And it compares well imo. I have owned great Gibson's in the past and it seems to me like they sounded better than the newer models. I traded a 72 Gold top LP for a small fortune worth of gear, yet i wish i had kept her.
Today's cheap guitars are a helluva bargain. The Gibson ain't 2000 better! We all want Gibson's, most get copies. I play a 335 copy(Aria) and a Michael Kelly custom shop Patriot , bought for 900.and it almost plays as good as a les Paul, it blows away every Epiphone (and I have had 11 )that I've owned.
I think it says more about things sounding like what they are. I rush to try out the latest boutique pickups for my tele, but at the end of the day, if somebody built a pickup that didn’t sound like a Telecaster, most people would send it back. So even supposed upgrades still have to fit within a pretty narrow tonal window.
Thanks for playing mostly CLEAN examples. Many reviewers play mostly (or all) highly distorted examples for comparisons. I understand this is the way they play normally. But heavy distortion conceals rather than reveals tonal differences.
I beg to differ, while I do appreciate the comparison between the pups in the clean, I also want to see/hear how they differ under gain too. As one who play in both clean AND distorted, I wanna hear all the possibilities under most conditions. If they sound good enuff in at least most of the conditions then I'd seriously consider that demo'd product. Yes, there are some presenter who only demo under gain and others who only demo mostly clean, but tis not usual to see one that is versatile enuff to play on both sides. Methinks the number of presenters in UA-cam that can do both well can be counted on one hand only. Oh on the point some complains about demoing a 200$ guitar on a 2000$ amp rig. With an expensive rig you can hear what a good AND bad guitar will sound and tell the difference. A crappy rig will make ALL guitars sound bad. The key point is to demo both clean and gain on those good rigs so you can hear the differences under the best demo conditions.
There are some who don't believe that pickups are the last word in "tone" as so many electric players think. Is it easier to make a low output pickup sing than to make a dirty pickup sound clean? The culmination of Les Paul's designs went LOW-IMPEDENCE for clarity/sensitivity, boosted after the pickups to a level higher than the standard HBs. And ZERO hum. I believe the 1970's Les Paul Signature was doomed, arriving at the time "super distortion pickups" were the hot item. The LP Signature was just TOO clean, for most players.
@@xeyex I get that LP's look cool. But that just badly designed and made headstock. Makes no sense that people pay that money thinking a non-scarfed neck is better and that the tilt back design is better and worth the money. The rate of broken headstocks would be an outrage with any other guitar. Not to mention the tuning peg arrangement that make for nut binding or the tuning stability problems. You're so right, it ignores all the improvements that have come since.
And I notice that some guitarist seem to think fender and Gibson are the best brands for electric guitars when there are other guitars that sound just as good if not better
I have the 338 from a few months ago. Actually no issues. Two buddies have 'em, same thing. Several hundred hours now on mine recording and such. Happy camper. 'Been playing 60+ years, bought hundreds of guitars, big and small money. Today, the differences are subtle and once you use them alot, they sound better than my high end stuff. Just me, of course, others may not see it. Thanks for the straight up review!
I have to agree I’ve been wanting to upgrade my bullet strat but I have to say the guitar just feels and plays great. I love the bare wood finish on the back of the kneck. No sticking. It just plays great. Been trying out all kinds of mim strats and they have been feeling pretty bad sharp fret ends etc. not sure how a $140 guitar from the same company plays and feels better than the higher end models. I just can’t seem to find a reason to upgrade it. Might just swap in some new pups and call it good or might have to start exploring the American models.
@@UMK3HumanSmokeUMK3 Hi, Nick, just fast diminishing returns for high end stuff. Finished fret ends, heavier vibrato block, higher end pots (not necessairly better), same goes for pickups. $50.dollars parts for how much.....??? I have three Bullets, several Affinities, one Squier Jay Mascus Jazzmaster. (Great guitar). All can completely replace my "real" Fenders, Gibsons..... The Classic Vibes are terrific guitars. Guitars are early 20th century gear. Easy to build with CNC and employee training. I love Leo Fender and his relentless pursuit of great guitars for a better price point, and I want American workers to stay happy along with our fellow citizens on this small globe. I just can no longer see the family financial investment required to stay in the "game". JMHO.
@@UMK3HumanSmokeUMK3 Nick - For an in between guitar.... maybe go check out the Squier Classic Vive series. Those guitars are fantastic, and the necks are incredible. IMHO, better guitars than the MIMs and the Player Series, which cost a lot more. Just M/O.
I so appreciate you allowing us to hear what the Firefly actually sounds like, unamplified, and amplified. Most reviewers I've heard on UA-cam, play with so much distortion you can't tell what the instrument sounds like. Not all of us are "Shredders." You provided me with a sound basis on which to make my decision. I Have been playing fifty-plus years, so over time I have acquired, and actually still have some really, really valuable vintage instruments which I'm afraid to take on the road anymore for fear of them being stolen or damaged. Especially since promoters are now selling "premium" tickets which include all-access passes. One never knows if genuine fans are coming backstage or someone with ulterior motives. So I plan to buy a bunch of Firefly's, play one each night, and give that guitar to a member of the audience after the encore.
I dont comment much, but i do have to say this is one of the best guitar reviews ive come across in general in my opinion. I really enjoyed the format that you layed out between the two. Great quality, playing, etc. Looking forward to seeing more content. Subcribed!
Thank you for the great service you have done for the community. This sort of video takes a Loooooong time to record and produce and master and so is a huge investment in time from you. Much appreciated! Best Regards and Best Wishes!
By far the best review methodology for guitar comparisons let alone any guitar review. And the bonus is you laid down some sickeningly saweeeet grooves at the end. Bravo, you just set the standard for guitar comparison reviews.
The differences are negligible. I actually like the sound of the bridge PU on the Firefly better. The real test will be how the Firefly stands up over time, aging, humidity changes, road bangups, etc
I have the same ES 335 and a few 338s, each with different pickups (crazy, I know). The reviewer is spot on in all points, objective and subjective. There are days I will reach for my 335 and days I will grab a 338. Both styles are great fun and I am thrilled to be able to own both reference points. The main upside for me with a 338 is that I can mod the heck out of it, make mistakes and not worry about it too much. As I always say, great guitars for the money and a lot of fun to play if you are prepared to work on them a bit. Good times! 😎
I enjoy your reviews. both of these guitars sound great. I couldn't believe how good the firefly sounds. Very impressive. Your reviews are excellent. They don't sound like a sales pitch! Very fair and unbiased.
Finally a review with someone that can play without extreme overdrive. Excellent review Sir. We got to hear the true tone of the instrument. I was impressed with 338.
