355 copies...

[gator55]

I am searching for a decent 355 copy, and although I've seen loads of awesome 335s (Orville, Greco, Burny etc), I've only seen only a handful of 355s.
Price wise I'm looking at £1000/$1600, but could possibly go higher.
Not really fussed about the brand, colour, or where its made just as long as it's good quality. Can be stop tail or trapeze/vibrato, but ideally ebony fretboard.
So does anyone know of any?
Any help is much appreciated.

This is what I'm shooting for...

 

[space]

Ibanez 2630

I sold this a year ago
Also the 2629 has ebony FB but dots
T

 

[Victek]

I am searching for a decent 355 copy, and although I've seen loads of awesome 335s (Orville, Greco, Burny etc), I've only seen only a handful of 355s.

I'm curious as to what's different about the 355 Vs the 335? Are you wanting the varitone switch?

 

[doitforvangogh]

I'm curious as to what's different about the 355 Vs the 335? Are you wanting the varitone switch?

The 355 is the "les paul custom" of the ES line. Ebony fingerboard, bound headstock and on and on.

 

[Norton]

Seventy seven guitars. Hands down. Attention to detail and material quality is top notch. Their lacquer is like the new gibson stuff... A little heavy on plasticizers, but great great guitars.

 

[Liquid State]

Heritage H-535. Look em up. A nice used one is right in your price point. Made in the old Gibson factory in Michigan the same way old 335's were made.

 

[space]

Heritage H-535. Look em up. A nice used one is right in your price point. Made in the old Gibson factory in Michigan the same way old 335's were made.

535 has dot markers and rosewood fb
555 has close to what you want cheapest one on ebay is going for $1900 approx
T

 

[paruwi]

I am searching for a decent 355 copy, and although I've seen loads of awesome 335s (Orville, Greco, Burny etc), I've only seen only a handful of 355s.
Price wise I'm looking at £1000/$1600, but could possibly go higher.
Not really fussed about the brand, colour, or where its made just as long as it's good quality. Can be stop tail or trapeze/vibrato, but ideally ebony fretboard.
So does anyone know of any?
Any help is much appreciated.
..........

sells for 1900-2100 €uro over here
MiJ at the FujiGen factory
15" body width



Which is the nicer one ?

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3uQkmmpsGw[/ame]


or if you can find one of those....

ES-Series - The Unofficial Epiphone Wiki

or this..

 

[Liquid State]

535 has dot markers and rosewood fb
555 has close to what you want cheapest one on ebay is going for $1900 approx
T

you are correct, Sir. Guess my replies would be more helpful if I read the OP more carefully.... doh

 

[Jabberwocky]

Made in Japan Seventy-seven Guitars Exrubato CTM (Custom). Twee name but great construction, playability and tone all round. Yeah, real ebony fretboard.

 

[Spiteface]

I am searching for a decent 355 copy, and although I've seen loads of awesome 335s (Orville, Greco, Burny etc), I've only seen only a handful of 355s.
Price wise I'm looking at £1000/$1600, but could possibly go higher.
Not really fussed about the brand, colour, or where its made just as long as it's good quality. Can be stop tail or trapeze/vibrato, but ideally ebony fretboard.
So does anyone know of any?
Any help is much appreciated.

This is what I'm shooting for...

ESP's Edwards brand do something along those lines, if you can track one down. The current model comes in Black and hardtail, with their version of that headstock inlay:

ESP | EDWARDS | E-SA-148LTC

Ebony board, which you said is what you ideally want, Duncan pickups, and if they're as good as their LP-style guitars (I have one and they're really nice), then it should be a good choice.

 

[gator55]

I'm curious as to what's different about the 355 Vs the 335? Are you wanting the varitone switch?

I suppose the main difference is the aesthetic, most of my favorite players use 355s, but I do also prefer ebony fretboards.

Seventy seven guitars. Hands down. Attention to detail and material quality is top notch. Their lacquer is like the new gibson stuff... A little heavy on plasticizers, but great great guitars.

I've never seen those before. Definitely going to keep an eye out for one.

Heritage H-535. Look em up. A nice used one is right in your price point. Made in the old Gibson factory in Michigan the same way old 335's were made.

I've seen the H555 which is kind of similar to a 355 but I'm not a fan of the inlays.

sells for 1900-2100 €uro over here
MiJ at the FujiGen factory
15" body width

Those FGN's look awesome but for the price I'd probably look elsewhere. I have been on the lookout for one of those Epiphones, they do look good.

ESP's Edwards brand do something along those lines, if you can track one down. The current model comes in Black and hardtail, with their version of that headstock inlay:

Ebony board, which you said is what you ideally want, Duncan pickups, and if they're as good as their LP-style guitars (I have one and they're really nice), then it should be a good choice.

I've never seen one of those Edwards 355s before. Do you know how much they go for in Europe?

 

[Custom53]

Although hard to find, The MIK, Hamer Echotone, with Block, sort of, inlays are still out there.

 

[disaffected]

Look at the Guilds(I think Newark St collection) from China. The acoutics coming from there are unbelieveably great. All wood compared to HPD and richlite from Martin. I have noodled with a Starfire IV,their 355/335 look alike for about 10 mins- had a really nice feel and sound.

 

[Norton]

New guild electric runs are from Korea. Very nice guitars. But with the archtop bridge and those inbetween mini/full humbuckers I don't think you'll get the sonic vibe.

The seventy seven pickups on the other hand are fantastic. Clear as a bell, great tone control sensitivity and the perfect amount of quack and woody snarl. I'm very glad I took the gamble and picked one up.

 

[BEACHBUM]

Yamaha SA 2200 - Japanese made. New $2400, - about $1600 ebay used.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AfBsZQPhKg

 

[MPM]

+1 on the Yamaha option - maple, mahogany, ebony, block, etc. And definitely in the right price range for you. Just realized after reading this thread that my 1988 SA-2100 is more of a 355 copy than a 335. Always learn something new here...

 

[alstev]

I played an Eastman in the pawnshop today, I don't know how much they are new, but that one was $600 used, it had an ebony fretboard, that guitar really blew me away, I don't even really like hollow-bodies but I can't stop thinking about it, that thing played nice.

 

[BEACHBUM]

+1 on the Yamaha option - maple, mahogany, ebony, block, etc. And definitely in the right price range for you. Just realized after reading this thread that my 1988 SA-2100 is more of a 355 copy than a 335. Always learn something new here...

WOW!Never saw one in natural. That's gorgeous.

 

[KennyD]

Here's my MIJ Seventy Seven Exrubato Custom - amazing guitar. More in common with the 355 on account of the ebony fingerboard, gold hardware, and body/fretboard/headstock binding.

First class instrument and the fit & finish is impeccable - like all of the other guitars I've had from the Deviser company. Nice touches like wooden tuning keys, 5-piece maple/walnut/maple/walnut/maple neck, - flame maple used on the inside as well.

I'm not the best photographer, and found it difficult to capture just how insane the maple is on the top and back, but here's a few photos anyway.