G
Cannot go wrong at this price point - punches well above its weight!
For those of you that want to go straight to the bottom line, then it’s 5 stars all the way, and at this price, buy one! For those who want a more considered opinion, then read on. . .
I have had this guitar for a week, now, and I deliberately wanted to wait for the honeymoon period to start to subside. When it arrived, I was very, very impressed, and I wanted to ensure that that feeling remained. It has!
First thing I want to mention is how well built this guitar is. The back of the headstock says “Hand Crafted in China”, and if you haven’t done so, I recommend that you YouTube the Epiphone Factory Tour. It is impressive how much hand work goes in to making the production line guitars. I would suggest that many so called hand made guitars (which are often made using CNC routers, for example) receive little or no more hand work than these guitars. Overall, the fit and finish is very impressive. If I were to nit pick, here, then the Thistle emblem on the headstock is marginally lop sided. There is filler in the inlays (but no more than I have seen on many Gibson and other brands), and at a certain angle, you can tell that the volume and tone pots are set slightly at an angle coming out of the body. The pick up height needed to be set, as the rhythm pick up was overpowering the treble unit. There is also a ding that I have literally only just noticed since I started writing this on the veneer on the back of the body. The poly finish has covered it over, making it smooth to the touch, so this must have happened at the factory. This really should have made this guitar a “Second” rather than a good to go!
The maple veneer on the front and back is well applied, and looks nice (if you like that sort of thing). I would have preferred this model in cherry red, but they only have that with dots, and I wanted the small block inlays. The Tea Burst looks more like a Dark Sunburst to me, but I expect individual guitars will vary, slightly. The F holes are reasonably well cut, but are a little rough when you run your finger around them on the inside. You can also see some of the wiring through them. Minor niggles, but at this price, nothing to worry about.
The pick ups sound very good. I am used to high end units from Gibson, Seymour Duncan, Jerry Amalfitano, and others, and these are not far removed from those makers. I am tempted to put either Duncan Seth Lovers, or Gibson Classic ‘57’s in it, but I am not entirely convinced that the money spent would give me a significant upgrade in tone. I might feel differently after half a dozen or so gigs. The tuners are superb - amongst the very best I have had! The Graph-Teq nut and other hardware are all perfectly good for all intents and purposes. I might swap the tail piece for a Faber aluminium item, but that is only because I have a spare one sat unused at present.
I have left the fingerboard and frets until last, as this is the only place where the guitar is let down. The fingerboard is Indian Laurel, and looks really pale and anaemic. I have tried lemon oil and Dunlop 65 oil, but it will not darken, or look “Nice”, or authentic like Rosewood. This is a major cosmetic let down for me, although, it seems reasonably playable. I say reasonably because like most new Epiphones, the board itself feels rough. This will play in after a month or two, so I am not unduly worried, and the same with the frets. Well rounded, finished, and seated, but needed to be cleaned up and wiped down, as they, too, felt rough to begin with. In my opinion, taking this guitar to your favourite luthier for a final fettle would be money well spent. Do keep in mind, though, it is perfectly playable as is.
So, all in all, a great little guitar, and well worth the money. Good looking, well made, and sounds really good. Any complaints I have are minor in the great scheme of things, and if you are in the market for an inexpensive (but not cheap) 335, then this really does deserve a very close look indeed.
I have had this guitar for a week, now, and I deliberately wanted to wait for the honeymoon period to start to subside. When it arrived, I was very, very impressed, and I wanted to ensure that that feeling remained. It has!
First thing I want to mention is how well built this guitar is. The back of the headstock says “Hand Crafted in China”, and if you haven’t done so, I recommend that you YouTube the Epiphone Factory Tour. It is impressive how much hand work goes in to making the production line guitars. I would suggest that many so called hand made guitars (which are often made using CNC routers, for example) receive little or no more hand work than these guitars. Overall, the fit and finish is very impressive. If I were to nit pick, here, then the Thistle emblem on the headstock is marginally lop sided. There is filler in the inlays (but no more than I have seen on many Gibson and other brands), and at a certain angle, you can tell that the volume and tone pots are set slightly at an angle coming out of the body. The pick up height needed to be set, as the rhythm pick up was overpowering the treble unit. There is also a ding that I have literally only just noticed since I started writing this on the veneer on the back of the body. The poly finish has covered it over, making it smooth to the touch, so this must have happened at the factory. This really should have made this guitar a “Second” rather than a good to go!
