 |
Ask ZacAuthor: Zac Childs
Zac Childs is a music insider and historian. He is the host of the acclaimed Truetone Lounge interview series and contributed to Vintage Guitar Magazine for 15 years via his Ask Zac column, and numerous featured articles, product reviews, and cover stories. On his ASK ZAC channel, Zac takes a look at players and gear and also answers guitar-related questions in ways that were never possible via print. Language: en-us Genres: Music, Music Commentary, Music History Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
Listen Now...
The Gibson ES-335 - Their Best Design
Episode 265
Monday, 9 March, 2026
The only Gibson model I’ve ever really connected with is the ES-335. While I’ve always gravitated toward Fender, the 335 is one Gibson that I think absolutely got right. Much like the Fender Telecaster, it’s simply a brilliant piece of guitar design.The magic of the 335 is in how balanced the concept is. The semi-hollow body combined with the center block gives you the warmth and air of a hollowbody while still delivering the sustain, focus, and feedback resistance of a solidbody. The result is a guitar that can cover an incredible amount of musical ground. Blues, jazz, country, rock, a great 335 seems to sit comfortably in all of those spaces.In this video, I spend some time talking about what makes the ES-335 such a successful design and why it continues to be one of the most versatile electric guitars ever built. I’m using a vintage 1964 ES-335 as the reference point, a guitar from Gibson’s golden era that really shows the design at its best.We also compare it to a more recent ’63 reissue built during the Gibson Memphis years to see how modern versions stack up against a true vintage example.And because not everyone is shopping in the vintage market, we also talk about some of the more affordable ES-335-style options out there today that capture a lot of the same spirit and sound without the vintage price tag.Support the show
