Merle Travis Bigsby Electric Guitar For Sale (2024 Update)

Based on the CONS people have listed here, after 55 years of playing everything from Folk to Country to Praise and Worship on everything from my first 'cross-the-border, nylon-string classical to the Big Boys' Strats and my big-bowl 1976 Balladeer, I guess I must still be tone deaf and have no feel for an instrument because I liked this guitar from the moment I saw it, felt it, played it, and heard it. Not being the most expensive guitar on the rack, I did not expect it to be perfect. But, I have been greatly and very positively surprised at how close it is to meeting my every criteria. I have a full-size hollow body that cost me a bunch more and the tone variation from Neck PUP to Bridge PUP on the Wildkat is so much better! The volume balance between the PUPs is spot on. However, I purposely did not buy the Bigsby-equipped model: not because of expected tuning issues but because I like a clean appearance and the Bigsby really loads this little guy up! And, replace the P90s with 'buckers? Wow, I bought the Wildkat SPECIFICALLY for the P90s! Seems there is no explaining differences in taste. I applaud you all for your own musical and tonal discernment and for your comments! My summary? If you are looking for a fun guitar with great sound, this is your baby!Brother Lou

I purchased the blue royale model and, there is a review for that one. Super Guitar but, the blue just didn't do it for me so I ended up selling it to a guy that loved the blue color and, he was in heaven and, he a got a nice instrument. It wasn't but a short time and, I started missing the whole guitar except the blue color so I got the wine red Wildkat, I guess I'm kind of a red guy because I have several guitars in shades of red. This wine red color is stunning and, all the chrome hardware is a perfect match. I also have a Riviera in wine red but, it has gold hardware and, this guitar is a thing of beauty in looks and sound but, lets get back to the Wildkat. The semi hollow with the P90's is what sold me in the first place. The Bigsby vibrato is very cool, in all my years of playing I never touched a Bigsby until this one and, I like it very much. I have not had any problems with tuning. With a new guitar the strings must be stretched and, retuned a few times or there will be tuning problems as the same with restringing. Also lube the string slots in the nut and bridge and, that goes for any guitar with a vibrato. I usually use a No2 lead pencil and, run it in the grooves that's it. This is a semi hollow guitar but, it comes very close to being hollow as in the picture I've posted. That's why this guitar has the sound that it does. I've played it through every amp that I have, Fender Twin Reverb to a small practice amp and, it sounds Great through every one. The electronics are a little different but, it doesn't take long to get used to it. I'm always up for a challenge anyway. I am very pleased with this guitar as I was with the blue one but, red is my color. I would highly recommend this guitar to anybody looking for that something different in a guitar as I was. I have noticed that P90's are showing up more and, more with artists on TV, videos and, in magazines, must be a reason! Give it a try, you'll be pleasantly surprised.terrygh

This is really a Great guitar. I was looking for something different, something that I didn't have. A semi hollow with P90's and a Bigsby and, a beautiful color! I had to do a little setup, the normal stuff I always do with any guitar that I own, action, a litttle truss rod tweak, slight adjustment of pickup screws, intonation was perfect, stretched the new strings a few times with retuning and, that was it. Play time! The only way I could get this guitar out of tune was to work at it. Normal playing with string bending and subtle use of the Bigsby which is the way it was meant to be used yeilded Great results and, no tuning issues. The Bigsby is meant to be used like the vibrato on the Fender Jazzmaster and Jaguar (subtle) If you're a divebomber with a vibrato get something with a Floyd Rose and, go from there. The P90's definately have a different sound than Humbuckers that's what makes them what they are. If you experience a hum or 60 cycle buzz, be sure your amp is plugged into a grounded receptacle, It does make a difference. Nice feel, Good balance, Vintage sound, these Royale Wildkats are superior made guitars. Highly recommend one if you're looking for that something different guitar. The pic that I posted looks Great but, in person it's stunning!terrygh

So a while back my boyfriend was showing me this guitar and telling me all about it. The design, the quality, the sound, everything. A guitar he truly wants and needs. So I surprised him with it for Christmas! Tears were shed. He is absolutely in love with it. It's BEAUTIFUL, a real work of art. It sounds incredible. So many little details that really make it stand out above the rest. We truly could not be more happy with this beauty.Jess

