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Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue
Reverend Bayonet Custom
VS
Playability
73
Sound
72
Build
74
Value
58
Score
73
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Playability
75
Sound
74
Build
65
Value
71
Score
71
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Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue vs Reverend Bayonet Custom

Reasons to Get
Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue over Reverend Bayonet Custom

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs South Korea
Built with higher quality standards
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo vs Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Body Type
Semi-Hollow vs Solid Body
Lighter and allows more gain than a hollowbody
Switch Positions
3 vs 0
More tone options
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Pickups
HH vs H
High output without hum
Nut Width
1.688'' (42.9mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Paint Finish
Nitro vs Poly
Thin finish that creates aging marks faster
Bridge
Fixed vs Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up

Reasons to Get
Reverend Bayonet Custom over Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue

Frets Height
Taller vs Shorter
Easier to press down strings and bend them
Type of Frets
Jumbo vs Medium Jumbo
You won't feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings
Body Type
Solid Body vs Semi-Hollow
Feedback free
Pickups
H vs HH
Hum-free with more right hand freedom and sustain
Locking Tuners
Yes vs None
Easier to change strings
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.688'' (42.9mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Paint Finish
Poly vs Nitro
Resistant paint that ages well
Bridge
Tremolo vs Fixed
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Value Score
71 vs 58
Better price/quality relationship

Other Key Differences
Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue vs Reverend Bayonet Custom

Bridge Pickup
Custombucker Alnico III (Unpotted) vs Chisel Bridge
Different Bridge Pickup
Body Wood
Maple vs Limba
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Mahogany vs Limba
Different Neck Wood
Headstock
3-3 vs R6
Different Headstock
Nut Material
Nylon vs Boneite
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue vs Reverend Bayonet Custom

Fretboard Wood
Rosewood
Same Fretboard Wood
Strings
6
Same playing style
Tone Knobs
2
Same tone control
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm)
Same string tension and fret separation
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm)
Same fretboard comfortability
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Neck Profile Type
C
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Neck Joint
Set
Neck is glued to the body

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand
  • Expensive Wood

Common Weaknesses

  • Neck-Through Build
  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Table of Contents

Price History Comparison

SET PRICE ALERT

Reverend Bayonet Custom Prices

SET PRICE ALERT

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Which One is Better Overall?

After going through our comparison algorithm, the results show that the Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue is probably the better product overall with its final score of 73 compared to the Reverend Bayonet Custom's 71 score, although not by a lot.

The Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue wins when it comes to build quality. On the other hand, the Reverend Bayonet Custom has the upper hand when it comes to sound, playability, value for the money.

If you got small hands, you'll probably feel more comfortable playing the Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue.

Which One is Better for Beginners?

Both meet 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.

New Player Friendliness

Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Reverend Bayonet Custom
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Locking tuners
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale

Nevertheless, when it comes to choosing an instrument, you should pick the one more compatible with your personal style. Still, below we'll try you to give you our results as objectively as it's possible to help you decide.

Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue Overview

  • From Gibson Custom's 2022 Historic Collection series
  • Made in United States
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • 3-Ply Maple/Poplar/Maple body
  • Mahogany neck
  • Indian Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Custombucker Alnico III (Unpotted) (Humbucker/Passive)
  • Neck pickup: Custombucker Alnico III (Unpotted) (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 2 volume and 2 tone Bell knobs
  • 3-way Switch
  • Lightweight Aluminum Stop Bar bridge
  • SlimTaper 60s C Set neck
  • 22 Medium Jumbo frets
  • Kluson Single Line, Double Ring tuners
  • Weight between 7.7lbs (3.5kgs) and 7.8lbs (3.5kgs)
  • Compare Specs >

Reverend Bayonet Custom Overview

  • From Reverend's 2022 Set-Neck series
  • Made in South Korea
  • 6 strings
  • 24.75"'' scale
  • 12" Fretboard Radius
  • Korina body
  • Three-Piece Korina neck
  • Rosewood fretboard
  • Bridge pickup: Chisel Bridge (Humbucker/Passive)
  • 1 volume and 2 tone Dome knobs
  • Wilkinson WVS50 IIK Tremolo bridge
  • Medium Oval Set neck
  • 22 Jumbo frets
  • Reverend Pin-Lock tuners
  • Compare Specs >

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in Both

Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

Woods Used in the Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Woods Used in the Reverend Bayonet Custom

Limba wood pattern used for guitar building
Limba

Limba is a relatively rare wood that shows exotic tight dark grain stripes. It comes in white or black. As a tonewood, it is comparable to Mahogany but with richer mids. Find out more about Limba.

Winner: Tie.

Pickup Configuration

The Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue has an HH configuration while the Reverend Bayonet Custom has H pickups.

Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

On the other hand, A single H pickup gives you the advantage of having a little longer sustain (all other things being equal) because there will be less magnetic fields from other pickups affecting the strings' vibration. However, they also give you the least versatility because you won't have other pickups at different distances from the bridge to create different tones. A single humbucking pickup is used for noiseless high output, which is used mainly for Hard Rock genres.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: Tie.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

The Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue gives you 3 switch options while the Reverend Bayonet Custom gives you 0. This means that the Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue's switch options

The Reverend Bayonet Custom doesn't come with pickup switching options.

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue.

Final Sound Quality Scores

Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue
Pickups 90
Sustain 75
Versatility 53
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 72
Reverend Bayonet Custom
Pickups 90
Sustain 80
Versatility 51
Tuning Stability 75
Sound 74

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue compares to the Reverend Bayonet Custom.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue is built in United States while the Reverend Bayonet Custom is made in South Korea.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

South Korea was for many years the number one choice for mass-producing semi-premium guitars. They can build excellent guitars for a cheap price. Now, it's less common to find Korean guitars because Indonesia has proved capable of building guitars just as well, but likely for cheaper.

