2013 Gibson Memphis ES-335 Bass.

[tonyj]

I had recently made a decision to buy a late seventies Kramer 650-B vintage Bass that I had had my eye on for a week or two. This was a nice example of Kramer's Artist Bass, an aluminum necked, two humbuckered, maple and burled wallnut Bass guitar; a Bass guitar that I had long admired for its inovative design and unique construction and one that I had 'discovered' at a local vintage guitar dealership. I just had to get back off holiday, then all being well ......

Unfortunately this guitar has probably been a victim of the recent floods which devasted many parts of Southern Alberta, whilst we were away on vacation. Until a full and in depth reclamation study is done, I must assume that the bass is now no longer available, as most of the business and commercial area of the town where this guitar was proudly displayed has now been wiped out.

Meanwhile, a few days ago, I ran into a guitar that was somewhat unfamiliar to me. I know of the Gibson Midtown Bass, the Thunderbirds and so on, but had not seen what looked like a new ES-335 Bass for many years. A beautiful and mouth watering Cherry Red example made by 'Gibson Memphis'(?).

I currently own a lovely P-Bass, a nice J-Bass and a pretty 4003 Rick Bass, but nothing quite like this Gibson offering, although I do own a number of six string ES Gibsons including a 335.

Cutting a lengthy story short, and even though I could find absolutely nothing about this bass on the Gibson site, and after suffering a couple of nights of sleep deprivation, I decided to go back to my local dealership and take one more look. You can probably guess the rest........!!

Anyhow ...... here is my latest Bass acquisition. Hardly a Kramer 650-B, but a really nice bass nevertheless.

As this is my very first post on your website, I do hope you won't mind me showing it off. Thank you everyone!













   

[gweimer]

Nice bass!  You'll make friends here fast with that one.

[TBird1958]

That's beautiful! Instant Classic.

Welcome to our Happy Home too 

[the mojo hobo]

That is beautiful.

Gibson doesn't list this on their website and the NR Thunderbird is gone too. But they are both in stock at Sweetwater.

[clankenstein]

welcome! very nice. how does the sound compare to your other basses?

[tonyj]

Thank you for the kind words!

welcome! very nice. how does the sound compare to your other basses?

My 'take' on how the various basses is my own. I dialled the amp into neutral as best I could and left the setting the same for all four basses. I also eased back the volume to 8/10, and the tone to 7/10 for each bass.

I love the way the Jazz plays, the mellow sound is deep, slightly foggy and it has good sustain.

The Precision is slightly foggier, also very mellow and almost as deep as the Jazz. Again it has good sustain.

The Rick 4003 is punchier, but in a pleasant and mellow way. The sound is deep, sustain is good and the sound level a touch louder then the two Fenders. I like the Rick very much.

The ES-335 Bass is a tad 'crisper' than the other three. It too has a deep, mellow sound, but less 'fog'. This is perhaps the loudest of the four basses. The sustain is endless - in a good way.

Remember also, that this was a quick comparison of the four basses. Each of the basses characteristics could easily change one way or the other with some minor amp changes, or by adjusting the guitars settings. Remember too, that I bought each of these basses only after hearing them and really liking what I had heard.

[Nocturnal]

Very nice looking bass!! Welcome to the Outpost 

[Highlander]

Popular instrument and welcome...

[Dave W]

Welcome, Tony, you're among friends here.

[Wilbur88]

That is an absolute beauty for sure.  Nice score, and yes it's a  classic.   

[Chris P.]

Welcome! Nice bass! You can find quite a lot about the bass here. It has guitar humbuckers:)

[Denis]

Beautiful bass and welcome!

That is beautiful.

Gibson doesn't list this on their website and the NR Thunderbird is gone too. But they are both in stock at Sweetwater.

The G-3 is gone now too (which is funny because it's the bass shown in the banner on the bass page), as is the shortscale Thunderbird, Epi Jack Casady Sig, El Capitan, Epi Les Paul Special bass, Novoselic RD (probably for a while), and the Gibby T birds except for the 50th.

[godofthunder]

 Welcome! I have had the pleasure of trying out one of those at a local store, Beautiful bass! Gibsons best effort in a very long time imho. I think I feel a bought of G.AS. coming on.

[Barklessdog]

Very nice bass.

[uwe]

Gorgeous. I've been looking for one like that - sometimes fins matter, you know -



but they are as yet difficult to get in Germany (not on Gibson official distribution).