The Gibson ES-339 takes the 335 formula and shrinks it into a smaller-bodied semi-hollow, aimed at players who love the tone but want a more compact feel, especially useful for smaller frames or tighter stages.
15 mods reviewed: 10 drop-in, 3 need verification, 2 need modification.
Places we know sell the Gibson ES-339.
Andertons
We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page. It doesn't change the price you pay. How we make money
The Gibson ES-339 takes the 335 formula and shrinks it into a smaller-bodied semi-hollow, aimed at players who love the tone but want a more compact feel, especially useful for smaller frames or tighter stages. It shares the ES-335's hardware family, an ABR-1 bridge with aluminum stop bar tailpiece, but the reduced body dimensions haven't been independently confirmed against an official spec sheet, so treat them as a factor to check before assuming any 335 fitment carries over directly, particularly for anything involving the body or f-hole area.
Tailpiece
Aluminum Stop Bar
String spacing
52mm (2.05")
Scale length
24.75" (629mm)
Tuner hole size
10mm (25/64")
Nut width
43.05mm (1.695")
Not published by Gibson: bridge mounting spacing. Measure this before buying a bridge.
Matches this guitar's genuine ABR-1 bridge spec directly.
This bridge's own spec sheet confirms ABR-1 vintage mounting at 74.0mm post spacing, matching this guitar's genuine ABR-1 bridge, shared with the ES-335 hardware family.
See current price at Amazon
View at AmazonThis bridge uses metric threads, not the inch threads on genuine vintage Gibson hardware. Sources disagree on whether it drops straight in or needs different posts. Worth checking your bridge's thread type before ordering.
Gotoh's GE104B uses M4 metric threaded posts, not the 6-32 inch threads genuine vintage Gibson ABR-1 hardware uses. Retailer listings for this exact bridge genuinely disagree on whether it's a direct fit for post-2017 Gibson ABR-1 guitars: some describe it as a straight drop-in replacement for Gibson or Epiphone ABR-1-style bridges, others explicitly state it is not a direct replacement for Gibson ABR-1 bridges. This guitar's bushing thread type has not been independently confirmed against either claim.
Help confirm this fit
See current price at Reverb
View at ReverbA saddle-only swap, so there is no need to replace the whole bridge. Check the stamp on your own bridge before ordering, because Graph Tech match these sets to the exact bridge type and this guitar's has not been confirmed model by model.
Saddle-only swap, matched to the ABR-1 Tune-o-Matic bridge this guitar is understood to use, per Graph Tech's own bridge-stamp fitment guide (PQ-8400-00). This is not a universal Tune-o-Matic saddle, the SKU is specific to true ABR-1 spec bridges. What holds it back from a clean drop-in is that the ABR-1 bridge on this model is inferred from its hardware-family siblings rather than confirmed model by model, and Graph Tech match their saddle sets to the exact stamp on the bridge rather than by family resemblance. The ABR-1 saddle set is still the most likely correct SKU here.
Help confirm this fit
See current price at Amazon
View at Amazon
Fits the standard humbucker route. A vintage-voiced, aged alternative to the stock pickups. Needs soldering.
Standard humbucker route and mounting, consistent with this guitar's factory humbucker cavity. A vintage-voiced alternative to the stock pickups, aged and lower output rather than a modern hot-output design.
See current price at Reverb
View at ReverbThe exact pickups found on the USA Gibson Les Paul, direct fit here too. Still needs soldering.
This is literally what Gibson ships in the USA Les Paul; a genuine drop-in for the standard humbucker route this guitar also uses.
Fits the standard humbucker route. A higher-output alternative to the stock pickups for pushing an amp into natural overdrive. Needs soldering.
Standard humbucker route and mounting, consistent with this guitar's factory humbucker cavity. A long-established high-output ceramic-magnet alternative to the stock pickups, aimed at players who want more push into natural amp overdrive.
£89.99 at Andertons
View at Andertons
Fits the standard humbucker route this guitar's stock pickups already sit in. You will need to solder it in.
Fits the standard humbucker route this guitar's stock T-Type humbuckers already sit in.
Gotoh specify a 10mm bore for these, matching this guitar's holes. A straight locking upgrade, no reaming.
The ES-339 uses the same headstock hardware as the ES-335, drilled at 10mm, and Gotoh specify a 10mm bore for the SG381 housing, so the posts seat in the existing holes.
See current price at Amazon
View at Amazon
Built for 10mm holes, same as this guitar's. A direct swap for the stock tuners.
The ES-339 uses the same headstock hardware as the ES-335, drilled at 10mm, and the Gotoh SG381 housing is built for a 10mm bore, so the posts seat in the existing holes.
See current price at Amazon
Matches this guitar's confirmed 10mm tuner holes.
This guitar's tuner hole size is confirmed at 10mm, matching this tuner directly.
£129.99 at Andertons
View at Andertons
Matches this guitar's confirmed 10mm tuner holes, a locking upgrade over the stock tuners.
Grover's locking line ships at the same 10mm hole size as this guitar's confirmed tuner holes.
See current price at Amazon
View at AmazonKluson's Revolution uses a screw-in bushing sized for 10mm holes, which is what this guitar has. No reaming needed.
The ES-339 uses the same headstock hardware as the ES-335, drilled at 10mm. Kluson's Revolution uses a screw-in hex bushing built for a 10mm peghole, so it threads into the existing holes. The open question on this model concerns body and f-hole dimensions, which have no bearing on tuner fit.
See current price at Amazon
This tuner is sized for vintage tuner holes, not the modern holes on this guitar. You'll need Gotoh's conversion bushings, sold separately, to fit it.
This tuner is vintage-hole spec (8.73 to 8.8mm), not the modern 10mm hole this guitar actually has. Gotoh sells conversion bushings separately for exactly this situation. Not a direct swap, but not a drilling job either, it is a bushing change.
Help confirm this fit
Built for the standard ES-335 body. This guitar has a smaller body than a standard 335, and that size difference has not been confirmed to still fit this kit's mounting plate.
Vibramate sells this kit for Gibson ES-335 style archtops. This guitar shares the same bridge and tailpiece hardware, but its own smaller body dimensions have not been independently confirmed against an official spec sheet, so the mounting plate's fit on this specific body size is not guaranteed the way it is on a full-size 335.
Help confirm this fit
A real modification, not a drop-in. New holes go in the guitar, best left to someone experienced or a tech.
This guitar ships with a fixed stop bar, not a vibrato. Direct-mounting a Bigsby means new holes in the top.
Help confirm this fit
See current price at Amazon
View at AmazonIf you have fitted any of these to this Gibson ES-339, tell us what you found and we'll update the data.
