Epi 335 vs 339

[Mike Hickey]

I'm trying to decide between the inspired by Gibson 335 and the 339. I went to guitar center today and they had one of each. The 335 sounded great, but it was a scratch and dent with a faulty pickup selector. The 339 kept cutting out and had a dead bridge pickup so I couldn't tell how much difference there was in tone between the two. I'd like to get the 339 because it's easier to handle, but I'm still wondering if there's a discernable difference between the two of them. Just wondering how close they are in tone. If there's a difference, I'd stick with the 335 and deal with it being a little bigger. Thanks

 

[Noodling Guitars]

Discussing whether there is any difference in tone is just going to end up with people going down the usual tonewood rabbit hole. For all intensive purposes, both guitars seem to be b-stock/blems for one reason or another. If you're going to have to order in a new one, I'd go for the 335 because it seems like that's what makes you feel more comfortable playing - that's going to affect your tone (or at the very least how you perceive tone) more than anything!

 

[Norton]

It's all about size.

Are you looking for semi hollow vibe and tone? then the 335 is your machine.

the 339 gives you a some of that vibe, but not all of it.

 

[Daniel Desmarais]

IMO the 339 is a Les Paul for people who don't want a heavy guitar.

 

[Caddy]

IMO the 339 is a Les Paul for people who don't want a heavy guitar.

Or a very large guitar. I am a small guy and have one of each. Like them both. The 339 is more comfortable for me. Neither sounds like an LP, at least played clean (the only way I have ever played since beginning to play in 1957.

 

[Space1999]

I had a 2016 339 and didn’t really care for it. But I had been playing Sheratons and Casinos for a long time and I loved their sound.

I thought the 339 would have a unique sound all to itself but really it ended up sounding like a powerless Les Paul. There simply wasn’t enough body to really produce a semi-hollow sound to it. IMO

That being said it may be a great guitar for you. I am just sharing my experience with them which is highly subjective.

Pat

 

[soulman969]

I have an ES339 P90 Pro and I also have a full size Casino with it's body mounted dog ear P90 pickups. I've also played Ibanez Artcore models of similar 339 and 335 body types and with all of these this what I've found.

Tonally the smaller 339 size body sounds a but less full and round on the bottom end and is more mid focused when EQ'd the same but it's ergonomically more comfortable when playing seated. Standing both feel somewhat the same to me.

Although a 339 size body will never sound exactly the same as the 335 with some fiddling with your EQ settings they can sound much the same or close enough that you might only hear the difference when playing solo. In a band mix probably not.

However, being another one of the less is more types around here why not have one of each in different finishes. It's like that old Peter Paul vs Almond Joy commercial. Sometimes you feel like a nut.....sometimes you don't.

 

[Norton]

339 and casino??? hmmmmmm

Anyone have a casino and a casino coupe??? now that's an A/B that would be interesting.

 

[grinwer]

339 and casino??? hmmmmmm

Anyone have a casino and a casino coupe??? now that's an A/B that would be interesting.

 

[soulman969]

339 and casino??? hmmmmmm

Anyone have a casino and a casino coupe??? now that's an A/B that would be interesting.

I've compared my Casino with a Coupe a friend of mine was thinking of buying. I thought the difference in tonality more difficult to accept and I didn't like the neck profile either which felt like more of a Slim-Taper D.

We both agreed that the Coupe was not the better choice and he sent in back buying a full size Casino instead. To me the Coupe was like the Wildcat which I also rejected before buying my Casino. YMMV

 

[Norton]

casino / coupe are soooooo much closer than a 339 and a 335.

If they make a worn version of the coupe... I'll buy one.

 

[RR-Ramblers]

My buddy calls me a "horse trader" because I buy/sell/repair/build guitars all the time.

From my first day with this '99 MIK 335 DOT, I've never been happier with her. Never a thought of ever unloading her (like I have with a number of new buys). I've had tons of guitars, this 335 is one of an all-time/lifetime favorites. Picked her up in 2019 at Music Go Round for $279.

I'm kinda strange in that I have .52/.42/.36/.30w/.18/.18 strings on her and play it almost exclusively open G or open D for slide guitar. She's solid, stout, super tone, easy to play.




This '73 EA-250 Riviera is full hollow body and a fun guitar to play, played her live with my group last week, still smiling.....



Now keeping with my archtop fixation, a Gretsch G2420T with a Bigsby.....



But also a shout out to the humble 'The Loar' VBM 279 with P-90's, a folk blues machine.........




......and thank you for letting me shamelessly post pictures of some of my guitars.....

....always a lot of posts on Epi Talk, never enough guitar pics.

 

[Noodling Guitars]

My buddy calls me a "horse trader" because I buy/sell/repair/build guitars all the time.

From my first day with this '99 MIK 335 DOT, I've never been happier with her. Never a thought of ever unloading her (like I have with a number of new buys). I've had tons of guitars, this 335 is one of an all-time/lifetime favorites. Picked her up in 2019 at Music Go Round for $279.

I'm kinda strange in that I have .52/.42/.36/.30w/.18/.18 strings on her and play it almost exclusively open G or open D for slide guitar. She's solid, stout, super tone, easy to play.


View attachment 17761

This '73 EA-250 Riviera is full hollow body and a fun guitar to play, played her live with my group last week, still smiling.....

View attachment 17762

Now keeping with my archtop fixation, a Gretsch G2420T with a Bigsby.....

View attachment 17763

But also a shout out to the humble 'The Loar' VBM 279 with P-90's, a folk blues machine.........

View attachment 17764


......and thank you for letting me shamelessly post pictures of some of my guitars.....

....always a lot of posts on Epi Talk, never enough guitar pics.

That the Loar guitar looks very interesting!! I've never played an electric without at least one cutaway.

 

[RR-Ramblers]

The Loar is a fun guitar. Great sound, great vibe on a vintage Gibson knockoff....