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The Gretsch had the most differentiated tones of this group (the deepest lows and brightest highs) and Pete seemed to like playing it the most from his words and his more inspired playing, but then at the end it was not even mentioned when deciding which was best. To me, it stood out as the most unique and most fun to play of the group.
I would like to believe that the further in Pete went the more confused he became. Possibly he was tired at the time or had a sugar dip of sorts - I don't know. At the end he seemed just about completely disoriented. Thus phychologically he ran back home and went for the guitars that seemed more familiar to him, I think. But you're absolutely correct in him actually favouring the Gretsch more, despite basically forgetting about it at the time of reckoning.
Pete is a VERY, very knowledgeable bloke. He ALWAYS surprises me as to how well he knows his guitars, memory and playing. Truly experienced and gifted. The dude has a great sense of humor as well. All you guys at Andertons are great fellows.
Honestly, when I win the lottery I will buy a few Gibson's but these days all manufactures guitar quality is so high there is no need to spend an extra $2500 for the 5% in tone and quality you gain buying a Gibson, unless your a pro of course.
@@MrYatesj1 There is resale value to consider. My Gibsons are worth more than I paid for them and I can't say that for my other guitars. Honestly, I'd trade a room full of med priced guitars for one more nice gibson. Currently rocking 3 gibson, a strat, casino and others.
Gretsch is fantastic but it’s very hard to beat the fat original Gibson Neck if you got a good one. Nothing else matters, the sounds is easy, buy the pick ups you like
D'Angelico's is the coolest by far for me. Longer scale length, nice colors, that classic Art Deco headstock, beautiful bright but not thin tone. Clean as heaven. 👌 The Gretsch is a solid 2nd place for me though. Can't go wrong with those filtertron pickups & that grey burst is killer.
They weren't talking price. But I'm pretty sure the best value is an Ibanez. They've been really working on their semi-hollow guitars in the last few years and are gettable on the second-hand market.
Hello tu as raison le marché de l occasion j ai acheté toutes mon matos comme cela ....il y a 2 semaine une ibanez AFS75 T red pour 180 euros c est super pour du jazz ou blues et aussi genre Chris Isaac..blues hôtel. Games ect avec le bigsby 😊🎶🎶
@@Fiasco3 I have owned quite a few Ibanez over the years but three years ago bought the exact AS93 in this video. It's got a bit of a rough fret job and setup, but once you work that out it's absolutely great to play. The pickups are really good, but veer on the side of mid heavy, and the neck pickup is hard to use (it's great for jazz fusion type but for rock you need to lower the pickup a lot to reduce the mid boom). For value it's definitely huge, the flame maple top (and back) is just amazing, and the ebony fingerboard is also really great for something in this price range. It's become the most played guitar out of my collection because I just like to hold it and look at it.
I love my Epi Sheraton. The split-able coils make it my most versatile axe. Workmanship is perfect. Ordered pleked from US dealer to make sure the fretwork was as good as Gibson's. Plays like a dream
Personally, I love my Hagstrom Viking semi-hollow body guitar for blues, funk and jazz. It has a great neck and fretwork, resulting in fast action. It has a beautiful Tequilla Sunrise finish.
The Gretsch had a unique sound compared to the others. I suppose it all boils down to personal choice. Nothing stood out as being better or worse than the other.
The two of them sided against the epiphone because of the neck feel and geometry. The sire had the smoothest fret ends and still they were complaining about the thinness of the neck. The gretsch was not given a mention toward the closing segment of the video and the ibanez, and D'Angelico were closest to the Gibson. If you assume that Gibson isn't a hack then the order should be 1: Gibson 2: Ibanez/D'Angelico 4: Sire (narrowly) 5: Gretsch 6: Epiphone
Only one reason, why Gretsch sounds different are pickups. I have Gretsh and Ibanez hollow body guitars and both have same pickup - gretsch hs filtetrons. Both sounds same :-)
First video I've seen from this channel. I've wanted to add a Semi Hollow to the collection for a good while now. I have a ton of sub $200 guitars that I've bought cheap and made playable and have had a blast learning to play guitar and tinker with them. I want to treat myself and get a nice Semi Hollow to replace the Les Paul I sold and fill the humbucker sized hole lol. Of all the guitar reviews I've seen over the years while doing my research being buying my gear, this channel has the best production quality by far and away. Lee and Pete have great chemistry as hosts. The camera and audio is great. The decibel reader in the corner is such a fantastic idea! For everyone! The viewer gets to see the audio levels visually, which for me watching on my phone, knowing full well my phone speakers dont tell the whole story, the decibel meter gives me something super tangible to grasp onto to help me gather a better comparison in my mind. And 100% I know the editor wanted that meter on there for syncing audio, video, and blending the room mics vs amp mics and whatnot. It's just a great idea fullstop, I wanna incorporate it into my own studio. Thank you for the guitar shootout as well, it gave me more than I anticipated on takeaways. Cheers from Missouri!
I bought a 2016 studio 335 when they were made in Memphis and I couldn't be happier with it. There were some subtle QC issues, as is always the case with gibson, but I kept it because the neck is absolutely a dream to play. I may never buy another gibson because I feel like they really gouge customers, but I'm glad to have the one.
I sold my Gibson 335 and this Gretsch (but with a Bigsby) is what I bought to replace it. That Gretsch in the Speyside finish is quite beautiful and it plays better than the 335 (Dot).
It manages to retain its own Gretsch thing which is great if you are a fan of Beatle George (or country blues ala Chet Atkins) but it can also do the flexible stage thing. The Filtertron pickups are hum cancelling but remain reasonably clean. It will give you woman tone like a 335 and takes pedals well including something a little more driven like a Dumble clone. It's light to play live and well built with solid hardware and nice touches like the gnarled nobs and strap locks as standard. Mine was well finished, no complaints on the build - lower end are Asian made, high end are US built but really thats a lot of marketing, the sub £1000 guitars are still incredible. Most of all it gives you something different from a Gibson or Fender... and sometimes that's enough to help you stand out. Great wide choice of colours too.
Great comparison 👍🏻 I think it is mostly a matter of taste and how the guitar feels. I would go for the Gretsch, still they all sound great and intonation is fine for all of them Thanks !
Gibson being out my price range I'd go for the D'Angelico. Already have their Atlantic Deluxe and can't fault it, so would have no hesitation going for their semi-hollow. After that not much to separate the Gretsch, Ibanez and Sire - would depend how they felt in the hand and how they played.
Yeah, they have a really cool sound & style. Shooting for a Premier EXL-1 at the moment. They're pretty reputable when it comes to hollow/semi-hollow guitars.
I've got an early 2000's Epiphone Sheraton in blonde/natural. Had it professionally set up, frets levelled, tweaked intonation, action lowered, etc. Run size 11 flat wounds on it. It plays beautifully. Everyone who plays it says it's fantastic. Original pick/ups have a great, dark, warm tone that is pretty unique. Leon Bridges plays one, as do the band Alabama Shakes.
I've got a really cute D'angelico deluxe mini and that thing is super awesome. They make really solid guitars. Obviously a bit more than the one you guys demoed, but I really like their brand, they've done a good job.
I have a ‘93 Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion. A Phenomenally nice guitar. ES-335 meets Les Paul std. it’s an under utilised guitar, not many well known players. Besides Howard Roberts I can only think of Alex Lifeson.
The cool thing is that they all sound good enough to play. Many need new pickups, but this is a good time for affordable semi hollows. As someone looking for a backup to my ES-347, this was extremely helpful (and relieving) that I can choose without much worry that I will get a dud.
Back in the day (~5 years ago), when I was in the market for a semi hollow guitar, my final contenders were a D'angelico Premier DC (very similar to the current one) and an Ibanez JSM10 (similar to the AS93). In the end the Ibanez won and it is my main guitar since then. Ibanez has some good stuff in the semiacoustics. PS: could be interesting to throw a Guild Starfire I DC in the mix, I played one in a store recently and it is also a great guitar.
After testing the Gibson, Epiphone, Gretsch, and Ibanez models at my local Guitar Center, I decided on an Eastman T59/V and I enthusiastically recommend checking them out. Superior in every way - except the name on the headstock - to the Gibson 335s at GC.
Yea but I don’t like the violin type colour. If they did good paint jobs I’d buy one too. I have also tried one in store and quality and sound wise they are damn good.
I really enjoyed Pete's performance in this one. I love what Pete is doing with the jazzing up the blues and walking those chords, it is so down home, and so essential (wish I knew it). Also love his black bird rip off addition to his jazz blues sound absolute genius. I can't hope to play lead as cool as he does but i would love to have the rhythm licks. I come from san jose the home of Chris Cain and he is great at walking those chords too, but I like Pete's variety. Also I like Pete's finger picking with mixed scale notes. It is fun to watch Pete grow on the guitar.
Great comparison: apart from the Gibson out of the pack, the Gretsch has a little more extension on the bass and treble, the Ibanez instead is more concentrated on the mids, the Sire and the €piphone have a thinner neck and the D'Angelico it always has the New York style... Moral: these guitars are really all beautiful and you could buy one for the other with your eyes closed.
Agree. Larry Carlton is a GOD on a vintage 335 and he's put a good deal into the Sire to try and give people 95% of that in an affordable package that is accessible to young musicians. With his status he could have easily gone the other way with a £10K CS Gibson 335 VOS... but he didn't. His name is on it so it will stand up. Truth is, a lot of 'premium' guitars are built (or part built) outside the US these days, and a Gibson logo doesn't necessarily guarantee quality. My Les Paul needed an hour of work delivered new including re-cutting the nut (binding and too shallow, strings sat high) but it's stable now and a thing of beauty.
When the Sheraton came up in 1959 Epiphone was already owned by Gibson for 2 years. Sheratons where made in Kalamazoo by Gibsons, the 1959s had some components originating from the Epiphone proper plant and wharehouse (knobs, pickups, tailpiece(the Frequensator..), headstock veneers ..), but as soon as1960 the Epi components were depleted and they became all-Gibson made products. The 'tree of life' inlay design come from the original Epiphone headstock veneers.
I am really surprised that you guys did not include Eastman in this shootout. I had not captured this video and have been looking for more videos of you guys doing Eastman guitars. They are at this point certainly the best semihollow manufacturer on the market if you have not played an Eastman and I’m sure both of you have, I am just surprised it’s not this demo because it is better than any guitar that you’re showing I mean honestly I would say that my acoustic experience with them has been above and beyond Martin, and certainly at a much better price point and as a gigging musician for 40 years, I can truly tell you I think their guitars are fantastic. I have brought them back-and-forth to the UK everywhere and never had any problems for the last three years. I truly have switched to Eastman. Look at the flame top on their LP look at the quality look at the tuning stability. Look at the binding look at the lack of errors, in the process of manufacturing, they literally have embarrassed Gibson and shamed them in every way possible I am glad to see the value of Gibson falling and I hope it continues to and I hope Eastman rises because honestly they have proven they want to serve the guitarist they want to provide the guitars And not only stick with the traditional method, but give us new and greater options and stop holding us back with this belief that Gibson is the end dollar bill it is such BS and honestly scary Lee. It’s the best guitar that you demoing here but again they’re great but Gibson doesn’t know how to keep things in line and because of the constant change of ownership. It’s hard to believe in that company I sold 15 Gibson guitars about six months ago, I mean truly don’t get me wrong. I walked away with almost $220,000. I reinvested $100,000 that in Eastman and you should see the guitar collection. I have Joe Besser wood cream for it honestly my 59 that they handmade for me I waited four months for it. Makes sure our nine look terrible. Lee and I used to think you are nine was my favorite guitar. I just can’t believe the quality of their work and I’m sorry that you guys don’t have more of them to show, Greg demo is always love you guys to death wish Rob was in all the demos the three of you together. I don’t come in often, but I do appreciate everything I have learned from your channel. It’s not only made me a better musician it’s made me more aware of my options. It’s also made me more stuck in my ways because I am a victory. Tube amp Guy and I don’t think I’ll ever do anything digital. Lol. Love you guys thanks again. 20:54
I just got a nice Sire H7. Absolutely love it. The Epiphone Dot I've had (and subsequently sold) would not in any case be able to compete with this one. Great for dirty rock sounds as well!
John Lee Hooker once said that the Epiphone Sheraton Boogie Man was a "335 did right". Of course, he was talking more about his original signature model with Seth Lover-designed mini-humbuckers, and the unique, two-tiered Frequensator tailpiece. Cool guitars.
As pointed out they are more the same than different. I feel I would go for the Sire as it seems to be the best value for money. I have a very old Washburn that was made in Japan. I find that for my music the semi is OK and works well on certain tunes but not enough to merit getting a pricey semi.
Might just be because Andertons don't sell them, but I often find people overlook the Höfner Verythin in these sorts of comparisons. I bought one i 2008-ish and it's been with me ever since. Great guitar.
Yeah, the Sheraton is a bit on the big&heavy side, but it is the guitar that I play the most :) It is my first semi-hollow, so I can only look forward to try another one!
I've got an Epi 335 Figured and absolutely love it. The fit, finish and playability will make you feel as if you spent a lot more money than you actually did.
The timing of this video is perfect. I ordered a Sire H7 with the same cherry sunburst back in January and it was just delivered last night. Going by looks and tones, I’d agree that the Sire and Ibanez are the winners but not by much. Lots of great semi-hollow guitars in the $600-800 range.
I have the Sheraton Pro II and I think it punches will above its weight class. Looks alone make it stand out but the pickups sound incredibly warm straight into the amp and the split coiling really scratchesthat single coil itch in a pinch if you need it. I love it so much that I'm getting rid of my Ibanez AS73G semi-hollowbody since I doubt I'd play it much anymore. It's a great guitar for the price but when having the two as an option, I always go for the Sheraton.
When it comes down to it, the guitar I want on my own doodah at home is the one with the most comfortable feel, the tone that speaks to me, and a price tag that doesn’t make me feel like I need to sell a kidney. Aesthetically, there’s a lot to love in this shootout, but after trying several of these same models and hearing some I haven’t gotten to lay hands on, I feel like I’d still stick with my Gretsch G5622, given the choice of any of the above.
Love my D’Angelico deluxe SS. Just an amazing sound and feel. That’s being said, I’ve also played the other guitars, they ALL sound great; it just boils down to what you like and prefer in the ‘feel’. Would love to get that Ibanez.
The Ibanez has been on my list for a while now (as their lefty version looks great) so nice to see it against everything else here. TBH can't really go wrong with any of them!
I had an Ibanez AS7(something) that was Korean built, it would always get compliments regarding how it sounded. Very versatile - jazz, rock, blues... it could do it all.
I own a lefty violin sunburst since about 2019. It was the only choice available to me at the time due to a lack of Epiphone (or other brands) lefty models, leaving me to choose between it, or the more expensive alternative being a Gibson. My only gripes are a certain grittiness on the frets I hadn't noticed at first, and a very faint drop of the tuning stability on the G string. Aside from that, a real beauty, especially with the gold hardware. The very moment you pick it up to play, it 'compells' you to play blues, jazz, whether this is your style or not. 10/10 would recommend!
I have the Ibanez AS93. I love the neck, which I believe is a bit deeper than the other Ibanez artcore type guitars. I've change two things, the pick ups and the quick change tail stop, didn't like the feel of it under my hand when muting with my palm on the bridge. That Site sounded nice but a narrow nut width would put me off. Good overview. Thanks.
Interesting comment about the Sire having a slightly smaller neck feel. Larry Carlton had a say in the design and I own a 1969 335, the same year as Larry's and the 69 has a smaller feeling neck than the other years.
I recently considered a number of these plus the multiple Epiphone variations and ended up going with the D’Angelico. It felt like the best blend of specs I like and price. I also loved the sound when I tried a number in store locally. All cool guitars though like you said.
The classic ES-335 design is a refined form factor of the Les Paul 'Log' - a center block of hardwood, into which the pickups are installed, with cosmetic acoustic 'wings' - really the 335 is the true 'Les Paul' IMO
Les Paul is rolling in his grave after reading your comment. The ES stands for Electric Spanish, the type of guitar Gibson was trying to emulate but in electric. It has absolutely nothing to do with Les Paul. Why do you think the ES is the true Les Paul? Also, this is a semi hollow guitar, not a solid body guitar fathered by a log. I'm very interested in hearing your justification:)
super super super review guys! thanks! getting through the mire of all the semi hollows under 1K - is daunting. but this helps greatly!! seems like the Epiphone Sheraton is the best deal coming with coil taps. Ibanez (AS153, AS113, $1K) makes a triswitch (coil tap similar) model. Amazing that at one point you thought the Ibanez was a Gibson...making Gibson ONLY a name people want to own. michael
I bought the Sire H7 v2 from Anderton. What a great guitar and superb service from Andertons. But I did return 2 guitars due to being too heavy for me (8.8 lbs), the third one was good (8.2lbs). This for me is a problem, when buying via the internet, that the manufactures/retailers need to address. It would be so easy for the factory to weigh an empty shipping box (which will be the same for all guitars of that model), then subtract that from the gross shipping weight and you have the guitar weight without having to take it out of the box, then stick it on the box label. Simples.
Nice guitars and my favorites are most probably the Gretsch, the D`Angelico and the Ibanez in that order! The one, very obvious, thing, I don’t like on the Gretsch (or any other guitar) is the teardrop burst! I like or even love other burst finishes tough!
I really wanted to love the Sire Larry Carlton H7, but that neck is sooo narrow at the nut. I love everything else about it but it feels like a Fender Mustang or my old Jagstang. The rolled neck at that price point is HUGE, but I would get any other Sire Larry Carlton for a more modern neck profile. They took the measurements off of Larry's old late 60's Gibson which was when they historically went to a narrow nut. Numbers wise, it's not much, but a couple millimeters gives a hugely different feel. It's one of those instances of vintage doesn't equal better.
The 2023s are wider at 43mm than the earlier 40mm models. I think that is in response to the negative comments about the width and they want to be competitive in sales.
Bought the D’Angelico Premier DC in white, with stairstep tailpiece on the used market. It is in brand new condition for 450 Euro. Almost decided to go for the Sire, until I actually played it. This is actually a very very nice guitar. However, that 40mm nutwidth was a showstopper for me. Am a tall guy with huge hands, that could not really deal with that narrow neck. The D’Angelico is king when it comes to playability, build quality and sound. One of my best guitars so far. (have 11 of them) May trade in a few to buy another D’Angelico. What a great guitar it is. Also tried Guild, Gretsch, Epiphone, Ibanez and Gibson.
I fell in love wit the 335 sound thanks to Justin Hayward. While I can't afford a "real" Gibson 335, I lucked out and found a Peavey JF1-EX for less than $200 and oh what a sweet sounding and sweet playing guitar it is! Too bad they don't make them anymore.
I have a Heritage H535. Great guitar made in the old Gibson factory InnKalamazoo, Michigan by the Gibson worker who didn’t want to move to Nashville when Gibson moved.
I love this shootout and comparison, and Pete's playing is always incredible, but I really wish the guitars had been mixed at least as loud as the dialogue. Minor criticisms aside, I really liked this one a lot, and I appreciate you taking the time to make it!
The 335 is indeed a very versatile guitar. I found this out ages ago when I listened to a live Ten Years After double album. Alvin Lee runs through most of the sounds.
