NGD 1968 ES335

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Mini Forklift
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Re: NGD 1968 ES335

Post by Mini Forklift »

Voxshall wrote: Wed Jul 22, 2020 4:16 pm As for vintage guitars I’ve definitely drank the kool aid, something in the sound that is more together, warm and cohesive like comparing a full range speaker to a 3 way speaker that has a badly designed crossover, although it’s subtle I can’t notice the difference much once it’s recorded with a band.
I’m with you on this, even though I find it somewhat hard to explain why

I was lucky enough to get to spend a few weeks with my Dad’s 1977 Gibson ES355 last year and it was quite the experience. These high quality vintage guitars have a certain something that the Custom Shop will never quite nail; thinking it could simply be the result of years of playing and decades of exposure to changing environments

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Re: NGD 1968 ES335

Post by StrummersOfThunder »

What a great acquisition
That thing is truely gorgeous
Tell me is it, compared to a modern 335/HB style semi hollow, more mellow and tamed? The beef I have with some HB guitars is the full on bark they have with such hot pickups and given I mainly play clean I struggle with them. In saying that when ive played some older examples they have tended towards the woodier and percussive sounds (im thinking gretsch for the most part and I kow that filters are a different story again). Just wonder if something happens to the wire, magnet and of course the instruments resonance over time that 'softens things' somewhat.
Once again, congrats, its really really a stunning thing. Enjoy it.

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Re: NGD 1968 ES335

Post by Slowy »

Mini Forklift wrote: Wed Jul 22, 2020 8:16 pm
Voxshall wrote: Wed Jul 22, 2020 4:16 pm As for vintage guitars I’ve definitely drank the kool aid, something in the sound that is more together, warm and cohesive like comparing a full range speaker to a 3 way speaker that has a badly designed crossover, although it’s subtle I can’t notice the difference much once it’s recorded with a band.
I’m with you on this, even though I find it somewhat hard to explain why

I was lucky enough to get to spend a few weeks with my Dad’s 1977 Gibson ES355 last year and it was quite the experience. These high quality vintage guitars have a certain something that the Custom Shop will never quite nail; thinking it could simply be the result of years of playing and decades of exposure to changing environments
It takes a guitar about 15 years to completely forget it was a tree.
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Re: NGD 1968 ES335

Post by sizzlingbadger »

Thats really nice, built when Gibson were still an actual instrument maker. I think they have confused lawyers with luthiers in recent years.
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Re: NGD 1968 ES335

Post by Voxshall »

StrummersOfThunder wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2020 6:33 am What a great acquisition
That thing is truely gorgeous
Tell me is it, compared to a modern 335/HB style semi hollow, more mellow and tamed? The beef I have with some HB guitars is the full on bark they have with such hot pickups and given I mainly play clean I struggle with them. In saying that when ive played some older examples they have tended towards the woodier and percussive sounds (im thinking gretsch for the most part and I kow that filters are a different story again). Just wonder if something happens to the wire, magnet and of course the instruments resonance over time that 'softens things' somewhat.
Once again, congrats, its really really a stunning thing. Enjoy it.
I've never owned a modern one, the last semi hollow I owned before this one (sold to Rob) is almost 40 years old. But yes this 68 has very low output pickups 7.5k in the neck and 7.2k in the bridge, the sound is balanced and woody, sounds great on cleans but also great with some dirt, can get some snarl on the bridge pickup and the middy honk thing, really versatile. If you're in Auckland, your welcome to come and try it out, just PM me.

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Re: NGD 1968 ES335

Post by Jay »

Voxshall wrote: Wed Jul 22, 2020 4:16 pm
MrDINO wrote: Wed Jul 22, 2020 8:09 am Very nice. I reckon the new ones don’t quite sound the same.
I noticed a wider variation in 335’s than other guitar models and was quite shocked by how many of the new customshop models sounded in ways that didn’t suit my tastes, case in point that beautiful cherry 335 with Bigsby out at rockshop Westgate. A lot of the new gibson acoustics are the same, so many of them leave me flat, but every now and then you find a really good one. Having said that it’s all subjective and we all have personal preferences.

As for vintage guitars I’ve definitely drank the kool aid, something in the sound that is more together, warm and cohesive like comparing a full range speaker to a 3 way speaker that has a badly designed crossover, although it’s subtle I can’t notice the difference much once it’s recorded with a band.
Cool as indeed.
What is your take on that 1970 one that was on TM recently?
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Re: NGD 1968 ES335

Post by GrantB »

StrummersOfThunder wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2020 6:33 am What a great acquisition
That thing is truely gorgeous
Tell me is it, compared to a modern 335/HB style semi hollow, more mellow and tamed? The beef I have with some HB guitars is the full on bark they have with such hot pickups and given I mainly play clean I struggle with them. In saying that when ive played some older examples they have tended towards the woodier and percussive sounds (im thinking gretsch for the most part and I kow that filters are a different story again). Just wonder if something happens to the wire, magnet and of course the instruments resonance over time that 'softens things' somewhat.
Once again, congrats, its really really a stunning thing. Enjoy it.
Most of this with modern Gibson hollow's is their pickup choice. Current MHS aren't too hot, but these T Tops will be even milder. The PAF's in my 335 read hot (8.3 ish), but sound clean...all in the construction and material.

Lower wind P90's in a hollow are awesome to get the woody thing.
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Re: NGD 1968 ES335

Post by Bg »

Something magical about old plywood :)
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

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Re: NGD 1968 ES335

Post by robthemac »

GrantB wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2020 5:55 pm

Most of this with modern Gibson hollow's is their pickup choice. Current MHS aren't too hot, but these T Tops will be even milder. The PAF's in my 335 read hot (8.3 ish), but sound clean...all in the construction and material.

Lower wind P90's in a hollow are awesome to get the woody thing.

Wait, you have a 335 with PAFs?
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Re: NGD 1968 ES335

Post by jeremyb »

robthemac wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2020 6:25 pm
GrantB wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2020 5:55 pm

Most of this with modern Gibson hollow's is their pickup choice. Current MHS aren't too hot, but these T Tops will be even milder. The PAF's in my 335 read hot (8.3 ish), but sound clean...all in the construction and material.

Lower wind P90's in a hollow are awesome to get the woody thing.

Wait, you have a 335 with PAFs?
Have you not twigged yet to Grant's exceptional taste?
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Re: NGD 1968 ES335

Post by robthemac »

There's taste, then there's taste.
Jops wrote: Sun Sep 18, 2022 7:46 am Spring is the comic sans of reverbs anyway.

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Re: NGD 1968 ES335

Post by jeremyb »

robthemac wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2020 6:50 pm There's taste, then there's taste.
I imagine he tastes good, yes.
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

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Re: NGD 1968 ES335

Post by robthemac »

Imagine?
Jops wrote: Sun Sep 18, 2022 7:46 am Spring is the comic sans of reverbs anyway.

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Re: NGD 1968 ES335

Post by jeremyb »

robthemac wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2020 8:16 pmImagine?
Sadly only dreams currently :(
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.

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Re: NGD 1968 ES335

Post by GrantB »

robthemac wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2020 6:25 pm
GrantB wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2020 5:55 pm

Most of this with modern Gibson hollow's is their pickup choice. Current MHS aren't too hot, but these T Tops will be even milder. The PAF's in my 335 read hot (8.3 ish), but sound clean...all in the construction and material.

Lower wind P90's in a hollow are awesome to get the woody thing.

Wait, you have a 335 with PAFs?
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