The Gibson ES-335 is one of the most versatile guitar platforms of all time. It’s equally effective giving flight to rock, blues, funk, pop, jazz, country, prog, R&B, punk and just about any style of music you can imagine.

The slim and sophisticated semi-hollowbody feels comfy whether playing seated or standing, and it doesn’t stand in the way of rock star moves or lead guitar gymnastics. A few savvy tweaks of its volume and tone knobs can produce warm and buoyant timbres, snappy and articulate midrange tones, or a stout yet airy shimmer. And if mayhem is on the creative menu, an ES-335 can be coaxed into delivering punishing squalls of feedback, while ambient aficionados can levitate notes with prolonged sustain. 

Developed by Gibson President Ted McCarty and his team, the ES-335 debuted in 1958.

“Les Paul was probably right with his plank, but that thing looked funny,” said McCarty of Paul’s 1939 “Log”—the first solidbody guitar. “I came up with the idea of putting the block of wood down the middle of the 335. All I could think of was a solidbody with wings—only it was hollow out there and solid down here.”

The guitar has enjoyed an illustrious history ever since, and as there is so much to learn, treat yourself to our article, The History of the Gibson ES-335. For now, however, let’s get down to some of the 335 variations and alternatives you can make your own.

Table of Contents

The Best Gibson ES-335's
   Gibson ES-335 Semi-Hollow
   Gibson ES-335 Figured
   Gibson ES-335 Satin
   Gibson ES-335 '60s Block
   Gibson Custom Shop ES-335 Models
       Gibson Custom 1961 ES-335 Reissue VOS
       Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue VOS
       Gibson Custom Murphy Lab 1959 ES-335 Reissue
   Gibson ES-335 Alternatives
       Comparison Chart of Major Gibson ES-335 Variants
       Gibson ES-339
       Gibson ES-345
       Gibson Custom 1959 ES-355 Reissue
   Gibson ES-335-Inspired Signature Models
       Gibson Custom 1964 Trini Lopez Standard
       Gibson Custom B.B. King Lucille Legacy
Semi-Hollow Superstar

The Best Gibson ES-335's

Gibson ES-335 Semi-Hollow

Why It’s Cool: Retro-cool with classic 335 vibe.

Things to Consider:

• Vintage-voiced humbuckers
• Comfy C-profile neck
• Vintage Deluxe Keystone machine heads

Pictured: Gibson ES-335 Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar in Sixties Cherry

Go for the classic, dot-neck 335 vibe with the Gibson ES-335 Semi-Hollow. The guitar’s T-Type, Alnico V humbuckers are wound to vintage specs to evoke the sounds of the late ’50s and early ’60s. A rounded C-profile mahogany neck ensures comfy playability while you imagine yourself riffing in a smoky, basement café circa 1962, or hanging out with The Wrecking Crew at Gold Star Studios, Los Angeles, during the ’60s heyday of session musicians. Other features include a rosewood fretboard, 22 medium-jumbo frets, ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge and Vintage Deluxe Keystone machine heads.

Gibson ES-335 Figured

Why It’s Cool: Just. So. Gorgeous.

Things to Consider:

• Handwired controls
• Calibrated T-Type humbuckers
• Orange Drop capacitors

Pictured: Gibson ES-335 Figured Electric Guitar in Antique Natural

A lavish beauty with a fabulous AAA figured maple top, the Gibson ES-335 Figured ups the style factor while giving a simultaneous nod to Eric Clapton’s famous 1964 block-inlay, Cream-era 335. (That guitar is now owned by Guitar Center, after purchasing it for $847,500 at a 2004 charity auction for Clapton’s Crossroads Centre, Antigua.) The classy appointments continue with a handwired control assembly with Orange Drop capacitors, calibrated T-Type humbuckers and Vintage Deluxe machine heads.

Something you may also want to check out—especially if you’re into exclusive limited editions—is the Guitar Center ES-335 Figured Limited-Edition Blueberry Burst. The posh finish isn’t the only difference from the “standard” ES-335 Figured, either. The Blueberry Burst model also includes Gibson Memphis Historic Spec II humbuckers, which are voiced to mimic the tone of vintage, ’50s-era PAF humbucking pickups.

