• Guys, we've spent considerable money converting the Les Paul Forum to this new XenForo platform, and we have ongoing monthly operating expenses. THE "DONATIONS" TAB IS NOW WORKING, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE ANY DONATIONS YOU CAN MAKE TO KEEP THE LES PAUL FORUM GOING! Thank you!

GRAIL 335

Pellman73

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 9, 2016
Messages
1,762
A certain kind of wasp stings the bark to lay eggs. I had them at my last house in Kansas. The nest kind of bubbles out and looks nasty. Actually, that is what my Ren's Good Eye which is a no-binding 58 replica is made of but it is much more subtle. I got mine from Wildwoods. They had one much more like Pellman's at the time as well.

Excellent machine there Sir!

36151438393_66fa2643a4_k.jpg

36788768232_3f36ef204e_k.jpg

I've seen your Good Eye Sir! She is a beaut!

Whats the neck profile like? Have you geeked out enough to check the width at the 1st and 12th? I would imagine its similar to mine--

I honestly sometimes think these guitars are the most versatile guitars. You can do so much with them-- I think maybe e a 335 and a Tele-- if stranded on a desert island! And of course the 335 alone if pressed because there might not be electricity on the island :spabout

I love it-- yours has a lot of nice blister on it

I just freakin love wood with crazy odd grain patterns. maybe because it reflects what's happening in my head !
 

Pellman73

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 9, 2016
Messages
1,762
There was a period during Nov/Dec '58 when quite a few of the blonde tops were blister maple. One particular batch of maple ply was used across quite a few blondes in the same FON. Indeed, you could map specific groups of blisters from one guitar to another. I had consecutive serial blonde 58's, three FON positions apart, and the tops were undeniably from the same log of maple.

now that is badass !!

I think I actually just got chills reading that

:salude
 

Pellman73

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 9, 2016
Messages
1,762
Badass! I had no idea about the blister thing, in terms of being coveted, I had an older LP Classic for a bit which had some blister to it and I never gave it a thought yet it was a great guitar. Sounds like a beefy but comfy neck. I recently got a Freddie King and that thing has the biggest damn Gibson neck I've ever felt, bigger than '58 reissues, any R7 I've played, and anything I've held from the 50's. Thanks for the detailed info!

shit man. I don't know if anybody else covets it-- but I DO!

did you post pics of your freddie? I'll look for the thread. I want to see it! I bet it is a tone monster

there was a sandwich shop in Philly that had these crazy sandwiches that were like dagwood. might still be there. But they had a picture of a sandwich with all the pastrami piled high and it said under it "more meat, less bread"

I recently have been really wondering if its a more neck, more tone kind of thing

Mr. Banker (matt hughes) and I have been talking about that too and he seems to think so.

I had to decide on which Yaron I wanted to keep and though I liked the neck on one better (it was like .88 at 1st fret... which I love) the one with the beefier neck (closer to .9) just has so much more oomph it made the other sound a little thin in comparison.
 

Pellman73

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 9, 2016
Messages
1,762
For some reason the rest of the grain on these becomes much more 3d as well. Even in the non-blistered areas. It has a certain 'plushness' which is not captured in photos as well. If you look at Peter's back shot up near the edges of the horns you see it. I am sure it is all over it. Very rich grain.

100 percent
 

Pellman73

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 9, 2016
Messages
1,762
Nice score , Beautiful guitar :salude . I too also saw the video when It 1st hit the Net . I went wild ... to get 1 (Thanks Curt ) . I love a VN finish 3X5 ....

I wanted the VN finish but I found it "to over the top" for my liking the blister tops that I found . So I got it in the Sunburst finish with not as much Blister to it . Man these 335's, Imo, as been 1 of the best runs to come along in years ... There is a reason they do not come up often ....
The neck is perfect for me ,for a fatter necked guitar . .870 @ the 1st....
Agree , imo , it's a great guitar ...

side note :
If you recall , At that time Gibson moved some it's CS builders over to Memphis (to do all the 335 builds at Memphis) and they did these builds . IIRC a '13 should make it 1 of them ... The COA should tell you or checking into the serial # will do it ...

Play that beauty and hold on to it , I doubt you'll find a better "new" 335 .ever .

