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Post by nicholas on Mar 21, 2021 3:00:16 GMT -7
I'm in the market for a semi hollow, or full hollow body guitar. I currently have a ES-339 and have owned several 335's over the years. I'm looking for something noticeably different in tone than the 335/339 syle guitars. I would also like it to have a louder unplugged tone to double as an acoustic for use around the house.
Is the ES-135 completely different in tone than a 335? Or should I look at deeper body, fully hollow models like a ES-175D or similar?
Just as I prefer the smaller body of the 339 to the 335 I think I would prefer the smaller 135 to the 175. But I don't want something almost exactly like what I already have.
Any thought and opinions on the subject welcome!
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Post by zpilot on Mar 21, 2021 4:55:05 GMT -7
Based on your description I think you would be happiest with a 175. In the store we had several ES-135s come through and I was not impressed. I did not like the P-100 pickups. I adore the P-90 sound but those just did not cut it for me. I liked the later ES-137 model better. It had conventional humbuckers. The 135 and 137 had a center block the 175 does not. The center blocks I saw in the Gibson factory at the time those guitars were being made were balsa. Gibson ads referred to it by some other name but I saw pallets of balsa blocks from an aircraft model retailer that were destined to go into guitars.
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Post by nicholas on Mar 21, 2021 5:12:27 GMT -7
The ES-135 I'm looking at has humbuckers. I think the 135's had a balsa wood center block and the 137's had mohagany but I could be wrong there. Mostly I'm wondering if both are pretty similar to a 335.
If so a 175 or similar is probably what I should look at.
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Post by zpilot on Mar 21, 2021 5:43:34 GMT -7
Yeah, I think they changed a few things in the later models of the 135. Went to a stop tailpiece I believe. Probably changed the center block wood at the same time. It was funny though seeing the SIG logo stamped right on those balsa blocks.
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Post by j4gitr (John) on Mar 21, 2021 7:50:45 GMT -7
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Post by Don A on Mar 21, 2021 8:01:20 GMT -7
I had an ES-135 with humbuckers, F-holes, trapeze tailpiece and gloss finish. The body on an ES-135 is about 1/2" deeper than an ES-335. The guitar had a slightly "woodier" tone, but it wasn't that much louder or fuller sounding when unplugged. Year ago, I replaced the ES-135 with the guitar that I really wanted- an ES-225. The ES-225 is still a thiniline- the same thickness as an ES-335, but is fully hollow. It fits in the ES-335's case. Used as a acoustic on the couch, it has kind of a cello like sound. It's awesome in that application! Here's the ES-225 with the ES-135 and an Epi Sorrento-
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Post by Don A on Mar 21, 2021 8:05:44 GMT -7
The Heritage H-530 would be an excellent choice if you want to stick with a thinline. It should sing like my ES-225.
I replaced my ES-335 with a Heritage H-535 last summer. They're great guitars!
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Post by nicholas on Mar 21, 2021 13:22:05 GMT -7
The Heritage H-530 would be an excellent choice if you want to stick with a thinline. It should sing like my ES-225. I replaced my ES-335 with a Heritage H-535 last summer. They're great guitars! Good info on the ES-225. Something to consider. Your thoughts on the ES135 not sounding a whole lot different than a 335 is pretty much what I was anticipating. I'll have to think more about that. I'm not sure on the hollow Heritages. They use a thin solid top instead of a laminate. I was reading the solid tops are more susceptible to feedback (on a hollow guitar with no center block) . However probably not an issue in a traditional jaz context. Definitely different construction technique. Not sure different will work great for me in this case. I'm looking to use it in more of a blues box and oldies rock and roll context. Think more George Thorogood (ES-135) and Steve Howe (ES-175). Any real world info on solid top hollow bodies and how they tolerate feedback in general is appreciated.
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Post by Don A on Mar 22, 2021 14:35:03 GMT -7
I'm pretty sure the Heritage H-530 uses a laminated top and back. I don't know about the H-575.
My Heritage H-535 has a measurably thinner laminated top than my ES-335 had and it's noticeably louder acoustically. It's a lighter build overall- it weighs over a pound less.