Preface: I read the reviews here about string buzz issues out of the box. NOT my experience at all. My guitar was set up perfectly! And I DO mean without ANY imperfection. Pros: This guitar’s styling fits my personality, non-standard. The pickups are higher-output as most humbys are, but not so much so that lends to only one style. Three-way switch plus coil tap equals SIX voices. If you have a good amp, you’ll be able to dial-in whatever MODERN sound you’re looking for. These pickups are not voiced for vintage tones. I’m very pleased with this guitar. Cons: I like the pick guard; however, it is made from a custom-colored material and feels like a drum head over the body cavity it covers. You’d need to get used to that. For this price point, I’d expect Schecter’s Universal case included. Also, the universal case I purchased separately fits like a universal case—loose. Bottom Line: others may have had some buzz out of the box, but I did NOT. This is a modern-appointed guitar, don’t expect vintage Tele sounds. Happy hunting.Trinnk

What a VERY cool guitar. Mine came perfectly dialed-in right out of box. Intonation and action dead on!! The clear p/up covers (w/copper wiring), exposed washed out finish, and the "tarnished/aged copper" pickguard REALLY lend to the Apocolypse aesthetic! Super Unique. You would be surprised at the overall solidity and meticulous craftsmanship on display with this PT. There's a wide versatility that you can achieve with its USA made pickups, and the split coil feature…bluesy, mellow, subdued, OR…kick-butt screams and crunchiness! Great value Great playability Great look Great Caesar's Ghost!!!Dennybear

This is an exelent guitar with only a few minor drawbacks. I highly recomend. I love the pickup selection, and the pickups themselves sound great clean and distorted, however, the single coils are very low output I got my '08 Ultra III used and I have had no electrical issues with it whatsoever. However, It did pull a strap button, screw and all, out right before I went onstage. It was an easy fix, but this may be because I jump around onstage alot, and since this is a heavy guitar, I blame myself. This is exelent value for moneyMat G

Well built guitar. Frets were nicely dressed. No buzzing and set up well. Cheesy plastic Schecter ornament on headstock though and some irregular coloring blemishes on neck binding that could have occurred from careless fret filing. Guitar sounds best in humbucker mode. You do experience a volume drop when using it in single coil mode. I'd recommend switching to 11s for those who use abuse the Bigsby. Guitar has some weight to it. The pups are unique sounding. Good for garage rock and surf but not sure if metal players would dig it. The roller bridge is pretty cool as well. I jammed with my band and I was able to cut through the mix with this guitar. It's a good guitar.Reverbrocket

I can imagine guitar geeks sitting around deciding what kind of new guitars to make. The people who came up with this are beautifully crazy. This guitar was risky: retro body, Bigsby, 3 vintage-type pickups that can also do hard rock; high quality wood and electronics. I'll tell you one thing, it works. This guitar is a masterpiece. It was set up and ready to go out of the box. Smooth playing, great Jazz, Blues and Rock tones. Every detail appears to be perfect. I hated to put it down to go to bed. I have over 30 guitars, from vintage Les Pauls to Strats, and a few Jazz guitars. I also have a Schecter Hellraiser. I love that for hard Rock and Metal, but I was afraid this Ultra would be another guitar like that. It is not, but it does have Schecter quality. You may not like the way a Schecter plays or sounds (if you are wacko), but you CANNOT say a Schecter is not quality. I am very impressed by this guitar and I applaud Schecter. I have never given a guitar a "5" rating, but this guitar is a great value. Well done! Thank you.Ratmonger

I am both surprised and please with this guitar I purchased this guitar at GC Nashville after returning a Gibson Les Paul Classic that I bought online. (lesson learned, don't buy from GC online.) The staff there were great and had no issues with me returning a $2200 guitar that I bought online. Even more supportive in helping me pick out a much less expensive guitar. Great people. This Epiphone is awesome. The fit and finish are great. The action is low and no buzz. The tone is great and It is lighter and easier to handle than the Gibson . The best part is it cost a third of the one I returned. I really wanted a Gibson but I am so glad I picked up this Epiphone. A word of caution. I looked at and played several guitars at GC before choosing this one. I even played a couple of other Epiphone Les Paul Customs. No two were the same. One had razors for frets, one had an action you could drive a truck under and this one was just right. Go in an play them before buying.Mike

