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

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

Post by codedog »

Polar Bear wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 5:31 am Whoever said a 335 is the most versatile guitar out there, I tend to side with, especially with the coil tap on the neck.
What is your splittable neck pickup of choice, and which bridge pickup does it go with?

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

Post by hamo »

mr_sooty wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:15 am
Polar Bear wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 5:31 am I’ll bite.

I have a 335 and an LP both with the same bridge pickup, Dimarzio 36th Anni. My 335 also doesn’t have F Holes, so how that makes a difference in this instance, I don’t know.

The 335 is significantly warmer sounding, smoother almost. Harmonically, it is richer sounding, with a beautiful, natural feedback on certain notes that the LP doesn’t come close to.
The LP on the other hand has significantly more bite, cut and attack. Both great sounding, but the 335 is a much more versatile guitar, and my number 1 for both live and recording.

Both guitars are over 30 years old, but within 4 years of each other, if it’s of interest, and I also have coil taps in the neck pickups of both guitars. There’s not a gig I couldn’t do on the 335 and not be excited by how it sounds still.

Whoever said a 335 is the most versatile guitar out there, I tend to side with, especially with the coil tap on the neck.
Would be interesting to hear recorded comparisons. Especially blind ones.
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Re: Les Paul v 335 - can you really hear the difference?

Post by mr_sooty »

Polar Bear wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 5:31 am
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...

If the 335 is 'significantly' warmer sounding, and the LP has 'significantly' more bite, wouldn't we be able to hear this even on an average recording? It seems to more that any difference is pretty subtle. I watched one video where they were comparing a vintage Strat to a custom shop equivalent and the comments were 'it has MUCH more [this and that]', like it's not even close. Admittedly my hearing is deteriorating, but while there were slight variations between the guitars, it was far from being night and day. I feel the same about this subject.

Also I would ask, even if you can hear this subtle difference, how does it make the 335 more versatile? Can it play genres the LP can't? Let's take the coil split out of the equation, because all guitars can be modded to be more versatile. A Strat can have humbuckers put in it for example. But comparing the stock configurations - what sounds and styles can a 335 do that other 2 humbucker Gibson style guitars can't do?

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

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

Post by codedog »

mr_sooty wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 10:21 am 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...
Oh wow, where did you get those from? I thought they're only available in True Historics or some other equally elite Gibson models?

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

Post by bender »

Well... I could hear a pretty significant difference between the two... and I was listening on my phone.

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

Post by Molly »

You could equally compare two random Les Pauls and hear a difference (presumably the same with any pair of 335s). Guessing some 335s sound a lot like some Les Pauls but so what?

Here's a 335 and a Les Paul that both sound great. Just coz.


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

Post by jimi »

Having now listened to the video, they definitely sound different, learning they’re not both gibsons, makes it an even more pointless comparison.

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

Post by WellyBlues »

Well...I picked them correctly. But I had the laptop volume on full and I was listening for the differences. To me the 335 sounded brighter, but I often think Les Paul's are a bit duller and thicker in sound. Which is great if that's what you want. The difference wasn't great and I imagine that one of those ES Les Pauls would be even harder to pick against the 335. And what about weight-relieved Les Pauls? As other people have noted once you add some gain or effects to the picture the difference will be harder to pick.

I was watching a comparison between an old Gibson 335 (with throback pickups) and a new Epiphone Inspired by Gibson 335 last night and the difference was substantial in my ears. The Gibson was warmer and more mellow, really nice, but that might have all been in the pickups which by themselves cost more than the Epi. It was either in that comparison or another one where they then went through a Volante and some other effect, which showed that the differences become less with more!
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Re: Les Paul v 335 - can you really hear the difference?

Post by Slowy »

olegmcnoleg wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 8:52 am
Slowy wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 8:08 am
Miza wrote: Mon Feb 22, 2021 7:14 pm Surely the brightness coming off that maple cap makes a big diff to the LP tone?
Why? A 335 is a maple block wrapped in a maple plywood box.
And maple is used because it is strong, cheap and easy to press into curves shapes. Ply is used because it is LESS resonant, to avoid having feedback problems maybe? And it is cheaper still. So, just a budget guitar then. ;-)



They sound great to me though.
I'd love to a/b a Collings i35 and an i35LC. Same instrunemt, one plywood and the other solid carved.

I'm picking the laminate would be more feedback resistant, but really, I haven't a clue.
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Re: Les Paul v 335 - can you really hear the difference?

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37583740_10160551013760576_3964218319870885888_o.jpg
37583740_10160551013760576_3964218319870885888_o.jpg (163.53 KiB) Viewed 1808 times
I used to use the LP and the 335 in this photo for gigs. The LP was used most and the 335 was it's backup. They both have Seymour Duncan pickups in them (Seth Lovers in the LP and 59s in the 335) and they both sound different. The LP is definately 'thicker' sounding and worked well for rock and the 335 had a bit more 'sparkle' and worked better on the poppier stuff.
To be fair, the 335 carcus is an Epi Dot not a Gibson but they're all just plywood anyway aren't they?!
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Re: Les Paul v 335 - can you really hear the difference?

Post by WellyBlues »

Molly wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 12:27 pm You could equally compare two random Les Pauls and hear a difference (presumably the same with any pair of 335s). Guessing some 335s sound a lot like some Les Pauls but so what?

Here's a 335 and a Les Paul that both sound great. Just coz.

I've struggled to get into Jason Isbell but that's an excellent version. The Les Paul player has the Allmans sound nailed! Funnily enough the 335 sounds less bright when Isbell is soloing.

So what the fuck would I know?!
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Re: Les Paul v 335 - can you really hear the difference?

Post by Polar Bear »

codedog wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 9:17 am
Polar Bear wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 5:31 am Whoever said a 335 is the most versatile guitar out there, I tend to side with, especially with the coil tap on the neck.
What is your splittable neck pickup of choice, and which bridge pickup does it go with?
In my LP custom it’s a set of 36th annis, and the 335 is a whole lotta humbucker in the neck with the anni in the bridge.
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Re: Les Paul v 335 - can you really hear the difference?

Post by mr_sooty »

codedog wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 11:54 am
mr_sooty wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 10:21 am 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...
Oh wow, where did you get those from? I thought they're only available in True Historics or some other equally elite Gibson models?
Off a friend. The pickups are worth more than the guitar. It's a travesty.

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

Post by mr_sooty »

bender wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 11:56 am Well... I could hear a pretty significant difference between the two... and I was listening on my phone.
Y'all got better ears than me then. Which is entirely plausible. It's hard for me to hear the differences over the crickets.

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

Post by Bg »

mr_sooty wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 1:17 pm
codedog wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 11:54 am
mr_sooty wrote: Tue Feb 23, 2021 10:21 am 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...
Oh wow, where did you get those from? I thought they're only available in True Historics or some other equally elite Gibson models?
Off a friend. The pickups are worth more than the guitar. It's a travesty.
Same here, I have EMG's in my SX LP, the batteries are worth more than the guitar...
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