I've owned two Gibson ES-335 guitars. One was a Studio and the other was a faded cherry satin finish. My dream guitar. I had each less than a year. While they were both great guitars I ended up selling them. I bought my Sheraton before I ever bought a 335. I've modded it and it's a great guitar. I'm happier with an import guitar in the $500-$1,000 dollar range and doing some mods. The Firefly is a crazy good bargain and is a perfect candidate for mods. It doesn't have the classic rounded shape of a 335 but who cares? You get a killer deal and get to enjoy the nuances of a semi-hollow guitar. Kids these days just starting out are really lucky to have access to so much great equipment at accessible prices.
This was the best practical workout I have seen on the FF 338. Realistic comparisons of items that matter most. But still, just to get what you were able to get from it in your closing jam, even accounting for your great hands, for under $200 that's just amazing. I have three of these now. Trans red, blue burst, and awaiting delivery on the spalted maple later this week. I swapped out the pickups in the first two with Tone Emporium PAF-type models (out of Canada), and I dropped in better pots, but I may leave the spalted one stock and just wax pot the pickups. I assume the spalted will need fretwork and a lot of setup like the first two did, but they were worth the effort to get them gig-able. Great review!
I just bought a Firefly LP "Elite" model and it has full size pots. I believe most of their guitars do. Also it came with a bone nut and banding top and bottom and around the headstock also. It plays great! I would definately recommend this guitar to anyone looking for a really great budget guitar.
I have the elite and a classic fflp, the elite has better pick ups. I am going to replace the classics with Tonerider Alnico IV Classic and also replace the tuners with Guyker tuners. The nut is a bone nut stock. Also the bridge will be replaced. I think tha Firefly guitars are worth the little extra you put into them.
Your advice at 21 min regarding what your MAIN guitar is, and why the Firefly or another copy might do the job for you is pure GOLD. I 100% agree. Great advice. I own a similar 335 copy, 335 is not my main guitar, I have spent some money on the copy (Gibson 57 Classic Pickups + Fret Levelling) but this compromise serves me perfectly. With the pickup change, my Copy sounds so similar to a real 335 that it irrelevant to me.
At 6:40, that's a nice trick with lifting and dropping the 3rd of the barre chord. I've never noticed that done, and you show it so clearly. Sounds good! Good review, well-appreciated. If I could find a Firefly for sale, I might buy one; not that I need another guitar, but I don't have an ES, or even a copy.
This was super helpful, thank you! I'm looking at a Firefly on Craigslist right now and now I feel better about not being able to afford a Gibson. Also, you have a great voice.
I've got two Firefly's. The first one two years ago, It needed tuners and some fret work, Feels good and sounds good. The second one I picked up for my niece, That one was flawless with the exception of a quarter turn truss rod adjustment and the dirty strings they come with. Well worth the money. And their are plenty of guitar set up and repair vids on UA-cam to do the adjustments yourself, If needed.
I made my other comment halfway through this vid. Then I listened to the rest...holy crap, dude! That outro playing was over the top! That is some of the nicest picking I have ever heard! Subscribed!
the firefly sounds way better acoustically and electrically. After owning a number of 'vintage' Gibson's over the years, there are a lot of manufacturers making quality stuff for reasonable prices
I've purchased a couple of these a couple years ago. I wax potted the pickups which helped. Great action, they really sing with a proper set up and fret level and Polish.
Wow, awesome review my friend. I enjoy taking a shell that has possibility and turning it into a playable instrument that suits my standards. I ordered one yesterday and will certainly make changes (for sure tuners) as I see fit for me. Thanks again
I have two Fireflys that I bought a few years ago on Amazon for $139.00 a piece. For the money, you can't beat it. I did have to do some fret filing as the frets were rather sharp on the edges. I tweaked the truss rod a little bit and lowered the bridge. These guitars are not bad and are a great starter guitar for a student. Heck, I'd be fine taking one on a gig.
Great review! I got a 338 a couple months ago...great finish, frets level and dressed well, no intonation issues and it plays well. I don't care for the pickups as to me they sound a little muddy, I'm gonna try a set from GuitarFetish and see what happens. Anyway, I really enjoyed this video, nice job.
It comes down to my ears, I like the 338 more. A guitar is it’s own thing to me, so trying to copy a tone is a priority. Every player has his own tone through his fingers. The one compliment I get is that I make the guitar sound good. Not being a very technically flashy player, that makes me happy even if it’s a consolation compliment .
I have this guitar. It is a bone nut. At least on mine. Very happy with guitar. Tone is really good. A good run for the money if you don't want to pay the price for Gibson or Epiphone. the tuner upgrade you did sounds solid. Thanks for the tip
I've concluded that any guitar manufactured these days will be perfect. With modern manufacturing specs and CNC machines, there is no reason for any guitar to be less than perfect. The Firefly actually sounded better unplugged, somehow
You might be interested article by Smoyogi,, one of the top guitar makers in the world. He argues that CNC ensures that low price guitars will be quite different from each other, even the same brand, model, factory and batch. He basically says if you want consistency you need to CHANGE the CNC to accommodate the unique piece of wood that differs from guitar to guitar.
@@jimmyanderson4865 I have a 61 J-45, 60s SG, 65 LG-2, and a 1918 Army/Navy uke with The Gibson on the headstock. All in excellent shape, a rough edge here and there... Also a 99 Jackson Dinky, 2000 Squier Telecaster, and a Firefly clone of the double-cut Les Paul Special from 59/60. The firefly is a real nice guitar.
he did fret work,he did nut work...the firefly guitar isnt going to play perfect when new and cnc machinery cant compensate for wood types or wood moisture level.cheap guitars usually use cheap,wet ,soft species wood that tends to dry somewhat unevenly .....wood and perfection arent two things that cant be said in the same sentence unless its very old growth,very well dried wood.
Great comparison... thanks. Really happy you did the unplugged comparison. The Firefly is close enough to the Gibson to make me wonder if you lowered the pickups on the Firefly it would "mellow" out the tone and be a closer match. But in the end your comments were what I expected to hear... close but you will have to pay for the last bit of high-end playability.
fantastic review. I bought one of these way back for 139 loved it modded and gave it way. I loved but someone needed a guitar. I did it again with another one. You make this guitar sound great. I think the feel of the guitar is where it falls a little if you play a quality built instrument you can feel the difference more than hear. Great stuff man
You're right. Every time I see one of these videos I want to go pull out my firefly semi hollow but each time I do it does feel like a toy, even more so than a Harley benton or an IYV. I am a guitar snob though, cause my high end guitars are American made, I have alot if $500 to $1000 imports too. However, in the past few years been buying guitars like these for upgrades and modding. So... if you are a beginner to intermediate this is a GREAT guitar for you. If you are experienced then this is at best a role ty po e guitar and not a main.