1 Jamman-

The warrantee pamphlet thing says 5/23/13 for completion date and the COA is signed by David Winters so I do think it fits the bill

oh! IIRC (if I remember correctly)

yes I do believe this is one of those guitars

think that run back in 2013 was probably pretty great-- for the reasons you mentioned
 

deytookerjaabs

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 6, 2016
Messages
1,592
shit man. I don't know if anybody else covets it-- but I DO!

did you post pics of your freddie? I'll look for the thread. I want to see it! I bet it is a tone monster

there was a sandwich shop in Philly that had these crazy sandwiches that were like dagwood. might still be there. But they had a picture of a sandwich with all the pastrami piled high and it said under it "more meat, less bread"

I recently have been really wondering if its a more neck, more tone kind of thing

Mr. Banker (matt hughes) and I have been talking about that too and he seems to think so.

I had to decide on which Yaron I wanted to keep and though I liked the neck on one better (it was like .88 at 1st fret... which I love) the one with the beefier neck (closer to .9) just has so much more oomph it made the other sound a little thin in comparison.


Makes me remember the real old days....when your Subway "Sandwich Artist" used eyeball how much meat ya got!

I dunno, the neck thing, probably or definitely is a factor. But I like guitars that sound a bit thinner, or thicker, or louder, or more subtle too! I haven't posted the Freddie yet, I'll have to get some pics up.
 

mdubya

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 31, 2010
Messages
1,017
That is a beauty!!! :bug:wow:XRE


I love my 2018 '59 RI. It is VOS and VSB but it is just plain sublime to play.

I am glad yours is giving you such joy! :salude
 

Pellman73

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 9, 2016
Messages
1,762
Makes me remember the real old days....when your Subway "Sandwich Artist" used eyeball how much meat ya got!

I dunno, the neck thing, probably or definitely is a factor. But I like guitars that sound a bit thinner, or thicker, or louder, or more subtle too! I haven't posted the Freddie yet, I'll have to get some pics up.

ha totally....thats the problem.
 

Pellman73

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 9, 2016
Messages
1,762
That is a beauty!!! :bug:wow:XRE


I love my 2018 '59 RI. It is VOS and VSB but it is just plain sublime to play.

I am glad yours is giving you such joy! :salude

thank you MDUBYA

Yea I love it

As Marie Kondo would say, it Sparks Joy

:jim
 

renderit

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,947
Whats the neck profile like? Have you geeked out enough to check the width at the 1st and 12th? I would imagine its similar to mine--

I have not measured any of my necks, but plan to do so.

Mine is huge but rounded like a 59 on steroids.

My R4 is just a flat out log, but this (and my
Lemon-Burst 335) are a handful as well.

Just more 'shaped'.

36333228081_6c74337eee_k.jpg
 

El Gringo

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 8, 2015
Messages
5,655
Peter , I absolutely love it . Such unique Bridseye figuring and I bet she sounds as good as she looks ? How are the pickups ? Are they the MHS Custombuckers or just 57's or Custombuckers ?My compliments ! She is beautiful !
 

Pellman73

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 9, 2016
Messages
1,762
Peter , I absolutely love it . Such unique Bridseye figuring and I bet she sounds as good as she looks ? How are the pickups ? Are they the MHS Custombuckers or just 57's or Custombuckers ?My compliments ! She is beautiful !

Thanks El Gringo

It sounds incredible. it sounds better than it looks, and plays as good. neck is a great chunky 59-- It really is just an insane instrument. It is so inspiring, extremely hard to put down.

Just was playing it through my Carr Mercury V and to be honest with those two things you pretty much have everything you need. its all there. I feel like it makes me a better player (of course that is not hard... ha ha)

I'm pretty sure the 2013s had Custom Buckers in there. I think the MHS came a little later and are on the more modern TDN models (someone can check me here)-- someone can check me on that if wrong.

They are GREAT-- every position, cranked all the way up as well as volume down and tone down. you can get everything you want. From super aggressive bridge tones to Blue sky neck tones-- but there is a midrange woody quality and its so bloomy and softer in attack than a les paul (maybe? maybe I imagine that). Nothing harsh.

something so fun about that edge of feedback thing that you get w a semi hollow too. its hot!

All I can say is if any of you are thinking about a TDN (or any 335) I would search high and low for some of these ones that were built in 2013... crazy

I have been lucky enough to have some luthier built guitars (my banker, Gil yaron, Whitfill, Ronin) and this guitar is right up there with how good it is... not your run of the mill stuff
 

corpse

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 9, 2007
Messages
4,870
With your seraglio that is saying something. Very glad you have found (yet another) great guitar.
 
Top