I found one of these at a local store and bought it immediately after playing it for 15 minutes. Hands down one of the finest and best sounding guitars I’ve played. Also my favorite Epiphone in my collection….my collection consists of Gibson, Fender, PRS, Gretsch, Epiphones and a vintage 1966 Fender Mustang
Got one of this for a while, mine got quite nice wood grain on both sides. After comparing to my Memphis ‘58 335 and my friend’s Murphy Lab 335, I would say this JB 335 really worth the money. The built quality in detail is much better than the Memphis one and not bad compared with the ML one; the playability is just as great as the other two; the resonance and sound is not as great as the other two but quite very close. I love this guitar.
I bought one of these the day it was released and it is by far the nicest Epiphone I have ever played. According to the specs, those are CTS pots and the pickup selector switch and output jack are Switchcraft. This is basically an Epiphone shell with Gibson under the hood. Considering the specs, I believe it is easily worth $1,300. On top of that, mine plays like a dream. I enjoyed your review.
Me and my friend compared this with a lot other 335s, the major difference between this one and the other Gibson ones is the logo😂 and the this one got better quality in details than most other Gibson ones, for example, better handled F hole edges.
These should really come with the custom made plate in the case, so you can choose to fit it or not, after all they were only a bodge in the first place
Super excited to see this! I posted an honest video review/demo of this on my channel and agree it’s well worth the price for those like me looking for a nice high end Epi and adding a 335 to the collection. Fretwork on mine was surprisingly good and the trem even keeps tune decently well for light warbles. Considering a regular Epi ES-335 is $600, burstbuckers $300, upgraded wiring harness $100, hard case $100, plus the one piece neck, block inlays, and trem system and the money spent to have the work done the $1300 price ain’t too bad. Plus many dealers offer a 15% discount so you can get it for $1100. Considering cheapest Gibson ES-335 is $3000. I’m more than happy with this JB signature.
Found one of these in a local music store in vancouver wa, after playing it for about 10 minutes and comparing it with Gibson 335s at 3 times the price, I’m not sure why anyone would buy the Gibsons as they did not play better or sound better. This is truly a great guitar and is now my main guitar.
Signature as in globalbluesbreaker criseases times almost 3 million if they sell as maybe hotter pups dunno but I wish al good fun now I'm thinking jam 2 Kerry Livgren album seeds of change with Ronny James Dio, Gday🎶👍
I thought you were a trifle unfair with that one Trogly! I didn’t think it was overpriced, it’s a beautiful looking guitar and sounded lovely. Keep up the great show.
After watching your review (and a few lesser ones), I bought not one but TWO JB '62 Reissue 335s! a block-inlay model to play, and an inlaid-signature model from JBs store to stash as an investment. I cannot believe the fit and finish of my block-inlay model!! Fret-wire don't bite. Burstbuckers and five plies of maple provide that big 335 sound. Beautiful attention to detail. a 💯💯💯
Thank you for your review. I own a Joe B. Epi Firebird one, and an Amos V. Both are high quality instruments and were clearly made in special production. The new Joe B. appears to be a stock inspired by Epi 335 with adds of a maestro and custom plaque. No rosewood fingerboard etc. I passed on this one.
I think if you can’t have rosewood, laurel after putting some fretboard conditioner on (it looks like really dry rosewood without it) is better than pao ferro, which sometimes looks orange.
I'm actually a fan of Pau Ferro, though I don’t picture it being a good fit for Gibsons/Epis. It’s good for tone on Strats and Fender basses, somewhere between the snap of maple and the blooming of rosewood. And some examples have good character lines. Bottom line, if it was good enough for SRV, it’s good enough for me.
just got this guitar and have to comment how awesome this guitar is - playability out of the box was good, though prefer my own setup with a lil bit higher strings & slinky 8's - BUT the pickups are awesome, neck is fabulous, this guitar rocks! Some feel this expensive but for what you get, and a cool nerdville case - YOU cannot go wrong if you like 335's! (andJoe B put his name on it!= WOW!) Was hesitant at first thinking this is just another signature guitar but...... no! LOVE YOUR VIDS BTW!
I may be in a group of one but I much prefer the old Epiphone Headstock shape. I've got a 2011 Les Paul 60's Tribute with Gibson USA '57 Classic, '57 Classic Plus Humbuckers and the 1960's Slim Taper neck. I think the old headstock shape gives it it's own vibe as opposed to the newer, I'm nearly a Gibson look. Does anyone agree or disagree? Just my thoughts 😀.
This guitar is not over priced. I bought one and having played a Gibson 335 I could not tell the difference. It's a beautiful guitar and it performs beautifully. I have a Gibson les Paul standard and I prefer the JB eph 335. It's a comfortable guitar to play. Rock, country, jazz and blues, it does it all.
