Joe B Epiphone ES 335

[Lou Coppolino]

https://www.google.com/search?q=joe...state=ive&vld=cid:ed8b6cae,vid:eek:g_V3YER7kA

There's the MF 48 month finance thing.

$28.00 per month.

Epiphone Joe Bonamassa 1962 ES-335 Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar

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I'm a 335 nut.

Do I need this???

 

[Ricochet]

I have about 20 Asian Epis including 3 Signature models. Based on that limited sample size I surmise Sigs are not build to a higher standard, just fitted with higher grade parts, and sold at a higher price point.

 

[sgarnett]

The 2022 Bonamassa is very nice. The two I’ve played had very nice fretboards (Laurel, which varies a lot, but some do look great), and slightly more attention to detail on the frets. That’s not to say they wouldn’t benefit from a bit more.

My pet peeve with most of the IBGs is the wiring, which has significant unshielded loop area to pick up hum. The Bonamassa wiring looked better, but I didn’t get a chance to try it with gain and nobody else playing.

The Bonamassa pickups are definitely an upgrade.

Then there’s the Vibrola. I actually enjoyed it a lot, but there were times I wished it wasn’t there.

 

[sgarnett]

Frankly though, I’d take the Vibrola over a tension bar Bigsby.

 

[Lou Coppolino]

Frankly though, I’d take the Vibrola over a tension bar Bigsby.

I think the trem bar sits too upwards.

This, IMO, needs to be bent so it's more useable.

I don't remember the youtube, but the screws holding the neck p/u are not fully down.

This may not be on all the Joe B 335's.

 

[sgarnett]

I saw a review that mentioned a pick up that wasn’t sitting right, but it was hung on the mountain green. I think it was easy to address.

Oh, I totally agree about the Vibrola arm. I would probably put the stock one in the case and fabricate something else to bolt on.

 

[sgarnett]

Before autocorrect, that was mounting ring, not mountain green.

 

[GlenP]

Just for the case alone, I mean: FRAGILE, must be Italian!

 

[chicago slim]

I've played two JB 335's and passed on them. They had one at a shop that also sells Eastman guitars. I came home with a T486 that smoked the JB 335 for the same price. It looks like a ES345, comes with a case, Seymour Duncan pickups (Jazz/59), has an Ebony fretboard and great fretwork. But it is different as it is constructed more like an acoustic guitar. The neck shape is also a little different. I would always suggest trying before buying, to see if it works for you.




I'm waiting for the Noel Gallager Riviera's to hit the guitar shops. I need to try the neck to see if I like it as much as my IBG 335. I did polish the frets on one of my IBG 335's and I now like the feel a lot better.

Lou, do you have a modern Riviera? If so, how does the neck shape compare to your IBG 335?

 

[Lou Coppolino]

I've played two JB 335's and passed on them. They had one at a shop that also sells Eastman guitars. I came home with a T486 that smoked the JB 335 for the same price. It looks like a ES345, comes with a case, Seymour Duncan pickups (Jazz/59), has an Ebony fretboard and great fretwork. But it is different as it is constructed more like an acoustic guitar. The neck shape is also a little different. I would always suggest trying before buying, to see if it works for you.

View attachment 195335




Lou, do you have a modern Riviera? If so, how does the neck shape compare to your IBG 335?

I don't have a Riviera.

 

[Lou Coppolino]

I think the trem bar sits too upwards.

This, IMO, needs to be bent so it's more useable.

I don't remember the youtube, but the screws holding the neck p/u are not fully down.

This may not be on all the Joe B 335's.

https://www.google.com/search?q=epi...state=ive&vld=cid:ed8b6cae,vid:eek:g_V3YER7kA

At 5:51................talks about the neck p/u.

Some more info............

 

[sgarnett]

- I enjoyed the jangly, natural reverb of the Vibrola, but I don’t want it “on” all the time. - The wiring harness is definitely better on the Lazarus (meaning less unshielded wiring).
- The JB case is nice on the inside, but I’m not crazy about all the pseudo-tour gold lettering on the outside.

The regular IBG at a Black Friday price of $499 was just too good a deal to pass up. I can replace a wiring harness for (far less than) $800. I don’t know whether I’ll replace the pickups, or (if I do) whether I would use Burstbuckers like the JB.

So, as much as I enjoyed the JB, I went with IBG.

 

[Ricochet]

Epis are 5-ply including the JB. Current Gibsons are 3-ply(used to be 4-ply).
Not all plywood is the same, and both brands showed some variety in layers, thickness, woods used and grain orientation of individual layers. I can not escape the feeling they always put a very conscious effort in making the Epi a less resonant instrument than the Gibson. Funny thing is a rock player might actually prefer the stiffer less feedback prone top of the Epi.

 

[sgarnett]

I purposely did not pick up the real 335. I do have a real Gibson Lucille (early 80s, I think), but that is a different beast altogether.

 

[Lou Coppolino]

I purposely did not pick up the real 335. I do have a real Gibson Lucille (early 80s, I think), but that is a different beast altogether.