Gibson ES-335 Satin

Why It’s Cool: The finish “wears in” as you play.

Things to Consider:

• T-Type humbuckers
• Frets dressed with Plek machine
• Rounded-C neck for comfort

Pictured: Gibson ES-335 Satin Electric Guitar in Vintage Burst

The Gibson ES-335 Satin is an excellent choice for retro buffs who adore guitars that proudly show their stories and battle scars. The model’s vintage satin nitrocellulose lacquer finish is instantly alluring, and it expresses “old soul” in a very cool way. In addition, the more you play the ES-335 Satin, the more beautifully worn the finish will appear—even to the point of looking “glossy” in repeatedly handled areas. The Satin features T-Type humbuckers, a rounded-C neck and 22 medium-jumbo frets (dressed to perfection by a Plek machine).

Gibson ES-335 '60s Block

Why It’s Cool: Block fretboard inlays celebrate ’60s-era 335s.

Things to Consider:

• T-Type humbuckers
• SlimTaper neck
• CTS potentiometers and Orange Drop capacitors

Pictured: Gibson ES-335 '60s Block Electric Guitar in Pelham Blue

The Gibson ES-335 ’60s Block enhances its glossy, vintage chic with block fretboard inlays (rather than dots). The retro stance is bolstered with T-Type humbuckers inspired by ’60s and ’70s pickups, as well as vintage-style Keystone machine heads. However, the playability of this model is ultra modern, as it features an incredibly comfy SlimTaper neck profile. The retro-mod ’60s Block also includes handwired electronics, CTS potentiometers and Orange Drop capacitors.

Gibson Custom Shop ES-335 Models

Standard Gibson ES-335 guitars are extremely well-made instruments that celebrate elements of the model’s tonal, design and construction mojo from 1958, through the ’60s and ’70s, and beyond. However, some players crave more exacting builds of specific years. That’s where the Gibson Custom Shop comes in. The team precisely measures every element of a vintage guitar to ensure their creations are manufactured to Vintage Original Spec (VOS)—it’s as if Gibson’s Kalamazoo factory in the 1960s crafted a 335 for you today (time travel not included).

The Custom Shop’s Murphy Lab reverses that process by building extremely accurate vintage models that are aged to look like they’ve been played and loved for decades—even though they are brand-new instruments. It’s like getting a treasured, classic ES-335 without having to risk a bidding war at an auction house.

Gibson Custom 1961 ES-335 Reissue VOS

Why It’s Cool: An exquisite vintage reissue of a 1961 335.

Things to Consider:

• Burstbucker pickups
• '61-spec mahogany neck
• CTS potentiometers, Bumblebee capacitors and Switchcraft toggles

Pictured: Gibson Custom 1961 ES-335 Reissue VOS Electric Guitar in Vintage Burst

The Gibson Custom 1961 ES-335 Reissue is virtually a 1961 model in all but its actual birthdate. (You did read the previous paragraph, right?) Crafted to 1961 specs, this meticulous reissue features a Burstbucker 1 pickup in the neck position and a Burstbucker 2 in the bridge, maple body, rosewood fretboard and a mahogany neck shaped to 1961 specifications.

Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue VOS

Why It’s Cool: Eric Clapton loved his, so …

Things to Consider:

• Unpotted Custombucker pickups
• Medium-C neck profile
• CTS 500k audio-taper potentiometers and paper-in-oil capacitors

Pictured: Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue VOS Electric Guitar in Sixties Cherry

Previously, we talked about Eric Clapton’s quite famous 1964 ES-335 that he used with the Yardbirds and Cream. The Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue is not a replica of that model, but it gets you to an accurate representation of what Slowhand pulled off the rack of a music store in 1964. (If you desire “spot-on Eric,” seek out Gibson Custom’s 2005 Eric Clapton Crossroads ’64 guitar. Fewer than 250 were produced worldwide, and examples are currently fetching prices of approximately $25,000–$50,000. Happy hunting.) The vintage-spec 1964 ES-335 Reissue features a medium-C profile neck, unpotted Custombucker Alnico III pickups, CTS 500k audio-taper potentiometers and paper-in-oil capacitors.