Keep telling that to yourself to feel better lmao. It's just an Epiphone and they couldnt even get the Horns right which makes it just a regular Epiphone.
I have always wanted a Gibson 335 but never really been able to afford one. Having seen this Guitar advertised I have today been to try one at a local music store. On the first viewing, it looks wonderful particularly with the vintage whammy bar. The neck wasn’t really to my taste a little wide, I would prefer that 60s profile. However, the action was very good and it played well. The pick ups are absolutely superb and playing with a little gain on the amp delivers great rock and blues tones! However, looking at the body and the finish I very much felt that this was a stock Epiphone Guitar with a few quality additions. The finish of the wood on the model I tried was quite bland and with no binding the guitar was quite ordinary. I think for the money I would be expecting a much higher quality finish. I decided not to buy on this basis. My feeling was that I could probably find an Epiphone with a lovely finish somewhere and add some Gibson pick ups to get me a few step closer to 335, but on a budget. sounds great finish not really up to standard
What's your opinions on the Epiphone Wildkat Royal? I hunted down a limited white and gold model, and with them ending production, I'm hoping it values well.
Ive heard alot about this guitar that its to pricy. I have worked on or built thousands of guitars. This ax is a steel at 1300. For all who disagree, you try making one. Anyway, beautiful guitar and im not sure about what tooling markes could be on the fretboard. After a certin point tools dont go down there. I love mine
I think it is a good idea to release a semi hollow guitar this year after a couple of Les Pauls. However with that pricepoint you come quite close to other brands like e.g. the Eastman T486. And then you can consider to save some more money and buy something like this. The other thing is that I am not sure if the Burstbuckers 2 and 3 are right for an ES-335. In my LP Lazarus that I have they are really good and I like them a lot. But maybe they are too bright for the semi hollow type of guitar.
Sounds good, looks ok. But I'm not sure this Epi Bonamassa 335 is worth $1800CAD (Canada), the same price as a new US made Gibson Tribute Les Paul. The used market is full of Gibson 335s with buyers still trying to recover original cost, selling into in a falling market. Give it a year and there'll be some great deals on used US made Gibson 335s. If you can borrow $1800, you can borrow $3000.
I love my JB 335 and it plays great. But, for the money it really should have been a rosewood or ebony fretboard. That was the only thing I didn’t like. Otherwise it definitely competes with my Gibson ES-335. It did need fret polishing like any epiphone I’ve ever bought.
Have you ever reviewed a Fender Guitar with a set neck. If not you should try to get one to review. I would like to see what you think of one . We have all seen a Fender Guitar with a three bolt neck, but I don't know about one with a set neck.
My favorite guitar to play is my Epiphone 335, over my Gibson LP (standard) and Fender Tele. If I was in the market for a second 335, I would get this is a heartbeat. That is personal preference tho!
Joe Bonamasa is an outstanding guitarist, one of my all time favorites. but I wonder how much actual input he, or any guitarist. has on the so called signature series guitars that are produced. because in the end the manufacturers are gonna build the guitars the way they want anyway. recently Epiphone has really stepped up their game, Gibson had better watch out. got to see some of your Travis picking skill in the demo, impressive.
@@grey_video That's right. I remember that Matt Heafy mentioned that he wanted the Axcess neck joint in his Origin Les Paul signature, but Epiphone ended up putting the modern neck joint in his guitars instead, supposedly because it was better than what he was asking for.
I suspect that there's a fair bit of back and forth on specs and price. Gibson starts off with a target price point, and the artist starts off with a wish list, and if the wish list can't be manufactured and sold at the target price point then the negotiations start - what will the artist give up to reach the target price? I image that most artists would concede on heel design over, say, pickups. But in cases like this, when Gibson is "reissuing" an old guitar, especially as an Epiphone, I would say that Gibson is more likely to say "this is what we can do, take it or leave it".
@@pulaski1 That makes sense, especially when it comes to Gibson. with their ungodly price's on their guitars. the artist doesn't probably get to many concessions. when Trogly tried to get a guitar from the made to order program. they wouldn't build it and he wasn't wanting it to be too outrageous. I guess the manufacturer probably has the upper hand in these situations.
Hey man. One point to comment on the specs is that if you look at the size and placement of the pickguard in Joes or in an original, the pickguard is supposed to go all the way up to the heel and horn. Look at the gap that’s left in the epiphone. That’s just dead wrong. And that happened too in the Clapton Crossroads. Just thought I bring it up. Take care.
I've seen the full pickguard and the shorter one like on this Epiphone on lots of Gibson es335..dunno why Gibson has a short and long pickguard..but I've seen both styles..
@@nikkimagnusson9437 there are some cases like the Clapton crossroads that go beyond the pickguard where the size and shape of the horns are dead wrong. In the case of the Joe I think it’s a fairly expensive guitar for an epiphone and they should mail something as basic as pickguard placement because it’s not subtle at all. Just saying if they claim they’re getting better actions and attention to detail speak louder than words.
