Which Gibson?

O.K. everyone, I need some opinions on my next guitar. I've been playing for a couple years now; still struggling with all the mechanics of learning to play. I own a Squire strat and it's time for a Gibson. Originally I thought Les Paul, of course. Now I find myself leaning towards the ES models. Specifically the ES 335 or 339. I kind of like the versatility of the 339. Any thoughts?

I went from a strat to a les paul faded studio. The lp sure can wail, but the strat has its place too. I realized that a single guitar can't satisfy all needs or situations. I like both giuitars for different reasons.

Okay don't take this too personal. But in my oppinion i think it's too early for you to buy a Gibson. You say your only just learning the mechanics of playing?... But thats just my oppinion.

Second thought: A Les Paul is a great guitar. Really great guitar. People say it's not versatile like a stratocaster, but boy, oh boy that aint true.
If you can learn to master the tone and volume knobs on the Les Paul. Then your in for a really rocking and VERSATILE guitar.

But buy what you want, i just think it's too early for you.

Here's my family: Click >>

My first guitar was a Gibson Les Paul Deluxe (had full sized humbuckers by the previous owners). I do disagree with Caponi about it being too early. They key to a Les Paul is which neck you prefer; a 50's rounded or a 60's slim taper? My hands ain't huge so I like the 60's slim taper.

As for which to choose, it's a question of flavor. Overall, most of the things you will do would be a nice overlap between the LP and the ES. Both will do the majority of playing nicely.

I break it down this way; if I am more rock focused, I'm leaning towards a Les Paul. If I am more jazz/blues focused, I am leaning towards the ES.

Not that you can't do both with either, just the each has its strength. So, it's a matter of what your focus is.

Note: the ES you see in my pic is an ES333. It's no longer produced and is a slightly stripped down, Memphis built version of an ES335.

...I should say that my real answer to your question is > both! I WANT THEM ALL!!!!!!!!!!!

;)

Thanks guys, appreciate the feedback but as for t
being two early, I'm 57 so gotta move quick these days. I also play through a little Mustang 1 amp. If I move up to this Gibson I'm gonna want a tube amp so I may upgrade the amp and play my strat through that for awhile but I' m telling you the itch is REAL BAD. Might have to get the Gibson at the same time.

I would suggest the 339... it gets a nice in-between tone that's not quite total solidbody and not quite total hollowbody. I have been looking into that same model for quite some time... I, on the other hand will be buying the Epiphone model... I believe Gibson guitars are grossly overpriced. All my expensive guitars are Stratocasters though..... so the bias is abundant.

Hey Ian

I am an old duff too. Been playing for better than 45 years (I am 55 myself) and also collecting guitars for quite a while. I am incredibly lucky to own many fine guitars, including several Strats and Les Pauls, a couple of 335s and a beautiful ES-175 .

My advice is to find a way to play them first - either find a friend who has one, or go to a music store and really spend some time with each the guitars you are considering. I can very strongly support the ES series from Gibson, they are tremendous guitars. A 335 style guitar (including the 339) is an extremely powerful weapon. It can play just about any style, with the possible exception of very high gain stuff like metal. (A hollow body or semi-hollow just will feed back like a howling dog at high gain volumes...).

However, a 335 is a BIG guitar. Do you own an acoustic guitar? Do you get tired playing it? Arm fatigue is really common with large body guitars. Depending on your size, your arm length, and a number of other factors, the 335 MAY be uncomfortable to play for longer periods. You dont want anything limiting your "woodshed" time. ("Where's Ian? Oh he's out in the woodshed practicing that dang geetar gain"). :-)

So - i bought 335s only because the 339 wasnt available and i am a very big guy. "Dreadnaught fatigue" is real, and applies to any large body guitar.

That being said, I would probably save my blond 335 first in a fire. Maybe 2nd, but I have better than 25 guitars, and would save the 335 if I could before all but my Suhr.

