Gibson Modern Collection ES-335 Satin 2022 - Satin Cherry

This 2022 Gibson ES-335 Satin in Cherry is a really good example of why I like the satin versions of the 335 so much. They feel a little less dressed-up and a little more like a guitar you actually want to grab and play, and this particular one has something I don’t see nearly as often on these: a surprising amount of figuring in the maple. There’s visible flame and movement across both the top and back, and the thin satin Cherry finish lets a lot of that wood character come through instead of burying it under a heavy gloss.

At 8.21 lbs on my scale, it feels substantial without being cumbersome. The semi-hollow construction gives it a ton of acoustic life before it’s even plugged in. This one is especially resonant in the hands—you can feel notes moving through the body while you play it.

The neck is Gibson’s comfortable Rounded C shape with a rosewood board and medium-jumbo frets. The setup is right where I’d want it. Action is comfortable, intonation is spot on, and the strings and frets feel incredibly smooth. It’s one of those guitars where your left hand just seems to move without much resistance.

The Calibrated T-Type humbuckers work really well in a 335. There’s plenty of warmth and body, but the notes still have definition and attack instead of getting muddy. Clean, it has that big open semi-hollow sound you expect from a 335, and once you start pushing an amp it gets thick and responsive without losing clarity. The complete electronics test passed with everything functioning properly.

What stood out to me:

• Beautiful figuring and flame across both the top and back
• Extremely clean Satin Cherry finish
• Very resonant semi-hollow body
• Smooth, comfortable Rounded C neck
• Frets and strings feel exceptionally slick under the fingers
• Original Calibrated T-Type humbuckers
• 8.21 lbs on my scale
• Setup passed inspection with spot-on intonation
• Original Gibson hardshell case
• Complete pictured case candy

The construction is the familiar ES-335 formula: a three-ply maple/poplar/maple body built around a solid maple centerblock. You still get the openness and air of a semi-hollow, but the centerblock adds sustain and keeps it much more manageable once volume and gain start coming up. Gibson paired that with an ABR-1 bridge, lightweight aluminum stopbar and traditional ES hardware.

Condition is excellent throughout the body, back, fretboard and frets. I have the overall condition conservatively marked Very Good, but this is an exceptionally clean used satin guitar. Satin finishes usually make handling and play wear pretty easy to spot, and I genuinely struggled to find anything meaningful to point out on this one. It looks like it spent the overwhelming majority of its life sitting safely in the case.

The figuring is probably my favorite part. This isn’t the separate ES-335 Figured model—it’s a regular Satin 335 that simply ended up with a particularly attractive set of maple laminates. In person, the flame moves around with the light across the front and back and gives the Cherry finish a lot more depth than most satin examples.

Includes the original Gibson hardshell case and complete pictured case candy.

Like all my guitars, this one’s been cared for and dialed in—no guesswork, no surprises, just a great instrument that’s ready to play. I personally inspect and test every guitar before it ships, making sure it’s in the exact condition I’d want to receive myself. These guitars come from me, not a shop—each one gets the kind of attention and care only a real guitar lover gives. Ships fast and insured.

⏳ Quick note: These guitars don’t usually sit. Most are purchased within 1–5 days, and I regularly hear from watchers after the listing has already sold. If this one’s on your radar, now’s the time.