I have the Gary Clark Jr Casino which used Gibson hardware and it’s a fine guitar. These higher specced Epiphone’s are great but they don’t have the same quality finish as a Gibson.
For about the same price you could buy a used genuine Gibson ES-333 made in the USA at the Gibson Memphis shop. I found one for $1,400...Amazing guitar!
Very nice guitar! 🤩👍 Just that 'Custom Made' thingie looks a bit out-of-place to me. And I believe the clean 'Middle' playing demo is actually the 'Neck' one and vice versa, at least to _my_ ears 😉
@@cataclysmicconverter The Japanese (Terada) Pro-line Gretsches can give most brands' custom shop versions a run for their money at about half the price (around $3-4K). The QC is stellar.
I disagree. It is expensive for an Epiphone, but it has some nice touches, like the Gibson pickups. I don't buy artist copy guitars, but for Joe fans that adds a bit more value. Or spend $3,500 for a Gibson.
@@ursafan40 I guess epiphone made these for the ones that disagree. I bought a regular epiphone es335 for $599, added a set of Dimarzio 59 pafs for $150 for the set and bought an epiphone hardshell case for $129, that's $780 altogether and not only does it play great but it sounds great as well for well under $1299. Spend that ridiculous amount if you want but personally I think it's stupid. I don't understand people that buy epiphones at these prices, I mean if you could save $1300 then why not save twice as long and buy a real Gibson ES-335 for $2799??? Doesn't make sense to me.
@srh361 why do you care what guitars people buy? You really have your panties in a bunch over an over priced guitar while telling people to buy a gibson, the Harley Davidson of guitar brands, the king of over priced guitars.
Here in Canada this guitar is $1,779.00 + sales tax = $2,010 Total. That is absolutely crazy expensive for an Epiphone with an Indian Laurel fretboard. Not in a million years will I be buying one of these puppies, Bonamassa case or not! Save a bit longer and hunt for a used Gibson 335.
There was a gold top black pickguard that was his first signature for some reason oddly enough I looked up his first signature out of curiosity no longer than a week ago.. what a strange coincidence. I don't remember but a RUclips short of some type made me look it up because I was curious what his first signature was... I think this short was an old interview talking about how he'll never have kids and this will be the closest thing to having a kid on Gibson approached him with his first signature
Salutations Austin! Pretty nice instrument altogether, but it would have been just a little bit nicer with an ebony fretboard, since rosewood has gotten difficult to export from China 🇨🇳 lately, but ebony they don’t seem to have a problem exporting. Pau Ferro was not a wood that was in use by Epiphone or Gibson back in 1962, but ebony and rosewood were. It would be just a bit more authentic with an ebony fretboard, in my opinion, and I am a bit surprised that Joe didn’t insist on it. It certainly is a nice bright red finish. I purchased a Casino this last summer, and it has a Pau Ferro fretboard and is actually a pretty nice guitar, but I do not currently own a 335 yet, one of these may be a great addition to my collection. Thank you for posting these videos! Please have an excellent and awesome day! ☀️✨🎸
A tad expensive but sounds good. In your demo playing the distorted tone would maybe have smoothed out by backing the volume off on the guitar. Also good test of the taper of the pots since it's a sort of vintage reissue. Great Show!
This is the first time I have seen one of those "CUSTOM MADE" plaques up close. Are the original Gibson ones as janky and low-res looking as that one is?
why would anyone other than Joe Bonamassa want a guitar that had "Joe Bonamassa" written into the fretboard? I don't get it. anybody??? future resale value maybe? as a guy who grew up in the '60s and paid $150 for my red SG Special (still got it), I have a REAL hard time with the concept of a $1300 Epiphone.
Well I don't think comparing things that were made and sold 60 years ago to things that are made and sold now is very fair. What was a car worth in the 60s? What's a car sell for now?
@@216trixie since when was the music or musical instrument business about what's fair? but yeah, that $150 SG was even more expensive than my first car! I also had a 1969 Marshall (non-plexi) 100W Super Lead head. cost an astronomical $390 brand new in 1970. sold it to a friend a year later for $350. he still has it.
I’d love to see you review and demo the new Epiphone Riviera and Crestwood Custom Tremotone. I’ve been thinking about one or both of them since I can’t afford (or even find) an original.
Hey trogly i tried to find those custom made plaques to buy at a decent price, i plan on putting that on my pseudo 335 for when i install a bigsby on it, but i couldnt find it anywhere, do you know where i can get one of those plaques? Only found a site offering it by 23 bucks, for a piece of plastic feels like a rip off lol. ps: this guitar if mine is a model from Condor (JC - 501 i got a few years ago that is for the most part just a copy of the 335 except for the wiring which doesnt have traditional 4 pots lol. Pretty damm good guitar for the low budget price, i heard Gibson forced them to stop producing it, i tested it vs a proper Gibson and she did gave the gibs a ran for its money, you should document one of those should you ever come across one.