This is another good point. Newer players who havent been exposed to the guitar world for very long will only know Fender and Gibson as the "good" makers. I can tell you from personal experience and from awareness of the guitar community that many of the best players dont play either Gibson or Fender guitars. There are many other guitar companies that make stunning instruments, that rival or exceed the best guitars from either. I can vouch personally for Paul Reed Smith and more recently I have been exceptionally impressed with Suhr guitars. Be careful, each of those makers also produces a lower quality line of "import" guitars that are not the real thing so to speak. These guitars cost a small fortune, new instruments are $2500 and up, but you are almost always safe buying used hi end guitars.

Drop me a PM if you have any more questions. I am always glad to help a fellow old guy guitar player! Gotta stick together agin all the young whippersnappers!

HTH

Joe

Originally Posted by: caponi14Second thought: A Les Paul is a great guitar. Really great guitar. People say it's not versatile like a stratocaster, but boy, oh boy that aint true.
If you can learn to master the tone and volume knobs on the Les Paul. Then your in for a really rocking and VERSATILE guitar.

This is a good point which I experienced myself recently. I was going through the breakdown of "Life in the Fast Lane" with my les paul. Anders teaches it with his Strat. As I got it down, I thought "I'll have to break out my strat to get the required tone". Then I decided to tweak the tone controls on my amp. I boosted the mid control and shocked myself...there was the tone I needed!!

There are still tonal qualities of a strat that make it a strat, but as caponi14 points out, the les paul is VERY versatile and get get really darn close!!

I find I'm perferring my les paul for playing comfort. Mine has a 50's style neck; my strat has the standard modern C neck with jumbo frets. Compared to my les paul, I feel like I'm playing bass on my strat. If I could only have one guitar, at this point I'd have to say it would be my les paul, despite the fact that I had lusted after a strat for years as a teenager.

Honestly, I couldn't have made this determination in the store. It was only after owning and playing both guitars for months before I was able to make these conclusions. If you have the means, get multiple guitars. Quality instruments hold their value, so you can always sell one later on if you need to. Or you could borrow one from a fellow player. Do stores rent guitars any more? That could be an option too.

All great points everyone, thanks. So this where I'm at right now. I decided that if I'm going to upgrade the guitar I would need a tube amp. So I went Sam Ash here in beautiful So Cal and picked up a Blackstar studio 20 watt amp. Love this thing. The sales rep(manager) let me use an es 339 to try out the amps. Yikes. This thing was amazing. So my plan is to try some other options to narrow down the choice and buy some time around August. That's my b-day so it gives me some leverage with the wife.

Originally Posted by: ianroxThanks guys, appreciate the feedback but as for t
being two early, I'm 57 so gotta move quick these days. I also play through a little Mustang 1 amp. If I move up to this Gibson I'm gonna want a tube amp so I may upgrade the amp and play my strat through that for awhile but I' m telling you the itch is REAL BAD. Might have to get the Gibson at the same time.

Your 57 so you gotta move quick? I'm pushing 65 and just learning guitar. So I don't understand your logic at all.

But then I've got a Strat, a Les Paul Studio, a Yamaha Pacifica (my starter) and a Fender Blues JR. amp. So who am I to talk?!?! lol

Originally Posted by: matonanjinYour 57 so you gotta move quick? I'm pushing 65 and just learning guitar. So I don't understand your logic at all.

But then I've got a Strat, a Les Paul Studio, a Yamaha Pacifica (my starter) and a Fender Blues JR. amp. So who am I to talk?!?! lol

Alright so the way I see it, I only have 8 years to catch up with you. Like I said, "gotta move quick". Rock on everyone.

The best advice I can give is to buy locally so you can try the guitar out first. I've sworn by Carvins for years, but last year I got one that I'm still not satisfied with. It's a gorgeous guitar, but I've taken it to several luthiers and nobody can seem to get the action on it to where I like. My $400 Ibanez LP-style guitar has better action than my $1000+ custom built Carvin.

