Gibson ES-335 Figured Semi-hollowbody Electric Guitar - Iced Tea Reviews

I have played Stratocasters and the occasional telecaster for the better part of 30 years. Recently, I took a chance on a Gibson R0 (custom shop '60 Les Paul) and it was eye opening how easily it played, and how full the sound was. So the next logical step for me was to take home a figured ES-335 and see what all of the fuss was about. The day it arrived, I couldn't physically put it down. Even unplugged, the sustain this guitar musters is not something I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Tuning is very stable, the intonation spot on, the weight is also considerably less than even the modern Les Paul's with weight relief. Another quality of this 335 is that it balances very well while playing. Other semi-hollow models can be neck heavy, but not the case with this Gibson. I have purchased several 'demo' model guitars like this one from Sweetwater. I can honestly say that I've never had an issue with the quality or condition of their demo models. I was able to scoop up this guitar when it was discounted as a demo. What an incredible guitar! Thanks to Brad Jahn and the Sweetwater folks for getting my new favorite guitar to me quickly and safely!

I made a point of reading all of the other reviews regarding the Figured Iced Tea ES-335, and realized there is not much more that I can say in terms of how amazing this guitar is. The fit and finish is perfect, and it looks even more beautiful in person than it did on the website. I love the Calibrated T-Type pickups but they sound quite different than the Burstbuckers (1&2) in my Satin Cherry ES-335 and my R8 Les Paul. They sound cleaner, and crisper to my ear, although I'll stop short of saying "brighter" because sometimes people equate bright with shrill or harsh, which these pickups definitely are not. Another thing that I love about this guitar is how very small changes in the volume controls yield amazing tonal changes in the middle position.
Definitely a lot of money for a guitar (I had to sell one to help pay for it), but if you're looking for a top-shelf ES-335, you can't get much better than this.
A quick shout out to my rep Brad for always looking out for me and getting this guitar to my doorstep the very next day.

I love everything about this tone machine. I play for a living. Finally pulled the trigger. Love the pickups.
Now I go broke wanting more Gibsons…

This guitar is obviously beautiful and it plays as good as it looks! The two humbuckers allow you to get a rich vintage blues sound or a pointed lead rif - or anything in between. And the service from Sweetwater and Tony has been beyond expectation. I ordered the exact one I wanted one afternoon via phone and it was at my door the next morning at 10 am. It arrived in perfect condition. Sweetwater is a head above others and this guitar is also.

She's never even bought me a guitar pick and on Christmas morning there it is…, a Gibson case and inside a Teaburst 335. I had a dot that was knocked over and the neck snapped…. I was in church so I held my sailor's tongue. I was so upset that when my local luthier said he could glue it back I didn't want it… traded it towards a PRS and have regretted that decision for the past 20+ years. Well my wife has put an end to that regret.

I want to thank Ryan Murray and the Sweetwater team for sending me a great guitar that was set up perfectly. Gibson is back on track and shipping out really nice guitars. My new es335 figured in ice tea burst not only looks sweet but it plays smooth and sounds like a Gibson should.I love the pickups, they give me all the tones I expected .Thanks again Sweetwater.

I've owned this guitar for four months as of this review. I have several other guitars including a Fender Strat, a Custom Shop Tele, a really nice Les Paul Custom, and a Carvin Super Strat with a Floyd Rose trem. That said, everybody has the right to a favorite guitar. This one is mine. It plays like a dream. It's so good that I've found myself playing much more, and with a renewed excitement for my instrument. When a guitar is built with extreme attention to detail it feels inexplicably right in your hands. I especially notice it in the neck and the way the frets end so smoothly on the top and bottom of the fretboard. It never catches or drags as I change neck positions. The guitar has an impeccable finish. The action is perfect. There is no buzz anywhere. It is comfortable to hold, and not too heavy.

Then we get to the tone. The tone. The tone. Seriously, it has the tone. A remarkable variability between the neck pickup's warmth, a smooth middle setting with both pickups, and the bridge position that cuts through with authority. Each voice different, yet each one of them makes me a happier human being. I'm primarily playing it through a Marshall DSL40, although I've also used my Vox AC30 and a little Positive Grid Spark Amp when I travel. I get so many compliments about how it sounds that I'm just getting numb to it. I have to give credit where credit is due, and many times it's not me, it's the guitar.

This guitar inspires me, and I'm glad I sold a bunch of my other gear to drop the $4K on this guitar. It's so worth it.

