57 Classics in a 335 style?

ThreeChordWonder

New member
I've just pushed the button on a Chinese 335 kit, all mahogany, double bound, with binding on the fretboard edges and f-holes as well. Going to finish it with cherry Minwax then Minwax wipe-on poly.

I have all the hardware I need, except, perhaps, some Grovers, so it should be a cheap build.

I'm planning on using my spare set of Gibson 57 Classics (Classic 57?) pickups out of my 2015 SG but equally I could use the Probucker 2 / Probucker 3 set that came out of my Epi 60s Standard LP (replaced with WLHs). I'm not planning coil splits or any fancy electronics on this one. The Gibsons are 4-wire, the Epis are braided outer single wire. Both are Alnico2 and about the same ohms. So the Epis might win.

Thoughts anyone?
 
I find the 57s to be a bit bright for my tastes. The Probuckers I have played I like a lot more.
 
I've got an Epi ES-175 that came with 57 Classics. I never took them out. They suit the guitar really well.

That being said, I bought a set of Epiphone Probuckers (dont recall the numbers) to put into a project where the sum cost of the guitar and every replacement part was $200, and they sounded pretty good in that one too.

If I recall the Probuckers are based off of Classic 57s, which are Burstbuckers without the coil mismatch
 
What do you have them in, Dave? I found them to be too bright in my Les Paul Traditional.

Nothing anymore. But I think all of Gibson's pickups are too bright. That wouldn't be my ultimate suggestion, just what was available without spending any money.
 
So much yes. Do it. You won’t be sorry. I love them myself. Had them in one of my Strats for a while. Wish I kept them.
 
I don't want to derail this thread, but may I ask a similar question. Life has been good to me and so I got one 57 for cheap. I want new pickups for my Tokai 335. Should I use the 57 for neck or bridge?
 
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I^ don't know about yours, but I couldn't remember which of mine was which. I measured the DCRs of both, expecting one (the bridge) to be higher than the other. Turned out the bridge was only slightly hotter.

So I would say pick whatever other pickup you're going to use and put the hotter of the two in the bridge.
 
I have a set in my Dot, and I love 'em! Light years ahead of the Epi '57 clones I took out of there. Although I have the neck Epi clone in an Epi LP and it sounds fine there,

Yeah. I have two sets of Epi c I pies, one taken from my LP and the other from my V. Both sets sounded quite muddy to my ears.
 
I've got several guitars with both sets, Gibson 57 and Epi Pro-Bucker. While I think the Pro-Buckers sound really great, I like the 57s better. Like was said, the 57s are bright but they are not thin. I think the Pro-Buckers sound similar but to my ears they sound a little thinner than the 57s...more mid-scooped.

I would definitely recommend the 57s for the 335 build.
 
I don't want to derail this thread, but may I ask a similar question. Life has been good to me and so I got one 57 for cheap. I want new pickups for my Tokai 335. Should I use the 57 for neck or bridge?

I would use the 57 in the neck and something with a bit more oomph in the bridge, possibly a Custom 2 (CC) or a C5.
 
I don't want to derail this thread, but may I ask a similar question. Life has been good to me and so I got one 57 for cheap. I want new pickups for my Tokai 335. Should I use the 57 for neck or bridge?

I would use the 57 in the neck and something with a bit more oomph in the bridge, possibly a Custom 2 (CC) or a C5.
Custom 3 is another good option. A3 drops the output from medium to vintage-plus.
Less compressed than the CC, and a little more chimey. Still rich in the mids.
Nice, articulate match for a PAF-ish neck pickup IMO.
 
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