Les Paul v 335 - can you really hear the difference?

[robthemac]

Reading what you guys can hear makes me think that my hearing is way worse than I thought it was

Don't. I don't have any significant hearing loss, and even listening on TOTL studio IEMs, I could tell which was which.

I assume you mean 'couldn't'? Just guessing based on the general tone of your post.

Haha yep, corrected.

[Polar Bear]

The two guitars in that clip sound significantly different from one another, especially in the middle and bridge position. Caveat, i didn’t listen on a phone speaker, and I’ve not worked as an audio engineer. What do I win?

[Polar Bear]

The 335 is significantly warmer sounding....
The LP on the other hand has significantly more bite, cut and attack....the 335 is a much more versatile guitar, and my number 1 for both live and recording.

As I don't have either guitar (I have a pretty good LP knockoff with Custombuckers, but I have never owned a 335) you're in a better position to argue this than me. I have played both, but mostly my thoughts on the subject come from hypothetical theory and listening to comparison videos. So I am debating this while acknowledging that you would know better, but still...


Not saying 'you're wrong', just asking because I'm trying to understand that point of view. What makes a 335 'more versatile'?

I’m not sure what we’re debating, but you’re right, I’m not wrong. What makes a 335 more versatile? You can use it as an aquarium.
What makes my 335 more versatile? It has more dynamic range.

[Bg]

My ears are famously tin. So didn't bother listening. I'll pick 339, best of both worlds. Or LP with EMGs and a Floyd.

[Dharmajester]

Or LP with EMGs and a Floyd.

Like putting a spoiler on a Bentley...

[Bg]

Or LP with EMGs and a Floyd.

Like putting a spoiler on a Bentley...

Well I don't have a floyd but I do have a stetsbar...

[bender]

My ears are famously tin. So didn't bother listening. I'll pick 339, best of both worlds. Or LP with EMGs and a Floyd.

I’m a recent 339 convert. Never understood them until I played Kiwiaxe’s

[Slowy]

My ears are famously tin. So didn't bother listening. I'll pick 339, best of both worlds. Or LP with EMGs and a Floyd.

I’m a recent 339 convert. Never understood them until I played Kiwiaxe’s

What did you discover? I just assumed they were a 335 sized for women and the smaller gentleman.

[Bg]

less is more....

[bender]

My ears are famously tin. So didn't bother listening. I'll pick 339, best of both worlds. Or LP with EMGs and a Floyd.

I’m a recent 339 convert. Never understood them until I played Kiwiaxe’s

What did you discover? I just assumed they were a 335 sized for women and the smaller gentleman.

Mostly that they look less dinky in person than I had previously thought, but also that they still have the 335 essence. They feel really nice to play. I think I’d still prefer a full sized one... but then I am a Gretsch guy.

[Voxshall]

Out of all the guitars I love I think the ES335 has the widest differences between individual guitars. Some ES335's can sound closer to Les Paul's than others, the ones that don't are more open, less focused, less dense, more woody and airy and can be more mid scooped and they are more versatile than Les Pauls for funk and soul and pop, the clean tones are particularly more versatile but the Les Paul can be more versatile for hard rock and metal where a tight focused dense sound has less chance of falling apart. I agree with Bender the difference matters to the player more than the listener.

[rickenbackerkid]

In my experience 355 have what I would describe to be a slightly looser, more open tone that a LP.

I'd suggest that the lighter, more resonant body does make a difference. Maybe the wood does too - 335 being a laminate top over a maple centre block. Top wrapping the TOM, or a 335 with trapeze or Bigsby helps a lot with that looser, more relaxed tone too.

[goldtop0]

Not a great deal of difference with those two guitars however with my '58 historic LP and '14 CS 335 there is an audible difference in that the 335 has a more nasal tone to it..........both have Custombucker pups.

[WellyBlues]

Not a great deal of difference with those two guitars however with my '58 historic LP and '14 CS 335 there is an audible difference in that the 335 has a more nasal tone to it..........both have Custombucker pups.

Now that's a useful comparison, like with like. Any chance of a YT demo?

[Dharmajester]

Out of all the guitars I love I think the ES335 has the widest differences between individual guitars.

Very true. During my guitar store experience back in the late 70's, we routinely bought a selection of new Lp's and 335's from Manny's so over a year I'd get to play and set up around 30 of each. The majority of the Lp's were pretty average but through a decent amp sounded within the Lp ballpark. 335's were a different story. Again primarily average instruments but even through a decent amp they sounded characterless in the extreme.
Fast forward to today and buying via TM or from overseas, rules out 335's for me.
Love to take a good one for a spin though. Fat neck, no binding, that kinda thing...