You missed the gold top Joe Bonamassa Epiphone Les Paul as the first one, not the phelam blue. I have one and its of great quality. I was not impressed with Lazarus JB model compared to the hype!
I have 2 Epiphone "Inspired by" and they're amazing value for their price. But this is basically a regular 335, which costs about half, and a few bits added to apparently make it more Bona-fide - and that's mainly the pricetag.... By comparison, an Alex Lifeson Les Paul costs far less, even though it has some serious specs, like the Ghost Floyd Rose alone, with all the options that gives the player. Buy a regular 335, and just mod it 😎👍
Down the road when these are all sold, you will end up being able to sell one for at least what you paid. So there's no reason to lose your mind over buying a new one now for $1300. Relax and spend your money your way.
2000 units, worldwide, been out for a year. These will be as popular as the rest in time for mine. Hollowbody's attract a wider range of players than solid bodys tend to. International fans face a poor exchange rate & freight costs which can see this model arriving at your door for an outlay of $2200 plus $500 freight for a total of $2700 Australian dollars in my example. For that money, I can get USA made GIbsons & Fenders which raises a number of questions.
It looks like a great guitar. Epiphone is a good guitar and if that is better than some of the epi clinkers I've picked up, price might be ok. Just not a lover of Joe's music so...?
Thanks for watching tonight!
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I found one of these at a local store and bought it immediately after playing it for 15 minutes. Hands down one of the finest and best sounding guitars I’ve played. Also my favorite Epiphone in my collection….my collection consists of Gibson, Fender, PRS, Gretsch, Epiphones and a vintage 1966 Fender Mustang
Got one of this for a while, mine got quite nice wood grain on both sides. After comparing to my Memphis ‘58 335 and my friend’s Murphy Lab 335, I would say this JB 335 really worth the money. The built quality in detail is much better than the Memphis one and not bad compared with the ML one; the playability is just as great as the other two; the resonance and sound is not as great as the other two but quite very close. I love this guitar.
I've never seen anyone who has an eye for detail like our esteemed host. 👍
I picked up a regular epiphone es 335 a few weeks ago. Brilliant guitar, love playing it.
Best guitar on the market for the money!
I bought one of these the day it was released and it is by far the nicest Epiphone I have ever played. According to the specs, those are CTS pots and the pickup selector switch and output jack are Switchcraft. This is basically an Epiphone shell with Gibson under the hood. Considering the specs, I believe it is easily worth $1,300. On top of that, mine plays like a dream. I enjoyed your review.
Me and my friend compared this with a lot other 335s, the major difference between this one and the other Gibson ones is the logo😂 and the this one got better quality in details than most other Gibson ones, for example, better handled F hole edges.
I found one for $795 used with a very minor neck crack (from shipping) that was professionally repaired ...I'm digging it BIG TIME!
These should really come with the custom made plate in the case, so you can choose to fit it or not, after all they were only a bodge in the first place
Welcome back everyone! Hope it’s been a great holiday weekend for everyone
There was actually a gold top in 2013, the Pelham blue was the 2nd year of his Epiphone run
Thanks! Must be the blue ones were the first he sold by himself on his website
A friend of mine had one a studio gold top with burstbuckers, I think that was the first time I heard burstbuckers. Nice guitar
Super excited to see this! I posted an honest video review/demo of this on my channel and agree it’s well worth the price for those like me looking for a nice high end Epi and adding a 335 to the collection.
Fretwork on mine was surprisingly good and the trem even keeps tune decently well for light warbles.
Considering a regular Epi ES-335 is $600, burstbuckers $300, upgraded wiring harness $100, hard case $100, plus the one piece neck, block inlays, and trem system and the money spent to have the work done the $1300 price ain’t too bad. Plus many dealers offer a 15% discount so you can get it for $1100. Considering cheapest Gibson ES-335 is $3000. I’m more than happy with this JB signature.
Found one of these in a local music store in vancouver wa, after playing it for about 10 minutes and comparing it with Gibson 335s at 3 times the price, I’m not sure why anyone would buy the Gibsons as they did not play better or sound better. This is truly a great guitar and is now my main guitar.
That Maestro actually has the correct angle on the hardened metal curl. Gibson ones don't have the correct angle. Epiphone actually got it right.
I like the look, sweet red color & it sounds great. The price is steep for an Epiphone regardless if it’s a signature model.
Signature as in globalbluesbreaker criseases times almost 3 million if they sell as maybe hotter pups dunno but I wish al good fun now I'm thinking jam 2 Kerry Livgren album seeds of change with Ronny James Dio, Gday🎶👍
Thanks for not doing an established title add !
