Can't they do a vintage blonde right out of the gate?

goldtop0 · Jul 2, 2020

Minibucker said:
I understand that, but they seem to do sunburst finishes that simulate many years of fading/aging, so I was wondering if a monochromatic aged blonde would be possible, or would that be venturing into the area of forgery when it comes to aged finishes/lacquer? Or would it be something that would take extra special attention like through Tom Murphy or Historic Makeovers or the like?

Along these lines of CS production I may pull the trigger on a M2M 335(in the next week or so) with a very specific tobacco sunburst finish and unbound fat neck profile, I'm working through a dealer and seeing if CS can give me what I want at no upcharge(for the very fat neck).
I've also investigated getting my '14 335 refinished and HM would be my go to........he offers such a great service.

Unbound Dot Neck · Jul 2, 2020

If CS did an aged blonde finish like Mike's examples, what would they look like down the road ?

:##

Only time will tell ~

TM1 · Jul 2, 2020

I have a 2014(October build) ‘63 ES-335TDC. It’s a really nice guitar but, the new one I got last week just Surpasses it in almost every aspect. I don’t care much for the “Custombuckers”. They’re far better than the MHS set that was in my 2014. I replaced those with the ThroBak Pre-T 301’s! But I don’t understand why the company who originally “invented” the humbucking just can’t remake their own pickups...
But their guitars are great, at least the ones one can get from the Custom Shop..

Minibucker · Jul 2, 2020

goldtop0 said:
Along these lines of CS production I may pull the trigger on a M2M 335(in the next week or so) with a very specific tobacco sunburst finish and unbound fat neck profile, I'm working through a dealer and seeing if CS can give me what I want at no upcharge(for the very fat neck).
I've also investigated getting my '14 335 refinished and HM would be my go to........he offers such a great service.

My 2018 Memphis DOT was supposed to arrive here today, but it was delivered to my older NYC address, so I have to go pick it up there. :##

goldtop0 · Jul 2, 2020

Minibucker said:
My 2018 Memphis DOT was supposed to arrive here today, but it was delivered to my older NYC address, so I have to go pick it up there. :##

A pic will be needed when you get it:2cool

Minibucker · Jul 2, 2020

Like this kind of blonde...could this be at least well approximated with a new production instrument, or is it really the aging that would have to be painstakingly recreated as if it were intended as a forgery?

brandtkronholm · Jul 3, 2020

Minibucker said:
Like this kind of blonde...could this be at least well approximated with a new production instrument, or is it really the aging that would have to be painstakingly recreated as if it were intended as a forgery?

The patina on that ES175 is definitely from years of playing. (Especially where the arm rests over the f-hole and also on the back above the waist.)
I wouldn't worry so much about the forgery thing. Loads of brand-new guitars are made to look old and worn.
I'm sure Historic Makeovers are capable of recreating the look of a well-worn blonde Gibson ES.
Find yourself a fine blonde Gibson and send it to Historic Makeovers for a refinish + relic job.

...and yes, pics of the Memphis DOT when you can!

Minibucker · Jul 3, 2020

brandtkronholm said:
The patina on that ES175 is definitely from years of playing. (Especially where the arm rests over the f-hole and also on the back above the waist.)
I wouldn't worry so much about the forgery thing. Loads of brand-new guitars are made to look old and worn.
I'm sure Historic Makeovers are capable of recreating the look of a well-worn blonde Gibson ES.
Find yourself a fine blonde Gibson and send it to Historic Makeovers for a refinish + relic job.

...and yes, pics of the Memphis DOT when you can!

Picking her up tonight.

<sigh><sigh>[sigh]....if only......

</sigh></sigh>

EdmundGTP · Jul 4, 2020

A little more yellow-ed ES fodder for ya. 1969 340 that I picked up recently. Not entirely original OBV.

brandtkronholm · Jul 4, 2020

That's a very cool ES340! :hank

EdmundGTP · Jul 4, 2020

brandtkronholm said:
That's a very cool ES340! :hank

Thanks! She was a bit of a project but I'm super pleased with the end result here. Closest I'll be getting to a vintage blonde unless my lottery plan works out.

Minibucker · Jul 5, 2020

That ES340 looks killer.

brandtkronholm said:
The patina on that ES175 is definitely from years of playing. (Especially where the arm rests over the f-hole and also on the back above the waist.)
I wouldn't worry so much about the forgery thing. Loads of brand-new guitars are made to look old and worn.
I'm sure Historic Makeovers are capable of recreating the look of a well-worn blonde Gibson ES.
Find yourself a fine blonde Gibson and send it to Historic Makeovers for a refinish + relic job.

...and yes, pics of the Memphis DOT when you can!

So she came in on Friday. Right off the bat, at .86" 1st fret to .99" 12th fret, the neck is by no means ruler thin, but since I haven't had a 335 for like 4 years now, I got so used to my R8's neck which is ginormous in comparison at .93" -1.01" with big shoulders, the shoulders I think being the key. So with that combined with the slightly narrower nut (1.687" on 335, 1.7 or so on R8) as well as much less shoulder and rolled binding, it makes the neck feel much smaller. Almost too small for my liking, but the guitar plays so effortlessly and sounds exactly what I always wanted an ES335 to sound, it makes up for it as there's no 'struggle' to play that would otherwise be exacerbated by a smaller neck. Got it from Wildwood, and I've always done well by them...they seem to select good examples to sell and they set it up nice.