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Post by nicholas on Mar 28, 2021 12:22:32 GMT -7
Year ago, I replaced the ES-135 with the guitar that I really wanted- an ES-225. The ES-225 is still a thiniline- the same thickness as an ES-335, but is fully hollow. It fits in the ES-335's case. Used as a acoustic on the couch, it has kind of a cello like sound. It's awesome in that application! Thanks for suggesting the fully hollowbody thinline concept. It's difficult when you can't find any of the stuff locally to try out. After some researching I feel it will be a better fit for me than the full depth 175/575 style or the semi hollow 125/135 idea that I was also considering. I also really love P90's and only have them in a Junior. I snagged a used ES-330 hollowbody w/ P90's online. This should fit nicely next to my semi hollow 339 with humbuckers without feeling like they are too similar. I'm hoping for that chello feeling unplugged! We shall see!
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Post by gbowman on Apr 7, 2021 13:03:45 GMT -7
I had a 135 with humbuckers for a while. It did a good job as a jazz guitar and a bluesy rocker. The 135 has an immediate, more in your face attack, so to me, it leans more towards the Les Paul-ish camp than 335. It played great and covered a lot of bags (and the blue colour was cool). I also had a 175 which was my dedicated jazzer. Feedback could be an issue on loud stages and it really just did the jazz thing (wonderfully) and not much else. For the money I would buy another 135. That being said, I mostly play a Heritage 535 these days...
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Post by nicholas on Apr 13, 2021 13:09:53 GMT -7
My used ES-330 arrived and I had a bit of an unfortunate snag. When it arrived I unboxed it and played it for a while unplugged. It's so loud and alive! It really sounds similar to an acoustic, which is exactly what I was hoping for. Then I went and plugged it in... bummer... bridge pickup is dead. Argh... So this is what I spent a half day doing.... I had a hard time finding a Gibson dogear P90 for the guitar of the correct output. I also wasn't sure which pickup was reverse wound for the hum cancelling in the middle position. I definitely didn't want to be doing this twice so I grabbed a pair from Lollar. I had his P90's in a Heritage H-137DC years back and really liked them. I'm sure there are other ways to do this. I had some kite string on hand and it seemed to work pretty good. I just tied it through the slot with a half hitch. Worked great actually. Once they were in place I was able to slide the pointer and nut over the string and onto the pot shaft easy enough. Being fully hollow actually helped here, all the electronics were able to fit through the pickup hole in one piece, pickups and all. While I had it all tore down I swapped out the tuners for these Kluson Revolutions. They have a finer ratio. I really just like the look and feel of the larger tuning keys better. Nothing was wrong with the factory ones. I put these on my LP Jr. too. Real nice feel. All wired up and everything works as it should now. I gave it a good fret polish and fingerboard cleaning, then set it up with flatwounds. The Lollars sound fabulous, lots of P90 rudeness The Kluson Revolutions are a drop in fit. They use the same screw holes. With the little brother The ES-330 is so different than anything I've ever had. I really like it.
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Post by KeithA on Apr 13, 2021 13:35:33 GMT -7
Looks great Nicolas! I’m sure it was a bummer at first, but part of me thinks that you are a little excited that you got to tinker a little 😉
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Post by nicholas on Apr 13, 2021 13:58:33 GMT -7
Looks great Nicolas! I’m sure it was a bummer at first, but part of me thinks that you are a little excited that you got to tinker a little 😉 Ha! You know me well!
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Post by Don A on Apr 13, 2021 15:05:26 GMT -7
That's awesome! Enjoy it!
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Post by j4gitr (John) on Apr 13, 2021 15:19:47 GMT -7
That’s a great looking guitar. I don’t tinker on my guitars much, but often wondered how troublesome it would be working on pots etc. on a semi or hollow body. Looks like your system simplifies the process. Nice work. Nice axe.
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Post by Russell B on Apr 14, 2021 8:05:05 GMT -7
That’s very cool! Keep us informed as you keep playing it!
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Post by sharkboy on Apr 16, 2021 19:53:57 GMT -7
I’m very happy with my ES-330. If the body is too big, an ES-390 (if you can find one) might do the trick.
A thing I like about these 330s is that they can kind of fake their way into humbucker territory and still cut through in a band. Feedback can be a thing with them, but they aren’t as susceptible as some P90 guitars.
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Post by JasonM on Apr 16, 2021 22:08:23 GMT -7
Nice work and a great looking 330! I have Lollar P90s in my Collings I-30 and like them a lot.
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