The Gibson 335: Its History and Its Players [Paperback]

Adrian Ingram (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2006

Gibson's first "semi-acoustic" the ES-335, which was neither totally solid nor fully acoustic, is the guitar of choice used by many famous guitarists such as Andy Summers, Elvin Bishop, Lee Ritenour, Jay Graydon, Robben Ford, Freddie King, John McLaughin, Jimmy Page, Chuck Berry, Tony Mottola, Johnny Rivers, Jack Wilkins, Bono, Grant Green, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Alvin Lee, B.B. King, Emily Remler, Otis Rush, Pete Townshend, John Lee Hooker, and Larry Carlton. This book includes the complete history of the 335, the players, a beautiful color section, chronology, shipping totals and more. A must-have for every 335 player and guitar enthusiast or collector!

Product Details

• Paperback: 120 pages
• Publisher: Centerstream Publications (June 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1574241451
• ISBN-13: 978-1574241457
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #803,577 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The 335 Gets Its Due, November 19, 2006

By 

Myles H. Kitchen "Myles H Kitchen" (Santa Cruz, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Gibson 335: Its History and Its Players (Paperback)

I thoroughly enjoyed Adrian's view of the history of the 335 and its variants. Having grown up in the "335 era" and selling guitars for a time, I related to many of the historic factors highlighted in the book that impacted the success of this wonderful instrument. I also learned a lot about one of my favorite guitars in this too-brief history. I wish there had been more attention given to some of the smaller technical details of various years and changes, along with even more pictures (both B&W and color), as well as set-up details and recommendations that were not included. However what I did find in this book was very informative and useful in helping me correctly restore my own 60's ES-355TDC. I also would have liked to have seen more interviews with famous 335 players. But, as the only source of focused info on the 335 series that I know of, this is a "must-have" reference. Thanks for filling this void Adrian!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Gibson 335 and Players, October 28, 2008

By 

Michael S. Jackson "Bohonkie" (South Weber, Utah) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Gibson 335: Its History and Its Players (Paperback)

Good book, but a bit short. Lots of pictures. Considering it's the only book I've found devoted to the 335, it's a must have, but would have liked more information.

4.0 out of 5 stars The Story of the Guitar Heard Around the World, September 12, 2010

By 

Blue Ox "Al" (Kalamazoo, MI, USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Gibson 335: Its History and Its Players (Paperback)

To have an entire book written about a specific type of guitar, that guitar type must be really something, and the Gibson ES-335 has proven worthy over the many years since its introduction. The author covers various aspects of the ES-335 from its origin, construction, parts, versions, copies, and players. Since I bought a new Gibson ES-335 back in 1980, I can understand what makes this instrument so appealing to so many musicians. It is a guitar that can produce great sounds in a variety of styles. As a blues/R&B/soul music fan, I wanted a sound that I heard on many a record at the time. As I checked out my kind of music, I found many players who were playing and recording with the ES-type of guitar. Most played Gibson ES-style guitars, but several played other brands that followed the Gibson prototype, such as: Epiphone (owned by Gibson), Guild, Gretsch, etc. The book mentions these other brands, including Heritage which was started by former Gibson employees in 1985 and which is still made in the original Gibson factory in Kalamazoo, MI. And yes, they are still making ES-335-style guitars with their H535 and H555 models two examples. Guitarists that play ES-type guitars who have inspired me over the years include: B.B. King, Jimmy Dawkins, Magic Sam, Freddie King, Eddie Clearwater, Little Milton, Lowell Fulson, Otis Rush, Jimmy Johnson, W.C. Clark, Luther Allison, Maurice John Vaughn, Walter "Wolfman" Washington, Rusty Zinn, Jim McCarty, and Del Shannon. The book includes many photos of ES-335 and other versions, along with the pros that play or played them. My only negative on the book is the author's inclusion of a few guitarists that were not true long-term ES-335 players, but only played the instrument for a relative short time.