HELP!, I have two Humbuckers and a 335...

C

chuso007

New member
First of all, Hi everyone, this is my first post. I'm from Spain and I need your help on this one:

Second, I don't have a real 335, I have a 1991 335 réplica (Samick SAN-450) which was my first guitar. Back in 2000 I bought two pickups: Custom Custom™ SH-11 and TB-11

http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/humbucker/progressive/sh11_custom_cus/

These were recommended by the seller (Mars guitars in Miami). From what I've read here these might not be the best ones, but they are what I have, so I'll put them on my guitar, the ones I have today are not very good anyway. I never got to install them because I got married... and pretty much stopped playing, now I'm divorced and I'm back at it...:naughty: I digress...

Right now the guitar has a 3-way switch and two volumes/two tones pots.

I want something more out of it, so I thought about putting two push/pull pots. The wiring schemes on the SD site are clear, but... I don't know what they actually do!

What would be the best set up?

What kind/brand/values... must the pots have?

What brands are better for all the hardware I need?

(I'll replace everything....)

Thanks a lot everyone!!!
 
Re: HELP!, I have two Humbuckers and a 335...

I've re-wired a number of Korean/Chinese 335's. Here's what I'd do:

The Custom is good for the bridge PU, it's 14,000 ohms with an A2 magnet; should be warm and hot. I'd sell/trade the TB-11 for an American-made PAF type HB with an A5 magnet ('59N, JazzN, Virtual PAF, etc). To get clarity & sparkle in a neck HB, you should be around 7,000 to 8,000 ohms, otherwise it's too dark & muffled. Your TB-11 would be horrible in the neck (way too dark), and make the neck much louder than the bridge. 335's usually have a warmer sounding body, and need a bright neck PU. To me, any neck PU with an A2 magnet isn't bright enough.

I use a lot of push-pulls (much better than mini-toggles, as you don't drill holes in your guitar). To be able to get all of the wiring options, you need HB's with 4 conductor wires, plus ground.

I like coil cuts (to make a HB a SC). On the bridge you want the slug coil to be active (the screw coil is thinner & weaker by itself); on the neck HB if you leave the screw coil on, when the PU's are both on, and both in coil cut, you'll have a noise-free humbucking mode.

If you want phase also, you can put two PP's on the bridge, & that allows you to switch coils in coil cut mode, plus you get phase when both PU's are on. In the the neck you can also have a PP for coil cut (no point in a second phase PP).

I don't like parallel as its very tinny & weak (1/4 the ohms of a normal HB in series); it's useless on the bridge, but okay for the neck. I use coil cuts instead, as they have more character & bite.

If you want to get everything above plus some more, without changing the outside of your guitar, there's the 4 push-pull Jimmy Page system, which I've put in a few 335's. There's diagrams on Guitar Electronics.com.

With the CC in the bridge, use 500K pots. For a bridge PU with an A5 magnet, 250K pots work best for me (to take off the worst of the treble, and give it a full, rich tone with more mids). On neck HB's, you ALWAYS want 500K's. I use a .100 cap on the bridge, and a .022 cap on the neck. As far as the brand of pots & caps, I let the boys on this forum argue about that amongst themselves.
 
Re: HELP!, I have two Humbuckers and a 335...

Thanks Blueman,

From what I had read in this forum, I knew you were tha man...

I'l read through your post carefully (English is not my mother language, I think I didn't get it all reading it just once...:nervous:) and probably ask you a couple of questions more...

Thanks again...
 
Re: HELP!, I have two Humbuckers and a 335...

Hi again,

I need something more specific about the PU I should get for the neck position, I don't know much about pups so...

Anyway, from SD site I gather these are the A5 pups I should choose from:

SH-1 59 Model Neck: 7.43 k Bridge: 8.13 k
SH-2 Jazz Model Neck: 7.72 k Bridge: 7.9 k
SHPG-1 Pearly Gates Neck: 7.3 k
PATB-1 Orig. P. Axis Neck: 7.5 k Bridge: 15.7 k

Which is the best (for an all round result: jazz, rock, blues...)?

What other brands would be worth looking for?

Also, Any recommended store on internet for the pups and pots...?
 
Re: HELP!, I have two Humbuckers and a 335...

chuso007 said:
Hi again,
I need something more specific about the PU I should get for the neck position, I don't know much about pups so...
Anyway, from SD site I gather these are the A5 pups I should choose from:
SH-1 59 Model Neck: 7.43 k Bridge: 8.13 k
SH-2 Jazz Model Neck: 7.72 k Bridge: 7.9 k
SHPG-1 Pearly Gates Neck: 7.3 k
PATB-1 Orig. P. Axis Neck: 7.5 k Bridge: 15.7 k
Which is the best (for an all round result: jazz, rock, blues...)?
What other brands would be worth looking for?
Also, Any recommended store on internet for the pups and pots...?
Click to expand...
I've got an Ibanez AS-83 that I put a Jazz neck and a Pearly Gates bridge into and I'm absolutely digging the way it sounds... may be a bit too gnarly with the PGb for jazz, but it kicks*ss for blues and rock.
Good luck and have fun with the project.

