Light weight ES-335 type guitar

[Jay Menon]

I have an old Yamaha SA700 (ES335 clone made in Japan) which is a truly beautiful guitar both in the way it plays and how it sounds. It does however, weigh 4kg, and with my bad neck is a bit of a problem for me.

As much as I'll miss my Yammy, I'm therefore looking for a 335 type guitar that is lightweight (7lbs or therabouts). The only ones I can find are the Collings i35 and SoCo - but they're both seriously expensive...

Any suggestions please?

[noblestone]

I have an I-35 Deluxe, and it may be the best guitar I've ever owned. It is incredibly versatile; the Lollars are perfect, not overwound and screaming, but warm and fat. The neck is thick, but fascile. These are slowly seeping into the used market, and prices are coming down a bit, especially for the standard (not deluxe) models, if you can find one. I'd save my money or sell something and buy a Collings I-35. If that's not possible, Gibson makes an ES-339 that can probably be bought used for significantly less, but I know nothing about it. Played one in a local shop for a few minutes and came away very satisfied that I owned the Collings.

Good luck.

[DAGGILARR]

Ibanez do a great range of 335 style guitars that weigh in at around that 7/8 pound mark, I have also heard that the Godin Kingpin is very light.

[zenguitar]

That big, solid, centre block is a big part of the sound. And those Yamaha SA's are very fine guitars indeed, so whatever way you go the bar is set very high already.

Left field alternative first. The problem isn't the guitar, it's the weight on your shoulder. And I just happen to recall that a decade or two ago some straps were made that carried the bulk of the weight on a hip belt. A quick search online found this site with the Hip Strap. They also offer a sling strap which has a shoulder strap but also carries some of the weight on a hip belt. It's Pat Pending in the USA, but I am sure I have seen the same idea before. And if it works, you can even consider that double neck guitar you always wanted

But if your mind is made up on a new guitar and you really can bear to part with your highly desirable SA700 here are a few suggestions to add to those above...

Don't forget to try a few Aria TA semis. Very well made, very affordable, and nice guitars all round. You can get a lot of guitar for very little cash. 70's and 80's versions in particular are highly recommended, they were made in the Matsumoko factory that was responsible for some of the best instruments of the day.

A Gibson ES330 will be a lot lighter. Similar design but fully hollow and lacking the centre block. Tonally it will be different, but it might work for you. Watch out for repaired necks, but don't worry if the job has been done well (although can help make a guitar more affordable). And the Epiphone version of the ES330 is the more famous Casino, a classic in it's own right, and much easier to find as it has been in regular production unlike the ES330 which was discontinued in the early 70's.

Andy

[Goddard]

Well, it's usually people tiring of the heft of a Les Paul and hence opting for the "lighter" 335 model...

That said, you might look for an Epiphone "LP ES" (Epi's version of the Gibson "custom shop" LP "Florentine" model) or the "LP Elite Limited Edition", which are semi-hollow archtop LP models with "f" holes.

I don't know about the extent of the center block in the Epi LP ES model (which has rear cover plates for control access like on the Gibson version) or its weight, but I do know that the LP Elite Ltd Edition model (which has no holes/cover plates in back) has only a small center block located below the bridge and stop tailpiece and is very light in weight while playing (and pretty much sustaining) just like a solidbody thin necked LP. Not easy to find as production was rather limited (only made in Korea for a few years during the '90s afaik).

You might also check out the current Vox range, they've added more semi-hollow models, very nice players and contoured for comfort as well.

The ES-330/Casino have P-90s and sound different from a 335/Sheraton type semi-hollowbody fitted with PAFs and a stop tailpiece, less sustain and more prone to feedback.

Gretsch, Ibanez, Epiphone and others offer hollow-body models fitted with humbuckers (although some come equipped with a Bigsby as standard, which adds to their weight).

Some of the Aria Pro TA series were pretty light iirc, but those may have been the models with bolt-on necks.

You might also try a Tele "Thinline" semi-hollowbody with humbuckers.

Hope your neck heals soon!

[caveman82]

There's the Gibson ES390 which is hollow instead of semi hollow. That could be a little lighter? It's also a smaller body too.

It's 5.3lbs

http://www.wildwoodguitars.com/products ... tegoryID=0

[Dr Huge Longjohns]

weigh 4kg, and with my bad neck is a bit of a problem for me.

As much as I'll miss my Yammy, I'm therefore looking for a 335 type guitar that is lightweight (7lbs or therabouts).

Mixing your scales here, but isn't 7lbs very close to 4kg? (Maths never was my strong subject?)

[Jay Menon]

Don't forget to try a few Aria TA semis. Very well made, very affordable, and nice guitars all round. You can get a lot of guitar for very little cash. 70's and 80's versions in particular are highly recommended, they were made in the Matsumoko factory that was responsible for some of the best instruments of the day.

Andy

Dear Andy,

Please tell me a bit more about the Aria semis - most interested Some one I know has for sale an Aria Pro II TA65 semi (made in Korea) that weighs only 2.8kgs (6lb 3oz) and I'm really tempted, but don't know enough about those guitars...

[zenguitar]

OK... until the mid 80's they were made in the Matsumoko factory and excellent instruments. After that production moved to Korea but they were still very good instruments. Over the years I've set-up many and the quality was consistently good, so you don't have to get obsessed with hunting down a Matsumoko version. If you pick one up and play it and it feels/sounds right to you, you can be confident.

Generally, the lower range models had bolt on necks, and the mid-top range ones set necks. One thing to watch for is that most had a centre block like a 335, but a few were without like a Casino. Confession time here, I'm a tech not a train spotter, so I am [email]cr@p[/email] at model names and numbers and the distinctions between different models. But a little research has confirmed that a TA65 would be a Korean instrument. I found one here on eBay that would make a good comparison with the one you know of. And I can certainly recommend that you try out the one you have been offered. What I can say with confidence is that they are generally well made instruments from decent materials and take a good set-up. You do get a lot of guitar for your money.

Andy

[Dynamic Mike]

I sold my Aria TA semi a long time ago, because I wasn't keen on the wine red translucent finish & the gold hardware (I'm just a simple chrome guy at heart). It was the second most stupid thing I've ever done.

[DAGGILARR]

Eastman Guitars These have a pretty good reputation

[Madman_Greg]

Have you established what is the ideal weight for you. I think this is the starting point.

ES330 / Casino come in around 6lbs. I know they are P90 based.

[Frisonic]

Confession time here, I'm a tech not a train spotter, Andy

Is why so many people use this forum for top drawer guitar related advice...

[Jay Menon]

Thanks Guys - I bought the guitar (which incidentally was the same one that Andy 'linked' to).

It's a hollow body, without a centre block, just a small block to hold the tune-o-matic bridge - so I suppose more like an ES-330 than an ES-335 (but with humbuckers). Best of all, it weighs only 2.7kg (5lb 15oz)

I then brought it to my guitar tech Eltham for him to take a look at it. Imagine my delight when he tells me he wants first refusal on this guitar if I ever decide to sell it, which obviously now I won't...

Looks like I got lucky with this one

[Jumpeyspyder]

Sounds great, Congratulations on your new guitar !

I hope you have lots of fun with it.

[zenguitar]

Glad you found something you like.

And when you see Eltham next tell him I said 'Hi'.

Andy

[Dynamic Mike]

Sounds like you got exactly what you were looking for. For people who can see beyond the logo there are still some little gems out there. Good luck with it.