Commodore 335 Copy

Copy of gibson ES 335, awesome guitar, awesome value. tremelo, 21 frets, 2 volume knobs, 2 tone. and 2 pickups.

very good sound considering the money paid for it. could do with new pickups

im happy with every aspect of the guitar, i paid ??115 with a lose pickup which was fixed for a few pounds. there were a few paint chips, and scratches here and there though

well the guitar is older then me by 20 years, it must be doing somethign right. i plan to make it my primary guitar when my band gig. very reliable

no idea...

Considering the price I paid, and the fact i can't afford state of the art guitars, this does the job and more. perfect.

This is a semi acoustic with bigsby trem system. It has two pickups but mine has had the neck pickup replaced with a hofner pickup and sounds very punchy and amazing. There are separate volume and tone controls. 21 frets and the fret board is small. It has all you need.

The guitar sounds nice unplugged. Very warm. The Hofner pickup is amazing and very punchy. Not so sure about the neck stock pickup though although it is good mixed with both. This guitar is good with e-bows and slide guitar as well as blues and jazz sounds. Very full sound. I give it a 9 due to the hofner pickup, otherwise a 7 would be it.

The guitar was made in 1969. The frets needed changing but the fret board and guitar is very well made. Trem system is also very good and does not put guitar out of tune when used under normal circumstances. Action is a little high but a replacement bridge could change that.

The guitar feels well made and has stood up very well for its 40 years!!

Do they exist?

Really good guitar. Compared to the Epiphones and Gibsons and Ibanez guitars, this has its own sound. I really like it. think the 200 quid I paid was a bargain!

The guy i bought this off told me he had owned it since '68 when he bought it new, so I'm guessing that probably when it was made.

21 Frets

Hollowbody Gibson ES335 copy. 2 tone and 2 vol controls. 2 single coil passive P-90 style pickups. Maple neck, rosewood fretboard, not sure of the body wood, but it's very resonant and warm sounding, and sounds really nice played acoustically. Oustanding vibrato with a huge bar! - Just like an ES335 with a really nice trem system.

I am very happy with the sound of this guitar. My music style is blues and it sounds just great through my JMI AC40 (a great amp - made by Vox people) - No effects usually, but on occasion Boss SD-1. Great overdriven sounds and can get some great feedback due to the hollowbody! - Have had many people comment on the sound of this guitar when they have heard me playing it, and it definately isn't because I am that good! - This is a lovely sounding guitar.

The tone controls need to really be above 2 or 3 otherwise the sound does get a little too thick for my liking, but others might like it.

Sounds as good as any guitar I've owned and not meaning to boast but I have owned a lot.

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW-as-you-like action. - I mean real low - a jamming partner has a mid 60s SG fomerly owned by the beach boys drummer and the action on this is just as low as that.

I am unable to comment on the factory setup as I bought this used.

This guitar is built to last. Is probably about 40 years old now and it looks virtually new, except, as noted in another review here, the binding on the guitar has yellow, but I guess that can only be expected, but I like it, adds to the vintage feel.

I no longer gig, but I have used this for gigs in the past and it does the job great. I use it for recording and jamming about now.

I don't know a thing about the company, they probably don't exist anymore though.

Have been playing for near on 30 years now. The only guitars I now own are this and a mid 70's strat, I don't need any others, they suit me great.

If it were stolen I don't think it could be replaced, I've not seen another, if I was able to find one I would definately get it, no question.

This a very well made guitar, I paid $450 and I feel that it was a bargain, I really rate this guitar and wouldn't consider parting with it. Top notch.

70's Japanese made Gibson 335 copy, 21 frets. 2 P-120 style pickups. Tobacco-burst finish, excellent sealed type tuners, brilliant trem unit - stays in tune even when using very roughly!

Contrary to what others have said here, I think the pickups are great! The bridge pickup screams like a monster! - The neck pickup is a little muddy at high volumes, but if you turn the vol control down a little to around 6-8 then its absolutely useable, don't understand what people are complaining about. The pickups on this guitar kill those in my LP standard, not even joking, they really do! - Excellent for blues, vintage rock, although not sure if it would cut it for metally type music, but this guitar is hardly gonna appeal to a typical metalhead anyway.

Bought second hand so no comment on factory setup, but as it is the action is very low and fast, couple of nicks in the finish, but i assume this is from it being a 30 year old guitar - you couldn't tell though! - The binding has yellowed a little.

Use this guitar live all the time, its great, I always have other guitars with me, but if I didnt need them then i would happily play this without taking a backup.

Company probably long gone, havent needed to or tried to get in touch with them.

Playing 9 years. Own Stephens Tele, US strat, Gib LP standard, Patrick Eggle Vienna + lots more. If it were stolen doubt I'd be able to find another, maybe on ebay, but I haven't seen any so I'd probs take the insurance and buy something comparable. These Commodores are a real find, if you do see one, buy it, you won't regret it! - Much better quality and sound than current Epiphones, I would prefer this to a Gib 335 - it's got character and the sound is amazing, plays well, what more do you need? - Not a gibson badge!!!

