Gibson ES-335 Dot Plain Wood review
By Rob Sandall
| Posted in Guitar
The Gibson ES-335 Dot Plain Wood is a laminate-maple bodied, mahogany-necked beauty of a guitar, packing almost identical specs to the ‘typical’ model, with the exception of plain wood under the transparent finish rather than the expected flame-maple top.
The overall design of this guitar, of course, has long been considered iconic. As the first ever commercially-produced semi-hollow electric guitar, many players would very much subscribe to the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ school of thought, although variations on a theme have resulted in some equally-loved instruments (the 135, 333 et al).
That’s not to say, though, that over the years the overall component quality of this classic guitar hasn’t soared, a fact borne out by playing this latest version. But Gibson has been savvy enough to keep the actual spec as close as possible to the vintage tones and effortless playability that have long been coveted by celebrity endorsees and awed spectators alike.
The modern-day appointments, then, present us with an utterly gleaming specimen of an axe. It’s available in either Cherry (the model I tested, as pictured here), or alternately Vintage Sunburst, Ebony or Tri-Burst. Curiously, Gibson might have shot itself in the foot here, because I actually prefer this plain model to its flamed ‘big brother’ – there’s something very workhorse and modest about this baby, and framed by the cream binding it looks great. Moreover, you can pick it up for a couple of hundred quid less than the original model.
So how is it to play? Without wanting to gush, the 335 Dot is an immensely playable guitar – it was designed for comfort a long time ago, and obviously that hasn’t changed now. The 22-fret neck is never going to slow you down – anyone into their widdling should check the classic Eric Johnson performance at 1996′s G3 for an example of quite how versatile the instrument is – and the overall fret finish is flawless, so you’ll be flying from the get-go.
The two Classic ’57 humbuckers are great, too, offering bags of warm, sonorous vintage tone that will lend itself well to rock, blues and jazz. Even unplugged, there’s a boomy acoustic projection from the hollow, and this pours out via the ‘coils to great effect. Two volume and two tone pots preside over the two hummers, and the whole package is tied up by an ABR-1 stopbar tailpiece bridge and vintage tulip tuners: you’re held steady, then, and very much look the part as well.
If you’re in the market for a semi-hollowbody, it’s arguable that this style is already top of your list. If you’re happy to forego the flame maple, you’ll save a little cash for a great guitar by buying the ES-355 Dot Plain Wood.
Tags: Gibson ES-335, Gibson ES-335 Dot Plain Wood, Gibson semi-hollow body guitar