a short arse and would look silly with a big 335, unlike me who rocks the shit out of it.

I think they're pretty nice and if they're being discontinued then you should definitely snap one up. Give it a couple of years and I'd imagine they'll be pretty sought after.

Will · Post by **Will** » Sun Jul 24, 2011 6:42 am

The 339s are really great. You encounter the usual American-guitar-quality-control BS that seems to plague a lot of the big 3 these days, but that's just character. It's like an American car. If you want something perfect and reliable, you buy a Toyota. But then you get bored with it and never fall in love because it has no quirks. American guitars have individuality, sometimes called "flaws."

toez10 · Post by **toez10** » Mon Jul 25, 2011 9:56 pm

I love those 339s. Especially if you're a shorter person, I think they're a great fit, and a great idea from Gibson (which I can't usually say about most things they make). Like any guitar company, there's a chance you'll get a turd, but the ones of I've gotten to try have all been pretty stellar.