Played 3 Gibsons yesterday...

[papersoul]

LOVE GIbsons, they are my favorite brand of guitar by a mile and a half. My Gibson Les Paul Standard and Gibson SG are my main babies.

[Condemned soul]

Question about the 339:

The bridge posts.

I tried one a few weeks ago and really liked the guitar. After I looked it over, there was only one thing about the guitar that bothered me.

The bridge posts seemed thinner than other Gibson posts. This made me think of long term useage and the posts mabe bending.

Also, it appeared, but maybe I didnt look close enough, that the posts were sunk right into the guitar top.

Am I mistaken or am I concerned about nothing?

[Mincer]

Gibson used 'richlite' for Steinberger fingerboards for the last several years. They called it phenolic, though. Very hard, shiny, and will prbably outlast wood.

[RustyB]

First post here - forgive me if I mess it up!

I'm in love with my Midtown Custom! I don't think there's a better guitar for the price out there - bar none.

Regarding Richlite/Bakelite - two different animals, here. Bakelite is more of a hard plastic resin - used in bowling balls for years. Richlite is a compressed composite made from paper - so it was wood at one time. This stuff has been used for things like countertops for years. Martin has used it for fretboards on some of their lower to mid models for a while, too.

Richlite is very hard and durable! As a matter of fact, the dealer who sold me my Midtown Custom thought the fretboard was ebony! Obviously, he hadn't done the research that I had done!

At first, I was a little alarmed by the idea. Then (as someone else said), I realized that it had no effect on the playability of the instrument.

I don't know if the Midtowns will catch on or not. But from a historic standpoint, this guitar will be remembered (if for no other reason) as Gibson's reaction to the federal government's raid on their manufacturing plants.

[formula73]

Question about the 339:

The bridge posts.

I tried one a few weeks ago and really liked the guitar. After I looked it over, there was only one thing about the guitar that bothered me.

The bridge posts seemed thinner than other Gibson posts. This made me think of long term useage and the posts mabe bending.

Also, it appeared, but maybe I didnt look close enough, that the posts were sunk right into the guitar top.

Am I mistaken or am I concerned about nothing?

I believe you're talking about the ABR-1. It's the original tuneomatic bridge and by all standards, is preferable for tone. The posts will last a long, long time but they HAVE been known to bend if the tailpiece is cranked way, way down and the string angle over the bridge is extreme but this happens over a very long time and they're easy to replace. Just unscrew the old ones and screw in the new ones. An easy upgrade is stainless studs that are longer-they don't bend and supposedly transfer more vibration to the back wood.

[Gypsyblue]

It's Bakelite.

The name is only different because of trademark laws. Like Kleenex.

Really? Bakelite? I've read that the dust from that stuff is toxic.

That's what bowling balls used to be made of.

And Rickenbacker lap steel guitars from the 1930's.

[Bludave]

I own a 335 & a 359. The 359 is a very nice guitar but my 335 has a lot more bottom end and I prefer the feel of the rosewood f/b. The 359 is a smaller version of the 355! Great guitar and plays beautifully but I think my 335 just flat out sounds better, not by a lot but noticeable to me. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[JeffB]

Bakelite is an early form of plastic. Most famous in guitardom as the pickguard material on early blackguard broadcasters et. al.

Has absolutely nothing to do with the gibby boards.

[Gypsyblue]

Bakelite is an early form of plastic. Most famous in guitardom as the pickguard material on early blackguard broadcasters et. al.

Has absolutely nothing to do with the gibby boards.

Good!

[Myaccount876]

I also tried some Gibsons last week, an SG Faded, Les Paul Studio Faded, Les Paul Traditional Pro, all through a Peavey 6505+, same EQ settings (Lead Channel, Bass: 4 Mids: 8, Treble: 9, Pre-Gain: 5.5, Volume: Low because it is loud haha). I actually preferred the Faded SG over everything, then the Les Paul Studio Faded, and last surprisingly was the Traditional Pro. To my surprise, the LP Studio was a newer model and it felt like it wasn't chambered, and felt like a LP should to me. The SG and LP Studio kicked ass.