The MHS II pickups and Memphis circuit seem to work great, high end is there all the way down the volume knob, but the sweep of the taper is much longer than with the RS Superpots on my R8. Anyway, I would have preferred a slightly bigger neck (again, not the huge neck on the '59 Reissues which are essentially same as my R8, and I just didn't like on a 335), but it plays and sounds so nice out of the gate, and that's the hardest things to get 'right' as far as I'm concerned, so she's a keeper. I'm sure I'll get used to the neck size as time goes bay. It doesn't hurt or cramp...if anything, I have to get used to squeezing less since the notes come out so easily. I find myself attacking 'harder' on my R8.

Been contemplating a neck recarve and 'standard' package from Historic Makeovers for a while anyway. Might do it now to bring the two more in line with neck size. Will also put aged Throbak covers on the 335, and may add a little aging to the bridge/tailpiece.

It's actually a more medium cherry indoors.....

goldtop0 · Jul 5, 2020

Good to see this cherry wonder......... play her with gusto and grace until your fingers ache......cos that's what we all do:lol
Yep the shoulders are the key when it comes to neck feel.

Minibucker · Jul 5, 2020

goldtop0 said:
Good to see this cherry wonder......... play her with gusto and grace until your fingers ache......cos that's what we all do:lol
Yep the shoulders are the key when it comes to neck feel.

Playing my gigantisaurus R8 neck exclusively for several years has definitely left some 'training scars'. I play the ES for a while, then switch to the R8 and it's like, "Did I just become a dwarf?"

EdmundGTP · Jul 6, 2020

Minibucker said:
That ES340 looks killer.

So she came in on Friday. Right off the bat, at .86" 1st fret to .99" 12th fret, the neck is by no means ruler thin, but since I haven't had a 335 for like 4 years now, I got so used to my R8's neck which is ginormous in comparison at .93" -1.01" with big shoulders, the shoulders I think being the key. So with that combined with the slightly narrower nut (1.687" on 335, 1.7 or so on R8) as well as much less shoulder and rolled binding, it makes the neck feel much smaller. Almost too small for my liking, but the guitar plays so effortlessly and sounds exactly what I always wanted an ES335 to sound, it makes up for it as there's no 'struggle' to play that would otherwise be exacerbated by a smaller neck. Got it from Wildwood, and I've always done well by them...they seem to select good examples to sell and they set it up nice.

The MHS II pickups and Memphis circuit seem to work great, high end is there all the way down the volume knob, but the sweep of the taper is much longer than with the RS Superpots on my R8. Anyway, I would have preferred a slightly bigger neck (again, not the huge neck on the '59 Reissues which are essentially same as my R8, and I just didn't like on a 335), but it plays and sounds so nice out of the gate, and that's the hardest things to get 'right' as far as I'm concerned, so she's a keeper. I'm sure I'll get used to the neck size as time goes bay. It doesn't hurt or cramp...if anything, I have to get used to squeezing less since the notes come out so easily. I find myself attacking 'harder' on my R8.

Been contemplating a neck recarve and 'standard' package from Historic Makeovers for a while anyway. Might do it now to bring the two more in line with neck size. Will also put aged Throbak covers on the 335, and may add a little aging to the bridge/tailpiece.

It's actually a more medium cherry indoors.....

Thanks and welcome back to the ES family! That cherry definitely looks like a keeper. I'm with you on aged covers and bridge/tail. Not a fan of perfect pristine metal hardware. All the chrome hardware on the ES-340 got switched out.

goldtop0 · Jul 6, 2020

Minibucker said:
Playing my gigantisaurus R8 neck exclusively for several years has definitely left some 'training scars'. I play the ES for a while, then switch to the R8 and it's like, "Did I just become a dwarf?"

As you know I'm a 'the fatter the neck the better' type guy so switching between my LPs, Tele and 335 is fun..........the LPs feel smaller because of the small shoulders on them.......with the R6 being .960" 1st fret:wah

Minibucker · Jul 6, 2020

goldtop0 said:
As you know I'm a 'the fatter the neck the better' type guy so switching between my LPs, Tele and 335 is fun..........the LPs feel smaller because of the small shoulders on them.......with the R6 being .960" 1st fret:wah

Looking at a couple Tele that have larger necks and bigger frets right now. So have you tried a '59 RI ES-335? The Nashville-made ones I had have necks like an R7/R8.

EdmundGTP said:
Thanks and welcome back to the ES family! That cherry definitely looks like a keeper. I'm with you on aged covers and bridge/tail. Not a fan of perfect pristine metal hardware. All the chrome hardware on the ES-340 got switched out.

:dude:

goldtop0 · Jul 6, 2020

Minibucker said:
Looking at a couple Tele that have larger necks and bigger frets right now. So have you tried a '59 RI ES-335? The Nashville-made ones I had have necks like an R7/R8.

:dude:

I've got the '14 Nashville '59 that I bought over from Tokyo during the lockdown(mid May) and it's .940 1st and 1.05 12th with big shoulders and a tad wider than the neck on my LPs.
If it wasn't for the neck width and shoulders it would feel much the same as my R6.

Minibucker · Jul 6, 2020

goldtop0 said:
I've got the '14 Nashville '59 that I bought over from Tokyo during the lockdown(mid May) and it's .940 1st and 1.05 12th with big shoulders and a tad wider than the neck on my LPs.
If it wasn't for the neck width and shoulders it would feel much the same as my R6.

That's pretty huge.

goldtop0 · Jul 6, 2020

Minibucker said:
That's pretty huge.

I haven't got big hands by any means and could still do with more in my left hand to fill it out a bit.
I'm currently checking a M2M possibility for a sunburst 335 with a fat neck spec that I would want, seeing if CS will do this at no upcharge as they just don't make 'em big and fat anymore:dang

Can't they do a vintage blonde right out of the gate?

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