The idea behind the award-winning Grez Mendocino was to create a guitar that fits in the ES-335 world tonally, but is lighter and has more depth of tone - somewhat between a great ES-335 and an archtop.

To help achieve this goal, this beautiful Mendocino features a 1-piece Honduran mahogany body, hollowed out (with the exception of a narrow center block), and is topped with a flamed maple top.

This uniquely spec'd Mendocino (they typically have redwood tops) is really lightweight, balanced, and very alive and resonant. Said another way, this is the kind of instrument that makes you want to play more. It's beautifully made, has a chunky, late-50's Gibson-esq carve with a slinky overall feel, and sounds amazing both unplugged and plugged in.

Loaded with Lollar Imperial humbuckers, the tones are both articulate & fat, and it does indeed remind us of an ES-335. The maple top delivers a punchy, focused midrange that sounds beautiful unplugged and plugged in. We're loving the combo of the maple top and wraptail bridge, no question.

If you're looking for something a little more unique both with a feel and tone that are squarely rooted in classic vintage guitars, you owe it to yourself to check out a Mendocino!