gratedmb21 Posted May 30, 2013 Share Posted May 30, 2013 Besides the obvious hardware and inlay differences? How do these really compare to each other? I've always been a fan of rosewood boards (336), but does the ebony board (356) make a true 'tonal' difference? I would love a CS-356 based off looks alone, but that gold has to go. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clayville Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 Besides the obvious hardware and inlay differences? How do these really compare to each other? I've always been a fan of rosewood boards (336), but does the ebony board (356) make a true 'tonal' difference? I would love a CS-356 based off looks alone, but that gold has to go. Any input would be greatly appreciated. I love my 356, and the bling-factor is breathtaking every time I open the case. Mine is still stock and is perfect for me as is. Wouldn't trade or sell it for the world - and it's been my #1 for a decade now. That said, though some might argue that an ebony board and big block inlays can lead to a "brighter" tone, I think that's mostly just "wisdom" and rumor passed along over the many decades of, say, the Les Paul Custom with it's similar detailing. Most high-end Gibson jazz boxes, for instance, have similarly constructed necks and few would call them "bright". The gold hardware doesn't have anything to do with tone either. But mostly becuase of how I play, I can feel the smoother board and inlays under my fingertips sometimes... and sometimes that feels more "fluid" to me than my rosewood board guitars. I believe the variance in sound from any one 356 to any one 336 falls well within the range of what you might expect between any two 356's or any two 336's. They're made of wood, wood varies, guitars vary. Frankly, the ES-339's I've plugged in are extremely similar sounding despite the huge construction differences. Perhaps it's the size & shape, the general geometry of the layout and sound chambers that causes that impression for me. All of them are, in my opinion, extremely sensitive to small adjustments in pickup, pole piece and bridge height and to where you set the controls. With gain cleaned up they can sound almost Tele-like on the bridge pickup alone. And they can roar with some gain dialed-in. Mine is the most versatile guitar I ever hope to own, and suits me for blues, rock, jazz, funk and anything else I care to tackle with just a little knob twisting. I've said much of this in different ways right here over the years. A search might answer more questions for you. Good luck, and happy shopping! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gratedmb21 Posted May 31, 2013 Author Share Posted May 31, 2013 Wow, thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JO'C Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 Besides the obvious hardware and inlay differences? How do these really compare to each other? I've always been a fan of rosewood boards (336), but does the ebony board (356) make a true 'tonal' difference? I would love a CS-356 based off looks alone, but that gold has to go. Any input would be greatly appreciated. I believe that they are the same other than upgraded board, inlays and gold trim. The body, neck, pickups, electronics and tuners are the same. It's just like the ES-355 is the fancier version of the ES-335. I have a custom one-off CS-336 that is almost a CS-356, except for the inlays. It has an ebony board but you wouldn't like it due to the gold trim. It's a 2004 and is my favorite Gibson of the 10 that I own. I haven't played a 336 with a rosewood board, but I do have a Johnny A. (ebony) and a Larry Carlton ES-335 which has a rosewood board. I have 5 LP's with both ebony and rosewood. Each guitar has its own tone but I really don't think the fretboard wood has much to do with it. I consider the 336 to be a happy medium between a Les Paul and a 335. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldBlue&Blondie Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 My 356 has an ebony board, korina body, and a quilt top (which is supposed to be softer than the usual maple). No idea what does what to the sound but I like it. I like the feel of ebony better than rosewood (and much better than my poly-necked Fender). But I would echo Clayville: subtle changes in settings, strings, heights, etc. have a big effect on tone. Much more so than other guitars I've played. They are real nice guitars that are very expressive and a joy to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gratedmb21 Posted July 19, 2013 Author Share Posted July 19, 2013 Thanks for the replies. Has anyone upgraded their 356's? I'm one of those that usually strips their guitar and starts doing the aftermarket upgrades. I'm a huge fan of upgrading the pots/caps and nut. I have a few questions for you guys. Stock nut, corian or nylon? Are the bushings steel or a compensated material? **You can use a magnet to find out** If you upgraded your electronics, how much of a pain is it due to the limited access? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greywolf Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 I have a 339 and 356 . The big difference is the 356 is carved from a billet of mahogany , and the top is also solid maple . The ES's are laminate ( like most semi hollows including all the gretsches - I have a Country Gentleman too. The 356 plays much more like a semi -hollow LP which it is essentially . The ES has a looser vibe even though the pickups etc are the same , the ES is more prone to feedback . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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