2011 Gibson 335 S Sunburst, Part1

[@mongoharry]

Nice tone. Never knew that guitar existed.

[@innocentoctave]

Nor did I. The reason seems to be that it was available only briefly (1980-81 or 83, depending on which of the three models we're talking about) during the unfashionable Norlin period for Gibson, and then again in 2011 as a reissue with some altered specs. I think it's significant that when it was reissued, the model chosen was the base model - the Standard - but now with Burstbucker pickups rather than the original Gibson Super Humbuckers (Dirty Fingers with coil tap on the Deluxe and Custom models) and one master tone control rather than one for each pickup. The reissue has a maple body and neck, as per the original Standard, but the fretboard is unbound granadillo (so-called 'Mexican rosewood', a different but similarly high-quality wood) rather than rosewood, and the position markers are acrylic rather than pearl. It's an interesting guitar that gets away from the cliches without losing a classic look.. Possibly an attempt to offer a lighter alternative to the Les Paul, and a brighter tone than the all-mahogany SG, with a downsized, thinner solidbody version of the 335TD's body shape. Sounds fine in Greg's hands.