Gibson Custom Murphy Lab 1959 ES-335 Reissue

Why It’s Cool: Truly evokes a well-loved, hard-gigged ’50s road warrior.

Things to Consider:

• Unpotted Custombucker pickups
• 12" fretboard radius
• Murphy Lab Ultra Heavy aging

Pictured: Gibson Custom Murphy Lab 1959 ES-335 Reissue Electric Guitar Ultra-Heavy Aged in Vintage Natural

As stated in the beginning of this section, the Murphy Lab expertly ages its recreations of vintage instruments so that players have the feeling of wielding a guitar bearing decades worth of bars, clubs, recording sessions, arenas, honky tonks, busking and/or whatever activities you wish to impose upon it. (It’s your guitar, so why wouldn’t you fabricate an extraordinary “biography?”) This Gibson Custom Murphy Lab 1959 Reissue is Ultra Heavy Aged, so your guitar tale should include a lot of songs, gigs, travel and perhaps even a feel-good “lost and then found” chapter. Aging aside, the 1959 ES-335 Reissue includes details such as a medium C-shape neck, 12" fretboard radius, 22 frets and unpotted Custombucker Alnico III pickups.

Gibson ES-335 Alternatives

The ES-335 platform became so popular that Gibson expanded the lineup, and some other companies, under potential threat of lawsuit, devised similar platforms. Although owned by Gibson—so no risk of infringement—Epiphone’s Sheraton (debuted 1958), Casino (1961) and Riviera (1966) certainly owe a huge debt to the ES-335. Let’s look a bit closer at some of the Gibson offspring of the 335 platform.

Comparison Chart of Major Gibson ES-335 Variants

Variant	Original Manufacture Dates	Main Differences from ES-335
ES-330	1959–1972	True hollowbody design P90 pickups Trapeze tailpiece
ES-333	2002–2005	“No-frills” 335 Back of body access panel
ES-339	2007–present	Smaller than 335 Input jack at side Controls closer
ES-340	1969–1978	Bizarre 3-way switch (both on/both off/both out of phase) 3-piece maple neck No volute on early models
ES-345	1959–1981, 2020–present	Upscale model Varitone circuit Split parallelogram inlays
ES-347	1978–1991	Upscale model Coil-tap pickups Brass nut
ES-355	1958–1982	Top of the line Varitone stereo circuit Ebony fretboard Split diamond headstock inlay

Gibson ES-339

Why It’s Cool: The smaller body is likely more comfortable for some players.

Things to Consider:

• Rounded C-shape neck
• Gibson 57 Classic humbuckers
• Grover Rotomatic machine heads

Pictured: Gibson ES-339 Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar in Cherry

While the ES-335 is known as a comfortable guitar to play, some might appreciate a slightly more petite version—much like some bassists prefer short-scale basses. The Gibson ES-339 could be just right for you if you’re looking for a smaller semi-hollowbody. Most everything else is familiar to ES-platform fans, such as a rounded C-shape mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard, 22 frets and vintage-voiced pickups—in this case, Gibson 57 Classic and 57 Classic+ humbuckers. If you seek a more majestic mini, the Gibson ES-339 Figured delivers a magnificent AAA-figured maple top, back and sides.

Gibson ES-345

Why It’s Cool: Look at those retro-fabulous split parallelogram fretboard inlays.

Things to Consider:

• T-Type humbuckers
• Rounded C-shape neck
• Hand-wired control assembly with Orange Drop capacitors

Pictured: Gibson ES-345 Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar in Vintage Burst

The reborn Gibson ES-345 packs the cultured visage of the original model—especially with its split parallelogram fretboard inlays—but drops the old-school Varitone circuit that a few players found confusing (B.B. King loved it and used it on his Lucille model, by the way). Today’s ES-345 shares many of the same features as some current 335 models, such as calibrated T-Type humbuckers, rounded C mahogany neck, 22 medium-jumbo frets, Vintage Deluxe machine heads and a handwired control assembly with Orange Drop capacitors.

