Gibson ES-333

I started playing guitar at the age of 14 or so, that was some 40 yares ago. I gigged in bands and have owned a number of different guitars over the years, gibson and fender. I owned a 1966 ES 335 but sold it before going off to college. I currently have a Fender SRV reliced strat, gibson LP jr., a Hendrix 68 RI, an SG standard and ES 333 to name a few.

I have always yearned for that earlier 335 that I owned and when I came across a used 2003 ES 333 I thought what the heck I'll give it a try. I fell in love with it right then and there. I paid 900$ for it and it was absolutely mint - no wear or scratches, not a mark.

It is cherry red and the grain reminds me of my former 335. It is a plain jane but has that great 'pick me up and play me' mojo. The pickups were too hot for my taste so they were replaced by a pair of 57 classics. I added a Gibbo pickguard and had the satin nitro finish buffed to a nice shine, gave it a set of 60's control knobs with pointers to give it a more vintage look and voila I was back in the 60s again.
It has a fast, slim neck and the sound through a tube amp is pure 'sweetness'. I am a big blues and classic rock guy and this rounded out my collection of guitars quite nicely. There isn't a sound that I can't find when playing tunes from Clapton's early Cream days, mind you though it takes an SG with vintage PAFs to really nail my favorite riffs from Disraeli Gears.

I suppose the only thing I can think of that I didn't like about the ES 333 were the pickups, far to hot and aggressive but like I said that was my own personal taste as I have always loved the 'woman tone' that Clapton got and my 333 can get that in spades and then some with the 57s.

The guitar was flawless. The fit and finish was excellent. Even though it was used it had been well taken care of by the previous owner. For all intent and purpose it was a 60s guitar that was given that special attention before going out the door. I still take time throughout the day to stare at it and drift back to a time when Gibson was king and quality meant something - at least they got it right with this guitar. I have played some really nice cherry 335s at my local guitar shop but for 3300$ (I live in Canada) I have to admit they don't have much over my 333. Oh, and by the way, I know a lot of people don't like the black access panel on the back but it is greeat when you have to address pickup or eletrics problems. Letr me see you try that with 335!!!

Bottom line is I won't be parting with this gem, period!!!

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

Played it for half an hour at Sam Ash on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. It was selling for around $1100.

A genuine Gibson and most of the classic ES-335 design, with minor cosmetic changes to reduce the price. Sweet sound, versatile, going from melodic clean tones to growling distortion, with more dimensions than most electric guitars thanks to the semi-hollow construction. And while the plain yellow natural finish on the body was created to save on cost, I find it attractive and it feels great to the finger.

The neck on this one is one of the worst Gibson necks I've ever come across. It's too narrow, for one thing, but the fingerboard feels strangely dead and the action was uncomfortable. String tension felt unusually high for a Gibson scale length; the feel was closer to a Fender Strat, in an uninviting way. The strings don't look too old, so I don't think they're the culprit. This guitar is also very, very heavy. To give it some rope, I'd played a cherry-finish ES-333 at the same store which felt a lot more comfortable so these problems aren't universal, but the inconsistent quality is disappointing in a Gibson line.


Pretty good, but I've definitely seen better-built Gibsons.

My $400 Epiphone Dot feels more playable, not to mention lighter, than these two $1100 Gibsons. The Gibsons' pickups are superior, but I'd go for the Dot hands down because it tempts me to pick it up much more.

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

I think the gibson es333. BOUGHT IN MAY 2005 (new).
color: red vintage
of course, it is made aus United States,
22 frets to the neck
gibson pickups 490 and 498 (as in les paul standard)
2 volume, 2 tone, 3-position selector
run al.

UTILIZATION

The neck is super enjoyable
access to acute nice
trs weight is okay
it comes to strength: sound:
I also have a les paul standard 1994, but 333 sounds more powerful, you connect to a tube amp: Whoa!! the grain is.
Personally, I have a boss with a marshall 50 GT5 wa lamps: a sound in all styles:
fans of chuck berrry g. Moore and Carlos Santana Moonflower Fawn (1978): your you.
in jazz sounds trs well, a lot of sustain! blues rock for it's fabulous.
I would say 335 for a test that paf 57 classics of the 335 have a supper more heat
1670 but the 333 is a box of course .....

SOUNDS

The sounds are of a gibson 100 percent.
all sounds are great, you can push the distortion and microphones are prcis trs.
THERE throw anything in sound
word of advice if I can: play with potentiomtres of Tone and volume: many shades!!

n short, you're not a poor man's 335!

OVERALL OPINION

I use the for 1 month and I'm really happy
the sound is amazing (compared my Vigier Excalibur and expert, is the excellent sound)

I tried an ibanez as193 with Super 58 pickups, a Yamaha 1500, but the gibson is over ....

report quality price trs trs correct, good to quibble I would say that n is not the finish of a 335, but sounds so good, and the Saddle of the table is beautiful!

c'tait so again, I will sign right away! no regrets: it is a guitar with which we do not see the time pass and that makes you want to play, to play again and again ....

hello all passions!