This is my second 6 string electric, and I couldn't be HAPPIER with it! My first guitar is an entry level Epiphone SG Special that was a couple hundred bucks back in the day. It got the job done…good frets, good tune, good everything. I recently decided to step it up and get a "mid-range" guitar but still not break the bank with an Epiphone. And I'm not calling Epiphone cheap…they are just more in my price range when compared to Gibsons. Stepping it up is the right description for this guitar!! It is AMAZING! The feel, the tone, the look! It sounds great and feels good in the hands too. I especially love the Silverburst color!! The main reason I wanted this specific guitar. It's Adam Jones from TooL color scheme finish but on an epiphone! They are coming out with his own model of epiphone, but I'm impatient lol. Looks are important to picking out a guitar as much as sound! The inlays on the fretboard look beautiful. The pick guard and finish are beautiful, the trim/binding around the guitar… this guitar has reignited my passion for playing! As of this writing, I have no complaints! Excellent guitar!Matt

I purchased this guitar because a Les Paul was missing from my gear arsenal and I didn't want to drop three grand on a Gibson. I played a wall model at a local GC store and decided to buy, but requested a factory new model sent to me, because the wall model I played had some nicks in the fretboard, a sketchy 3 way switch and had worn strings and the intonation was way off above the 14th fret. I paid for next day air shipping to expedite the process because I tend to want the things I pay for fairly quickly. The shipping tag originated from the same city I live in, meaning they had a factory new either in the warehouse or at the neighboring store about 20 miles away. So I essentially paid 42$ for expedited shipping and could had likely gotten it same day if I asked the right questions I suppose. Shame on me. The next business day my guitar is delivered to my residence, I open it and immediately inspected it for possible shipping damage or factory flaws. It arrives with a broken 3 way switch, all strings tuned nearly 2 steps flat and also needed to make a truss rod adjustment to straighten the neck. Completely unacceptable that these issues left both the factory and GC's "quality control" in the condition it did. Luckily I work at a local small box music store and worked with our own luthier after hours to set it up and correct the problems. All that said, this guitar is absolutely fantastic. It plays and sounds very good and even though the stock pickups aren't top tier, they are excellent performers at a very reasonable price point. Monster value in this guitar. If you can acquire one some where other than Guitar Center, do it. If you do purchase from guitar center, make absolutely certain to have it looked at by a professional before accepting it. 5 stars for the guitar and it's value. 1 star for guitar centers lack of QC shipping items.Dan

A light weight, fun to play guitar. Sounds great through my Spark amp.Responsive concentric control knobs. Sturdy tailpiece, easy to set intonation.Action was good out of the box.Harv

I've been playing a long time. When I was learning how to play back in the late 1970s, cheap guitars were, well . . . cheap. Things have changed since then, for a variety of reasons. Even so, I am shocked at how good this guitar is. The set-up was great out of the box and it plays like a dream. Intonation is perfect to my ears. The funny thing is that this guitar is based on one of those cheap guitars of the 1950s, and surpasses the original in just about every way. The designers tried to copy the original lipstick style pickups exactly and they sound great to me. I play into vintage-style tube amps, mostly clean with a slight overdriven edge, and the guitar has a wonderful vintage, single-coil sound. If you like that sound, I don't see how you can go wrong with this guitar. I'm used to paying well over 1K for quality guitars. This guitar has me rethinking that approach. And, oh yeah, it's so fun to play that I can't put it down!Lee

Just got my silverburst silvertone today UPS and on first inspection and after several hours playing it I am extremely impressed at the quality and sound of it. I have been playing guitar since 1990 and have a American stratocaster, Godin LG, several 20 year old Danelectro's etc and this silvertone is just as nice if not nicer than any of them. I highly recommend this Silvertone guitar it has a extremely fine clean tone and I even played some heavy metal with it and it ROCKS!!Jay