I just want to point out that the Sheraton was originally the high end version of the 335, and were both released at the same time. Back in 1957, Epiphone had just been bought by Gibson. At the time, Epiphone were making very high end guitars and were seen as direct competitors by Gibson. After that, Gibson took some of the Epiphone hollowbody designs and modernized them with P90 pickups first, and with a double cutaway later with a solid centerblock. Thus the 335 body shape was born. So in 1958, Gibson and Epiphone released their own versions of that body shape at the same time, the Gibson ES-335, and the Epiphone Sheraton. The Sheraton at the time would have been the high end, more traditional version of it's brother, the 335, and as such was priced higher. Very few Sheratons were made between 1958 and 1970, and they changed specs almost year to year. Of course the ES-335 was the most popular of the two, so Gibson continued with the 345, the 355, and then made a hollowbody version of it, the 330. The 330 then became the basis for the Epiphone Casino. Similar to what happened between the Sheraton and the 335, the Casino became much more popular than the 330, even though they are almost identical. Years later, when Epiphone was reworked to become an entry level brand to it's bigger brother, Epiphone reworked the Sheraton into the Sheraton II. Today, the Sheraton comes in the Sheraton II Pro spec, and is actually fairly different to a 335. Mostly in terms of construction, it has a 5 piece walnut-maple neck, and a mahogany centerblock. As opposed to the traditional 335 composition of a mahogany neck and a maple centerblock. Also, the Sheraton has kept it's traditional Epiphone styling that is exclusive to the Sheraton, and not based on anything made by Gibson. Mainly the tree of life inlay on the headstock, Epiphone's traditional headstock shape, and the block and triangle abalone inlays. It was originally meant as an upscale guitar, and even today it has maintained that identity. Just wanted to share some history on the Sheraton. They are cool guitars, and if you can get a higher end one, they have their own thing going that is slightly different than a 335.
I had a Korean Sammick model and sold it when down sizing the collection. Then I missed playing it, so bought a new Sheraton II Pro model; the price is amazing. It sounds even better than the Korean version. It is built well & looks gorgeous in Ebony with the gold hardware.
@@poodleguiderpeyes7388 Aren't the Sherries great? That super slim neck took me a while to get comfortable in, but I play my Sheraton the most of all my guitars. It can do everything really well! I personally took off the pickguard, changed the knobs to some like the ones in a 57 LP Custom, and changed some of the gold hardware to black, and it now looks so much more "professional" and serious. I love it! Even just catching a glimpse of it while I do some work on my desk makes me go "ohhh yeaaaahh"
I got the Sheraton 2 pro sunburst. Hadn't had a hollow body 335 style since 69. It is super nice for the price, stunning look. I'm adapting to the neck but no problem. All sound and look great. My pick is the Sheraton. Love the video shootout.
I got a D’Angelico premier in champagne white with staircase tail piece. It is better in every way from my Sheraton pro I had.. more clarity. Better quality and QC. Perfect out of the box other than string change.. sounds amazing clean and gorgeous dirty. Mine has the humbuckers. Stunning guitar
I liked that sound as well. It sounds the least like a 335 tbf. Guess it depends on what you're playing. I wouldn't pick the gretch for jazz for example
To be honest the Sire H7 is a remarkable guitar for the price, it just oozes a touch of class, nice comparison guys and some tasty little licks, i would have any of these, i have 335 in cherry from Thomann , and i bought a Sire S7 from Andertons both excellent guitars, pity i don't play as well as you guys, oh and Pete has shed a few pounds looking lean Pete
I thought about getting the H-7 Sire but heard little things like dye on the fretboard, the neck being wide etc and I ended up getting an Ibanez. I wanted those super 58 pups.
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🚨🚨 You Can Now Save £££ On Selected D'Angelico Models! Including the D'Angelico Premier DC Doublecut, which is now £499 Instead of £699! | tinyurl.com/2auw9nf7
Where's the Coupe? The Corsair? Both are underrated guitars made by Schecter Guitars.
Y2
Video should be called ‘Lee and Pete play with their semi’s’
They would never use a possessive to describe a plural.
“their hollows” would cause eyebrow raises
LMAO 🤣
‘Lee leans over and puts his semi in Pete’s hands, Pete begins to play, “That feels nice”’
The audio description of this would be something else!
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
The Gretsch had the most differentiated tones of this group (the deepest lows and brightest highs) and Pete seemed to like playing it the most from his words and his more inspired playing, but then at the end it was not even mentioned when deciding which was best. To me, it stood out as the most unique and most fun to play of the group.
I would like to believe that the further in Pete went the more confused he became. Possibly he was tired at the time or had a sugar dip of sorts - I don't know. At the end he seemed just about completely disoriented. Thus phychologically he ran back home and went for the guitars that seemed more familiar to him, I think. But you're absolutely correct in him actually favouring the Gretsch more, despite basically forgetting about it at the time of reckoning.
That's the one on my wish list!
Pete is a VERY, very knowledgeable bloke. He ALWAYS surprises me as to how well he knows his guitars, memory and playing. Truly experienced and gifted. The dude has a great sense of humor as well. All you guys at Andertons are great fellows.
They all sounded great...which means no need to ever buy the Gibson. I'd go for the Gretsch.
Honestly, when I win the lottery I will buy a few Gibson's but these days all manufactures guitar quality is so high there is no need to spend an extra $2500 for the 5% in tone and quality you gain buying a Gibson, unless your a pro of course.
Me to tbh
@@MrYatesj1 There is resale value to consider. My Gibsons are worth more than I paid for them and I can't say that for my other guitars. Honestly, I'd trade a room full of med priced guitars for one more nice gibson. Currently rocking 3 gibson, a strat, casino and others.
Gretsch is fantastic but it’s very hard to beat the fat original Gibson Neck if you got a good one. Nothing else matters, the sounds is easy, buy the pick ups you like
Gibson guitars are prone to quality issues and they're basically an investment vehicle more than an instrument.
D'Angelico's is the coolest by far for me. Longer scale length, nice colors, that classic Art Deco headstock, beautiful bright but not thin tone. Clean as heaven. 👌
The Gretsch is a solid 2nd place for me though. Can't go wrong with those filtertron pickups & that grey burst is killer.
I liked the sound of the Gretch the best for general purpose, but the sire I think had the best clean sound for jazz.
I love the tone, shape, and control layout of the Gretsch.
I agree bit am definitely biased as have a couple of gretsches
@@marcraygun6290(me too!)
The sire nut width is based on Larry's 68 335 which was a 9/16 nut width. It is not for everyone, but he likes it.
Loved the Gretsch. Did not think I would like it more than the 335, but its quite something.
Love my Yamaha SA2200 it's beautiful.
I just bought a D'Angelico semi-hollow with P90's and I LOVE IT!! Amazing tone and for $500 (used) I was very happy with the purchase!
I have the Ibanez and absolutely love it. Sounds incredible and just a joy to play. Every one of those guitars looks great!
Moi aussi!!
On my list. Guess, the most Rocker of those tested here....more mids. Id use if for hard rock.
They weren't talking price. But I'm pretty sure the best value is an Ibanez. They've been really working on their semi-hollow guitars in the last few years and are gettable on the second-hand market.