So cool! My new ES 339 from Sweetwater had minimal QC issues. Which makes me happy cuz I haven't had the best guitar ordering luck.
I always found the ES-339 to be a better size guitar.
@@OhGawdHesGotAGun this is my first experience with one. I've only owned solid body guitars. I feel like I was missing out realizing how cool they are
I was surprised how the 339 inspired me to play a little differently.
Now this the video I was looking for
Quite a weekend, two Trogly's videos in a day (at my part of the world that is) LOL
I got two yesterday 😁
Yaaaaaay Sweetwater is BACK! 🤘🏻🎸
Thank you for your show!
That guitar is gorgeous!
I thought you were a trifle unfair with that one Trogly! I didn’t think it was overpriced, it’s a beautiful looking guitar and sounded lovely. Keep up the great show.
After watching your review (and a few lesser ones), I bought not one but TWO JB '62 Reissue 335s! a block-inlay model to play, and an inlaid-signature model from JBs store to stash as an investment.
I cannot believe the fit and finish of my block-inlay model!! Fret-wire don't bite. Burstbuckers and five plies of maple provide that big 335 sound. Beautiful attention to detail. a 💯💯💯
And you paid for some Chinese weapons that they intend to use to kill you!!! GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!
Thank you for your review. I own a Joe B. Epi Firebird one, and an Amos V. Both are high quality instruments and were clearly made in special production. The new Joe B. appears to be a stock inspired by Epi 335 with adds of a maestro and custom plaque. No rosewood fingerboard etc.
I passed on this one.
I didn’t.. I bought it!!
Looks and sounds great. The only thing I don’t like is the trem / bar. I may just stick to a regular Epi 335.
It sounds truly awesome with some gain. I was quite surprised how good it sounded, tbh.
I think if you can’t have rosewood, laurel after putting some fretboard conditioner on (it looks like really dry rosewood without it) is better than pao ferro, which sometimes looks orange.
Laurel is definitely better than Pau ferro
I've recently found out about Purpleheart wood. I like it a lot, but I still think ebony is the best for fingerboards.
@@darksu6947 yes, some brand call that amaranth. Definitely can match ebony if dyed right.
I'm actually a fan of Pau Ferro, though I don’t picture it being a good fit for Gibsons/Epis. It’s good for tone on Strats and Fender basses, somewhere between the snap of maple and the blooming of rosewood. And some examples have good character lines. Bottom line, if it was good enough for SRV, it’s good enough for me.
just got this guitar and have to comment how awesome this guitar is - playability out of the box was good, though prefer my own setup with a lil bit higher strings & slinky 8's - BUT the pickups are awesome, neck is fabulous, this guitar rocks! Some feel this expensive but for what you get, and a cool nerdville case - YOU cannot go wrong if you like 335's! (andJoe B put his name on it!= WOW!) Was hesitant at first thinking this is just another signature guitar but...... no! LOVE YOUR VIDS BTW!
I may be in a group of one but I much prefer the old Epiphone Headstock shape. I've got a 2011 Les Paul 60's Tribute with Gibson USA '57 Classic, '57 Classic Plus Humbuckers and the 1960's Slim Taper neck. I think the old headstock shape gives it it's own vibe as opposed to the newer, I'm nearly a Gibson look. Does anyone agree or disagree? Just my thoughts 😀.
I just got my JB Lazarus, brand new from Sweetwater. Apparently it's a 2nd run that Epiphone made
This guitar is not over priced. I bought one and having played a Gibson 335 I could not tell the difference. It's a beautiful guitar and it performs beautifully. I have a Gibson les Paul standard and I prefer the JB eph 335. It's a comfortable guitar to play. Rock, country, jazz and blues, it does it all.
Wow and you would send your money to the Chinese as they are preparing to go to war against the United States as we speak??? GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!!
Keep telling that to yourself to feel better lmao. It's just an Epiphone and they couldnt even get the Horns right which makes it just a regular Epiphone.
I have always wanted a Gibson 335 but never really been able to afford one. Having seen this Guitar advertised I have today been to try one at a local music store. On the first viewing, it looks wonderful particularly with the vintage whammy bar. The neck wasn’t really to my taste a little wide, I would prefer that 60s profile. However, the action was very good and it played well. The pick ups are absolutely superb and playing with a little gain on the amp delivers great rock and blues tones! However, looking at the body and the finish I very much felt that this was a stock Epiphone Guitar with a few quality additions. The finish of the wood on the model I tried was quite bland and with no binding the guitar was quite ordinary. I think for the money I would be expecting a much higher quality finish. I decided not to buy on this basis. My feeling was that I could probably find an Epiphone with a lovely finish somewhere and add some Gibson pick ups to get me a few step closer to 335, but on a budget. sounds great finish not really up to standard
Some of these had great tops, some rather bland. I got one with a lovely top and back but it was luck of the draw.