2 disclaimers: I got this 5 days ago. I've had an Jackson RR tattoo for years. She's a looker… never thought I'd get a purple guitar but the purple quilt w/ gold hardware and white binding is gorgeous and I love how the reverse headstock has the color and quilting too. It plays fast as F. You'll wanna shred on it. It makes me wanna play Crazy Train, Holy Wars and the like but it may make you wanna play stuff that's way above my skill level and you can! Never had a Floyd Rose before but tuning it up wasn't too bad out the box (and it's super fun!); we'll see what happens when a string snaps. The frets and unlacquered back are smooth so it's easy to do fun slides and bendy things! The sustain is pretty good thanks to the mahogany body and the thru neck and it just feels solid. I've read this is heavy compared to other V's but it's the lightest of my 3 electrics and it feels quality and well balanced – there's no neck dive. I love that it comes installed with Dunlop button strap locks which I've had to purchase & install previously on my other 2 electrics. The pickups sound great with distortion and I haven't/am never going to play this w/o distortion so who cares about clean but I will say comparatively it doesn't sound as good as the EMG's on my EC-1000. There are some QC issues: There's fret buzz on the low E, some purple paint smudges on a small part of the white binding and the blending of the paint in some areas (which you generally never look at) could be better. I didn't have any of these issues on my (similarly priced) LTD EC-1000 and (my much cheaper) Ibanez AR-325 so these are pretty disappointing. Bottom line: I haven't put it down yet. It's fun to play and my other guitars currently feel unloved. If you like metal or you've always wanted a V this shape you should get it. I'm going 4/5 stars for the QC issues which are super disappointing but well reported on Indonesian Jacksons. Let's be honest – this purchase is mostly about speed and style. It sounds great and it delivers both of those in spades.Rishav

Paint job is just ok, but not great. It has a cheap quality to it, but looks good from a little distance. Matte is a hard paint job to be fair, and this is entry level, but still, this is a review. Pickup colors don't match at all. I bought black plastic pickup covers, which made it look a lot better fairly affordably. The plastics of the backplate, the humbucker rings, and the pick guard are super cheap and kinda bent, maybe from heat? Once again, entry level, but still, I've bought guitars at this price point without these kinds of issues. The Jackson version of Floyd Rose seems pretty ok considering. I've never had a Floyd rose that stayed in tune for very long, so this seems to be about right. The pickups sound very aggressive and bright, which was surprising. There is a loose wire that I had to tape down because of it hits the right spot, it cuts off the pickups (maybe a ground wire? Everything works still) The high string is a little too close to the edge of the edge of the neck for my liking, but I think that's just a personal preference. The body and neck seem solid, the neck is left unfinished, which I usually prefer, though this neck is like completely unfinished, so I'll probably need to get some sort of wood treatment for it. The fret inlays are great at this price point (not dots) and the frets don't have any burrs, which is a good thing for your fingers. The outline of the neck in white is also a classy touch, and the headstock is beautiful. Overall, it's an ok guitar. I would maybe get a different finish, and wouldn't expect it to be the greatest guitar ever, but it has a personality to it and is still a Randy Rhodes. Plays fairly well, definitely shredable. Accessing the 24th fret is a little bit of a reach, but that's ok. If I were Jackson (fender), I'd raise the price $20 and put decent plastics on it because it really does cheapen the guitar overall. I'll probably replace those parts myself over time, but I really shouldn't have to.Zachary