Gibson Custom 1959 ES-355 Reissue

Why It’s Cool: This is an upscale 335 with lavish, Super-sophisticated looks.

Things to Consider:

• Murphy Lab Light aging
• Unpotted Burstbucker pickups
• Medium C-shape neck

Pictured: Gibson Custom 1959 ES-335 Reissue Stopbar VOS Electric Guitar in Ebony

The Gibson Custom 1959 ES-355 reissue is all about uptown appointments: multi-ply binding, ebony fretboard with mother-of-pearl block inlays, Kluson-style machine heads, split-diamond headstock inlay and an aged nitrocellulose finish applied by Murphy Lab. Speaking of which, a Murphy Lab 1959 ES-355 is available with light aging. Both models come with unpotted Burstbucker Alnico III pickups and a medium C-shape mahogany neck.

Gibson ES-335-Inspired Signature Models

Given the versatility and cool factor of the ES platform, a number of artists have chosen it as their 6-string muse. Two fairly disparate players, in fact, inspired signature models that expanded the scope of the ES-335: hit-making singer, guitarist and actor Trini Lopez and blues legend B.B. King.

Gibson Custom 1964 Trini Lopez Standard

Why It’s Cool: Duh. Trini Lopez!

Things to Consider:

• Murphy Lab Ultra-light aging
• Frets dressed with Plek machine
• Unique “dagger” soundholes

Pictured: Gibson Custom 1964 Trini Lopez Standard Reissue VOS Electric Guitar in Sixties Cherry

Trini Lopez was such a hot property in the ’60s, that Gibson asked him to design a guitar. He came up with two, and he did not disappoint. Lopez worked with Gibson to produce the Trini Lopez Custom jazz model and the Trini Lopez Standard. Versions manufactured from 1964 to 1971 are very collectible, and the Standard was so rock and roll that Dave Grohl, Noel Gallagher and others are big fans and owners.

The Gibson Custom 1964 Trini Lopez Standard delivers all the wonder and wow factor of the original model, with diamond soundholes, slashed-diamond fretboard inlays, six-on-a-side machine heads and Ultra-Light aging by Murphy Lab. The Trini also features 22 medium-jumbo frets dressed by the Plek Pro treatment and Custombucker Alnico III pickups.

Gibson Custom B.B. King Lucille Legacy

Why It’s Cool: Who wouldn’t want to meet Lucille?

Things to Consider:

• Mono Varitone switch
• Custombucker pickups
• SlimTaper neck

Pictured: Gibson Custom B.B. King Lucille Legacy Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar in Transparent Ebony

“Lucille” was the name B.B. King gave his guitars. (He wrote a song explaining why—it’s titled “Lucille,” so seek it out.) The Gibson Custom B.B. King Lucille Legacy honors the relationship of the artist and his ES-platform guitars with a stylish black finish over flame-maple veneers and gold hardware. A mono Varitone switch is onboard—B.B. was a fan—as are two Custombucker pickups, ebony fretboard with split-block inlays and a SlimTaper neck.

Semi-Hollow Superstar

Since its debut in 1958, the Gibson ES-335 platform has helped fashion the music of so many different players. From legends to pop stars, the list includes Chuck Berry, Alvin Lee, Larry “Mr. 335” Carlton, Andy Summers, Bill Nelson (Be-Bop Deluxe), Andy Scott (Sweet) and more. Even acknowledged Strat-star Eric Johnson used a 335 for part of his guitar opus “Cliffs of Dover.”

Make your own mark with the right 335 for you. Contact a Guitar Center Gear Adviser if you want some help. Don’t forget to peruse our Used and Vintage Collections to find player- and collector-grade ES-335s, and if Gibson and Gibson Custom models are a bit too rich for your needs, Epiphone 335s are excellent options.