The maple veneer on the front and back is well applied, and looks nice (if you like that sort of thing). I would have preferred this model in cherry red, but they only have that with dots, and I wanted the small block inlays. The Tea Burst looks more like a Dark Sunburst to me, but I expect individual guitars will vary, slightly. The F holes are reasonably well cut, but are a little rough when you run your finger around them on the inside. You can also see some of the wiring through them. Minor niggles, but at this price, nothing to worry about.
The pick ups sound very good. I am used to high end units from Gibson, Seymour Duncan, Jerry Amalfitano, and others, and these are not far removed from those makers. I am tempted to put either Duncan Seth Lovers, or Gibson Classic ‘57’s in it, but I am not entirely convinced that the money spent would give me a significant upgrade in tone. I might feel differently after half a dozen or so gigs. The tuners are superb - amongst the very best I have had! The Graph-Teq nut and other hardware are all perfectly good for all intents and purposes. I might swap the tail piece for a Faber aluminium item, but that is only because I have a spare one sat unused at present.
I have left the fingerboard and frets until last, as this is the only place where the guitar is let down. The fingerboard is Indian Laurel, and looks really pale and anaemic. I have tried lemon oil and Dunlop 65 oil, but it will not darken, or look “Nice”, or authentic like Rosewood. This is a major cosmetic let down for me, although, it seems reasonably playable. I say reasonably because like most new Epiphones, the board itself feels rough. This will play in after a month or two, so I am not unduly worried, and the same with the frets. Well rounded, finished, and seated, but needed to be cleaned up and wiped down, as they, too, felt rough to begin with. In my opinion, taking this guitar to your favourite luthier for a final fettle would be money well spent. Do keep in mind, though, it is perfectly playable as is.
So, all in all, a great little guitar, and well worth the money. Good looking, well made, and sounds really good. Any complaints I have are minor in the great scheme of things, and if you are in the market for an inexpensive (but not cheap) 335, then this really does deserve a very close look indeed.
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G
Great guitar, well way over my expectations!
I played mostly strat/super-strat guitars, with low experience with semi-hollow style guitars; after seeing and playing this guitar I was amazed about how good this guitar is; perfect craftsmanship in all details (fretwork, painting, action, and intonation) and very good sound.
Cons are very subjective:
- I find the bridge to be a bit higher than expected; but this seems in line with the neck angle towards the body; so this is not a problem it is only an adaptation matter.
- the yellow part of the body is like a “yolk of egg” color tint; I would have preferred to be a darker yellow or a bit more towards orange as a tint.
Cons are very subjective:
- I find the bridge to be a bit higher than expected; but this seems in line with the neck angle towards the body; so this is not a problem it is only an adaptation matter.
- the yellow part of the body is like a “yolk of egg” color tint; I would have preferred to be a darker yellow or a bit more towards orange as a tint.
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P
Es-335
It's an ES-335, might not be Gibson but the closest thing to it. what if It feels like it, looks like it and sounds like it. Then what is it..?
Set up from the box could have been better. But overall nothing to complain about, only that i should have bought this way sooner.
Set up from the box could have been better. But overall nothing to complain about, only that i should have bought this way sooner.
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B
Well - I bought Epiphone 335 inspired by Gibson Guitar and
guess What ..?? I was pretty impressed when i hold this Guitar first time in my Hand . The Wow factor was bigger than i expect becauce i was kind of sceptical but i did order this Guitar and some other from the Gibson Insipred Series about a Article from the last Magazin calt Guitar Magazin March 21 ..
I am a huge old Guitar 80 Vintage Gear Guitar and Amp collector ( love I Solid Body Guitars and never had a 335 Semi Hollow Body Guitar in my Hand . So i thought before i buy a Gibson i will first try this epic Guitar and check it out .. and i was and i am very supricet about the great awesome Quality in Build an construcktion. Gibson can not make it better .. really ... The tone was first ahnd a bit diffrend to me becuace i never had a 335 in my Hand so i had to play a while and figur out how i can set up the Tone ho i like it .. and here we go .. its a Semi Hollow Guitar and not a Les Paul so you habe to work out first your Tone settings withe the Tone and Volume Knops .. after that i was glued to the Neck and the Guitar . She plays wnderfull and layes great in my Hand like Butter and the Tone is soo velvet ... The Neck Pic up position is so aesome and fit"s great to this guitar . Sounds very round warm and percusive like a 335 should i guess .. All in all the Epiphone 335 Inspired by Gibson is for that Price a Stunning great Guitar in absolutly great Quality and Sound ... I plaed the Guitar over difrend Amps like my Dumble or some Kitty Hawks or old coustic 165 Tube Amps and i love it .. .
Loike the Guitar Magazin worite .