After reading a lot of reviews I thought maybe it's time for a more in depth look at this guitar. I've played a lot of guitars – HUNDREDS over the course of thirty two years, but this is one of the very best that I've had the personal pleasure to play! The pickups sound very sweet, and pure Gretsch vintage. They aren't exactly the same from guitar to guitar since they are made to varying specifications from model to model. This is something that shouldn't be expected to sound the same with every amplifier as this is something that is impossible to recreate perfectly from one amp manufacturer to another! It's unreasonable to say that these sound differently from each other when playing the same model as these are wound with CNC powered pickup winding machines. The difference is in what string guage, and the settings of your amp, and the guitar are according to your own preference. I used a Fender Deluxe Reverb and this sounded exactly like all the old recordings of songs that I listened to from the 60's! Although I don't own one yet as I'm still on the fence as to what colour I want, I have played a lot of Gretsch and other brands of guitars and this is one of the best values for what some call an "entry model" which this guitar isn't. The Duo Jet, and the Double Jet are considered entry models, but not this kind of guitar that uses this hollow type of construction. This the affordable version of the USA custom shop models costing thousands of dollars, but the features, and appointments are on par with their USA counterparts. The fit and finish are perfect with no buffing marks on it, and the fret work is great. Although one inlay on the one that I played (white with gold hardware) was a little less than perfectly fit into the hole cut for it. It was very easy on the hands with the U shaped neck that was much like a Les Paul Custom with a fairly thick body that allows for that true hollow body honk that only comes from a guitar such as this! The weight is what you'd expect of a hollow body. The action could've been a little lower to my taste, but it was pretty decent with no choking out when bending notes, or playing chords. It stayed in tune really well even when using the tremolo bar with a little aggressiveness – it played all the way through songs without the need for retuning afterward! Even after an hour playing straight through it only had to be retuned twice since the strings were still new. The finish and the fit on the machine heads were nicely done with the tightness that you'd expect from USA made machines. The nut was precisely cut and allowed the strings to ring true which you won't get with just any type of material, but the synthetic bone kept it true to form tone wise. The bridge isn't the best, but it allows for unilateral tuning which is nice, but not authentic to the original Melita bridge design, nor is it as attractive. The control layout is correct, and a great looking setup for this guitar and it's easy to use, and makes sense. The bar is in the just the right place for easy use when needed swings out of the way when you don't want to use it. The finish on the chrome is smooth with no apparent scratches in the metal beneath that you usually see on overseas guitars made in the orient. The binding is well done with no finish overlap, or paint smudges. All the wood is smoothly sanded, and properly shaped with no high or low spots, and the grain doesn't show through the finish surface when looking at it at an angle, or straight at it. There are no joinery lines in the finish and all the plastic is uniformly cut with the wood where the two join together. All in all I say that Gretsch did their homework when deciding to capitalize on their own history and appeal rather than going with some new radical strat inspired designs, and stuck with the one true hollow body manufacturer shape that has withstood the test of time, and is the most beloved. Sure you could put a solid block through the middle, but it would lose a lot of the characteristic quality that Gretsch guitars are known for! The same is true with their pickup design – this isn't something that you're going to get from just any guitar. The same is true as if you put a strat pickup in a Les Paul and vice – versa. It may sound a lot like it, but the true guitar that this pickup was designed for won't be exactly the same! I nitpicked, and thoroughly inspected this particular model with several different guitars, and they all passed with flying colours! I'm a guitar maker, not just a builder, or one who modifies them, but I make them from scratch. Not all guitars are going to please all people, but that's where I come in; to alter either an existing guitar with whatever pleases its' owner or to make one from scratch with the appointments that anyone would appreciate. However, this guitar is one of those right off the rack! I wouldn't change it, or any of its' appointments. Gretsch's truly one of the few that got it right the first time!redwithbnwstripes

I want to know hollow body so I ordered this one it fit my budget. Was advertised as next day shipping but took 2 days to get it no big deal, finally shows up and I unbox it leave it sit out in the house overnight play with it the following evening which is today 5-17-2020. Looks great sounds okay noticed a little bit of fret buzzing so first thing I check is straightness of neck lo and behold I find about 5 frets that are not level with the rest of them so being curious as I am I checked the neck relief there is none maybe one thousandth of an inch. so I go ahead and do the truss rod cover go to adjust it and the truss rod is loose meaning I cannot put any under bow back into the neck so right out of the box just guitar was no good not to mention the inspection tag was dated 7 6 2018 which means this sat on the shelf for almost 2 years and we all know that that is bad for guitars or any stringed instrument for that matter. So hopefully when I get the replacement it's not an absolute turd like this thing is if it is I don't know what's going to happen probably refund and never buy a gretsch again, which is sad because I always wanted one but if you're spending close to $1,000 you shouldn't have to put up with that kind of poor quality. I would expect this out of epiphone but not gretsch so my message is directly to fender musical company get a handle on your quality control.David

1st it is just so cool looking 😀 just kidding, 1) For #1 it is hard to determine between build quality and comfort. I have a bad shoulder that makes my standard acoustic guitars uncomfortable. The thin hollow-body of the Gretsch G5420T overcomes that. But as well I am really impressed with the build quality. The fit and finish if the body and neck is impeccable, the knobs for the volume and tone have set screws so they won't fall off even if handled rough. The screw in strap holders make sure the strap won't accidentally fall off. Every fret extends the edge of the neck and is perfectly finished and all 22 are absolutely identical. The tuning machines are identical with the same stiffness feel in and they all hold evenly. The acoustic sustain on this guitar is as good as regular acoustics. The material, fit and finish are excellent. 2) The sound, I put the sound second because it is peculiar. It isn't good or bad, just peculiar. If you like it, you like it, If you don't you don't. I like it but that is probably relevant to my other guitars, it carries some qualities and tones the other don't. I have four guitars and they are all different and that makes each one of them special. 3) Finally, it is a totally cool looking guitar.johnintaegu