Got one recently I love that everyone I've seen on UA-cam has a different pattern beautiful guitars mine is different than that one they're all beautiful stays in tune plays great love it
I had a 1972 walnut ES335 and it had the best neck of any guitar I’ve ever owned, mostly Gibsons and Epiphones. That being said, I think the tone of the Firefly was sweeter and fuller. As far as volume, the 7k to 11k is about 25% difference and to be twice as loud the signal has to be 10 times higher, so I’m not surprised the volume difference was small. Thanks for the review!
I got mine and the day before it got here, i severely injured my shoulder and upper arm, so i can't really play much. I did set it up which was simple because it came pretty good. I think between my Grote 335 copy and the Firefly i like the Grote better even though the Firefly is very good too for a cheap guitar. It's amazing what you get for less than 200 bucks. I am an older man and i wish we had guitars like these when i was starting out. I would have been a better player i think. Thanks for the video. You do a great and thorough review.
I have always maintained that the choice of a musical instrument should, ultimately, be determined upon the standard of the musician and the instrument's relevant usage. A few thousand pounds ( or dollars ) is not an excessive amount to pay for a tool which has to endure the rigours of a touring professional but could be considered O.T.T for a hobbyist or home player. Not that I have any problem with a moderate guitar player striving to own a " boutique " / high end instrument. If it is fully appreciated and inspires the owner, the cost could be considered irrelevant. I have been a singer / songwriter, fronting bands ( mostly semi pro ) for more than 30 years. I am no great guitar player but I do own some lovely, mid range, guitars, which are mainly writing and recording tools. I enjoyed this review and agree, the Firefly 338, at such an inexpensive price point, is a great modding platform and even spending a few hundred on better hardware, would be well worth it as you would end up with a very nice instrument at a relatively low cost.
I am usually a gear snob, but that Firefly was DAMN GOOD! I hear good things about them also. Even getting one and upgrading the hardware and pickups would be far less than an actual 335 and would sound good enough to record and play live with. Pickups are a weak point from what I hear on the guitars as I hear they are microphonic. But nonetheless, a stellar guitar, and a real looker too! Thanks for your review and taking the time to do this. Also, thank you for doing the review in clean. Distortion to me means nothing as I run pedals. So clean is everything to me.
Excellent review !! I have a Gibson 335 and this seems like a reasonable backup guitar to use for some gigs where the Gibson could be banged up in close quarters etc. appreciate the comprehensive review. New sub. Thank you.
I have about 30 firefly guitars ranging from the FF338's DFFTH's , FFDCD's and the FFPTH's For the money they’re great guitars. they’re nice to work on. I have changed the tuners on a few of them. the nuts and bridges on some of them I’ve change the pick up on a few of them. for the money they’re great guitars!
got one of these firefly 2 yrs ago, yes it needed a proper setup out of the box, but after that plays and sounds amazing for the price! thanks for the tuner info , i'll def be doing this upgrade
Thank you for your music and stuff. Nice finger picking tecnique.I wanted a 335 for 50 years L O L i just may get a 335 + 3 after your demo. Keep trucking my friend!
I have a feeling they may have consciously made the pickups hotter in the Firefly to compensate for the lack of mass compared to the weight difference of the Gibson. Overall neither guitar sounds bad and when you look at the price difference between the two it's pretty mind-blowing
I bought that same Firefly model in October and like it a lot. It's extraordinarily good value for money. I would have preferred the classic red, but that wasn't available at the time. The spalted looks great but when I sell that one I'll get a red one.
I have that 338. I do love it. You are spot on regarding those tuners. I am replacing them with your recommendation -Guyker. My intonation was off too I just fixed that.
From Leo: It is almost scary to see how good of a guitar can be had for so little money. Especially when a person has already spent ten times that much for a guitar that is not exactly perfect either. Some pretty fine demo playing t the end also.
I bought a Firefly FF338 a couple of years ago on Amazon. It’s black and cost $139.00. Free shipping. I haven’t done anything to it. It’s a great guitar.
At this point, Firefly has appeared to earn itself a pretty good reputation, overall. The amazing thing today is that we can buy a "really nice" (or "very nice") guitar for under $200. A 335 with block inlays would probably be around 18x the cost of the Firefly. Up to the owner to justify if the Gibby plays 18x 'better'.
Over two months in and I’m still impressed. I wish they had a model with a more chunky neck profile but obviously that’s a preference thing. It plays like butter!
A 338 is an actual Gibson model and is smaller than the 335. I just purchased this guitar in the "Nature Burl" finish. We reviewed the Firefly FFLPS Sunburst Burl XG yesterday. The premise behind our channel is "Can you play it right out of the box ". We generally purchase 4 guitars per month on my dime, and I'm not a tech guy so although I have done a couple of kits for the channel we don't ever modify the guitars. I really enjoyed your very informative review (much better than we do) but we are not in a competition. My brother and I just do this to reconnect with each other in our later years. You have a new subscriber.
That's a great reason to start a channel! I've never seen a Gibby 338. The 339 is the sized down semi-hollow afaik. But that said, they've put out a ton of variations of the 335 over the years and I certainly may have missed one or ten. At any rate, 338 is still what Firefly call their 335 clone as of today anyway. And I only know that because I literally just ordered another lol...this one is a beautiful burl finish.
I'll play that 338 all night long. I just ordered the brown burst Glarry version which I assume is the same thing. I've got the thin line Glarry and with Tex Mex pickups and a new wire harness, little fret leveling and it rocks.
I listened through quality headphones and as a comparison...wow, that Firefly sounds amazing next to the Gibson. It looks amazing. For the price, amazing guitar. Easy to mod and change out bits. A CTS 500K pot cost 7 dollars and 22uf capacitor 3 dollars. Good set tuners Hipshot 30. Minor stuff. But the Gibson at 3000? I have a number of guitars including Gibson Fender Epiphone & PRS fyi. My early first guitar way back was no where near the Firefly. Modern manufacturing has really raised the bar on end quality. I have even made my own guitar and the cost was way more than the Firefly. The FF 338 is s really astonishing buy👍
I had a Sheraton II many, many years ago. I’d wager that out of the box the Sheraton would likely have had (at least back then) that final 5% worth of hands on that these Firefly gtrs might not get all the time. But imo, they’re 100% worth the sticker price plus the cost or hours of a good setup/fret job. And save $500-600 or so.
That is insane, I've just looked up the price of the Firefly and it's roughly 375 UK pounds Gibson should be very worried. I knew when you first played this guitar unplugged it sounded much better. The weight difference is probably the wiring and pickups, I know this as I fitted all Gibson parts into my Korean Washburn J6 and it dramatically change the weight of the guitar. How does it sound 'beautiful' but for off the shelf this Firefly is a bargain if someone is wanting a nice 335 style guitar.
