Ever since 1958, when Gibson introduced the first semi-hollowbody electric guitar, the timeless ES-335, the company’s engineers have been fine-tuning the concept of combining the classic look of a hollowbody with the performance of a solidbody. Debuting in 2001, the CS-336 is the ultimate result of that quest and it is a true Gibson Custom Shop beauty.

Body

The CS-336 delivers the classic look of the 335 with its elegantly tapered figured-top but the Custom Shop’s engineers have enhanced the CS-336’s playability. Although the CS-336 has the same body lines as the ES-335, the model is scaled down to provide solidbody style comfort. And its neck has the slim, "fast" profile of vintage ’60s Gibson guitars. To create truly great resonating properties, the back and sides of the CS-336 are a single piece of mahogany that is shaped inside and out like a classic Gibson archtop, but with a solid center beam running the length of the body from the neck tenon to the tail block. The model’s solid, two-piece maple top is also carved inside and out to the shape and thickness of ES-series archtops, but it, too, has a solid center section that matches up to the center beam of the body. And before each CS-336 leaves the Custom Shop it is checked and adjusted by one of Gibson’s state-of-the-art Pleck machines, ensuring the ultimate ready-to-play set-up.

Near-perfect Recreation

The overall body size is an ultra-comfortable 13-inches wide, 16 inches long, and 1 11/16th-inches deep. The CS-336 has two Gibson ’57 Classic humbucking pickups along with the historic Gibson two tone pot, two volume pot, one three-way selector switch control configuration and an ABR-1 bridge. The hardware is nickel, and the body’s top and back have a stylish single-ply binding – classic touches, although the Gibson CS-336 is sonically and ergonomically state of the art. Another factor in the CS-336’s gorgeous sustain is its one-piece mahogany neck supporting a 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearloid dot inlays, designed to a vintage 1960 taper neck profile. Its scale length is a comfortable 24 _-inches with a 1 11/16th-inch wide nut. The headstock is complimented by a set of vintage style tulip tuners. Figured finishes are available in vintage sunburst, faded cherry, tangerine burst, and trans amber. These shades are also available in plain top models along with ebony, which is a plain-top only finish. The CS-336 also comes with Gibson Brite Wire .010 strings, a Custom Shop case, and certificate of authenticity.