So there are people out there who think BC Rich sold out with this Stranger Things themed release. Whether that is true or not it doesn't take away from the fact that this is a great quality guitar. The neck is the high point for me. This is the best bolt on neck I've ever played. I would say it's better than a actual 85 Stealth NJ series neck that I own. Frets are silky smooth, not sharp at all. The paint overall is great and I don't see any imperfections. Could the crackle be better? Yes… is it bad? No. If you want a better crackle buy the run of 200. Only complaints are that the pictures were advertised with a run of 200 and now it's 2000. Takes away from the collector value. The electronics are horrible. But that was to be expected, the Floyd rose is cheap. The pros outweigh the bad which isn't a big deal. Great 80s themed guitar. Also the gig bag it came with is really nice.. Worth the buy.Nick

This thing is killer. Fantastic attention to detail. Even if you are not into Stranger Things it is still well worth the money. The Red Crackle finish is awesome and there were only 1000 made with (the other 1000 are the black finish). Also comes with a very nice B.C Rich gig bag which fits it perfectly. Dont bother spending 5K on the Custom Shop version as this will be the one to have.Kevin

Excellent quality! Neck and frets are perfect, pickups sound great clean or high gain, and quality control is on point! No neck dive or anything either! Oh, and can't forget how awesome the crackle finish is!!!! I personally like this better than my old 87' USA BCR gunslinger. My only complaint is it was advertised to come with a FR 1000 and came with a special. They've since fixed this and the bridge works great either way. This guitar is a game changer for this company! Get it while you can!!!!!Josh

I have always wanted a 335, but did not like the larger size. I saw this 339 and stepped up and bought it home. Had to wait 6 weeks, but was it ever worth it. This is the best guitar I have ever played or been around. Cannot make my mind up if it plays better than it looks, or if it looks better then it sounds. It came set up really well, intonation and all. All I had to do was tune it and go. Cannot find one flaw in the paint, assembly or anything wrong at all. It rings so true, holds a note and there is a major difference when selecting either pickup or both, and the tone and volume controls lets you have an infinite setting control on tone and volume. Set the bridge to really ring out and the neck one a little muddy and together it is killer, but can flip the switch and brighten a solo up good. An absolute joy to play. Just strike your favorite chord and let it ring…beautiful fun. I was worried about the neck thickness, but it is a non issue. Easy to chord, simple to fret in any way you please. I cannot express just how happy I am with this guitar. Michael at musicians friend was a great help in every way getting it here.Keith

Very comfortable to hold and play, with a slightly chunky neck which is my preference. Combines the best aspects of 335s and Les Pauls. It's also heavier than I thought it would be (again for me a good thing, I don't like feather-light guitars) I was expecting SG weights and annoying neck dive. As suggested already it seems to sound somewhere between a full-sized 335 type and a solid body, which again isn't much of a surprise. Seems to have more twang than my LP which is good for my taste, which is more soul and funk. The finish is also perfect, though slightly different to the one advertised at the time of purchase. The neck fades into a natural varnish rather than the all-black paint. Also the sides are solid natural varnish rather than the fading between black and natural effect.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Overall: I live in a large city and it is still impossible to find a Gibson 335 that plays and sounds great, has no issues or questionable history and comes with a price tag lower than a new one to justify the gamble. As a result, I decided to pull the trigger on a new one and went for the figured, not so much for the flame but for the lower weight and select wood, knowing both my back would thank me and that the guitar would probably be a bit more open and resonant. Block inlays are certainly nice and that may have helped sway my decision too. The 335 arrived with an impeccable setup, right out of the box from the factory. In my 35 years of playing, I’ve never had this happen. I’ve heard of it happening but never to me. I always have to tweak the truss rod to straighten the neck a bit, adjust the bridge action, widen the nut slots and intimate the guitar. Every time. The only adjustment I’ve had to make is lower the pickups a bit for balance, that’s it! Plays like an absolute dream. Here is why you want this guitar rather than a used one—. the neck. None of that weird pencil thin 335 necks from the past or those horrible and slow baseball bat necks… this is perfect. I don’t know what Gibson is doing in Nashville now, but they are making these guitars better than they ever have. Having always been a fan of Classic ‘57 pickups, I read about these T Type pickups being bright. It is true that they are bright, however it works so well in this guitar. Roll back the tone knobs for the mellower and darker sounds, especially when in the neck position for a classic straight-ahead jazz sound, or rolled back in the bridge to fatten up rhythms…but the thing is, roll the tone up for that beautiful bite and thunk in single line solos. I have had bright guitars in the past and there is nothing you can do for them. No matter the pickups or amp, it remains bright and pingy. This is not a bright guitar and has such a beautifully balanced and mellow acoustic voice, the pickups suit it well and I will not replace them. Is it an insane amount of money? Yes. It is. In 10 years when I have blown through $4K many times over and have nothing to show for it, will I still have this 335? Yes. I will. It’s an investment and zZounds makes it possible for someone like me to have something nice. This is an absolutely breathtaking guitar. In playability, sound, and appearance—Gibson is on top of their game these days and I think the future will look back at this era as their new golden age.Michael