Go to a couple places, try every guitar you are even remotely interested in, and go with the one that plays/feels best to you.

Ian, I am the same age as you, and nearly in the same time warp.

I had a Squier Strat, played it for a year. I decided to get a Gibson SG. I had played many guitars at different stores, and I like the SG. THEN, I decided one more test. I took a strap to the store and hung the SG around my neck, and played it standing up. WHOA!

I am SO GLAD I did that! You couldn't give me a Gibson SG now. I immediately bought a 335 instead. I got a great deal on a brand new one at Guitar Trader. The 335 sounds and feels fantastic, it is beautiful, and I love it. The SG is so neck heavy, honestly I don't know how they sell ANY.

BTW the difference between the Squier Strat and the Gibson ES335 is night and day, really. You'll know, when you get the 335, what I mean.

As previously warned, the size of the 335; well, it is rather large. A 339 is a viable alternative, it is less expensive, BUT, I did not do the "hang" test with the 339.

I say GO FOR it old man...go for it!

Regarding size; the 336 is often described as a scaled down 335...close to the size of an LP. The shape of the two is basically the same. The 335 is laminate, the 336 solid and the 336 sound is said to be between a LP and a 335.

I don't have enough experience or a well enough developed ear to comment on the sound comparison but I can say I'm very, very happy with my 336.

On the other hand, Johnny Winter noodled with mine back stage and declared it, "...a real sonofabitch." He meant that in a good way. ;)

Howdy.

How about a Midtown Custom? Not sure what your budget is or if you're looking into hollowbodies, but check it out. They should go for around 1000€ so, what 1300$? I have no experience with them though.

Wow, cool this thread picked up again. Appreciate all the feed back. My birthday is in August and the wife gave me the thumbs up on the upgrade. I think I have decided it will definitely be either the 339 or 335. honestly I keep leaning toward the 335 because it is such a classic and at my age not really sure how many guitars I will have a shot at. The 339 keeps coming into play because I hear nothing but good things. Keep thinking this is the beginning of a new Gibson classic. I am getting close to start playing them at the store and I will narrow it down. I know myself well, though, and I tend to spend the extra bucks at the finish line. That would mean the es 335, maybe even block inlay. Ouch!! I'll let you all know in a couple months.

The Gibson Es-137 is a great choice. Definitely check that out

Originally Posted by: ianroxWow, cool this thread picked up again. Appreciate all the feed back. My birthday is in August and the wife gave me the thumbs up on the upgrade. I think I have decided it will definitely be either the 339 or 335. honestly I keep leaning toward the 335 because it is such a classic and at my age not really sure how many guitars I will have a shot at. The 339 keeps coming into play because I hear nothing but good things. Keep thinking this is the beginning of a new Gibson classic. I am getting close to start playing them at the store and I will narrow it down. I know myself well, though, and I tend to spend the extra bucks at the finish line. That would mean the es 335, maybe even block inlay. Ouch!! I'll let you all know in a couple months.

I might be biased with having an ES but I think the 335 is hard one to beat. I mean, it has been a classic guitar for so many artists and for good reason. If something stands the test of 50 plus years, there's got to be a reason.

Still, the instrument has to sing to you. No matter the history or cost, it has to make you want to play it.

BTW - do NOT overlook this test - Make sure you take a strap to the guitar store, and play them hanging around your neck. Make sure it feels right there, as well as sitting on a decent stool.

The 335 and 339 sound virtually identical. I chose a fire-engine red 335 and I am 100% happy. Now that I own one, I see them everywhere, pros playing them constantly. Just like a car, you don't really realize how many people own them until you get one, and become intimate with it. My 335 is the finest guitar I have ever played, for ME, for many reasons. I really love it.

Just snagged this 2012 Les Paul Studio Faded with Burstbuckers. Love it.