I think I stumbled upon your video after watching the one by Darrell Braun on the Firefly 338 (13 nov 2020) Great video, great comparison! And nice playing! :-) Thank you!
I bought one of these, and I guess I won the lottery a bit, because it went straight into tune, stays in tune(not perfectly) very well for non branded and it does have the cheapest strings I think I've ever played on(I need to put new stings on, but haven't yet and these cheap bastards are cheap). The PU's do squeal quite a bit when to close to the amp, but most times just turning away solves that problem. Enjoy playing on it, and DAMN, it looks great.
It's stayed intune since I've posted previously about it, and damned if it doesn't sound great in a mix. I guess I really did get lucky, but this thing is awesome for the money, and it get's played every day.
A trick with stripped locking tuners. If stripped on the ends of a tuner on a high string, swap it for a locking piece from one of the low string, the thicker strings may make the lockers top out before reaching the stripped section.
They have both distinct sounds but the Firefly did not fell short behind the Gibson...it faired very nice for a guitar in that price range...I think it's worth buying & to keep...thanks for this great review...stay safe my man...
Great tip on the tuners, man, thanks. Glad I stumbled across your channel yesterday, its a real pleasure to watch a review from somebody who knows the instrument.
God, for that price Id spend all day on frets and tuners! Looks and sounds like a fantastic budget choice and man, budget is all I gots and this style of semi-hollow is the one Ive always loved above all else. Great review.
Gotta say, I'm pretty impressed with that Firefly after you fixed it up there. Incidentally, I own an Epiphone Riviera P93T, which is basically a 335 with 3 Gibson USA P90 pickups and a Bigsby. Retail is $599, I got mine for $350 used. I have done absolutely nothing to it but change the strings, it plays better than some of the new Gibsons out there and sounds amazing. The one thing I will eventually change is putting a roller bridge on there so it goes back in tune better when using the Bigsby. I would HIGHLY recommend one of the nicer Epiphones.
Great review. My experience with Firefly is that the hollowbody arrived with a damaged neck -most likely from the factory so it went back to Amazon. I also bought a LPJr which had no major problems but needs a solid setup and fret level. Sounds great. Recommended for the knowledgeable enthusiast or those who want to try luthierie but not on an expensive guitar.
Great format, sound quality, playing. Particularly liked playing them acoustically to see what each delivered. Often find with inexpensive guitars there is more resonance and top end brilliance to a guitar than what the pickups are delivering. That tells me a lot about whether I should upgrade the pickups.
Hey man, That first bend that you did @26:47 sounded just like Carlton's tone to my ears. The rest of the noodling at the end was some sweet jazz sounds, that Spalted is Beautiful.
My friend has a firefly 338. It's a great guitar! They're a little over $200 with shipping. Very playable! Very pretty to look at! Very worth it even if you have to spend a little bit to tweak it. Firefly says they use bone nuts. Gibson's are awesome but expensive!
I think the biggest difference between expensive and inexpensive guitars has to do a lot with the components. You can take a cheap Squier and put lots of good parts and make it play and sound like an American fender for a fraction of the price, cheap guitars are cheap mostly because the cost of the hardware and electronics are not at the quality of the expensive guitars.
I've got a Epiphone DOT with a proper moulded factory case and beautiful shoulder strap, I lucked into off a FB marketplace a few years ago. It was less than a few weeks old and the owner who had received it as a gift decided he was not able to play it because he had very large thick fingers and was just learning to play. I paid him the equivalent to 223 US dollars. (I'm Canadian) I then sent it to my luthier and spent another 200 to have the frets leveled and a complete setup. It's been a dream since. There are deals out there if you're patient. I'm a lefty as well. If you know how hard it is to find a quality lefthand guitar in the first place you will appreciate even more my luck in finding this beauty.
For a couple of thousand dollars less, that Firefly sounds only slightly better than the Gibson. You wouldn't think a headstock inlay wouldn't muddy up the pickups so much, but if you don't actually PLAY, the Gibson is definitely the winner as the most expensive. I hope you know that the Gibson top and back are laminated, just like the Firefly.
The fact there’s even a discussion about a $200 guitar vs. a Gibson says quite a lot for firefly imho
And a lot about Gibson.
That's the first thing that came to my mind...Gibson at this point are selling on name and not performance equals cost...
And it compares well imo. I have owned great Gibson's in the past and it seems to me like they sounded better than the newer models. I traded a 72 Gold top LP for a small fortune worth of gear, yet i wish i had kept her.
Today's cheap guitars are a helluva bargain. The Gibson ain't 2000 better! We all want Gibson's, most get copies. I play a 335 copy(Aria) and a Michael Kelly custom shop Patriot , bought for 900.and it almost plays as good as a les Paul, it blows away every Epiphone (and I have had 11 )that I've owned.
I think it says more about things sounding like what they are. I rush to try out the latest boutique pickups for my tele, but at the end of the day, if somebody built a pickup that didn’t sound like a Telecaster, most people would send it back. So even supposed upgrades still have to fit within a pretty narrow tonal window.
Thanks for playing mostly CLEAN examples. Many reviewers play mostly (or all) highly distorted examples for comparisons. I understand this is the way they play normally. But heavy distortion conceals rather than reveals tonal differences.
I’m the same way.
Thank you - not everyone gives a hot damn about "shredding".
I beg to differ, while I do appreciate the comparison between the pups in the clean, I also want to see/hear how they differ under gain too. As one who play in both clean AND distorted, I wanna hear all the possibilities under most conditions. If they sound good enuff in at least most of the conditions then I'd seriously consider that demo'd product.
Yes, there are some presenter who only demo under gain and others who only demo mostly clean, but tis not usual to see one that is versatile enuff to play on both sides. Methinks the number of presenters in UA-cam that can do both well can be counted on one hand only.
Oh on the point some complains about demoing a 200$ guitar on a 2000$ amp rig. With an expensive rig you can hear what a good AND bad guitar will sound and tell the difference. A crappy rig will make ALL guitars sound bad. The key point is to demo both clean and gain on those good rigs so you can hear the differences under the best demo conditions.
"Shred" + excessive overdrive = musical gibberish in many cases.
There are some who don't believe that pickups are the last word in "tone" as so many electric players think. Is it easier to make a low output pickup sing than to make a dirty pickup sound clean? The culmination of Les Paul's designs went LOW-IMPEDENCE for clarity/sensitivity, boosted after the pickups to a level higher than the standard HBs. And ZERO hum. I believe the 1970's Les Paul Signature was doomed, arriving at the time "super distortion pickups" were the hot item. The LP Signature was just TOO clean, for most players.
