ES-135

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JJBennett

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After a long wait i got one from richtone (thoroughly nice chaps there) and its just amazing. The finish is almost perfect, fittings are spot on and the frets are just plain incredible, better than a real 335 anyday. The only minor niggle i had was that the action was incredibly low but a few turns of the truss rod and a little twiddling on the tune o matic bridge and its perfect for me now, bends choked off before.

Thanks for the help and regular emails Richard and co.

And heres a picture :D
DSC00881.jpg
 
Hi, I've been considering one for ages too (baeed in UK too so it'll be Richtone for me). How have you found it in the early life - I have a high end Semi already (Yamaha SA2200) that is needing company.

The only Q's I have is does the ES135 have the usual Gotoh Mk2 pickups and is the finish lacquer or polyester. I will probably go for the VS rather than Cherry finish.
 
guitarslinger said:
The last layer is lacquer. The undercoat is supposed to be poly.

I still don't get that. What is the purpose of putting nitro on top of poly? Seems redundant. Is it just to say that it has a nitro top coat?
 
stratman323 said:
The top coat is what you feel when you're playing.

Yeah but isn't the big selling point of a nitro finish that it benefits the tone by being a thinner and less coating shell than poly (which is the guitar equivalent of the candy coating on an M & M)? I think anyone marketing a guitar with a nitro finish and it's only a top coat over poly is hosing the buyer.
 
I've just got one of these from Richtone in Tobacco Sunburst, and I have to say it's a fantastic guitar that plays beautifully and sounds awesome.

If you are thinking about getting one I heartily recommend that you go for it, I can't imagine that you'd be dissapointed, and if you get one from Richtone you'll get belting service as well. Top guitar and a top shop, I am a happy chappy!
 
That's the one I'm seriously tempted by - Larry Carlton style 335 at one quarter of the price, I guess you paid around ?800. I had originally planned to get a S/H 335 but every one I looked at appeared wrecked after short time, mainly due to poor finish. My Yamaha SA2200 blew them all away but they are still more than the ES135 new (and you hardly ever see them S/H).
 
That's the one, it was ?799 including a killer case. The set-up and fret work were great straight out of the box, can't fault it really, though I feel there may be even more tonal loveliness in there with some different pickups, but the stock ones are more than fine for now.
 
One last Q before ordering, what neck profile does it have, I've seen lots of conflicting reports and it would be good to know from the players perspective. I guess my reference points would be the typical modern Strat C shape, the Gibson 60's profile (about right for my hands) vs the Tokai LS baseball bat profile (which i don't really get along with but tolerate for the massive sustain, I suspect the ES135 is not like this though). The mid point is probably the Gibson 59 rounded profile (as found on the LP Studio's for example)
 
Well, mine is certainly not a chunky 50s neck like on my Love Rock, but it is still a little rounder than a 60s slim taper. Somewhere in between I'd say but leaning towards the slim taper.
What I can say for sure is that it is really comfy. I've got average sized hands and it just feels superb from one end of the neck to the other.
I had the chance to really crank it up last night at rehearsal and it was great. Did everything that I needed and did it well. Rich clean tones, perfect crunch and amazing lead sounds from both pickups. A nice light weight with no neck heaviness. It's one of those guitars that just lets you get on with it 'cos it's really hard to get a bad sound out of it.......BUY ONE!
 
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7fVnM9mYKfc

Just a little snippet of the sounds it can conjure up.
 
Thank you :oops:

I thought it was pretty terrible playing really, theres quite a few duff notes in it.
 
checked your other videos as well, all good stuff! I don't think you were playing at your best with the 335, but the tone is all there :D

You make then MIM strat sound pretty tasty too!
 
fucking awesome question JJBennet i was just about to ask the exact same thing

i have a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and would also like to know the answer to JJBennet's question

im looking to purchase a ES-135 in the next month in Australia :D
cant wait
havent heard a bad thing about them!
 
Quick update, i recently took the guitar in for a service and there were some loose frets that i hadn't known of which are now glued down and a very light fret dress, the luthier said all in all it was a nice guitar.

EXCEPT for the bridge, it was in the wrong place so i've had to get an aftermarket one now with more travel on it to accommodate for the intonation from my altered set up. Quite annoying but the new one makes the sustain unbelievable, it also means (due to the smooth saddles on it) that i could screw the stop bar flush with the guitar again enhancing the sustain.

Now to just work out how my new amp (Hot Rod Deluxe) and guitar work together!
 

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