Nice edit to add the switch cap.
I've got Burny es335 clone. Actually pretty happy with it. But consider this one. Price is definitely the key factor in purchase decision...
Would you chose this one or the Marty Schwartz version?
I bought one and it is the nicest guitar I ever played,I can't put it down.
I remember Catching a Joe Show in Rochester New York. He was only 10 Years Old and Rockin the whole place. Would be great to have that video.
What's your opinions on the Epiphone Wildkat Royal? I hunted down a limited white and gold model, and with them ending production, I'm hoping it values well.
Love those double row tuners on the Bonamossa 335.
Cool. Was a bit worried about Burstbuckers not sounding great in an ES-335 but that's nice like my 61 Les Paul SG.
Ive heard alot about this guitar that its to pricy. I have worked on or built thousands of guitars. This ax is a steel at 1300. For all who disagree, you try making one. Anyway, beautiful guitar and im not sure about what tooling markes could be on the fretboard. After a certin point tools dont go down there. I love mine
@TheTroglysGuitarShow- giveaway? Awsome, what do i need to do?
I think it is a good idea to release a semi hollow guitar this year after a couple of Les Pauls. However with that pricepoint you come quite close to other brands like e.g. the Eastman T486. And then you can consider to save some more money and buy something like this. The other thing is that I am not sure if the Burstbuckers 2 and 3 are right for an ES-335. In my LP Lazarus that I have they are really good and I like them a lot. But maybe they are too bright for the semi hollow type of guitar.
1st fret neck depth!!!! ❤
Reverse stinger and a barrel style output jack....
@@markbaum9615 And the middle position, just for fun
Great vid. What's the tuning stability like?
Nice looking Epi!
Sounds good, looks ok. But I'm not sure this Epi Bonamassa 335 is worth $1800CAD (Canada), the same price as a new US made Gibson Tribute Les Paul. The used market is full of Gibson 335s with buyers still trying to recover original cost, selling into in a falling market. Give it a year and there'll be some great deals on used US made Gibson 335s. If you can borrow $1800, you can borrow $3000.
I love my JB 335 and it plays great. But, for the money it really should have been a rosewood or ebony fretboard. That was the only thing I didn’t like. Otherwise it definitely competes with my Gibson ES-335. It did need fret polishing like any epiphone I’ve ever bought.
Does it come with hair plugs
way to be edgy bro🙄🤡
Have you ever reviewed a Fender Guitar with a set neck. If not you should try to get one to review. I would like to see what you think of one . We have all seen a Fender Guitar with a three bolt neck, but I don't know about one with a set neck.
I think he did a video on either the JA-90 or the TC-90. The former of which is a Jim Adkins signature. Those are the only ones that I know of.
@@mcshootydotjpeg
The Merle Haggard Signature Tele also has a set neck. I think he has reviewed that one, too.
I know that Fender makes set neck guitars. but they are pretty rare.
A '62 style 335 with a lyre tailpiece in classic cherry finish is by definition one bitchin' guitar. Sounds good, too.
NICE review. Love your balanced approach.
Great vid! Nitro finish on the neck and body? Ty
I still Like the Gibson es 335 sound Better it's has a lot Richer deeper sound
I love Trogly!! 🤣
This Epiphone has some QC issues. Gotta knock off some points!!
Gibson - That's just added character, and can be expected!!!!! Lol
My favorite guitar to play is my Epiphone 335, over my Gibson LP (standard) and Fender Tele. If I was in the market for a second 335, I would get this is a heartbeat. That is personal preference tho!
Thanks Trog!! Just bought It!!
Joe Bonamasa is an outstanding guitarist, one of my all time favorites. but I wonder how much actual input he, or any guitarist. has on the so called signature series guitars that are produced. because in the end the manufacturers are gonna build the guitars the way they want anyway. recently Epiphone has really stepped up their game, Gibson had better watch out. got to see some of your Travis picking skill in the demo, impressive.
pretty sure they have a decent amount of input but im sure there are many things gibson says no to
@@grey_video That's right. I remember that Matt Heafy mentioned that he wanted the Axcess neck joint in his Origin Les Paul signature, but Epiphone ended up putting the modern neck joint in his guitars instead, supposedly because it was better than what he was asking for.
I suspect that there's a fair bit of back and forth on specs and price. Gibson starts off with a target price point, and the artist starts off with a wish list, and if the wish list can't be manufactured and sold at the target price point then the negotiations start - what will the artist give up to reach the target price? I image that most artists would concede on heel design over, say, pickups.
But in cases like this, when Gibson is "reissuing" an old guitar, especially as an Epiphone, I would say that Gibson is more likely to say "this is what we can do, take it or leave it".