It's getting more difficult to justify the price Gibson is charging.
Yep, been that way for years
Prices been the same since 1959 but yes, American union wages will never compete with Chinese wages to make cheaper products.
Not to mention America has to abidde by CITES laws for material. China doesn't.
@@xeyex I get that LP's look cool. But that just badly designed and made headstock. Makes no sense that people pay that money thinking a non-scarfed neck is better and that the tilt back design is better and worth the money. The rate of broken headstocks would be an outrage with any other guitar. Not to mention the tuning peg arrangement that make for nut binding or the tuning stability problems. You're so right, it ignores all the improvements that have come since.
And I notice that some guitarist seem to think fender and Gibson are the best brands for electric guitars when there are other guitars that sound just as good if not better
I have the 338 from a few months ago. Actually no issues. Two buddies have 'em, same thing. Several hundred hours now on mine recording and such. Happy camper. 'Been playing 60+ years, bought hundreds of guitars, big and small money. Today, the differences are subtle and once you use them alot, they sound better than my high end stuff. Just me, of course, others may not see it. Thanks for the straight up review!
I think we players are hesitant to say how we really love our cheap China guitars. It's almost blasphemy! lol
I have to agree I’ve been wanting to upgrade my bullet strat but I have to say the guitar just feels and plays great. I love the bare wood finish on the back of the kneck. No sticking. It just plays great. Been trying out all kinds of mim strats and they have been feeling pretty bad sharp fret ends etc. not sure how a $140 guitar from the same company plays and feels better than the higher end models. I just can’t seem to find a reason to upgrade it. Might just swap in some new pups and call it good or might have to start exploring the American models.
@@UMK3HumanSmokeUMK3 Hi, Nick, just fast diminishing returns for high end stuff. Finished fret ends, heavier vibrato block, higher end pots (not necessairly better), same goes for pickups. $50.dollars parts for how much.....??? I have three Bullets, several Affinities, one Squier Jay Mascus Jazzmaster. (Great guitar). All can completely replace my "real" Fenders, Gibsons..... The Classic Vibes are terrific guitars. Guitars are early 20th century gear. Easy to build with CNC and employee training. I love Leo Fender and his relentless pursuit of great guitars for a better price point, and I want American workers to stay happy along with our fellow citizens on this small globe. I just can no longer see the family financial investment required to stay in the "game". JMHO.
@@UMK3HumanSmokeUMK3 Nick - For an in between guitar.... maybe go check out the Squier Classic Vive series. Those guitars are fantastic, and the necks are incredible. IMHO, better guitars than the MIMs and the Player Series, which cost a lot more. Just M/O.
@@UMK3HumanSmokeUMK3 I feel the same about my Bullet. The neck is great and the pickups are okay for my personal use.
I so appreciate you allowing us to hear what the Firefly actually sounds like, unamplified, and amplified. Most reviewers I've heard on UA-cam, play with so much distortion you can't tell what the instrument sounds like. Not all of us are "Shredders." You provided me with a sound basis on which to make my decision. I Have been playing fifty-plus years, so over time I have acquired, and actually still have some really, really valuable vintage instruments which I'm afraid to take on the road anymore for fear of them being stolen or damaged. Especially since promoters are now selling "premium" tickets which include all-access passes. One never knows if genuine fans are coming backstage or someone with ulterior motives. So I plan to buy a bunch of Firefly's, play one each night, and give that guitar to a member of the audience after the encore.
Very cool
I dont comment much, but i do have to say this is one of the best guitar reviews ive come across in general in my opinion. I really enjoyed the format that you layed out between the two. Great quality, playing, etc. Looking forward to seeing more content. Subcribed!
Thx 85Metalgod!
Now that my friends is how a review should be done ! Keep on keeping on my man 👍👍
Wow the firefly really held its own which is amazing considering the price. It’s a looker too.
Thank you for the great service you have done for the community. This sort of video takes a Loooooong time to record and produce and master and so is a huge investment in time from you. Much appreciated! Best Regards and Best Wishes!
By far the best review methodology for guitar comparisons let alone any guitar review. And the bonus is you laid down some sickeningly saweeeet grooves at the end. Bravo, you just set the standard for guitar comparison reviews.
Thx Sven! Definitely helps to have some friends with nice guitars I can borrow!
The differences are negligible. I actually like the sound of the bridge PU on the Firefly better. The real test will be how the Firefly stands up over time, aging, humidity changes, road bangups, etc
You should watch the review of Guitar MAX on his 2 or 3 year old Firefly 338...it stood up the test of time very fairly...
@@boyongruiz5801 2 or 3 years is not the test of time unless you are 5 years old
@@JudoChamp😂😂
Yeah, those road bang ups really do a number on those Gibson head stocks.
@@JudoChamp lol
I have the same ES 335 and a few 338s, each with different pickups (crazy, I know). The reviewer is spot on in all points, objective and subjective. There are days I will reach for my 335 and days I will grab a 338. Both styles are great fun and I am thrilled to be able to own both reference points. The main upside for me with a 338 is that I can mod the heck out of it, make mistakes and not worry about it too much. As I always say, great guitars for the money and a lot of fun to play if you are prepared to work on them a bit. Good times! 😎
I enjoy your reviews. both of these guitars sound great. I couldn't believe how good the firefly sounds. Very impressive. Your reviews are excellent. They don't sound like a sales pitch! Very fair and unbiased.
Thx Lee! Yeah, no sales pitch here. Just love guitars!
Finally a review with someone that can play without extreme overdrive. Excellent review Sir. We got to hear the true tone of the instrument. I was impressed with 338.
I've owned two Gibson ES-335 guitars. One was a Studio and the other was a faded cherry satin finish. My dream guitar. I had each less than a year. While they were both great guitars I ended up selling them. I bought my Sheraton before I ever bought a 335. I've modded it and it's a great guitar. I'm happier with an import guitar in the $500-$1,000 dollar range and doing some mods.
The Firefly is a crazy good bargain and is a perfect candidate for mods. It doesn't have the classic rounded shape of a 335 but who cares? You get a killer deal and get to enjoy the nuances of a semi-hollow guitar. Kids these days just starting out are really lucky to have access to so much great equipment at accessible prices.
This was the best practical workout I have seen on the FF 338. Realistic comparisons of items that matter most. But still, just to get what you were able to get from it in your closing jam, even accounting for your great hands, for under $200 that's just amazing. I have three of these now. Trans red, blue burst, and awaiting delivery on the spalted maple later this week. I swapped out the pickups in the first two with Tone Emporium PAF-type models (out of Canada), and I dropped in better pots, but I may leave the spalted one stock and just wax pot the pickups. I assume the spalted will need fretwork and a lot of setup like the first two did, but they were worth the effort to get them gig-able. Great review!
