Topic: 355, les paul
what is the difference between a 355 and a les paul apart from the obvious one they look different lol
Re: 355, les paul
Pretty much everything... Solid Body Les Paul versus Semi hollow body 335/345/355, the woods are totally different ( Les Paul is Mahogany body/maple top, 335/345/355 usually maple body ), neck angle is different... The guitars are just two very different animals altogether....
Re: 355, les paul
Chris Martins wrote:
Pretty much everything... Solid Body Les Paul versus Semi hollow body 335/345/355, the woods are totally different ( Les Paul is Mahogany body/maple top, 335/345/355 usually maple body ), neck angle is different... The guitars are just two very different animals altogether....
same goes for the explorer i suppose and sg ?
- stratpaulguy86
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Re: 355, les paul
My take on Gibsons in general are that they are very difficult to distinguish from each other tonewise especially on a recording. The biggest differences IMO are how they interact with the player. A 335 just has a certain "airy-ness" to the sound that a Les Paul doesn't have. It's harder to hear than it is to feel. A 335 also has a different kind of sustain IMO. The sustain from a semi hollow often comes because they are always on the verge of feedback due to the body design. So a 335 through a 100w Plexi sustains differently than a Les Paul IMO because of the guitar's construction. The Les Paul is solid and much of the sustain is from the added mass (wood, body thickness, neck thickness, etc). SG's to me sound very similar to Les Pauls only perhaps slightly darker on the average. No maple in the SGs. My dad has a white Firebird V that sounds more like a great Les Paul than 90% of the Les Pauls I've played. The Mini-HB's are a little thinner and clearer than most humbuckers but the one he has is just a crunch monster.
'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.
Re: 355, les paul
Best Les Paul tones.... Billy Gibbons... everything. Jeff Beck Blow by Blow, Truth, Eric Clapton Beano, Fresh Cream, Paul Kossoff ect.
Best 335 tone of all time.. get ready to argue with me... is a tie.. Three ways.. Crossroads ( cream live at winterland) Alvin Lee and Ten Years After ( I'm going home live at woodstock) and ding ding ding... " Eddie Money" Two tickets to Paradise. Solo by Jimmy Lyon. Its straight 335 and Mesa Boogie Mark 2 b..
If you listen to those songs you can hear the difference in the tones.. Of course taking BB and Freddie off the table as supreme masters of the 355 guitar..
Joe B
- stratpaulguy86
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Re: 355, les paul
For the sake of arguement Joe, I think Mr. Larry Carlton would have something to say about great 335 tone. 
They don't call him "Mr. 335" for nothing! And being super humble as usual, I'll throw a personal favorite of mine out there from you. I can't get enough of the 335 tone you got on "Never Make Your Move Too Soon". Absolutely magic tone right there. 
'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.
7 2010-05-08 14:33:43 (edited by DAN 2010-05-08 14:40:22)
Re: 355, les paul
Les Paul tone ....Jethro Tull...Aqualun
Joe's 355 ...at the Dayton show, had a more hollow, smoother, rounded, cushioned sound....perhaps tone knob adjustments
His Les Paul sound had these same tonal qualities, but more piercing, due to wood density.....Les Paul's theory of achieving sustain.
I believe it all comes from your pick attack, and the way you press and bend the strings that creates your own personal signature tonal sound......plus the groove you feel inside yourself that you transmit through your fingers.
The Jimmy Lyon solo gets it's tone from the sustained notes degrading, and the vibrato applied....a feel thing.
Guitarists have their own language when it comes to describing this stuff..., and only us guitarists understand it....our own secret society of tonal bliss........remember membership dues are to be in no later than June 30th. Thanks >> DAN
79' Epiphone Genesis Custom, 89' pre-reissue Les Paul Standard, 90'Strat Plus,
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02' Tele (ash), 91' Martin HD-28, Epi A-12 acoustic, Fender Hot Rod Deville 2x12
- wharris
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Re: 355, les paul
The "Two Tickets to Paradise" solo was a complete surprise to me, as I had always figured that was a Les Paul (never could place the amp, but now that I know it makes sense).
Re: 355, les paul
wharris wrote:
The "Two Tickets to Paradise" solo was a complete surprise to me, as I had always figured that was a Les Paul (never could place the amp, but now that I know it makes sense).
Best Les Paul tone - Joe Bonamassa 
seriously you get some really beautiful tones i am inspired every time i hear you.
Re: 355, les paul
another top LP tone - Mark Knopfler Brothers in Arms
- Blaze
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Re: 355, les paul
I agree entirely with your choices gentlemen, but I must add a personal choice, the good old Jan Akkerman from the 70 s group Focus had IMHO a Lespaul killer tone ..
"There hasnt been a note on the fretboard that hasnt been played before.."
Joe B.
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default … tent=music
Joe B.
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default … tent=music
Re: 355, les paul
Joe Bonamassa wrote:
Best Les Paul tones.... Billy Gibbons... everything. Jeff Beck Blow by Blow, Truth, Eric Clapton Beano, Fresh Cream, Paul Kossoff ect.
Best 335 tone of all time.. get ready to argue with me... is a tie.. Three ways.. Crossroads ( cream live at winterland) Alvin Lee and Ten Years After ( I'm going home live at woodstock) and ding ding ding... " Eddie Money" Two tickets to Paradise. Solo by Jimmy Lyon. Its straight 335 and Mesa Boogie Mark 2 b..If you listen to those songs you can hear the difference in the tones.. Of course taking BB and Freddie off the table as supreme masters of the 355 guitar..
Joe B
great examples! you forgot gary's "still got the blues" and "blues for greeny". Those LP tones are amazing.
- JohnTB
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Re: 355, les paul
Ugh no one mentioned Peter Green with the blues breakers - Hard Road!!
My fav les paul sound has to be claptons during his stint with the blues breakers, theres a stormy monday recording on youtube somewhere its classic clapton.
- kevman13
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Re: 355, les paul
Best LP tone I've EVER heard is Joe's "Blues Deluxe" clip on Youtube that's been viewed like a billion times (Denmark I think). We've ALL seen and that vid I'm sure.
Have to agree with Joe the best 335 tone I've heard is Clapton's Crossroads Winterland.
Gits: '03 Gibson Historic R7 Goldtop, '06 Gibson R8 Plaintop, MIJ '62 RI Strat, and others...
Amps: '99 Marshall 1987x Plexi RI, 1969 Fender Super Reverb
My band: www.meanbones.com
Amps: '99 Marshall 1987x Plexi RI, 1969 Fender Super Reverb
My band: www.meanbones.com
- NPB_EST.1979
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Re: 355, les paul
355's.... they cost $355 when they first came out. That's how they named these instruments. I just heard that!
- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
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Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping.