ES-335 vs PRS CU24

[MHeld]

Lots of bad blues licks on a 1965 ES335 with Patent Sticker Pickups vs 2023 Custom 24 with 58/15 LT.
Into a Deluxe Reverb.

They're very close, imho.

[Average Joe]

Imho absolutely. The PRS is a wee bit thinner, but I wouldn't say it's something I would notice in a band mix if a t all.

[Greywolf]

335 is warmer , the PRS a bit brighter. Try an HB II for jazz

[John A.]

The PRS has a thinner tone because of the pickup position -- on 24-fret guitars the neck pickup has to be placed further back toward the bridge, which yields a somewhat different sound from where it is on guitars with fewer frets. If you like it (some people do) that's fine. I prefer the sound you get from the 22-fret position for a "jazz" tone, but for distorted tones the 24-fret placement can be better.

[deacon Mark]

They are pretty close I give the 335 a bit of an edge sound fuller. What it does not do is no real jazz guitar sound Autumn Leaves clearly a few graders below a good jaz sound.

[John A.]

They are pretty close I give the 335 a bit of an edge sound fuller. What it does not do is no real jazz guitar sound Autumn Leaves clearly a few graders below a good jaz sound.

Disagree. IMO, this 335 is an excellent jazz tone.

[GuyBoden]

Disagree. IMO, this 335 is an excellent jazz tone.

Yes, a Gibson 335 has a good Jazz tone, but they have a different (thinner) tone when compared to a quality big full body archtop.

A different tone.

Edit: Also, if you listen to 1950-60's Jazz recordings, a 335 doesn't have the traditional 1950-60's 'Thunk' of an old Gibson 175.

[strumcat]

The PRS recording is lower volume than the 335 recording, and that can have a significant effect on listeners' perceived quality assessements. However, once the recordings are compared at about the same volume, I hear a definitely fuller, mellower, more pleasing sound coming from the 335.

[John A.]

Yes, a Gibson 335 has a good Jazz tone, but they have a different (thinner) tone when compared to a quality big full body archtop.

A different tone.

Edit: Also, if you listen to 1950-60's Jazz recordings, a 335 doesn't have the traditional 1950-60's 'Thunk' of an old Gibson 175.

I think a lot has to do with how you define the terms like "thin" and "warm". I would say that a semi-hollow has about the same amount of midrange content as, say, a laminated archtop, but usually less bass and a less percussive attack. So, yes to less "thunk" (percussiveness), but not really thinner (just less bass emphasis). A lot also depends on the particular guitars (e.g., some carved top guitars are quite scooped/bright sounding). As someone who plays jazz on both a semi and an archtop, I see them as slightly different but equally valid sounds.

[Bob_Ross]

a 2023 PRS CU24 with 58/15 pickups

Slight Digression: Is "CU24" the same as the PRS Custom 24?
I've heard of their CE24 and SE24, but I'd never heard their Custom referred to by that alphanumeric shorthand,
it was always just called a "Custom" ime.

[MHeld]

Slight Digression: Is "CU24" the same as the PRS Custom 24?
I've heard of their CE24 and SE24, but I'd never heard their Custom referred to by that alphanumeric shorthand,
it was always just called a "Custom" ime.

Yes, CU24 is short for Custom 24.

[DawgBone]

They were recorded back to back. No changes to levels. Same everything except the guitar.

It's interesting what we all hear. Through my basic studio monitors, they're INCREDIBLY close, imho. Certainly no difference you could hear live.

What's interesting is your video showed up in my feed yesterday and I watched it, then came here today and saw the thread. But I have watched a lot of 335 and PRS videos lately too, haha. Both sounded good, and close, esp since the tone was rolled way off. No, you would not hear the difference live, that much is certain.

[Gitfiddler]

To my aging ears both tones on the above snippet were 'passable' for jazz, blues or RnB. Yes, there are subtle differences in timbre...as will be the case whenever two or more similar guitars are compared. Those differences between 22 and 24 fret guitars may play part in the note 'thickness' or 'trebly-ness' or midrange-treble tones for reasons stated above.

That said, if one is attempting to bring the tones of a 22 fret guitar closer to a 24 fret guitar, one might consider adding a graphic EQ pedal to their board. That way if the tone of one guitar is 'thinner' than desired, simply bump up the midrange to the desired frequency/tone. YMMV.

[Bob_Ross]

That said, if one is attempting to bring the tones of a 22 fret guitar closer to a 24 fret guitar, one might consider adding a graphic EQ pedal to their board. That way if the tone of one guitar is 'thinner' than desired, simply bump up the midrange to the desired frequency/tone. YMMV.

The reason that solution won't be completely satisfactory to some perfectionists is that relocating where the pickup polepieces are on a stringed instrument creates a series peaks & dips in the frequency response that change based on the note being played, because they are related to the speaking length of the string and the physical location of that speaking length's nodes/antinodes
...whereas a graphic equalizer can only apply a fixed curve to the frequency response. You may get it right for one particular note (played in one particular position on the neck) but that same curve will not be correct for any/every other note played elsewhere on the neck.

[John A.]

To my aging ears both tones on the above snippet were 'passable' for jazz, blues or RnB. Yes, there are subtle differences in timbre...as will be the case whenever two or more similar guitars are compared. Those differences between 22 and 24 fret guitars may play part in the note 'thickness' or 'trebly-ness' or midrange-treble tones for reasons stated above.

I had a 24-fret Les Paul for many years. I played it side by side with 22 fret LP's many times (about as close as to "all else equal" as possible). There's no question the pickup position makes a difference. I find it quite distinct, and not at all subtle, but whether it's good or bad is a matter of taste.

That said, if one is attempting to bring the tones of a 22 fret guitar closer to a 24 fret guitar, one might consider adding a graphic EQ pedal to their board. That way if the tone of one guitar is 'thinner' than desired, simply bump up the midrange to the desired frequency/tone. YMMV.

My experience is that eq doesn't really work for making a pickup in one spot sound like another. If it did, guitars wouldn't have more than one pickup in the first place. There are different overtones at different points on the strings length because of differences in string tension at different points, and what's absent at one point can't be added back by EQ.

[blkjazz]

Comparing two guitars while running both through pedals does nothing for me.

[Greywolf]

Even the Hollowbody II PRS and 335 ..which are a more even comparison while capable of similar tones has a MUCH different feel and vibe. For me my PRS is better suited for when I'm standing and playing faster tempos.

The 335 for me is better for the more trad blues~jazz Wouldn't part with either.