I really like that Firefly!
I was given one for Xmas, and IT. IS. SWEET!
Can't find it anywhere now.
@@generalawareness101 Guitar Garden has them at this very moment. They won’t last long!!! ✌🏼
@@Stashmanfpv Yeah, they come and go fast.
I just bought a Firefly LP "Elite" model and it has full size pots. I believe most of their guitars do. Also it came with a bone nut and banding top and bottom and around the headstock also. It plays great! I would definately recommend this guitar to anyone looking for a really great budget guitar.
I have the elite and a classic fflp, the elite has better pick ups. I am going to replace the classics with Tonerider Alnico IV Classic and also replace the tuners with Guyker tuners. The nut is a bone nut stock. Also the bridge will be replaced. I think tha Firefly guitars are worth the little extra you put into them.
Your advice at 21 min regarding what your MAIN guitar is, and why the Firefly or another copy might do the job for you is pure GOLD. I 100% agree. Great advice.
I own a similar 335 copy, 335 is not my main guitar, I have spent some money on the copy (Gibson 57 Classic Pickups + Fret Levelling) but this compromise
serves me perfectly. With the pickup change, my Copy sounds so similar to a real 335 that it irrelevant to me.
Man, that's the most thorough review / comparison I've seen on any guitar. I will certainly be watching more.
At 6:40, that's a nice trick with lifting and dropping the 3rd of the barre chord. I've never noticed that done, and you show it so clearly. Sounds good! Good review, well-appreciated. If I could find a Firefly for sale, I might buy one; not that I need another guitar, but I don't have an ES, or even a copy.
This was super helpful, thank you! I'm looking at a Firefly on Craigslist right now and now I feel better about not being able to afford a Gibson.
Also, you have a great voice.
That firefly sounds pretty amazing for the price as long as it plays good I might have to pick one of these up
I've got two Firefly's. The first one two years ago, It needed tuners and some fret work, Feels good and sounds good. The second one I picked up for my niece, That one was flawless with the exception of a quarter turn truss rod adjustment and the dirty strings they come with. Well worth the money. And their are plenty of guitar set up and repair vids on UA-cam to do the adjustments yourself, If needed.
Best review of this I've seen, thanks!
I made my other comment halfway through this vid. Then I listened to the rest...holy crap, dude! That outro playing was over the top! That is some of the nicest picking I have ever heard! Subscribed!
the firefly sounds way better acoustically and electrically. After owning a number of 'vintage' Gibson's over the years, there are a lot of manufacturers making quality stuff for reasonable prices
I've purchased a couple of these a couple years ago. I wax potted the pickups which helped. Great action, they really sing with a proper set up and fret level and Polish.
This is one of the best comparison reviews I've seen in a while
Wow, awesome review my friend. I enjoy taking a shell that has possibility and turning it into a playable instrument that suits my standards. I ordered one yesterday and will certainly make changes (for sure tuners) as I see fit for me. Thanks again
Scale length?????????
I had to fast forward to the sound check....Daaamn glad I did! Great pickin'!
I have two Fireflys that I bought a few years ago on Amazon for $139.00 a piece. For the money, you can't beat it. I did have to do some fret filing as the frets were rather sharp on the edges. I tweaked the truss rod a little bit and lowered the bridge. These guitars are not bad and are a great starter guitar for a student. Heck, I'd be fine taking one on a gig.
Fantastic objective review, the way it should be done!
Is it strange that I prefer the Firefly almost all around? Thanks for the comparison - All the best!
Great review! I got a 338 a couple months ago...great finish, frets level and dressed well, no intonation issues and it plays well. I don't care for the pickups as to me they sound a little muddy, I'm gonna try a set from GuitarFetish and see what happens. Anyway, I really enjoyed this video, nice job.
I agree after watching the video,the 338 is a bit muddy and lack top end !
It comes down to my ears, I like the 338 more. A guitar is it’s own thing to me, so trying to copy a tone is a priority. Every player has his own tone through his fingers. The one compliment I get is that I make the guitar sound good. Not being a very technically flashy player, that makes me happy even if it’s a consolation compliment .
I have this guitar. It is a bone nut. At least on mine. Very happy with guitar. Tone is really good. A good run for the money if you don't want to pay the price for Gibson or Epiphone. the tuner upgrade you did sounds solid. Thanks for the tip
I've concluded that any guitar manufactured these days will be perfect. With modern manufacturing specs and CNC machines, there is no reason for any guitar to be less than perfect. The Firefly actually sounded better unplugged, somehow
I agree. Maybe not perfect, but not worth ten times the price! Sorry Gibson🤣
@@CaptainCraigKWMRZ the price difference even if you had to replace every few years it would be ok, but longevity thats where Gibson will excel
You might be interested article by Smoyogi,, one of the top guitar makers in the world. He argues that CNC ensures that low price guitars will be quite different from each other, even the same brand, model, factory and batch. He basically says if you want consistency you need to CHANGE the CNC to accommodate the unique piece of wood that differs from guitar to guitar.
@@jimmyanderson4865 I have a 61 J-45, 60s SG, 65 LG-2, and a 1918 Army/Navy uke with The Gibson on the headstock. All in excellent shape, a rough edge here and there... Also a 99 Jackson Dinky, 2000 Squier Telecaster, and a Firefly clone of the double-cut Les Paul Special from 59/60. The firefly is a real nice guitar.
he did fret work,he did nut work...the firefly guitar isnt going to play perfect when new and cnc machinery cant compensate for wood types or wood moisture level.cheap guitars usually use cheap,wet ,soft species wood that tends to dry somewhat unevenly .....wood and perfection arent two things that cant be said in the same sentence unless its very old growth,very well dried wood.
Great comparison... thanks. Really happy you did the unplugged comparison. The Firefly is close enough to the Gibson to make me wonder if you lowered the pickups on the Firefly it would "mellow" out the tone and be a closer match. But in the end your comments were what I expected to hear... close but you will have to pay for the last bit of high-end playability.
fantastic review. I bought one of these way back for 139 loved it modded and gave it way. I loved but someone needed a guitar.
I did it again with another one. You make this guitar sound great. I think the feel of the guitar is where it falls a little if you play a quality built instrument you can feel the difference more than hear. Great stuff man
Agreed. The Gibby def feels more solid. But for that $ I can deal with it lol.
