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CS-356

torren61

Active member
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
228
Did a trade recently. My '62 Fender Pro for this 2012 CS-356. This my first Gibson Custom Shop. Most of you probably know that these are what would happen if a Les Paul and an ES-335 had a baby. Instead of a laminated top like an ES-335, it's a routed mahogany body with a maple cap like a Les Paul. It's larger than a Les Paul but smaller than an ES-335. The fretboard is Richlite on these later models. Earlier models had ebony fretboards. I like the size and the weight. It plays well and sounds good.

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jb_abides

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
5,274
Congrats. Enjoy in good health!

BTW you meant ES-335 where you stated '336' above, and the CS-336 is substantially the same guitar as the CS-356, minus the Custom-level appointments.

I have a figured 336, and a quilted 356. Love them.
 

torren61

Active member
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
228
Congrats. Enjoy in good health!

BTW you meant ES-335 where you stated '336' above, and the CS-336 is substantially the same guitar as the CS-356, minus the Custom-level appointments.

I have a figured 336, and a quilted 356. Love them.
I DID mistype that. Good catch, thanks! I should know what an ES-335 is...

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Tollywood

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 16, 2022
Messages
394
That’s a beauty. That’s really cool that it has a mahogany body and a maple top.
 

torren61

Active member
Joined
May 11, 2010
Messages
228
Boy, those red ones are stunners. Both yours and @jb_abides. I'm glad mine was black because it's the only solid black guitar I have at the moment. I've been missing my old Les Paul and I was looking at getting an ebony one but I found something else instead that I just HAD to get while the getting was good. It'll be here on Tuesday and I'll post about it then.
 

jb_abides

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
5,274
Love yours... Love the one you're with!

But I know how you feel.

Same feeling every time I see @clayville and his 2003 MM Stinger Heritage Darkburst CS-356.

R.aa95bb11faa1c179ae52f71459371adb
 

ZZ Not

Active member
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
744
Here is the one I had the shortest time of all. The photo of the back explains why.

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Gitfiddler

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 25, 2003
Messages
1,194
Don't recall seeing these with abalone inlays Very nice!
Thanks! This was a one-off CS356 built in the former Gibson 'Custom Direct' program. It features a thick neck profile, abalone cloud inlays and an unbound ES-175 style headstock. I absolutely love this axe!
 

goldtop0

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Messages
8,931
These 356 and 366 guitars look like they've got fat necks on them(as Gitfiddler mentions above) (y)
If any of you have depth measurements at the 1st and 12th frets I'd appreciate it as I'm wrangling with CS at the moment re my M2M 335 and the fat neck thing.

Sorted now thank goodness and will get the fat neck I wanted from them.
 
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