335 is better than Les Paul

[Californiaman]

OMG!

I saw Homz's name on this and just about crapped my pants.

I thought they let him back in and then realized it was from 2009.

Whew, that was weird.

[Mojorule]

They are both greats. Status as 'more classic' has nothing to do with number of years since inception. The LP is not more classic than the Strat because it came out two years earlier. Nor is the Tele more classic than the LP because it debuted a couple of years before. Despite our shared love of Gibsons here, I think we all know what most lay people consider the most classic electric guitar to be, and it is Leo's second design not Les's/Ted's.

 

What is classic? The 335 has the Gibson F holes that go all the way back to the Lloyd Loar L5, plus a good dose of hollow-body air, so you could argue for a greater degree of classic Gibson heritage in the 335 than in the LP. It is closer to what Gibson always put out before the LP. But then the LP simply is the more famous instrument, so on those grounds is the 'more classic'.

 

I'm sure that there are some 335s with more sustain than some LPs, but on average, there is no passive electric with more sustain than a Lester. Also some 335s may not have the tonal range and variety of some LPs, but on average, the 335 will win in terms of bass to treble or dolce to ponticello coverage.

 

I have lusted after both in my time, and never been in a position to own either. When I was 14 I wanted an LP and nothing else. A nice man at Carlsboro in Norwich sat me down with a 335 Studio and told me it would suit me better than the LP Studio I compared it with. I liked it, but I still wanted the LP. I couldn't really get the full difference out of them in the shop, and as they were both too expensive for me anyway, so I decided to lust after the cheaper of the two. But when I was 21, I began to lust heavily after a 335, by which time the Studio version had long been discontinued. Then I regretted not listening to the nice man from Carlsboro, and not trying to talk my parents into some sort of long-term credit deal.

 

I'm still in the 335 camp, because I like the extra treble bite on a good one, and I like the more woody warmth of the front pickup (as opposed to the full-on, creamy warmth of the LP). I play a lot of blues, jazz, country and other roots stuff and I have always liked clean amps (even when I was in the LP camp). The added air really does something crucial for me. But if I were playing dirty a lot, I know that the LP would appeal for its sustain. I always loved milking my Hondo LP copy through a driven amp. Also, given current prices, if I were to buy another Gibson electric, it would likely be an LP before a 335, since I could afford a nice LP Studio before any form of ES.

 

In any case, I have my Howard Roberts Fusion and it is a bit of both - sounds not dissimilar to a 335 and looks like an LP. Body size is between the two of them, but the neck is a 59 LP profile. The best neck I've ever played (apart from my new SJ's very similar one).

[fl00dsm0k3]

depends on model

[milod]

As far as necks go, each individual guitar will have a slightly different neck, and heaven knows there have been intentional variations, too, in order to suit individual players.

 

Also these two types of instrument will feel quite different in terms of playing because the shape will fit each player differently. For example, I "feel" that the 335 has a narrower nut than the 175 although it's technically the same width - just because of the way the instruments' shapes "fit" with my own shape.

 

Personally I've never cared for the LP. It's just never felt comfortable. I much prefer the 335 shape. Other pickers' mileage will vary.

 

Both can have similar or different tones, depending on amplification.

 

But I do think that if I were to have but one guitar? It'd be awfully hard to decide between a 335 and a 175. In the summer probably the 175, but in changing and winter weather... the 335 because it's physically more stable with tuning. And you'll not get my 1970s Guild version of the SG outa my hands as long as I can fight you for it.

 

m

[milod]

As far as necks go, each individual guitar will have a slightly different neck, and heaven knows there have been intentional variations, too, in order to suit individual players.

 

Also these two types of instrument will feel quite different in terms of playing because the shape will fit each player differently. For example, I "feel" that the 335 has a narrower nut than the 175 although it's technically the same width - just because of the way the instruments' shapes "fit" with my own shape.

 

Personally I've never cared for the LP. It's just never felt comfortable. I much prefer the 335 shape. Other pickers' mileage will vary.

 

Both can have similar or different tones, depending on amplification.

 

But I do think that if I were to have but one guitar? It'd be awfully hard to decide between a 335 and a 175. In the summer probably the 175, but in changing and winter weather... the 335 because it's physically more stable with tuning. And you'll not get my 1970s Guild version of the SG outa my hands as long as I can fight you for it.

 

m