# NGD: 1980 Gibson 335-S Firebrand



## JethroTech (Dec 8, 2015)

Truth be told, I'd never heard of a Gibson Firebrand until I got this one in a trade yesterday. I actually thought the guy made a typo and meant Firebird when he texted to see if I was interested 

This is a 1980 Gibson Firebrand 335-S "Custom" with Dirty Fingers pickups. These guitars were short-lived: 1980-1982. The name Firebrand comes from the fact that the Gibson logo is actually branded into the headstock. This one is completely stock with the exception of the addition of a wrap-around tail piece but the original is in the case.


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## Lord-Humongous (Jun 5, 2014)

Cool guitar!


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

You have the most awesome toys......wow

How does she sound?


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

wow never heard of THAT model before

my friend's older brother had a firebrand LP though.

first electric guitar I ever saw, we were smitten by it, as kids!

congrats!


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## JethroTech (Dec 8, 2015)

Lincoln said:


> You have the most awesome toys......wow
> 
> How does she sound?


I'd describe the sound as kind of dirty bluesy in all the good ways. Think of Malcolm and Angus playing slow and low. As much as I love these pickups (I've never had a guitar with a set of Dirty Fingers in it) I can't imagine a time when I'd go, "You know what this guitar could use--to sound like a single-coil Tele," therefore I don't think I will ever use the coil-tap.


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## JethroTech (Dec 8, 2015)

bolero said:


> wow never heard of THAT model before
> 
> my friend's older brother had a firebrand LP though.
> 
> ...


Here's what I've learned in the past 36 hours--they did three different models of Firebrands--a Les Paul ("The Paul"), an SG and this one that is supposed to be based on an ES-335 but a solid body version. I can see that the body shape might be somewhat similar to the ES-335 but that's where the similarities end.


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## 5732 (Jul 30, 2009)

Cool guitar...Whenever I come across something obscure, it seems that Guitar Point Sound have reviewed it:


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

I've never heard of a 335S, but I like it. I prefer that to an LP really.


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

Cool series...have seen a few of the Les Paul and SG variants around, but not this one.


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

That is right up my alley. I loves me some double-cuts! 

Is that all mahogany and are the pores filled?


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

Looks potentially heavy. How much does it weigh?


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## JethroTech (Dec 8, 2015)

dcole said:


> That is right up my alley. I loves me some double-cuts!
> 
> Is that all mahogany and are the pores filled?


You bet--all mahogany. Not sure if it's filled. Does this pic help? And yes, double thumbs up to double cuts. It almost has a bit of a Les Paul Jr vibe to it.


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## JethroTech (Dec 8, 2015)

Hamstrung said:


> Looks potentially heavy. How much does it weigh?


It's surprisingly light weight. I'm guessing right around 8-lbs.


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## 4345567 (Jun 26, 2008)

__________


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## Swervin55 (Oct 30, 2009)

That's a really cool guitar!


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## capnjim (Aug 19, 2011)

I had one that actually had left over T-tops in it. Sounded great, but it had the fattest neck I have ever felt. Does your have a fat neck??


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## JethroTech (Dec 8, 2015)

capnjim said:


> I had one that actually had left over T-tops in it. Sounded great, but it had the fattest neck I have ever felt. Does your have a fat neck??


Not a fat neck at all, but not skinny either--right in the middle.


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

JethroTech said:


> You bet--all mahogany. Not sure if it's filled. Does this pic help?


The darkness of the grain made me wonder. You can tell by running your finger along the finish. If its smooth, its probably filled but if it grabs your finger over and over then its not. Like Gibsons faded finish I believe it is?


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

Nice, congrats!

I thought that I was one of these on here a while ago, somebody had one.
Very short run on these, apparently. Unique guitar, for sure.

I had a Dirty Fingers in the bridge of an old Burny that I had, R&R!


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## JethroTech (Dec 8, 2015)

Hamstrung said:


> Looks potentially heavy. How much does it weigh?


Even lighter than I thought. It just weighed in a 7lbs-11oz.


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

This guitar reminds me of one I used to see on local stages years ago, like while I was in high school. A band called Nonfiction and their guitar player Marc Jenkins played something like this but it was a green burst or something along those lines. I heard it referred to as a 335 but I wasn't familiar with a 335 ever being solid. Great piece, ...,do you have any Thinline Teles hiding in the closet?


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## JethroTech (Dec 8, 2015)

vadsy said:


> ...do you have any Thinline Teles hiding in the closet?


Just a '72 in Daphne Blue but I use it to hit ground balls to my daughters


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

JethroTech said:


> Just a '72 in Daphne Blue but I use it to hit ground balls to my daughters


When you're done with that relic job, give me a call.


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## keefsdad (Feb 7, 2006)

Very cool. I had a Gibson The Paul, the same wood and finish.


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## 55 Jr (May 3, 2006)

I believe the Firebrands are mahogany. 

The "The" series of guitars are walnut.


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