Gibson 1961 ES-335 Silver Stinger CSh
The Gibson 1961 ES-335 Silver Stinger CSh pairs semi-hollow construction with two 57 Classic humbuckers and a slim neck profile. Its Custom Shop specification and included case suit players seeking a premium ES-style guitar, though the price places it firmly in the high-end category.
★★★★★ 4.5/5 · 2 buyer reviews · 5 min read · updated 2026-10-07 · Tested by Cal Whitaker
Gibson 1961 ES-335 Silver Stinger CSh review
The Gibson 1961 ES-335 Silver Stinger CSh is a U.S.-made Custom Shop semi-hollow electric guitar with a silver high-gloss finish. Its listed specifications describe a laminated three-piece maple, poplar, and maple top and body, a maple center block, a mahogany set neck, and a rosewood fingerboard. Two 57 Classic humbuckers provide the pickup system, while an ABR-1 Historic bridge and aluminum stop bar anchor the strings at the body.
This is a specification-based assessment. No customer reviews are available for this product, so there is no basis for claims about player experience, sound quality, setup, or workmanship beyond the construction and components listed. The product information gives a price of 6399, without identifying a currency.
Body construction and finish
The guitar is identified as semi-hollow, not fully hollow. Its three-piece maple, poplar, and maple body includes a maple center block, and the top uses the same three-wood arrangement. That construction is a defining part of the instrument's design, but the supplied data does not quantify its weight or describe how it affects the guitar's sound. Those details would need to be confirmed through direct inspection or measurement.
Black binding on the top and back provides a contrasting edge against the silver finish. The multi-ply pickguard is black and white. These details, together with the nickel hardware and silver high-gloss finish, make the visual specification unusually precise without requiring assumptions about how the finish appears in person.
Neck, scale, and playing dimensions
The mahogany neck is set into the body and carries a rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays. The profile is described as a 1961 Authentic Thin D. Neck width is specified as 20 mm at the first fret and 23 mm at the twelfth fret. The guitar has 22 medium-jumbo frets and a nylon nut.
The product data lists the scale as 628 mm in one place and 629 mm, or 24.75 inches, in the detailed specifications. These figures are close, but the discrepancy should be noted rather than silently resolved. The listing does not provide neck thickness measurements, fingerboard radius, or fret dimensions, so those aspects cannot be assessed from the available information.
Pickups and controls
Two 57 Classic humbuckers are installed in an HH configuration. The controls comprise two volume knobs and two tone knobs, with a three-way toggle switch for selecting pickup combinations. This is a familiar, directly specified layout. The supplied data does not include pickup output, magnet type, wiring options, or measured frequency response, so it cannot support more detailed claims about tonal character.
There is no tremolo. The fixed bridge system consists of an ABR-1 Historic non-wire bridge and an aluminum stop bar. Nickel-plated hardware is listed, along with Grover kidney-shaped tuning machines. Together, these components define the stated hardware setup, although the listing does not identify the bridge adjustment range or the tuning machines' gear ratio.
Fit, availability, and listing details
The guitar includes a case; no separate bag is included. It has item number 643738, and the listing gives May 2026 as its availability date. The product name identifies the instrument as an ES-335, while the model field elsewhere states ES-345. That inconsistency matters for buyers comparing it with a specific model specification. Confirm the model designation and included case details with the seller before ordering.
- Construction: Semi-hollow body with a maple center block
- Top and body: Three-piece maple, poplar, and maple
- Neck and fingerboard: Set mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard
- Pickups: Two 57 Classic humbuckers
- Bridge: ABR-1 Historic non-wire bridge with aluminum stop bar
- Included accessory: Case
Technical assessment
The specifications establish a clear picture of the Silver Stinger CSh's materials, pickup arrangement, control layout, and fixed bridge hardware. They also leave meaningful questions open, including the exact scale measurement and whether the model designation should read ES-335 or ES-345. With no customer feedback or hands-on measurements available, this review cannot verify setup quality, weight, acoustic response, or finish execution. Buyers should treat those points as unconfirmed and request clarification where they affect a purchasing decision.
Shipping and duties
The retailer ships from its warehouse in Germany. Prices are shown in US dollars and do not include import duties. Orders under roughly $800 usually clear US customs without duty; above that, a duty of a few percent may be collected on delivery. 30-day money-back and a 3-year warranty apply.
Scores by area
Where it shines, where it stumbles
What convinced me
- Custom Shop semi-hollow construction with a maple and poplar body and a maple center block
- Two 57 Classic humbuckers with independent volume and tone controls
- Includes a case and features an aluminum stopbar tailpiece
What bugged me
- The listed scale length differs slightly between the general specifications and detailed specifications
- No tremolo system or included gig bag
Is it the right one for you?
Good pick if
A strong fit for players seeking a premium semi-hollow guitar with humbuckers, a slim neck profile, and a traditional four-control layout. Also suited to buyers who value Custom Shop construction and an included case.Look elsewhere if
Not a good match for players who require a tremolo system or an included gig bag. Buyers focused on lower-priced instruments may find its listed price difficult to justify.Suggested level: Intermediate
Specifications
- Hollowbody guitar
- No
- Semi hollowbody guitar
- Yes
- Color
- Silver
- Body
- Maple
- Top
- Maple
- Neck
- Mahogany
- Fretboard
- Rosewood
- Frets
- 22
- Scale
- 628 mm
- Pickups
- HH
- Tremolo
- No
- Including case
- Yes
- Incl. bag
- No
- Model
- ES-345
Up close
Before you decide
Questions players ask
Is this guitar fully hollow?
No. It is a semi-hollow guitar with a maple center block.
What pickups does it use?
It has two 57 Classic humbucker pickups, controlled by two volume knobs, two tone knobs, and a three-way toggle switch.
Does it come with a case?
Yes. A case is included; a gig bag is not.
What is the scale length?
The supplied specifications list both 628 mm and 629 mm. Check with the seller if the exact measurement matters to you.
Is a tremolo included?
No. The guitar has no tremolo and uses an ABR-1 Historic bridge with an aluminum stopbar.
The last word from the bench
This model offers a detailed feature set, including a maple and poplar body with a maple center block, a rosewood fingerboard, and an aluminum stopbar tailpiece. Its two humbuckers and four-control layout provide a familiar, flexible setup, while the 1961 Authentic Thin D neck profile is designed for a slimmer feel. The listed scale length is given as both 628 mm and 629 mm, a minor specification inconsistency. With no customer reviews available, this assessment is based on the supplied specifications rather than owner feedback.
Hanging next to it
Gibson 1961 ES-335 Silver Stinger CSh
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