Hot or Not - Gibson CS-336

Mark Wein

Mark Wein

Grand Poobah
Staff member
CS336FVSNH-xlarge.jpg






[h=3]e Custom Shop CS-336 - Orville Gibson's Dream[/h]Gibson's Custom, Art, Historic division provides an atmosphere for a select group of inspired artisans to carry on Gibson's century-old tradition of creating exquisite, investment quality instruments that represent the highest standards of imaginative design and masterful craftsmanship.

The Gibson CS-336 represents the fulfillment of a goal set forth over 100 years ago by Orville Gibson. The mahogany back, sides and centerblock of the CS-336 are tonally carved from a single block of wood (this single-piece construction was one of Orville's original goals) and, when joined to the carved maple top, create a guitar with unsurpassed resonance and woody tone. Its scaled-down body size and slim-taper neck allow for more comfortable playing with no compromise in tone.


Gibson CS-336 Features:

  • Color: Vintage Sunburst
  • Body Type: Semi-hollow
  • Neck Wood: 1-piece mahogany
  • Neck Shape: 1960 slim taper neck profile
  • Top Wood: Figured solid maple top
  • Back Wood: Tonally carved mahogany
  • Side Wood: Tonally carved mahogany
  • Machine Heads: Vintage tulip tuners
  • Fingerboard: Rosewood
  • No. of Frets: 22
  • Scale Length: 24-3/4"
  • Position Markers: Pearloid dot inlays
  • Pickups: '57 Classic humbucking
  • Controls: 2 volume, 2 tone,
  • Pickup Switching: 3-way selector switch
  • Bridge/Tailpiece: ABR-1 bridge, stopbar tailpiece
  • Hardware: Nickel
  • Case: Custom Shop case, (certificate of authenticity, custom care kit)
 
Already did, sort of...
:tongue:

Sent from The Nether
 

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I have never played the custom shop version, put the regular one kicks all kinds of ass.
 
Nom.

But I already have the guitar they used to originate that body construction, before they started using it on Gibbies.

Epi WildKat.
 
I have a student who is getting a left handed version of this next week I'm curious as to how it sounds.
 
From the Gibson forum in response to a question about the massive price difference between the 339 and 336 (the 336 is $3399):

The two models use radically different construction methods to arrive at a "similar" spot musically, and a similar "small hollowbody" concept -- somewhere between the sound of an ES-335 and a Les Paul, with (in my opinion) the ES-339 leaning slightly towards the 335 sound and the CS-336 leaning slightly towards the sound on an LP. The 339 is a true "semi-hollow" in Gibson nomenclature, made with plywood top/back/sides sandwiched around a center-block. The 336 uses more of an archtop construction: a solid slab of mahogany that is then routed to create the sides/hollows/block area, capped with thick bookmatched maple that is then carved like an LP top with f-holes. The back is routed inside and out to create "dishing", but the sides are part of the same slab of mahogany and remain so during construction. The list price difference likely comes from that use of all-solid woods on the 336 (and 356).

The specific sound of any two guitars -- even examples of the same model -- varies from one guitar to another, but a CS-356 (same constructions as the 336) has been my main guitar since 2003, and it's capable of giving me everything I need along that general scale of sound from 335-to-LP. It can be warm and woody, mellow and lush on the one hand and then rock hard on the other depending on amps/pedals/the situation. Generally, I'd say they're capable of being a bit brighter on the bridge pickup (almost Tele-like) than what most LP players are used to, and a bit more "scooped" sounding in the mids than perhaps a 335 player might expect. But they're exceptionally versatile in my opinion, and have a sound of their own that works very well in many situations.

My experience with the 339 is more limited -- but I've tried a few in the shops. They *feel* almost the same to me as a player given variance in neck shapes -- same shape, similar weight and balance. But the *sound* is a little different: I don't want to exaggerate the impression, but to me the 339 seemed heavier in the midrange compared to the more "scooped" sound of my 356 with it's wide tonal range (it seems to have more highs and more lows in it). They do sound different to me, but similar...
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