Hello tu as raison le marché de l occasion j ai acheté toutes mon matos comme cela ....il y a 2 semaine une ibanez AFS75 T red pour 180 euros c est super pour du jazz ou blues et aussi genre Chris Isaac..blues hôtel. Games ect avec le bigsby 😊🎶🎶
@@Fiasco3 I have owned quite a few Ibanez over the years but three years ago bought the exact AS93 in this video. It's got a bit of a rough fret job and setup, but once you work that out it's absolutely great to play. The pickups are really good, but veer on the side of mid heavy, and the neck pickup is hard to use (it's great for jazz fusion type but for rock you need to lower the pickup a lot to reduce the mid boom). For value it's definitely huge, the flame maple top (and back) is just amazing, and the ebony fingerboard is also really great for something in this price range. It's become the most played guitar out of my collection because I just like to hold it and look at it.
Gretsch. Great looking guitar and the pickups really shined. More dynamic range.
I love my Epi Sheraton. The split-able coils make it my most versatile axe. Workmanship is perfect. Ordered pleked from US dealer to make sure the fretwork was as good as Gibson's. Plays like a dream
Quality for money makes the Epiphones my top pick too.
Personally, I love my Hagstrom Viking semi-hollow body guitar for blues, funk and jazz. It has a great neck and fretwork, resulting in fast action. It has a beautiful Tequilla Sunrise finish.
The Gretsch had a unique sound compared to the others. I suppose it all boils down to personal choice. Nothing stood out as being better or worse than the other.
The two of them sided against the epiphone because of the neck feel and geometry. The sire had the smoothest fret ends and still they were complaining about the thinness of the neck. The gretsch was not given a mention toward the closing segment of the video and the ibanez, and D'Angelico were closest to the Gibson. If you assume that Gibson isn't a hack then the order should be
1: Gibson
2: Ibanez/D'Angelico
4: Sire (narrowly)
5: Gretsch
6: Epiphone
I think the gretsch does not have a full block, but 2 strips in the middle. that makes it closer to a hollow body.
Only one reason, why Gretsch sounds different are pickups. I have Gretsh and Ibanez hollow body guitars and both have same pickup - gretsch hs filtetrons. Both sounds same :-)
Honestly, never stop making these shootouts. This is hilarious but informative.
First video I've seen from this channel. I've wanted to add a Semi Hollow to the collection for a good while now. I have a ton of sub $200 guitars that I've bought cheap and made playable and have had a blast learning to play guitar and tinker with them. I want to treat myself and get a nice Semi Hollow to replace the Les Paul I sold and fill the humbucker sized hole lol. Of all the guitar reviews I've seen over the years while doing my research being buying my gear, this channel has the best production quality by far and away. Lee and Pete have great chemistry as hosts. The camera and audio is great. The decibel reader in the corner is such a fantastic idea! For everyone! The viewer gets to see the audio levels visually, which for me watching on my phone, knowing full well my phone speakers dont tell the whole story, the decibel meter gives me something super tangible to grasp onto to help me gather a better comparison in my mind. And 100% I know the editor wanted that meter on there for syncing audio, video, and blending the room mics vs amp mics and whatnot. It's just a great idea fullstop, I wanna incorporate it into my own studio. Thank you for the guitar shootout as well, it gave me more than I anticipated on takeaways. Cheers from Missouri!
Ditto!
I bought a 2016 studio 335 when they were made in Memphis and I couldn't be happier with it. There were some subtle QC issues, as is always the case with gibson, but I kept it because the neck is absolutely a dream to play. I may never buy another gibson because I feel like they really gouge customers, but I'm glad to have the one.
I loved my Sheraton...but the Ibanez and dangelico is pretty dope.
Already having a Gibson 335, I would go for the Gretch. It seems to be most different from all the others in this pack.
I sold my Gibson 335 and this Gretsch (but with a Bigsby) is what I bought to replace it. That Gretsch in the Speyside finish is quite beautiful and it plays better than the 335 (Dot).
It manages to retain its own Gretsch thing which is great if you are a fan of Beatle George (or country blues ala Chet Atkins) but it can also do the flexible stage thing. The Filtertron pickups are hum cancelling but remain reasonably clean. It will give you woman tone like a 335 and takes pedals well including something a little more driven like a Dumble clone. It's light to play live and well built with solid hardware and nice touches like the gnarled nobs and strap locks as standard. Mine was well finished, no complaints on the build - lower end are Asian made, high end are US built but really thats a lot of marketing, the sub £1000 guitars are still incredible. Most of all it gives you something different from a Gibson or Fender... and sometimes that's enough to help you stand out. Great wide choice of colours too.
Alright Captain, I haven't heard you play in some time (sorry) must say. Your chops are getting next level sir, best vibrato in the game.
Man agreed Cap'n is getting really good
Great comparison 👍🏻
I think it is mostly a matter of taste and how the guitar feels.
I would go for the Gretsch, still they all sound great and intonation is fine for all of them
Thanks !
Gibson being out my price range I'd go for the D'Angelico. Already have their Atlantic Deluxe and can't fault it, so would have no hesitation going for their semi-hollow. After that not much to separate the Gretsch, Ibanez and Sire - would depend how they felt in the hand and how they played.
Yeah, they have a really cool sound & style. Shooting for a Premier EXL-1 at the moment. They're pretty reputable when it comes to hollow/semi-hollow guitars.
I've got an early 2000's Epiphone Sheraton in blonde/natural. Had it professionally set up, frets levelled, tweaked intonation, action lowered, etc. Run size 11 flat wounds on it. It plays beautifully. Everyone who plays it says it's fantastic. Original pick/ups have a great, dark, warm tone that is pretty unique. Leon Bridges plays one, as do the band Alabama Shakes.
There are a ton of big names who rock Sheratons 2s
I'd go with the Gretsch for sure! And they make better drums than the others!!!
Just bought a g2622 and love the feel, sound and look!
I love Gretsch. Even the cheaper models are pretty damn good. I bought an elcectrimatic and the neck was perfect.
@@haroldmckinny2242 Same and same, worth the money just on the wall, great sound a bonus.
I've got a really cute D'angelico deluxe mini and that thing is super awesome. They make really solid guitars. Obviously a bit more than the one you guys demoed, but I really like their brand, they've done a good job.
Totally agree, Have Danny Excel dc vintage and Bob Weir Premier Bedford
They play great
I absolutely agree. I have a premier dc with P90s and it’s an outstanding guitar. Plus they just look killer
The Larry Carlton model is a close second. I love the red sunburst, ebony fretboard and sound of neck and bridge pickups .
Blindfold test BEFORE the run through! Pete remembers neck shapes and smell ;-)
love the Ibanez, even years old models are great players.
That stain and paint job on the Gretsch is absolutely beautiful
I have a ‘93 Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion. A Phenomenally nice guitar. ES-335 meets Les Paul std. it’s an under utilised guitar, not many well known players. Besides Howard Roberts I can only think of Alex Lifeson.
The cool thing is that they all sound good enough to play. Many need new pickups, but this is a good time for affordable semi hollows. As someone looking for a backup to my ES-347, this was extremely helpful (and relieving) that I can choose without much worry that I will get a dud.
