MESSE13: Soundgarden Signature Guitar

Gibson introduces the Chris Cornell ES-335   11-Apr-13

We'll have a video online for this one soon but for now here's what Gibson has to say about the new Chris Cornell ES-335...

Known for his singing, songwriting, and guitar playing with groundbreaking Seattle grungers Soundgarden as well as his solo work and his contribution to later bands like Audioslave and Temple Of The Dog, Chris Cornell has been a major creative force in alternative music since the mid 1980s. In addition to his powerful four-octave vocal range, Cornell is a distinguished guitarist, and has long shown a love of Gibson electrics with some alternative twists.

The Chris Cornell ES-335 from Gibson's Memphis division captures Cornell-certified looks and appointments in a great new ES-335 built with full Gibson quality and tradition behind it. The legendary and original thinline semi-hollow electric is given a clever tweak with a pair of Jason Lollar™ Lollartron® pickups, for that fat-but-jangly late '50s to early '60s humbucker-fired twang that fuels Chris Cornell's tone. Your choice of an Olive Drab Green or Flat Black finish in nitrocellulose lacquer, with a Bigsby™ vibrato option on the former, extends the individuality of this unique artist's model. From its superbly original tones to its stunningly distinctive looks, the Chris Cornell ES-335 is a powerful new performer from Gibson Memphis.

Body and Neck
The Chris Cornell ES-335 is constructed in the image of the original "dot neck" 335s of the late 1950s, with a semi-hollow body made from laminated maple with a bound top and back and a solid maple center block. The result is the perfect marriage of the traditional archtop's looks and sonic depth, and the solidbody's sustain and resistance to feedback. The neck is made from solid mahogany, and topped with a bound fingerboard made from hand-selected rosewood, inlaid with simple pearloid dot position markers, while the headstock carries a mother-of-pearl Gibson logo and crown inlay.

Pickups and Electronics
While continuing in the ES-335's humbucker tradition, the Chris Cornell ES-335 departs from the norm with a pair of Jason Lollar™ Lollartrons®, made in the style of the original Filter'Tron® humbuckers of the late '50s and early '60s for a distinctively twangy tone, but sized for a Gibson PAF-style humbucker mounting. The result is plenty of tonal depth and warmth from the semi-hollow design, but with a new clarity and crispness from the Lollartron® pickups, with excellent hum rejection. The pickups are routed through the traditional three-way switch and individual volume and tone controls and topped with clear knobs for a distinctive look.

Hardware
The Flat Black model carries Gibson's legendary Tune-o-matic bridge with aluminum stopbar tailpiece, and there's a Bigsby™ option on the Olive Drab Green model. Both renditions are equipped with high-quality Grover™ Rotomatic® tuners. All hardware is treated to Gibson's proprietary VOS process for a gently aged vintage look.

Every Chris Cornell ES-335 comes protected in a black leatherette hardshell case with plush charcoal lining, and includes a Certificate of Authenticity, owner's manual, and coverage by Gibson's Limited Lifetime Warranty and 24/7/365 customer service.

Features

• Semi-hollow body made from laminated maple with bound top
• Rosewood fingerboard with pearloid dot inlays
• Pair of Lollartron Humbucking pickups in the neck and bridge positions
• Nickel-plated ABR bridge with Bigsby® vibrato (Olive Drab Green only) or stobar tailpiece
• Grover™ Rotomatic® tuners with 14:1 tuning ratio

Pricing and Availability:

Olive Drab Green: $4,704 msrp
Flat Black: $4,233 msrp

More information:

• Chris Cornell ES-335