Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom Shop 1959 ES-355

24/7/355

Wildwoodians, we have a proposal: replace the Gregorian Calendar with one that only has 355 days in it to honor the Epiphone Inspired By Gibson Custom Shop 1959 ES-355. That might sound extreme (after all, what would happen to the ten leftover days?), but we think you'll agree that these guitars deserve such a grand gesture after sitting down with one. The fine folks at Gibson Custom and Epiphone have collaborated to capture the stunning looks, outstanding playability, and inspiring tone of Gibson's top-of-the-line Electric Spanish guitar at a player-friendly price point. Simply put, they sound incredible, and their fit and finish match their tone. Let's dive under the hood and see what makes them so special!

Humbucker Heaven

The first part of the Inspired by Gibson Custom '59 ES-355's sonic formula is its resonant semi-hollow body with a solid maple centerblock for added resonance. However, the most crucial part is the pair of Custombuckers atop that body. Made by the Gibson Custom Shop, the Custombucker is Gibson's highest-end production pickup, and it is meant to emulate the sweet sounds of vintage Patent Applied For pickups from the fifties. To see such a pickup is an Epiphone guitar is a truly surprising delight, and they sound truly incredible in the ES-355. The bridge position sounds warm, open, and punchy, and the neck pickup sounds thick, rich, and sweet. In all positions, they have excellent percussive articulation, superb clarity, and plenty of rich, sparkling overtones. Though nothing can match a Gibson Custom Shop guitar, the Custombuckers put these guitars in the same neighborhood, which is an amazing feat!

It's also a joy to play thanks to its spectacular '50s rounded medium C neck profile, which is slimmer for easy chording at the nut and thicker near the twelfth fret to give you something to grab onto when you play up high. Its feel reminds us of some of our favorite vintage Gibsons, so much so that it feels like the hand equivalent of your comfiest pair of sweatpants, although, wouldn't sweatpants for your hands just be gloves? We digress. The point is, playing one of these Epiphone ES-355 is a wonderfully expressive, inspiring experience thanks to its Custom Shop-esque tone and outstanding playability.

Style for Miles

Beyond its reputation as a sonic titan, guitar players also hold the ES-355 in great renown for its eye-catching beauty, and this Inspired by Gibson Custom model is no different. It has a genuine ebony fretboard with stylish mother-of-pearl block inlays that match the Split-Diamond headstock inlay and a Gibson-style "open-book) headstock. To top it off, it has gold Grover tuners that complete the look. Under the hood you'll also find CTS pots, Mallory Caps, and an output jack and selector switch from Switchcraft, maximizing the Epiphone '59 ES-355's tone and stability. And, it all comes wrapped up in a rock-solid hardshell case!

Wired and Inspired

As you can no doubt tell, we are excited as all-git-out to share the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson 1959 ES-355 with you, Wildwoodians. We have no doubt it will stay on your mind 24/7/355 after you take one for a spin!

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