Back in the day (~5 years ago), when I was in the market for a semi hollow guitar, my final contenders were a D'angelico Premier DC (very similar to the current one) and an Ibanez JSM10 (similar to the AS93). In the end the Ibanez won and it is my main guitar since then. Ibanez has some good stuff in the semiacoustics.
PS: could be interesting to throw a Guild Starfire I DC in the mix, I played one in a store recently and it is also a great guitar.
After testing the Gibson, Epiphone, Gretsch, and Ibanez models at my local Guitar Center, I decided on an Eastman T59/V and I enthusiastically recommend checking them out. Superior in every way - except the name on the headstock - to the Gibson 335s at GC.
Those start at $2200 and go up to $5000. It's a different class of Guitar than the ones being tested here.
@@bennettshapiro2965 Are you referring to the Eastman T59/V? I paid < $1800 for it brand new...
Yep. Same here. I traded in and lost money on a 72 Gibson 345 and I'm still happy with the deal.
@@mikeaustin4138 and these are all sub 1k, the sire is 550.
Yea but I don’t like the violin type colour. If they did good paint jobs I’d buy one too. I have also tried one in store and quality and sound wise they are damn good.
I really enjoyed Pete's performance in this one. I love what Pete is doing with the jazzing up the blues and walking those chords, it is so down home, and so essential (wish I knew it). Also love his black bird rip off addition to his jazz blues sound absolute genius. I can't hope to play lead as cool as he does but i would love to have the rhythm licks. I come from san jose the home of Chris Cain and he is great at walking those chords too, but I like Pete's variety. Also I like Pete's finger picking with mixed scale notes. It is fun to watch Pete grow on the guitar.
Great comparison: apart from the Gibson out of the pack, the Gretsch has a little more extension on the bass and treble, the Ibanez instead is more concentrated on the mids, the Sire and the €piphone have a thinner neck and the D'Angelico it always has the New York style... Moral: these guitars are really all beautiful and you could buy one for the other with your eyes closed.
Lee's 335 sounded amazing. From the affordable versions, my choice would be the Sire or the Gretsch.
Agree. Larry Carlton is a GOD on a vintage 335 and he's put a good deal into the Sire to try and give people 95% of that in an affordable package that is accessible to young musicians. With his status he could have easily gone the other way with a £10K CS Gibson 335 VOS... but he didn't. His name is on it so it will stand up. Truth is, a lot of 'premium' guitars are built (or part built) outside the US these days, and a Gibson logo doesn't necessarily guarantee quality. My Les Paul needed an hour of work delivered new including re-cutting the nut (binding and too shallow, strings sat high) but it's stable now and a thing of beauty.
I preferred the D'angelico tone,having split coil pickups gives more variation and a flatter 14" fingerboard would be more comfortable to play for me.
When it comes to ES 335s Alvin Lee of Ten Years After" Going Home" is stunning. Freddie King is beyond compare....the "Texas Cannonball" wonderful...
When the Sheraton came up in 1959 Epiphone was already owned by Gibson for 2 years. Sheratons where made in Kalamazoo by Gibsons, the 1959s had some components originating from the Epiphone proper plant and wharehouse (knobs, pickups, tailpiece(the Frequensator..), headstock veneers ..), but as soon as1960 the Epi components were depleted and they became all-Gibson made products. The 'tree of life' inlay design come from the original Epiphone headstock veneers.
Great Video guys!
My vote is leaning towards the Ibanez AS93FM, but that Gretsch G5622 and Sire Larry Carlton H7 have to be check out as well 🤘
I am really surprised that you guys did not include Eastman in this shootout. I had not captured this video and have been looking for more videos of you guys doing Eastman guitars. They are at this point certainly the best semihollow manufacturer on the market if you have not played an Eastman and I’m sure both of you have, I am just surprised it’s not this demo because it is better than any guitar that you’re showing I mean honestly I would say that my acoustic experience with them has been above and beyond Martin, and certainly at a much better price point and as a gigging musician for 40 years, I can truly tell you I think their guitars are fantastic. I have brought them back-and-forth to the UK everywhere and never had any problems for the last three years. I truly have switched to Eastman. Look at the flame top on their LP look at the quality look at the tuning stability. Look at the binding look at the lack of errors, in the process of manufacturing, they literally have embarrassed Gibson and shamed them in every way possible I am glad to see the value of Gibson falling and I hope it continues to and I hope Eastman rises because honestly they have proven they want to serve the guitarist they want to provide the guitars And not only stick with the traditional method, but give us new and greater options and stop holding us back with this belief that Gibson is the end dollar bill it is such BS and honestly scary Lee. It’s the best guitar that you demoing here but again they’re great but Gibson doesn’t know how to keep things in line and because of the constant change of ownership. It’s hard to believe in that company I sold 15 Gibson guitars about six months ago, I mean truly don’t get me wrong. I walked away with almost $220,000. I reinvested $100,000 that in Eastman and you should see the guitar collection. I have Joe Besser wood cream for it honestly my 59 that they handmade for me I waited four months for it. Makes sure our nine look terrible. Lee and I used to think you are nine was my favorite guitar. I just can’t believe the quality of their work and I’m sorry that you guys don’t have more of them to show, Greg demo is always love you guys to death wish Rob was in all the demos the three of you together. I don’t come in often, but I do appreciate everything I have learned from your channel. It’s not only made me a better musician it’s made me more aware of my options. It’s also made me more stuck in my ways because I am a victory. Tube amp Guy and I don’t think I’ll ever do anything digital. Lol. Love you guys thanks again. 20:54
Eastman or Yamaha
I just got a nice Sire H7. Absolutely love it. The Epiphone Dot I've had (and subsequently sold) would not in any case be able to compete with this one. Great for dirty rock sounds as well!
yea, thats what i thought. Will get the sire one day also. Probably the LP one.
John Lee Hooker once said that the Epiphone Sheraton Boogie Man was a "335 did right". Of course, he was talking more about his original signature model with Seth Lover-designed mini-humbuckers, and the unique, two-tiered Frequensator tailpiece. Cool guitars.
As pointed out they are more the same than different. I feel I would go for the Sire as it seems to be the best value for money. I have a very old Washburn that was made in Japan. I find that for my music the semi is OK and works well on certain tunes but not enough to merit getting a pricey semi.
Great that competition has created such a great group of guitars to choose from and still have a high quality instrument.
I picked up a Japan-made Conn 335 years ago. Really nicely made from one of the top Japanese guitar makers in the 70s. Plays great.
Really? Are you that old??? 😂😂😂
@@toktok60 I had the same thought, was he born in 1665 ?
I bought a D'Angelico Premier DC to meet my 335 "needs". Plays extremely well!