You're right. Every time I see one of these videos I want to go pull out my firefly semi hollow but each time I do it does feel like a toy, even more so than a Harley benton or an IYV. I am a guitar snob though, cause my high end guitars are American made, I have alot if $500 to $1000 imports too. However, in the past few years been buying guitars like these for upgrades and modding. So... if you are a beginner to intermediate this is a GREAT guitar for you. If you are experienced then this is at best a role ty po e guitar and not a main.
Really enjoyed the review AND your playing😀
Got one recently I love that everyone I've seen on UA-cam has a different pattern beautiful guitars mine is different than that one they're all beautiful stays in tune plays great love it
I had a 1972 walnut ES335 and it had the best neck of any guitar I’ve ever owned, mostly Gibsons and Epiphones. That being said, I think the tone of the Firefly was sweeter and fuller. As far as volume, the 7k to 11k is about 25% difference and to be twice as loud the signal has to be 10 times higher, so I’m not surprised the volume difference was small. Thanks for the review!
Nice video!. The Firefly sound amazing!. Thanks for doing this comparison. Cheers.
Brilliant review, thank you for your quality commentary and video/audio production.
I got mine and the day before it got here, i severely injured my shoulder and upper arm, so i can't really play much. I did set it up which was simple because it came pretty good. I think between my Grote 335 copy and the Firefly i like the Grote better even though the Firefly is very good too for a cheap guitar. It's amazing what you get for less than 200 bucks. I am an older man and i wish we had guitars like these when i was starting out. I would have been a better player i think. Thanks for the video. You do a great and thorough review.
Kudos to you buddy
The fire fly is great value even if you have to spend another $100 on tuners and set up....
Dude your playing is insane I see you got those jazzy/ Gospel chops 🔥
I have always maintained that the choice of a musical instrument should, ultimately, be determined upon the standard of the musician and the instrument's relevant usage. A few thousand pounds ( or dollars ) is not an excessive amount to pay for a tool which has to endure the rigours of a touring professional but could be considered O.T.T for a hobbyist or home player. Not that I have any problem with a moderate guitar player striving to own a " boutique " / high end instrument. If it is fully appreciated and inspires the owner, the cost could be considered irrelevant. I have been a singer / songwriter, fronting bands ( mostly semi pro ) for more than 30 years. I am no great guitar player but I do own some lovely, mid range, guitars, which are mainly writing and recording tools. I enjoyed this review and agree, the Firefly 338, at such an inexpensive price point, is a great modding platform and even spending a few hundred on better hardware, would be well worth it as you would end up with a very nice instrument at a relatively low cost.
For $189 the firefly might be my next purchase.
I am usually a gear snob, but that Firefly was DAMN GOOD! I hear good things about them also. Even getting one and upgrading the hardware and pickups would be far less than an actual 335 and would sound good enough to record and play live with. Pickups are a weak point from what I hear on the guitars as I hear they are microphonic. But nonetheless, a stellar guitar, and a real looker too! Thanks for your review and taking the time to do this. Also, thank you for doing the review in clean. Distortion to me means nothing as I run pedals. So clean is everything to me.
Excellent review !! I have a Gibson 335 and this seems like a reasonable backup guitar to use for some gigs where the Gibson could be banged up in close quarters etc. appreciate the comprehensive review. New sub. Thank you.
I have about 30 firefly guitars ranging from the FF338's DFFTH's , FFDCD's and the FFPTH's
For the money they’re great guitars. they’re nice to work on. I have changed the tuners on a few of them. the nuts and bridges on some of them
I’ve change the pick up on a few of them.
for the money they’re great guitars!
why buy 30 of these? buy a couple and buy a couple quality guitars
got one of these firefly 2 yrs ago, yes it needed a proper setup out of the box, but after that plays and sounds amazing for the price! thanks for the tuner info , i'll def be doing this upgrade
Thank you for your music and stuff. Nice finger picking tecnique.I wanted a 335 for 50 years L O L i just may get a 335 + 3 after your demo. Keep trucking my friend!
Really thanks for the great review (in depth comparison) AND the playing at the end !!!
Great review!! I heard a few Larry Carlton licks near the end there in the noodling section!
Awesome video!
I have a feeling they may have consciously made the pickups hotter in the Firefly to compensate for the lack of mass compared to the weight difference of the Gibson. Overall neither guitar sounds bad and when you look at the price difference between the two it's pretty mind-blowing
I believe the difference is, they use a stronger neo or ceramic magnet and less winds, which gives more output with less material cost.
I bought that same Firefly model in October and like it a lot. It's extraordinarily good value for money. I would have preferred the classic red, but that wasn't available at the time. The spalted looks great but when I sell that one I'll get a red one.
I have that 338. I do love it. You are spot on regarding those tuners. I am replacing them with your recommendation -Guyker. My intonation was off too I just fixed that.
From Leo: It is almost scary to see how good of a guitar can be had for so little money. Especially when a person has already spent ten times that much for a guitar that is not exactly perfect either. Some pretty fine demo playing t the end also.
Well said indeed
Great comparison! nicely done.
I bought a Firefly FF338 a couple of years ago on Amazon. It’s black and cost $139.00. Free shipping. I haven’t done anything to it. It’s a great guitar.
At this point, Firefly has appeared to earn itself a pretty good reputation, overall. The amazing thing today is that we can buy a "really nice" (or "very nice") guitar for under $200. A 335 with block inlays would probably be around 18x the cost of the Firefly. Up to the owner to justify if the Gibby plays 18x 'better'.
Over two months in and I’m still impressed. I wish they had a model with a more chunky neck profile but obviously that’s a preference thing. It plays like butter!
A 338 is an actual Gibson model and is smaller than the 335. I just purchased this guitar in the "Nature Burl" finish. We reviewed the Firefly FFLPS Sunburst Burl XG yesterday. The premise behind our channel is "Can you play it right out of the box ". We generally purchase 4 guitars per month on my dime, and I'm not a tech guy so although I have done a couple of kits for the channel we don't ever modify the guitars. I really enjoyed your very informative review (much better than we do) but we are not in a competition. My brother and I just do this to reconnect with each other in our later years. You have a new subscriber.
That's a great reason to start a channel! I've never seen a Gibby 338. The 339 is the sized down semi-hollow afaik. But that said, they've put out a ton of variations of the 335 over the years and I certainly may have missed one or ten. At any rate, 338 is still what Firefly call their 335 clone as of today anyway. And I only know that because I literally just ordered another lol...this one is a beautiful burl finish.
Thank you. I have a blue 338, and the finish is as you described. It plays beautifully, and no issues a little over two years old.
I'll play that 338 all night long. I just ordered the brown burst Glarry version which I assume is the same thing. I've got the thin line Glarry and with Tex Mex pickups and a new wire harness, little fret leveling and it rocks.