@@pulaski1 That makes sense, especially when it comes to Gibson. with their ungodly price's on their guitars. the artist doesn't probably get to many concessions. when Trogly tried to get a guitar from the made to order program. they wouldn't build it and he wasn't wanting it to be too outrageous. I guess the manufacturer probably has the upper hand in these situations.
Hey man. One point to comment on the specs is that if you look at the size and placement of the pickguard in Joes or in an original, the pickguard is supposed to go all the way up to the heel and horn. Look at the gap that’s left in the epiphone. That’s just dead wrong. And that happened too in the Clapton Crossroads. Just thought I bring it up. Take care.
I've seen the full pickguard and the shorter one like on this Epiphone on lots of Gibson es335..dunno why Gibson has a short and long pickguard..but I've seen both styles..
@@nikkimagnusson9437 there are some cases like the Clapton crossroads that go beyond the pickguard where the size and shape of the horns are dead wrong. In the case of the Joe I think it’s a fairly expensive guitar for an epiphone and they should mail something as basic as pickguard placement because it’s not subtle at all. Just saying if they claim they’re getting better actions and attention to detail speak louder than words.
I have the Gary Clark Jr Casino which used Gibson hardware and it’s a fine guitar. These higher specced Epiphone’s are great but they don’t have the same quality finish as a Gibson.
I'm waiting for the 2023 Epiphone Power Donut 🍩!
For about the same price you could buy a used genuine Gibson ES-333 made in the USA at the Gibson Memphis shop. I found one for $1,400...Amazing guitar!
333???? what??????
just got one of these used at guitar center yesterday:)
Very nice guitar! 🤩👍 Just that 'Custom Made' thingie looks a bit out-of-place to me. And I believe the clean 'Middle' playing demo is actually the 'Neck' one and vice versa, at least to _my_ ears 😉
My bonamassa black beauty les paul is my favorite guitar
Can't wait for when you switch to collecting Gretsches. They're swol
@@cataclysmicconverter
Did I say vintage?
The answer is no.
I like the later Koreans better than the 65' Annivrsary I had.
@@cataclysmicconverter The Japanese (Terada) Pro-line Gretsches can give most brands' custom shop versions a run for their money at about half the price (around $3-4K). The QC is stellar.
"It's a mouse?!" made my day😂😂😂
Cool bro, thanks again for a good demo video 🥰
No way in hell that guitar is worth $1299!
If it had Gibson on the headstock, yes, BUT Gibson would then charge you $5000 for it. 😂
I disagree.
It is expensive for an Epiphone, but it has some nice touches, like the Gibson pickups.
I don't buy artist copy guitars, but for Joe fans that adds a bit more value.
Or spend $3,500 for a Gibson.
@@ursafan40 I guess epiphone made these for the ones that disagree. I bought a regular epiphone es335 for $599, added a set of Dimarzio 59 pafs for $150 for the set and bought an epiphone hardshell case for $129, that's $780 altogether and not only does it play great but it sounds great as well for well under $1299. Spend that ridiculous amount if you want but personally I think it's stupid. I don't understand people that buy epiphones at these prices, I mean if you could save $1300 then why not save twice as long and buy a real Gibson ES-335 for $2799??? Doesn't make sense to me.
I have one at it is. Sounds and plays amazing
@srh361 why do you care what guitars people buy? You really have your panties in a bunch over an over priced guitar while telling people to buy a gibson, the Harley Davidson of guitar brands, the king of over priced guitars.
Hello! Pots cts 500?
Here in Canada this guitar is $1,779.00 + sales tax = $2,010 Total. That is absolutely crazy expensive for an Epiphone with an Indian Laurel fretboard. Not in a million years will I be buying one of these puppies, Bonamassa case or not! Save a bit longer and hunt for a used Gibson 335.
There was a gold top black pickguard that was his first signature for some reason oddly enough I looked up his first signature out of curiosity no longer than a week ago.. what a strange coincidence. I don't remember but a RUclips short of some type made me look it up because I was curious what his first signature was... I think this short was an old interview talking about how he'll never have kids and this will be the closest thing to having a kid on Gibson approached him with his first signature
Salutations Austin!
Pretty nice instrument altogether, but it would have been just a little bit nicer with an ebony fretboard, since rosewood has gotten difficult to export from China 🇨🇳 lately, but ebony they don’t seem to have a problem exporting.
Pau Ferro was not a wood that was in use by Epiphone or Gibson back in 1962, but ebony and rosewood were. It would be just a bit more authentic with an ebony fretboard, in my opinion, and I am a bit surprised that Joe didn’t insist on it.
It certainly is a nice bright red finish.
I purchased a Casino this last summer, and it has a Pau Ferro fretboard and is actually a pretty nice guitar, but I do not currently own a 335 yet, one of these may be a great addition to my collection.