Might just be because Andertons don't sell them, but I often find people overlook the Höfner Verythin in these sorts of comparisons. I bought one i 2008-ish and it's been with me ever since. Great guitar.
Yeah, the Sheraton is a bit on the big&heavy side, but it is the guitar that I play the most :) It is my first semi-hollow, so I can only look forward to try another one!
I got the 2020 epi es 339 inspired by Gibson line semi hollow and it's awesome 🤘😜🎸..
Yeah man, the "inspired by" are a step up, I am loving my Gold Top 50's solid body and for $400 used forgetaboutit!
Almost went with the Sire for looks but came to my senses and got the Ibanez and I love it.
I've got an Epi 335 Figured and absolutely love it. The fit, finish and playability will make you feel as if you spent a lot more money than you actually did.
The timing of this video is perfect. I ordered a Sire H7 with the same cherry sunburst back in January and it was just delivered last night. Going by looks and tones, I’d agree that the Sire and Ibanez are the winners but not by much. Lots of great semi-hollow guitars in the $600-800 range.
Ordered my Sire in January also, arrives Monday or Tuesday. Stoked I ordered one.
I have the Sheraton Pro II and I think it punches will above its weight class. Looks alone make it stand out but the pickups sound incredibly warm straight into the amp and the split coiling really scratchesthat single coil itch in a pinch if you need it. I love it so much that I'm getting rid of my Ibanez AS73G semi-hollowbody since I doubt I'd play it much anymore. It's a great guitar for the price but when having the two as an option, I always go for the Sheraton.
What’s good enough for John Lee Hooker, is plenty good enough for me
Great video fellows…I’m getting the Sire, period…great sound, value and craftsmanship ! Be safe.. Cheers..
The fact that Pete can play that freaking good blind folded is amazing.
he s very good but no its not amazing good players can play without looking at the board
When it comes down to it, the guitar I want on my own doodah at home is the one with the most comfortable feel, the tone that speaks to me, and a price tag that doesn’t make me feel like I need to sell a kidney. Aesthetically, there’s a lot to love in this shootout, but after trying several of these same models and hearing some I haven’t gotten to lay hands on, I feel like I’d still stick with my Gretsch G5622, given the choice of any of the above.
I bought an Ibanez semi hollow body a few years ago over the Epi Dot due to the Ibanez's longer scale length that I was used to using Strats.
The ibanez has the same scale length as the Epiphone Dot.
Love my D’Angelico deluxe SS. Just an amazing sound and feel.
That’s being said, I’ve also played the other guitars, they ALL sound great; it just boils down to what you like and prefer in the ‘feel’. Would love to get that Ibanez.
If I'm not wrong the Sheraton actually came out as an Epiphone original after Gibson bought them
I bought an Inverness Green Epiphone ES-335 a couple of months ago, couldn’t be happier with it. No desire to change anything but the strings
You should do a comparison of small semihollows like the Epiphone ES-339, Gretsch G5622, and D'Angelico Mini DC next. :)
The video shows 5622 as the guitar he's playing
The Ibanez has been on my list for a while now (as their lefty version looks great) so nice to see it against everything else here. TBH can't really go wrong with any of them!
I had an Ibanez AS7(something) that was Korean built, it would always get compliments regarding how it sounded. Very versatile - jazz, rock, blues... it could do it all.
I legit just bought a lefty AS93FM. beautiful guitar - pictures online don't do the violin sunburst justice.
I own a lefty violin sunburst since about 2019. It was the only choice available to me at the time due to a lack of Epiphone (or other brands) lefty models, leaving me to choose between it, or the more expensive alternative being a Gibson. My only gripes are a certain grittiness on the frets I hadn't noticed at first, and a very faint drop of the tuning stability on the G string. Aside from that, a real beauty, especially with the gold hardware. The very moment you pick it up to play, it 'compells' you to play blues, jazz, whether this is your style or not. 10/10 would recommend!
You can't go wrong with an Artcore I have an AF55
Ibanez is home.
I have the Ibanez AS93. I love the neck, which I believe is a bit deeper than the other Ibanez artcore type guitars. I've change two things, the pick ups and the quick change tail stop, didn't like the feel of it under my hand when muting with my palm on the bridge.
That Site sounded nice but a narrow nut width would put me off.
Good overview. Thanks.
Interesting comment about the Sire having a slightly smaller neck feel. Larry Carlton had a say in the design and I own a 1969 335, the same year as Larry's and the 69 has a smaller feeling neck than the other years.
Whew!....that Ibanez is niiiiize. 👍
I recently considered a number of these plus the multiple Epiphone variations and ended up going with the D’Angelico. It felt like the best blend of specs I like and price. I also loved the sound when I tried a number in store locally. All cool guitars though like you said.
The classic ES-335 design is a refined form factor of the Les Paul 'Log' - a center block of hardwood, into which the pickups are installed, with cosmetic acoustic 'wings' - really the 335 is the true 'Les Paul' IMO
Les Paul is rolling in his grave after reading your comment. The ES stands for Electric Spanish, the type of guitar Gibson was trying to emulate but in electric. It has absolutely nothing to do with Les Paul. Why do you think the ES is the true Les Paul? Also, this is a semi hollow guitar, not a solid body guitar fathered by a log. I'm very interested in hearing your justification:)
My Gretsch center block is a completely different thing, but that makes it special.....
Stop showing me these. I'm gonna go broke. That Ibanez and DAngelico really lifted my ears. Then again it could be the playing. Nice job Pete.
The Sire for me is overall the best of the imports. Then the epiphone 335 and 3rd the D'Angelico
Sire was sweeter to my ears and gets my vote😎👍
...perhaps even over the Gibson...?
The Gretsch has a cool overdrive sound that appeals to these ears😁
I've got the Sire and love it. Will never let go of it! All the others are great too, but that Sire is choice, man!
That sounded best to me.
Just got a Sire in white and can’t wait to put it to the test .
The shootout I've been waiting for! Cheers Anderton's!!
super super super review guys! thanks! getting through the mire of all the semi hollows under 1K - is daunting. but this helps greatly!! seems like the Epiphone Sheraton is the best deal coming with coil taps. Ibanez (AS153, AS113, $1K) makes a triswitch (coil tap similar) model. Amazing that at one point you thought the Ibanez was a Gibson...making Gibson ONLY a name people want to own. michael
I bought the Sire H7 v2 from Anderton. What a great guitar and superb service from Andertons. But I did return 2 guitars due to being too heavy for me (8.8 lbs), the third one was good (8.2lbs).
This for me is a problem, when buying via the internet, that the manufactures/retailers need to address. It would be so easy for the factory to weigh an empty shipping box (which will be the same for all guitars of that model), then subtract that from the gross shipping weight and you have the guitar weight without having to take it out of the box, then stick it on the box label. Simples.