Upon opening the case, the case was hard to open, like it didn't fit top cover to bottom cover. The guitar smells of cheap carnauba wax (if you wax your own car you know there are great waxes that smell good) this is not the great smell of the past Gibson guitars I have purchased in the past. There was a light haze to the guitar like the wax was dried but not wiped off completely. The was not common of years pasts Gibson's. Its a very light weight guitar. Nice to hold and even sitting with it to play does not dig into the underarm like a thick acoustic does over time. The ice tea version does look great front to back. I can't tell if it's AAA but its very nice. The head stock look s like it wasn't cut symmetrically compared to the other side or sanded to much. The neck is nice and thick and wider top to bottom which I like for fitting all my fingers on the 1-5 frets for chords. Their is a lot of fret buzz on the G string throughout the range of the neck, It looks like the G string is higher than all the other strings in an attempt to reduce the buzz. I thought these were machine prepped ?? I can most likely (hopefully)make some adjustments for this. The frets feel thinner than my Les Paul's. Not sure if I like this but I can get used to it. The sound on a clean channel is great. I really like the sound. The volume knobs have no volume from 0 – almost 2, they don't change the volume a lot from 3-7, from 8-10 is almost all the volume change. I have never had this experience before. The tone knobs actually lowers the volume from 1-3 which I thought is also strange. I have no experience with a ES model so maybe this is normal. If it is, then I am not sure I would have purchased. I don't regret the purchase but I was expecting perfection for this price.Just Me

I love 335 but played several that I found meh. Preferred the Heritage H-535 I bought to most Gibbies I tried. Until I played that one at my local GC store. Was immediately captivated with the tone. Went back several times, and took the plunge despite the sticker shock. At home, in my amp it sounded even better than in the shop. Absolutely wonderful guitar, that feels and sounds as good and sometimes even better than vintage 60s 335 I tried or owned. I am in love! But what a price tag…Gibson CS is becoming unattainable fast.Stéphane

I have added a Bigsby 5 purchased from Chicago Music to my Telecaster. Dealing with Chicago Music was a very positive experience. Easy to order and efficient shipping. The bigsby is a wonderful addition to my Telecaster, works well, stays in tune and add another dimension to the guitar. Thank you Chicago Music! Regards, Gary WeidnerGary W.

This is my first Bigsby attachment and was installed by a guitar tech at my local Guitar Center. This device makes it easy to add character and emotion to the chords you already know. Just realize that this model requires you or a professional to drill holes. Also, you will want to have a proper bridge setup so that it will sound good (Guitar techs assisted with that.) It is normal for a product like this to alter your resting string tuning after bending the strings with the Bigsby bar but shouldn't have significant effect on your performance unless you're really diving down on the bar excessively.Christopher Force

Five stars for this one! Sure, I put "expensive" and "difficult to install" down as 'Cons'…but just being honest. Listen…if you have a steady hand, common sense, patience, and perseverance (not to mention proper tools)…you can watch an instructional video on YouTube, and install this thing yourself. If not; like others have said, let a pro do it (at a cost). I installed mine myself and enjoyed the project—not to mention end result. I started with a Squire Standard Telecaster (purchased right here on MF), and liked the guitar, but wanted to modify the heck out of it. Always loved the look of a Bigsby, so I bought one and put it on. I was AMAZED at how much difference it made in sound. It literally turned a solid body guitar into a Thinline or Semi-Hollow. Everyone that see's my modified Tele LOVES the looks…then they hear and/or play the thing, and are even further blown away.White Dog