Three years ago, I bought a vintage burst Gibson 335. When my son-in-law was visiting, he picked it up and played it and loved it. He started a part-time band in the San Diego area, so let him "borrow" it, but knew it was really a gift. When my wife and I were recently visiting our second oldest daughter, son-in-law and one of our granddaughters, I picked up the Gibson vintage burst 335 and played it. I totally forgot how nice it sounded as well how it felt playing it again. That got the old brain focusing on buying a new one. Several years ago, I started building my own guitars and sold most of the factory bought electric guitars I owned (14 total). However, playing the Gibson 335 and again seeing the build and finish it was time to buy a Gibson. Out of the 8 electric guitars I currently own, the only factory models I have, are the new Gibson ES 335 figured guitar in iced tea finish, and a Gibson Flying V 1958 reissue. The new Gibson ES 335 didn't disappoint, and it is a beautify built guitar that feels and plays great. I am happy with the T-type Humbuckers installed and will leave it just the way I bought it since in my use, it is an excellent semi-hollow guitar. Sometimes, you cannot truly replicate a factory-built guitar and the two Gibson's I own are those kinds of guitars.
Thanks

Itching for a 335 for 20 years or so. Finally bought this guitar in March 2022. Amazing playability, setup, and intonation from the factory. The neck is perfectly chunky but very comfortable. Tones are as versatile as it gets. I primarily play funk, rock, and metal and it does the job perfectly. The body is beautiful and resonant and the pickups sound stellar. Extremely sensitive to player input. This guitar blows away my 2004 PRS Custom 22 in sound and feel. Love it and will keep it forever. You should probably get one too.

This was a once in a lifetime purchase for me.
Well worth the wait.

This guitar meets and exceeds all my expectations.

The neck is very comfortable & effortless.

So pleased

Well deserved thanks to Josh Hacker who bent over backwards helping me find the right guitar.

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First off Id like to thank Riley for the pleasent buying experience It has been a pleasure doing buisness with you.
I started looking at this model guitar last year. I have A strat American pro ash body maple neck.And a Rarities top shelf tele, A Gibson les paul Iced tea Standard. All are awsome playing guitars. But this guitar is a step up beyond anything Ive played before.
I"m 59. Been playing since I was 12. I like the clean ,bluesy even southern rock and country sounds but my roots are in Gospal. Playing at home and church when work allows is my venue.
I said all that not to boast but to show what I can compare this guitar to. I have an Ibanez As93 I bought to curb my es335 desire. With as much money in upgrades as guitar cost it is now an awsome guitar.
But all of those guitars are a step or two below the quality,sound and tone of this guitar. It resonates. I play leed by ear mostly, and the tones and soul I'm getting out of this guitar through my tone master are the stuff singers and musicians dream about. You cannot go wrong with one of these guitars. Gibson has also done a outstanding Job with the finish. The frettboard is one smooth sweet piece of work and the Gibson deluxe tuners have a little bit extra that says quality when your fingers are on the knobs. The finish is beautiful. I only have one gripe. And its the same with Ibanez and Gretch. The pickgaurds are flimsy on the Bridge side. I notice it more because my hand rests on it while playing. Perhaps theirs a good heavier aftermarket version I can find. If it annoys me enough Ill just remove it.
All in all A big well done to Gibson. And a thanks again to Riley and sweetwater for helping me to realize a dream come true. But mostly Thank you Jesus. Ill do my best to praise you with it.
God bless you all.

On February 17th, I received my Iced Tea figured maple front and back ES335! It is a beautiful instrument. I am able to get great tones from this instrument. I waited for a long time to receive this guitar due to a slow down at the factory because of COVID and very cold shipping conditions. It was worth the wait!
I will have this instrument on the road when I am heading to my next praise and worship concert with JC & Company! I can use the same setup that I normally use with my acoustic/electric guitar. Also, I can get the same sounds from this instrument as I can from my acoustic/electric guitar.
I would like to thank Mr. Mark Bruhn, my sales engineer, Miss Tamie Collins, my assistant sales engineer, for all of their assistance regarding this purchase. Also, I would like to thank Mr. Andrew Hoskins for all of his input and assistance. It was a long road, but it was worth it.
If you are looking for an instrument that will meet just about any of your musical needs, the ES335 is the way to go! It can cover all genres of music with ease! I can truly say that, "I love (THIS) iced tea!"

I received my Gibson ES-335 Figured - Iced Tea and it was everything I hoped for. It is a beautiful guitar, blemish free with an awesome sound. While it is hard to see in the photos the figuring and finish are awesome. My Representative, Matthew Langston, did a fantastic job, yet again, making this happen.

I did have a shock when I received the guitar. A gash in the outer and inner boxes and a hole in the case. Luckily, shipment and forklifts are a game of inches, and my guitar was spared damage. It would have been a very sad day. Tony Templeton, in the Sweetwater Guitar Workshop, sprang into action and has me lined up for a replacement case.

Thank you to the team at Sweetwater.

I'm 67 and have held a lot of guitars. I knew what I was ordering those many months ago, and I am pleased to say that this instrument exceeds my expectations. I have been staring at it for 2 days and it is blemish free. It plays like one would expect. The extra that put me over the top is that it appears as though whoever laid out the wood for the guitar used 4 consecutive pieces of wonderfully striated veneer for inner as well as exterior top and back woods.

I would like to add a special thanks to my rep, Dave Snow, for his knowledge and patience.