We need an Andertons Gretsch special run that’s a Semi Hollow Gretsch with a Floyd rose and ceramic pickups called the “Country Djentleman”
My pref soundwise:
Ibanez then D'Angelico
Nice guitars and my favorites are most probably the Gretsch, the D`Angelico and the Ibanez in that order!
The one, very obvious, thing, I don’t like on the Gretsch (or any other guitar) is the teardrop burst!
I like or even love other burst finishes tough!
IMO (and using cheap laptop speakers) the Gibson was the standout tone wise to my ears, although none of them blew my socks off.
I really wanted to love the Sire Larry Carlton H7, but that neck is sooo narrow at the nut. I love everything else about it but it feels like a Fender Mustang or my old Jagstang.
The rolled neck at that price point is HUGE, but I would get any other Sire Larry Carlton for a more modern neck profile. They took the measurements off of Larry's old late 60's Gibson which was when they historically went to a narrow nut. Numbers wise, it's not much, but a couple millimeters gives a hugely different feel.
It's one of those instances of vintage doesn't equal better.
The 2023s are wider at 43mm than the earlier 40mm models. I think that is in response to the negative comments about the width and they want to be competitive in sales.
Bought the D’Angelico Premier DC in white, with stairstep tailpiece on the used market. It is in brand new condition for 450 Euro. Almost decided to go for the Sire, until I actually played it. This is actually a very very nice guitar. However, that 40mm nutwidth was a showstopper for me. Am a tall guy with huge hands, that could not really deal with that narrow neck. The D’Angelico is king when it comes to playability, build quality and sound. One of my best guitars so far. (have 11 of them) May trade in a few to buy another D’Angelico. What a great guitar it is. Also tried Guild, Gretsch, Epiphone, Ibanez and Gibson.
I have the gretsch myself. I love it personally. But I also suck at playing the guitfiddle.
Been playing a Washburn HB-30 semi hollowbody since the early 2000's......they still make em too (HB-35 now).
I fell in love wit the 335 sound thanks to Justin Hayward. While I can't afford a "real" Gibson 335, I lucked out and found a Peavey JF1-EX for less than $200 and oh what a sweet sounding and sweet playing guitar it is! Too bad they don't make them anymore.
I have a Heritage H535. Great guitar made in the old Gibson factory InnKalamazoo, Michigan by the Gibson worker who didn’t want to move to Nashville when Gibson moved.
May be just me. But all should have block inlays. Just don’t look right with dot necks. Have the Ibanez myself. And it’s gorgeous and such quality
I love this shootout and comparison, and Pete's playing is always incredible, but I really wish the guitars had been mixed at least as loud as the dialogue. Minor criticisms aside, I really liked this one a lot, and I appreciate you taking the time to make it!
Yeah, the noise gate is a dirty trick.
The 335 is indeed a very versatile guitar. I found this out ages ago when I listened to a live Ten Years After double album. Alvin Lee runs through most of the sounds.
My Gretsch electromatic double cut center block is perfection.....
I just want to point out that the Sheraton was originally the high end version of the 335, and were both released at the same time.
Back in 1957, Epiphone had just been bought by Gibson. At the time, Epiphone were making very high end guitars and were seen as direct competitors by Gibson. After that, Gibson took some of the Epiphone hollowbody designs and modernized them with P90 pickups first, and with a double cutaway later with a solid centerblock. Thus the 335 body shape was born. So in 1958, Gibson and Epiphone released their own versions of that body shape at the same time, the Gibson ES-335, and the Epiphone Sheraton. The Sheraton at the time would have been the high end, more traditional version of it's brother, the 335, and as such was priced higher. Very few Sheratons were made between 1958 and 1970, and they changed specs almost year to year.
Of course the ES-335 was the most popular of the two, so Gibson continued with the 345, the 355, and then made a hollowbody version of it, the 330. The 330 then became the basis for the Epiphone Casino. Similar to what happened between the Sheraton and the 335, the Casino became much more popular than the 330, even though they are almost identical.
Years later, when Epiphone was reworked to become an entry level brand to it's bigger brother, Epiphone reworked the Sheraton into the Sheraton II. Today, the Sheraton comes in the Sheraton II Pro spec, and is actually fairly different to a 335. Mostly in terms of construction, it has a 5 piece walnut-maple neck, and a mahogany centerblock. As opposed to the traditional 335 composition of a mahogany neck and a maple centerblock. Also, the Sheraton has kept it's traditional Epiphone styling that is exclusive to the Sheraton, and not based on anything made by Gibson. Mainly the tree of life inlay on the headstock, Epiphone's traditional headstock shape, and the block and triangle abalone inlays. It was originally meant as an upscale guitar, and even today it has maintained that identity.
Just wanted to share some history on the Sheraton. They are cool guitars, and if you can get a higher end one, they have their own thing going that is slightly different than a 335.
I had a Korean Sammick model and sold it when down sizing the collection. Then I missed playing it, so bought a new Sheraton II Pro model; the price is amazing. It sounds even better than the Korean version. It is built well & looks gorgeous in Ebony with the gold hardware.
@@poodleguiderpeyes7388 Aren't the Sherries great? That super slim neck took me a while to get comfortable in, but I play my Sheraton the most of all my guitars. It can do everything really well!
I personally took off the pickguard, changed the knobs to some like the ones in a 57 LP Custom, and changed some of the gold hardware to black, and it now looks so much more "professional" and serious. I love it! Even just catching a glimpse of it while I do some work on my desk makes me go "ohhh yeaaaahh"
I got the Sheraton 2 pro sunburst. Hadn't had a hollow body 335 style since 69. It is super nice for the price, stunning look. I'm adapting to the neck but no problem. All sound and look great. My pick is the Sheraton. Love the video shootout.
to my ears the Gibson sounded the best and then the D’angelico was closest. The others were fine but those 2 stood out
I got a D’Angelico premier in champagne white with staircase tail piece. It is better in every way from my Sheraton pro I had.. more clarity. Better quality and QC. Perfect out of the box other than string change.. sounds amazing clean and gorgeous dirty. Mine has the humbuckers. Stunning guitar
By far the gretsch has the sound I like
I liked that sound as well. It sounds the least like a 335 tbf. Guess it depends on what you're playing. I wouldn't pick the gretch for jazz for example
To be honest the Sire H7 is a remarkable guitar for the price, it just oozes a touch of class, nice comparison guys and some tasty little licks, i would have any of these, i have 335 in cherry from Thomann , and i bought a Sire S7 from Andertons both excellent guitars, pity i don't play as well as you guys, oh and Pete has shed a few pounds looking lean Pete
I thought about getting the H-7 Sire but heard little things like dye on the fretboard, the neck being wide etc and I ended up getting an Ibanez. I wanted those super 58 pups.
ES-335 player - Alex Lifeson! One of the greats!!