I listened through quality headphones and as a comparison...wow, that Firefly sounds amazing next to the Gibson. It looks amazing. For the price, amazing guitar. Easy to mod and change out bits. A CTS 500K pot cost 7 dollars and 22uf capacitor 3 dollars. Good set tuners Hipshot 30. Minor stuff. But the Gibson at 3000? I have a number of guitars including Gibson Fender Epiphone & PRS fyi. My early first guitar way back was no where near the Firefly. Modern manufacturing has really raised the bar on end quality. I have even made my own guitar and the cost was way more than the Firefly. The FF 338 is s really astonishing buy👍
Excellent comparison and demo. Cool,playing at the end.
Really thorough review brother. I had a Sheraton that I loved but I think I have to give the firefly a shot because of this review.
I had a Sheraton II many, many years ago. I’d wager that out of the box the Sheraton would likely have had (at least back then) that final 5% worth of hands on that these Firefly gtrs might not get all the time. But imo, they’re 100% worth the sticker price plus the cost or hours of a good setup/fret job. And save $500-600 or so.
That is insane, I've just looked up the price of the Firefly and it's roughly 375 UK pounds Gibson should be very worried. I knew when you first played this guitar unplugged it sounded much better. The weight difference is probably the wiring and pickups, I know this as I fitted all Gibson parts into my Korean Washburn J6 and it dramatically change the weight of the guitar. How does it sound 'beautiful' but for off the shelf this Firefly is a bargain if someone is wanting a nice 335 style guitar.
I think I stumbled upon your video after watching the one by Darrell Braun on the Firefly 338 (13 nov 2020)
Great video, great comparison! And nice playing! :-)
Thank you!
Excellent review, I have 3 Gibson guitars but I am blown away by the Firefly.
Excellent comparison. Plus, great playing. Thanks.
I bought one of these, and I guess I won the lottery a bit, because it went straight into tune, stays in tune(not perfectly) very well for non branded and it does have the cheapest strings I think I've ever played on(I need to put new stings on, but haven't yet and these cheap bastards are cheap). The PU's do squeal quite a bit when to close to the amp, but most times just turning away solves that problem. Enjoy playing on it, and DAMN, it looks great.
It's stayed intune since I've posted previously about it, and damned if it doesn't sound great in a mix. I guess I really did get lucky, but this thing is awesome for the money, and it get's played every day.
Great comparison young man. I’ll be tuning in for more 🤐 I really don’t see changing the pups as from what I hear they sound great.
March 6th is my latest child’s due date. My boy and that Gibson could share a birthday.
A trick with stripped locking tuners. If stripped on the ends of a tuner on a high string, swap it for a locking piece from one of the low string, the thicker strings may make the lockers top out before reaching the stripped section.
They have both distinct sounds but the Firefly did not fell short behind the Gibson...it faired very nice for a guitar in that price range...I think it's worth buying & to keep...thanks for this great review...stay safe my man...
Great tip on the tuners, man, thanks. Glad I stumbled across your channel yesterday, its a real pleasure to watch a review from somebody who knows the instrument.
God, for that price Id spend all day on frets and tuners! Looks and sounds like a fantastic budget choice and man, budget is all I gots and this style of semi-hollow is the one Ive always loved above all else. Great review.
Gotta say, I'm pretty impressed with that Firefly after you fixed it up there.
Incidentally, I own an Epiphone Riviera P93T, which is basically a 335 with 3 Gibson USA P90 pickups and a Bigsby. Retail is $599, I got mine for $350 used. I have done absolutely nothing to it but change the strings, it plays better than some of the new Gibsons out there and sounds amazing. The one thing I will eventually change is putting a roller bridge on there so it goes back in tune better when using the Bigsby. I would HIGHLY recommend one of the nicer Epiphones.
Great review. My experience with Firefly is that the hollowbody arrived with a damaged neck -most likely from the factory so it went back to Amazon. I also bought a LPJr which had no major problems but needs a solid setup and fret level. Sounds great. Recommended for the knowledgeable enthusiast or those who want to try luthierie but not on an expensive guitar.
Great playing and review. Thanks👍🙏🏻
I just bought a spalted ruby red 338, can't wait for it to arrive.
Its so nice to hear a nice review from someone that plays well and isn't Heavey on teh drive!! NO offence to people that like lots of gain/drive.
Seriously, I like the looks of the firefly better. As for the sound tests you did, I was shocked, the firefly is a very worthy contender.
Great format, sound quality, playing. Particularly liked playing them acoustically to see what each delivered. Often find with inexpensive guitars there is more resonance and top end brilliance to a guitar than what the pickups are delivering. That tells me a lot about whether I should upgrade the pickups.
Bridge pickup on the firefly seemed warmer. I liked that
I'm barely through the video and to my surprise the 338 sounds much better acoustically compared to the "Real Deal". I did not expect that.
Hey man, That first bend that you did @26:47 sounded just like Carlton's tone to my ears. The rest of the noodling at the end was some sweet jazz sounds, that Spalted is Beautiful.
My friend has a firefly 338. It's a great guitar! They're a little over $200 with shipping. Very playable! Very pretty to look at! Very worth it even if you have to spend a little bit to tweak it. Firefly says they use bone nuts. Gibson's are awesome but expensive!
I think the biggest difference between expensive and inexpensive guitars has to do a lot with the components. You can take a cheap Squier and put lots of good parts and make it play and sound like an American fender for a fraction of the price, cheap guitars are cheap mostly because the cost of the hardware and electronics are not at the quality of the expensive guitars.
Love the firefly, a different array of tones, but sounds are professional, and the weaker parts can be changed for a modest rebuild.👍
Still trying to pick my jaw up off the floor : ) Mine arrives Monday 23rd......beautiful playing btw !
Considering the price difference, I think I would go with the Firefly.
Same! 👍
just ordered one excellent review thanks man :)
I've got a Epiphone DOT with a proper moulded factory case and beautiful shoulder strap, I lucked into off a FB marketplace a few years ago. It was less than a few weeks old and the owner who had received it as a gift decided he was not able to play it because he had very large thick fingers and was just learning to play. I paid him the equivalent to 223 US dollars. (I'm Canadian)
I then sent it to my luthier and spent another 200 to have the frets leveled and a complete setup. It's been a dream since. There are deals out there if you're patient. I'm a lefty as well. If you know how hard it is to find a quality lefthand guitar in the first place you will appreciate even more my luck in finding this beauty.
For a couple of thousand dollars less, that Firefly sounds only slightly better than the Gibson. You wouldn't think a headstock inlay wouldn't muddy up the pickups so much, but if you don't actually PLAY, the Gibson is definitely the winner as the most expensive. I hope you know that the Gibson top and back are laminated, just like the Firefly.