Thank you for posting these videos!
Please have an excellent and awesome day! ☀️✨🎸
A tad expensive but sounds good. In your demo playing the distorted tone would maybe have smoothed out by backing the volume off on the guitar. Also good test of the taper of the pots since it's a sort of vintage reissue. Great Show!
Wow, I've never seen that green Lea Paul before, need to search for that one!
This is the first time I have seen one of those "CUSTOM MADE" plaques up close. Are the original Gibson ones as janky and low-res looking as that one is?
why would anyone other than Joe Bonamassa want a guitar that had "Joe Bonamassa" written into the fretboard? I don't get it. anybody??? future resale value maybe? as a guy who grew up in the '60s and paid $150 for my red SG Special (still got it), I have a REAL hard time with the concept of a $1300 Epiphone.
Well I don't think comparing things that were made and sold 60 years ago to things that are made and sold now is very fair. What was a car worth in the 60s? What's a car sell for now?
@@216trixie since when was the music or musical instrument business about what's fair? but yeah, that $150 SG was even more expensive than my first car! I also had a 1969 Marshall (non-plexi) 100W Super Lead head. cost an astronomical $390 brand new in 1970. sold it to a friend a year later for $350. he still has it.
There is another Epiphone signature dropping an a week or two that costs $1300. I’m sure you will review soon!
I’m guessing Adam Jones? Very excited to see that one. Added bonus that Austin loves Silverbursts. Looking forward to his review on that one.
Great review. I also though the stock photos looked a bit bland. Glad to hear otherwise.
Hi Trogly👋🏻👀
I’d love to see you review and demo the new Epiphone Riviera and Crestwood Custom Tremotone. I’ve been thinking about one or both of them since I can’t afford (or even find) an original.
Hey trogly i tried to find those custom made plaques to buy at a decent price, i plan on putting that on my pseudo 335 for when i install a bigsby on it, but i couldnt find it anywhere, do you know where i can get one of those plaques? Only found a site offering it by 23 bucks, for a piece of plastic feels like a rip off lol.
ps: this guitar if mine is a model from Condor (JC - 501 i got a few years ago that is for the most part just a copy of the 335 except for the wiring which doesnt have traditional 4 pots lol. Pretty damm good guitar for the low budget price, i heard Gibson forced them to stop producing it, i tested it vs a proper Gibson and she did gave the gibs a ran for its money, you should document one of those should you ever come across one.
I have the 355. Nice guitar
Cmon Austin!!
List those sweet ones from the other day that you are going to sell!!
Yeah, what happened to those????
You missed the gold top Joe Bonamassa Epiphone Les Paul as the first one, not the phelam blue. I have one and its of great quality. I was not impressed with Lazarus JB model compared to the hype!
Nice guitar for sure I'm a les Paul player so not for me but beautiful guitar
my LP studio doesn't have scarf joint. neither does my g-400. both are korean made 2003
$1400 for an epiphone signature…. what a crazy economy we live in now
I have 2 Epiphone "Inspired by" and they're amazing value for their price.
But this is basically a regular 335, which costs about half, and a few bits added to apparently make it more Bona-fide - and that's mainly the pricetag....
By comparison, an Alex Lifeson Les Paul costs far less, even though it has some serious specs, like the Ghost Floyd Rose alone, with all the options that gives the player.
Buy a regular 335, and just mod it 😎👍
The mods will bring you to £1149 overall.
never liked the custom made tailpiece, ruins it for me
Down the road when these are all sold, you will end up being able to sell one for at least what you paid. So there's no reason to lose your mind over buying a new one now for $1300. Relax and spend your money your way.
It's nice, but it's a hell of a price for an Epiphone.
I really want to know about the Epiphone Tony Iommi Sg special. Yet to see a single review
Trogly already reviewed the Tony Iommi monkey guitar.
Chapman Ghost Fret Standard please!
2000 units, worldwide, been out for a year. These will be as popular as the rest in time for mine. Hollowbody's attract a wider range of players than solid bodys tend to. International fans face a poor exchange rate & freight costs which can see this model arriving at your door for an outlay of $2200 plus $500 freight for a total of $2700 Australian dollars in my example. For that money, I can get USA made GIbsons & Fenders which raises a number of questions.
I would argue that Australia is a small market for them, and Aussie customs laws and duty are out of Epi/Gibson’s control anyway.
It looks like a great guitar. Epiphone is a good guitar and if that is better than some of the epi clinkers I've picked up, price might be ok. Just not a lover of Joe's music so...?
Wasn’t completely convinced until you kicked in a little dirt, then 🔥🔥🔥
What’s in store for 2024?
Where the hell are the JB lickz?
they should do a epi variant of the bonabird
This only makes the NG Rivera look better. Its still Cool, but not $500 more than the NG cool. 😄