Possibly from the early 70s. Typical Gibson clone, with the added plus of being Japanese and not Korean! Finished in Sunburst, which has lasted well, with a cream binding. I guess it was white once, but it has changed color over the years.

Bridge is adjustable, tuners hold the strings in tune, even when I use the vibrato. By the way, this vibrato is excellent. I have played many guitars over the years, and this one stays tuned as well and better than most of them, even after using the vibrato.

I play Jazz, mostly with some blues when the mood takes me. Plugged into my Fender, it is a rich, warm sound, with a good bright sound on the bridge pickup. Not bright like a strat, but still some good tonal possibilities.

The guitar is pretty much perfect. It is not an expensive 'boutique' guitar, but it is not a cheap 'knock off' either. I would say it compares very favourably with certain reissues (can anyone say EPI dot?).

I play this guitar live quite often. I also have a strat which I use. I switch the guitars depending on what song we are doing. It is certainly dependable.

Commodore made a lot of budget and some very nice 'middle' price guitars. They are worth looking at, since they were made during a time when restrictions on certain hardwoods did not apply. Consequently, the earlier guitars are actually better than some newer ones.

If you have any problems with these guitars, it is more likely to be in the hardware than in the instrument itself. Luckily, it is easy and cheap to replace a pickup or tuners, if needed.

I have been playing 12 years. I own a reissue strat and this 335. I play in a club band that does some original comps as well as covers. If I lost it or if it were stolen, and I had the chance to replace it with another of the same make, I would definately by it, since they are, dollar for dollar, amazing value.

My 335 is also quite old, not too sure how old, but the binding is yellowing.

It is a well made guitar. It has double humbuckers, 3 way switch, pretty much the same as the original, I guess.

Finish quality is excellent. Lots of mother of pearl, good tuners.

I put this guitar through an old british valve amp and it rocks! No effects, just natural overdrive!

A previous post indicated a problem with the pickups. I would say that I am 50 % satisfied with mine! The bridge pickup is good, but the neck pup is too muddy, not clear at all. I play it on the bridge pickup all the time.

It is a wonderful, lean, mean, blues machine!

The action is low. Very low. You can finger tap until the cows come home on this neck. String bends are super easy too.

The guitar has a few dings, but the finish is fine for the most part. It has no flaws in workmanship, that's for sure.

I don't gig. This is a studio instrument. In terms of its hardware, it is as good as most guitars and better than some.

If I did gig, I would use it without a backup. It is certainly solid and can take a knock!

Not a chance!

I have about 15 years in the saddle. I play anything that comes my way, but I personally own a number of vintage guitars, including SG, LP, and a couple of newer reissue strats.

It is a very different guitar than my other axes. But I like it. It is something a little different, and if I was in the market for another 335 guitar, I would avoid Epi and other Korean marques and certainly pickup another of these puppies. It just has style!

Made possibly in the early seventies in Japan, this guitar looks almost new today. It is a faithful copy of the classic Gibson 335. It has twin pickups, which are certainly its weakest feature. Everything about this guitar speaks of quality, except the pickups. They are crap, simple as that. Luckily, this can be fixed for little money and is definately a recommended course of action.

My guitar has a bigsby style tremelo which does an amazingly good job. I can use it in anger and the guitar remains in tune. Not bad for a vintage copy!

My guitar has a sunburst finish, which looks great. It has white binding on the body that really shows its age due to the colouring.

If it were not for the pickups, this would be the guitar worlds best kept secret!

Because the pickups are poor, the sound is not as good as it should be. Very muddy and bassy.

With the tone controls set to full on, then it is acceptable, but anything below because too boomy.

I might try adjusting the heights so that the bass poles are lower than the treble, and see if that helps.

This came to me about 30 years after it left the factory, so who knows how it was originally set up. However, today this guitar plays like a dream! It is as smooth as silk. This is partly due to the amazingly low action as well as the light strings that I use.

I can see no flaws in its construction. It looks much, much better than modern copies, especially those coming out of Korea.

With its traditional vibro system, as well as its classic good looks this guitar just demands to be picked up!

I give this guitar top marks in playbility.

I do not gig without a backup, however, this is a solid guitar with as much going for it as most guitars of its style. It has lasted about thirty years without getting hardly a scratch, so that should tell you something about it!

Who knows?

I have played for over 20 years. I own several other classic and vintage guitars, although not a real 335. If it were lost and I had the opportunity to replace it with one like it, then I would grab it with both hands. Hell, if I have the opportunity to get another period I shall grab it!

Like I said before, the only thing this guitar needs to be a great players guitar are new pickups.