The Gibson ES-339 is the modern take on the legendary ES-335. Players such as Slash, Billie Joe Armstrong, Noel Gallagher and Trent Reznor to name a few, have played this model to express their musical visions with their adoring fans. With a much smaller body than the 335 you still get the great tone of a semi-hollowbody in a more portable package. This guitar is great with just about any style you can play.
The Gibson ES-339 is a descendant of the ES-335. The ES-339 is closer in size to the Les Paul than it is the larger ES-335 model. The ES-339 is also a semi-hollowbody with a solid maple block running down the center of the interior body helping to give it that iconic tone. You will find more varied options on the 339 models from different humbucking pickups to PAF pickups and the "Memphis Tone Circuit" which is a .001uF capacitor and a low-value resistor (150-300k ohms) between the input and middle lugs of the volume pot. This circuit helps retain treble when turning down the volume control. This tone circuit is not available on the 335 models.
Frequently Asked Questions:
When was the ES-339 first released?
The initial release for the ES-339 was in 2007 which makes this model a fairly modern take for the Gibson line of guitars.
What is the main differences between the ES-339 and ES-335 models?
The biggest difference is the size. The ES-339 is: 14 1/4" x 16 3/4" as compared to the ES-335 which is: 16" x 19". The ES-339 is closer in size to the Les Paul. The tone is different as well as the ES-339 has less acoustic resonance and a tighter, more focused midrange than the ES-335.
Why are Gibson ES-339 models so expensive?
The ES-339 models are manufactured in the US at the Memphis, TN facility which means that these guitars have a lot of attention to detail put in as well as more luthiers with their hands on the production of this guitar model. This means a higher cost based on the amount of labour put into each instrument. When you add some of the varied options available in the ES-339 the cost continues to rise. At the end of the day, you are getting a quality instrument from a quality builder that will hold its value very well.