I am massively impressed with that Guitar The Weight Neck profile and the finnish are so stunning and good that this Guitar were just a set of Hand wound Pick ups and a Hardware upgard away from giving their Gibson branded counterparts a legitimation run for their Money .
Important is that the instrument falls short of the Acoustic character that set the very best 335 Part wich perhaps has something to do with the relative compelxity of semi solit builds thtas quickly forgotten once its plugged in .
Fact is that the Inspired Series is a Massiv step up in Look and Build Quality for Epiphone and this 335 is a fine awesome addition to it .
Thangs to Gibson to make this happen and Epiphione Guitar Builders in China for the best Quality and Sound ..
Iv e you have some Money left over .. buy it .. Say The Vintage 80 gear Amp and Guitar lover ..
at the Moment the run about this Guitar is huge and the Dealer out of stock and this have a reason. .. Take care out there and stay save and healty
Here you get the full Revue .
https://guitar.com/review/electric-guitar/the-big-review-epiphone-inspired-by-gibson-es-335-figured/
I am a huge old Guitar 80 Vintage Gear Guitar and Amp collector ( love I Solid Body Guitars and never had a 335 Semi Hollow Body Guitar in my Hand . So i thought before i buy a Gibson i will first try this epic Guitar and check it out .. and i was and i am very supricet about the great awesome Quality in Build an construcktion. Gibson can not make it better .. really ... The tone was first ahnd a bit diffrend to me becuace i never had a 335 in my Hand so i had to play a while and figur out how i can set up the Tone ho i like it .. and here we go .. its a Semi Hollow Guitar and not a Les Paul so you habe to work out first your Tone settings withe the Tone and Volume Knops .. after that i was glued to the Neck and the Guitar . She plays wnderfull and layes great in my Hand like Butter and the Tone is soo velvet ... The Neck Pic up position is so aesome and fit"s great to this guitar . Sounds very round warm and percusive like a 335 should i guess .. All in all the Epiphone 335 Inspired by Gibson is for that Price a Stunning great Guitar in absolutly great Quality and Sound ... I plaed the Guitar over difrend Amps like my Dumble or some Kitty Hawks or old coustic 165 Tube Amps and i love it .. .
Loike the Guitar Magazin worite .
I am massively impressed with that Guitar The Weight Neck profile and the finnish are so stunning and good that this Guitar were just a set of Hand wound Pick ups and a Hardware upgard away from giving their Gibson branded counterparts a legitimation run for their Money .
Important is that the instrument falls short of the Acoustic character that set the very best 335 Part wich perhaps has something to do with the relative compelxity of semi solit builds thtas quickly forgotten once its plugged in .
Fact is that the Inspired Series is a Massiv step up in Look and Build Quality for Epiphone and this 335 is a fine awesome addition to it .
Thangs to Gibson to make this happen and Epiphione Guitar Builders in China for the best Quality and Sound ..
Iv e you have some Money left over .. buy it .. Say The Vintage 80 gear Amp and Guitar lover ..
at the Moment the run about this Guitar is huge and the Dealer out of stock and this have a reason. .. Take care out there and stay save and healty
Here you get the full Revue .
https://guitar.com/review/electric-guitar/the-big-review-epiphone-inspired-by-gibson-es-335-figured/
1
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AZ
Feels great, saounds amazing, looks beautiful
Got this guitar last week and it's exactly what I was expecting - a beautiful, well made instrument, that feels great in my hands and sounds almost perfect to my ears. I said 'almost perfect' because I'm comparing its Alnico Classic Pro humbuckers to a pair of Seymour Duncan APS-2 that I put into an Epiphone Les Paul Standard - in al honesty, I find those a bit warmer, but that's a matter of personal taste. Bottom line, I love this instrument, feels great, sounds amazing, looks beautiful.
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T
Best guitar for the money
It sounds killer! One of the best guitar in the world. Real working horse for any genres.
Epiphone has a very good quality of the guitars. For professional using also!
Epiphone has a very good quality of the guitars. For professional using also!
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A
A True-tone Semi-hollow Inspired-by-Gibson Guitar
When I hold it from the box, it greatly exceeds my expection of a guitar made from this budget. And I couldn't waiting say "whoa It's just like a Gibson", when I compared it with my old Gibson ES-335.
The design of fretboard, neck and body are so comfortable. The flamed top gives me great visual pleasure when put it together with my cherry Gibson.
In short, if you want a Gibson but doesn't care the very light sound difference, go for this.
The design of fretboard, neck and body are so comfortable. The flamed top gives me great visual pleasure when put it together with my cherry Gibson.
In short, if you want a Gibson but doesn't care the very light sound difference, go for this.
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