Gibson ES-339
Encyclopedia
The Gibson ES-339 is a semi-hollow body guitar which is manufactured in Gibson
's Custom Shop. The guitar is the size of a regular solid body guitar, but has the sound of a semi-hollow body guitar.
The ES-339 Figured features all the same design specifications with exception to the wood construction, which is curly maple
(also known as flamed maple). This model is more expensive than the standard ES-339.
. It is fabricated from a solid maple center block and maple laminate top, back and sides. It is smaller than the ES-335, closer to the size of a Les Paul model.
Electronically the ES-339 differs from the ES-335 with the use of what Gibson calls the Memphis Tone Circuit. The result of this change is a logarithmic based system of volume control which creates 2 advantages: clarity and sweet high-end sounds do NOT roll off
when volume is decreased (maintaining sharpness in tone at any volume) and the rate of volume increases/decreases are more natural, as the human ear would expect for each particular level (1 - 10) to sound.
Gibson Guitar Corporation
The Gibson Guitar Corporation, formerly of Kalamazoo, Michigan and currently of Nashville, Tennessee, manufactures guitars and other instruments which sell under a variety of brand names...
's Custom Shop. The guitar is the size of a regular solid body guitar, but has the sound of a semi-hollow body guitar.
Options
The standard 339 is available with what is referred to as the "30 over 60" or 30/60 neck and the beefier '59 neck profile. The 30/60 neck is based on the vintage slim neck design seen on most 335 models, with an additional .030 of an inch depth from front to back.The ES-339 Figured features all the same design specifications with exception to the wood construction, which is curly maple
Flame maple
Flame maple , also known as flamed maple, curly maple, ripple maple, fiddleback or tiger stripe, is a feature of maple in which the growth of the wood fibers is distorted in an undulating chatoyant pattern, producing wavy lines known as "flames"...
(also known as flamed maple). This model is more expensive than the standard ES-339.
History
The Gibson ES-339 is the descendant of the iconic ES-335Gibson ES-335
The Gibson ES-335 is the world's first commercial thinline arched-top semi-acoustic electric guitar. Released by the Gibson Guitar Corporation as part of its ES series in 1958, it is neither hollow nor solid; instead, a solid wood block runs through the center of its body...
. It is fabricated from a solid maple center block and maple laminate top, back and sides. It is smaller than the ES-335, closer to the size of a Les Paul model.
Electronically the ES-339 differs from the ES-335 with the use of what Gibson calls the Memphis Tone Circuit. The result of this change is a logarithmic based system of volume control which creates 2 advantages: clarity and sweet high-end sounds do NOT roll off
Roll-off
Roll-off is a term commonly used to describe the steepness of a transmission function with frequency, particularly in electrical network analysis, and most especially in connection with filter circuits in the transition between a passband and a stopband...
when volume is decreased (maintaining sharpness in tone at any volume) and the rate of volume increases/decreases are more natural, as the human ear would expect for each particular level (1 - 10) to sound.