Winner: Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue has a Nylon nut. It used to be one of the highest quality materials for nuts (and still is), but it's rare to find nowadays because it's hard to work with. It's a very resistant material with very low friction, so it will keep the guitar in tune and will last for a long time

On the other hand, the Reverend Bayonet Custom comes with a Boneite nut. This is an artificial material made to imitate the favored type of nut: bone. This allows it to sound and feel pretty much like bone, but without the inconsistency of natural materials.

Winner: Tie.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

The Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue's brige is a Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.

On the other hand, the Reverend Bayonet Custom's is a Tremolo. Tremolo bridges give you more versatility than fixed bridges. They let you perform the intense vibrato effects that would be impossible with a fixed bridge. However, since the bridge floats and there's less contact with the body, the strings lose sustain slightly faster. They can also be a bit harder to restring and set up correctly than fixed bridges.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

The Reverend Bayonet Custom has the best tuners of the two because they are locking tuners. They'll help to keep your guitar in tune because they allow you to tune it without wrapping the strings around the posts. This avoids variations in the tuning due to the strings changing position at the post after a bend. They come at the disadvantage of being slightly heavier than regular tuners. Also, it makes it a lot easier to restring.

Winner: Reverend Bayonet Custom.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

Both have a Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.

Winner: Tie.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Nylon Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Reverend Bayonet Custom
  • Locking Tuners
  • Expensive Wood
  • Boneite Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • Made in South Korea
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue
Quality of materials 66
Features 55
Quality Control 100
Build Quality 74
Reverend Bayonet Custom
Quality of materials 56
Features 65
Quality Control 75
Build Quality 65

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue Nut Width
Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue Nut Width
Reverend Bayonet Custom Nut Width
Reverend Bayonet Custom Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Reverend Bayonet Custom has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 42.9mm (1.688''). This is a 0.1mm (0.0050000000000001'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Reverend Bayonet Custom, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue and Reverend Bayonet Custom's Scale Length
Both have the same scale length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

In this case, both have a scale length of 24.75".

This is the scale length that Gibson uses for most of its Les Paul guitars. It's a smaller scale than the typical Stratocaster's 25.5''. Short scale lengths like this make it easier to bend the strings, which is pretty important if you have a fixed bridge. They also have a shorter fret separation, which makes it easier to change position fast at the fretboard.

On the other hand, a shorter scale like this one will make fret buzz more likely, which can affect you if you want to use thicker string gauges.

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue Neck Profile
Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue's neck profile
Reverend Bayonet Custom Neck Profile
Reverend Bayonet Custom's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

Both the Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue and the Reverend Bayonet Custom have a C-shaped neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue Fingerboard Radius
Both Guitars Have The Same Fretboard Radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

Both the Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue and the Reverend Bayonet Custom have the same fretboard radius of 12". This is the radius used in most Gibson guitars. It gives you a good balance for playing chords without muting, but also good comfortability for playing single notes and bending.

Hand Size Comfortability

Everyone has a different hand size, and that's why it's recommended to try a guitar before buying, even if others tell you that it's comfortable to play. However, we can know whether a guitar favors small or large hands just by knowing its exact measurements.

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the Reverend Bayonet Custom favors large hands more than the Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue.

Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Reverend Bayonet Custom:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Fret Size

Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue Frets Size
Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue's Frets Size
Reverend Bayonet Custom Frets Size
Reverend Bayonet Custom's Frets Size

The Reverend Bayonet Custom has Jumbo frets, which should be taller than the Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue's Medium Jumbo frets.

Some people prefer taller frets because they result in more sustain since the strings get pressed cleanly without interference from the fretboard. However, if they're too tall—like Jumbo frets—, you might change the pitch of the strings accidentally if you press too hard because you won't be touching the fretboard with your fingers. This is also why some guitarists with a heavy grip prefer smaller frets. They like to feel the fingerboard to avoid pressing down too hard and getting out of pitch.

Final Playability Scores

Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 70
Playability 73
Reverend Bayonet Custom
Bending & Vibrato Ease 90
Chord Playability 55
Solo Playability 80
Playability 75

Specs Side-by-Side

Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue vs Reverend Bayonet Custom
General Gibson Custom 1964 ES-335 Reissue Reverend Bayonet Custom
Brand: Gibson Custom Reverend
Year: 2022 2022
Configuration: HH H
Strings: 6 6
Made in: United States South Korea
Series: Historic Collection Set-Neck
Colors: Sunburst, Red Gold, Black, Blue, Red
Left-Handed Version: No No
Body
Type: Semi-Hollow Solid Body
Body Material: 3-Ply Maple/Poplar/Maple Korina
Bridge: Lightweight Aluminum Stop Bar Wilkinson WVS50 IIK Tremolo
Neck
Neck Joint: Set Set
Tuners: Kluson Single Line, Double Ring Reverend Pin-Lock
Fretboard: Indian Rosewood Rosewood
Neck Material: Mahogany Three-Piece Korina
Decoration: Small Block Cellulose Nitrate Pearloid Blocks
Scale Size: 24.75" 24.75"
Shape: SlimTaper 60s C Medium Oval
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 12" 12"
Nut: Nylon Boneite
Nut Width: 42.9mm (1.688'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickup: Custombucker Alnico III (Unpotted) (Humbucker / Passive) Chisel Bridge (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup:
Neck Pickup: Custombucker Alnico III (Unpotted) (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 3 Way 0 Way
Knobs: Bell Dome
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 2 1
Tone Controls: 2 2