I just got a grey aerodyne SSH strat. I've never gelled with a fender before. After playing my first gig with this thing I'm so impressed. The neck is amazing. Looks are a amazing. The weight is perfect. That top contouring is so comfortable. The controls… I thought I would want to swap the metal knobs out for traditional plastic knobs because they were smooth, however I had no issues making adjustments to the volume and tone mid song… and they look amazing. The knobs are staying. The pickups. wow. just wow. The traditional strat sounds are here, but they offer more to my ears. More aggression when I needed it. The neck and middle pickups worked perfectly with that bridge humbucker. Switching to the bridge for leads was so satisfying. The sound guy came over after we finished and complimented my tone. He asked me what pedals I was using, and was surprised when I told him I just used delay and reverb. Everything else was the amp and adjusting the controls. These pickups… even when I roll off the tone they somehow still retain clarity. The right kind of clarity. I've played other strats, even American strats (but never custom shop), and these aerodyne pickups are in a league of their own. Bottom line… I've never bought a guitar and wanted to immediately go out and buy another if the same guitar "just in case" something happens to the first one. This guitar is THAT good.Sam

Everything they said about this guitar in the reviews is correct. Quality product and great pick ups. Like the colour, sound and feel.Will M.

There's not much to say about the B70, except that you should save yourself a hundred bucks and buy the Licensed version instead of the original B7. They're every bit as good in every way. Easy to fit and easy to use, the Bigsby B70 is not a dive-bomb unit. It's best used to add a shimmer to notes and chords and to make a song's ending a bit flasher. Then there's the undeniable "cool factor" that a Bigsby will add to your guitar, especially if you play an archtop hollow or semi-hollow guitar.jimmcallister96

Please pay close attention to what you are purchasing because it is not what it seems. My daughter was so sad. The amplifier could fit in one of her handsMarcus

We now have 3 Sawtooth guitars. We are extremely pleased with all of them. We have an acoustic, electric, and now this beginner's electric guitar pack. Our youngest son won't put this guitar down. The black is a cool see through gloss. You can see the wood grain through the gloss finish. The guitar is of good quality. Much better than I thought it would be.The amp is portable, and can be used for headphones. Take note, that this is an amp that takes batteries (9 volt), or you can get an adapter for it. Comes with everything he needed to get started.Maximilian

Did not receive all items that was displayed with this package ( missing was Gig soft case bag ) one of the reasons why I chose this package, my grand son was disappointed. I will not recommend this item n I plan to counsel my account with Walmart cause i did not get what i payed for, enough is enough.Peggy

They did a wonderful job on the graphic! Build quality with set neck is very good. You might want to do some upgrades. The pickups and wiring are not very good. I replaced the pickups and rewired the whole guitar using shielded wire to cut down on the noise. I don't understand why they can't use shielded wire over in China – it can't be that expensive. i kept the pots (i did have to replace one), and surprisingly, the tone caps and pots work very well and I left them alone. I also replaced the tuners as the stock ones were cheap and slipping a bit. The guitar can be set up to play very well (you'll also have to replace the factory strings). The guitar has some weight to it and doesn't feel cheap. You can get all the LP tones minus a bit to sustain because the body is solid basswood (good and better than ash), and not mahogany. I very happy with mine and it looks and plays like a much higher end guitar. The graphic has an artistic look instead of the generic clean red, white, and blue you see on many flag guitars.circio

I had read alot of reviews before purchasing this guitar.Alot of them were very negative,and a few were positive,I took a chance in ordering it anyway.and very much glad I did. It is truely an amazing great guitar,I would highly reccommend buying this guitar without hesitation.wallbanger505

Music like this is hard to find – Travis was 'old school' and innovative, all in one and all original. His influence can be seem in the work of many from Atkins to Emmanuel to this day. This is a good collection of some of Travis' hits and will entertain for countless hours those who crave to know his unique style and poetry.pinto-hunter

Very good stainless steel fret nice body not heavy very nice orginal pickups it's cheap but not bad i owned headless i don't have any problems with bridge or setup until now. Thank yououdai jawad