Gibson Custom CS-336 Plain Top Electric Guitar 

Comments about Gibson Custom CS-336 Plain Top Electric Guitar:

Let me start of by saying I bought this guitar new at a local guitar shop. I played a total of three 336 guitars. The one I purchased had the warmest sound and the best recommendation from the store's staff who are always great. But, I knew it needed some tweaks. I took it to the store's on site luthier who said it needed an action adjustment, the nut slots needed to be re-slotted, and the pickups needed their heights adjusted. There is no reason why I should have had to pay a luthier to make such adjustment for such an expensive instrument. What is the problem with the set up department at the Gibson Custom Shop?!

All that aside the luthier did a fantastic job on the guitar. It has a warm, buttery, and smooth clean tones, which work great for jazz and funk. I get a wonderful fat sound using low to moderate overdrive, which makes for a great blues tone. It guitar handles higher levels of gain too and works well for classic rock.

Does it sound like a 335? No, not really. The body mass is probably too small for that sound. The 339 has its own great sound. I especially like its size. It is smaller than a 335 and very lightweight--perfect for those long gigs or when I have to teach for six hours a day. I now love this guitar! I just wish Gibson paid more attention to the set up.

Comments about Gibson Custom CS-336 Plain Top Electric Guitar:

A really, really, REALLY great guitar!
Just got mine, ebony plain top,
The thing I'd have to stress more than anything is clarity. It just sound so bell ringing clear.
You just don't usually hear humbucker/Gibson-style guitars sound this clear and defined. It really is almost as if it had single coils in it or something. Of course the tone is beyond belief, so combined with that clarity it's really as good souding of a guitar as you could possible imagine.
I guess it's that solid maple top that makes is resonate. I'll use it for jazz and jazz-ish things, but when I run it to the Marshall it rocks as hard as I'd ever need. It's really, REALLY great.
Get one!
Always have to knock any Gibson product down a bit for value.

If any other company made it, it'd be less.

Comments about Gibson Custom CS-336 Plain Top Electric Guitar:

I own a1978 Rickenbacker, , a Hofner Sn3, and a '72 SG. I love all my guitars but this one gets played most. The sound is unique. It stands out. It growl like a humbucker, or sounds like a single coil with bite.There's tons of versatility in the sound when played clean. With effects you can o whatever you want.Buy this guitar before they get to hard to fine. This is a great guitar to play or collect. Check out Gibson's web page. This guitar is a future collectible

Comments about Gibson Custom CS-336 Plain Top Electric Guitar:

I have 7 electrics: A Gretsch White Falcon, Fender American Strat, Ibanez BK550, '65 Firebird, 67 Gibson Les Paul, the CS-356, and, oh, yeah, my pink hello kitty. Of course it beats the kitty, but really, it just shuts down the others. It has a very bright tone, clarity, and what I call the "Gibson signature sound". My Les Paul does too, but its not as bright and clean as the 336.My only complaint is that Gibson seems to think that you need to spend another $1500 or so just to get better than plastic knobs and trim.As for my setup, its an old Fender M-80 amp. The guitar will sound great regardless of what gadgets you use. I generally just turn down the bass, and midrange to 3-4, and the treble to 5 and play it clean. The best thing is that you can play chord transitions thru all those funky sounding Blah-7-flat-5 -- etc. chords and it makes them come out right.I like the sound of my Ibanez as well, until I get back on the 336 -- sorry Ibanez!For sound QUALITY, the Gretsch is comparable, just a different sound. Some say Gretsch is rockabilly, but really, it depends how you use it. It rate it highly, but the 336 would be my first choice if I were silly enough to play in public (maybe next year...). I also tried a set of Alumitone PU's on my Firebird. The bird now sounds better, and razor clean, but the sound does not have the full body of the 336 sound.I will be upgrading the Strat to the "Seymour Duncan Everything Axe Single Coil Set" in a few weeks. I'll update this post with a comparison.

Comments about Gibson Custom CS-336 Plain Top Electric Guitar:

If you are in the market for a semi-hollow, it doesn't get much better than this. I rented this, a 339, and a 335. I own an Ibanez artist, and a PRS Hollowbody II. I recorded each guitar in each position dirty, clean and in between and there was absolutely no comparison. Though the 336, 339, and 335 share the same pup config, the 336's tone was richer, livelier, and more "sizzley" than the other two, and blew away the Ibanez and the PRS while it was at it. If you have the means, I highly recommend it.

Comments about Gibson Custom CS-336 Plain Top Electric Guitar:

I drooled over this axe since first reading the words tonally carved. Finally got one and I am sending it back. The nut is high, fret wires are huge, setup non existant, neck was warped and required significant truss rod tighting. After 'setup' it didn't play all that well. No comparison to quality of my LP custom fretless wonder. The tone is a hollow body electric, if you want that get a 335 which plays, sounds better, will have more resale value. LOTS of better guitars to choose from.

Comments about Gibson Custom CS-336 Plain Top Electric Guitar:

I mention that I own some very fine equipment, and have played for many years simply to qualify my opinion of r. Mine was fawless in finish and the neck wood was a beautiful piece...now for the important part...I love the specftrum of tone that I can get out of this little beauty...warm-full resonance to bark and growl. I can not recommend this guitar enough for classic rock-blues rock-hard blues...think tones from Cream's '68 Crossroads recording to a dreamy rendition of Stormy Monday and all inbetween. This is a keeper...

Comments about Gibson Custom CS-336 Plain Top Electric Guitar:

The plain-top model sounds like the figured-top model, it is simply cheaper as it has less "look" for some. The look is more vintage and I prefer it, the sound is great, the neck, fretboard and playability perfect. The "hand-made" finishing is not as "perfect" as some industrial products.Simply a great-tone, great-fit guitar. It does all you need and what it does not do requires a tele-type guitar with single coil.I'm very happy with it.