MM
 
Re: HELP!, I have two Humbuckers and a 335...

I've got a few 335's, and think that a PAF type in the neck is ideal for blues, jazz, and classic rock, with ohms around 7,500, give or take. Duncan has '59N & JazzN (the Jazz is a little brighter), PGN (A2 magnet, so not as bright). DiMarzio has a couple PAF's & the Bluesbucker. Any one of these is a good choice. Gibson has a few PAF types, all with A2 mags, which to me are too dark; but a magnet swap makes them very usable. SD's & Dimarzio's are probably the best for the price range, and I'd go with one of them (if you already have a Gibson PU, try that first).

A 335 body is usually warm & on the dark side, so I prefer A5's or A4's in the neck PU's to offset that. Some guys like A2's & A3's. There's no one perfect PU & magnet; depends on your wood, amp, & style. Whatever you get, if its not quite what you want, use magnets to tweak your tone.
 
Re: HELP!, I have two Humbuckers and a 335...

Remember -Blueman has a disorder that prevents him from appreciating the sound of an a2 mag. Lot's of guys here have put a Pearly Gates in the neck of a 335 and love it! It isn't piercing, but it can really cut through. Also, it's a great compliment to a Custom Custom in the bridge.

That said, I agree with his earlier recs of either the Jazz or even a 59 in the neck. Great all around pups for what you want to play.
 
Re: HELP!, I have two Humbuckers and a 335...

Another question:

Is the 4 push-pull Jimmy Page system from Guitar Electronics.com a good quality product? (i.e. worth it?)

Since it's the most complete setup, I guess it covers all the options so in doubt it should be the way to go. Am I right?

BTW, It comes with 4 500k P/P pots (doesn't mention the brand) and says nothing abut the capacitors specs. Those values are the most appropriate ones?

EDIT: I forgot, Will the pots fit through the f-holes? What kind of wire should I buy: Std., Vintage cloth or shielded?
 
Last edited:
Re: HELP!, I have two Humbuckers and a 335...

chuso007 said:
Another question:
Is the 4 push-pull Jimmy Page system from Guitar Electronics.com a good quality product? (i.e. worth it?)
Since it's the most complete setup, I guess it covers all the options so in doubt it should be the way to go. Am I right?
Click to expand...
It's a good place to start.
I just bought everything separately.

BTW, It comes with 4 500k P/P pots (doesn't mention the brand) and says nothing abut the capacitors specs. Those values are the most appropriate ones?
Click to expand...
You *could* get all tricky and put 250k's in the neck to cut a little treble, but I'd only do that after I heard how the pickup sounds in the guitar.
500k if perfectly fine.
Cap values are pretty standard but you could change those out as well if you don't find what Guitar Electronics included in the kit appropriate.
From experiments by folks here, it seems that there is little benefit to spending excessive amounts of money on caps... I say go with the quality you are comfortable with. :)

EDIT: I forgot, Will the pots fit through the f-holes? What kind of wire should I buy: Std., Vintage cloth or shielded?
Click to expand...
The pots will fit through the f-hole, just go easy and take your time.
Make a cardboard template of the holes on the guitar and do all your soldering outside the guitar... you can plug it in as well to check everything before you put it back into the guitar.
Get some rubber surgical tubing... your local big box stores pet supply section will have it for cheap. Run the tubing through the various holes and attach that end to the shafts of the pots. It should be tight enough so that you can pull the pots and jack gently through their appropriate holes using your fingers to guide them in.

I'd say standard on the wire, but it's up to you.
Cloth is nice for that vintage feel and you'll need some shielded from the switch to the jack, but it's really up to you beyond that.
Just remember to properly ground everything.

Good luck and take your time.
:)
MM
 
Re: HELP!, I have two Humbuckers and a 335...

Thanks Mojo, I am taking my time, I'm new to this and want to do it right...
 
Re: HELP!, I have two Humbuckers and a 335...

Aceman said:
Remember -Blueman has a disorder that prevents him from appreciating the sound of an a2 mag.
Click to expand...

I`ve taken the first step by admiting that there may be a problem, and am in group therapy with other like-minded individuals (who have asked to remain nameless to prevent embarassment to their families).

I'm not so sure sure its a mental disorder, as much as a hearing disability. I like bright necks & warm bridges, what can I say. Maybe it goes back to a traumatic incident in my childhood...
 
Re: HELP!, I have two Humbuckers and a 335...

Well, I'm already exchanging my TB-11 Trembucker for a SH-1 59', because you told me to...

So you better be right...:fingersx::fingersx:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top