Phat Cats in a 335?
- Thread starter MartinS
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blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Phat Cats in a 335?
Phat Cats are a great idea for a 335. You'll get a clear, open P-90 tone & the acoustic harmonics will come out. Another way to do it, is with a HB in the bridge & a PC in the neck (I wouldn't put a HB at the neck & a PC at the bridge, because both will work opposite each other EQ-wise).
Phat Cats have lots of applications. You can make a LP or SG Special by putting in a set (no need to wait to stumble on a deal on a P-90 LP or SG). And on a LP Black Beauty or SG Custom, you can use two (neck & middle positions) with a HB at the bridge, and avoid that crappy middle humbucker tone.
Its a versatile PU that needs to be used MUCH more. Its a much better SC than those tinny little Fender PU's. Seymour should kick production into high gear.
Phat Cats are a great idea for a 335. You'll get a clear, open P-90 tone & the acoustic harmonics will come out. Another way to do it, is with a HB in the bridge & a PC in the neck (I wouldn't put a HB at the neck & a PC at the bridge, because both will work opposite each other EQ-wise).
Phat Cats have lots of applications. You can make a LP or SG Special by putting in a set (no need to wait to stumble on a deal on a P-90 LP or SG). And on a LP Black Beauty or SG Custom, you can use two (neck & middle positions) with a HB at the bridge, and avoid that crappy middle humbucker tone.
Its a versatile PU that needs to be used MUCH more. Its a much better SC than those tinny little Fender PU's. Seymour should kick production into high gear.
FAC
New member
Re: Phat Cats in a 335?
I concur with blueman...a phat cat in the neck position would likely sound fantastic. I recently put two in my 3-pickup les paul, and it sounded like someone took a pillow off my speakers. I really like these pickups! Given the lack of posts on this forum versus other pickups, I think the phat cat is an underappreciated pickup that more people should check out.
I was also impressed with the lack of noise. I have two Gibson P90's in my LP-Double cutaway, and they hum like crazy, but the phat cats are much quieter...not humbuckers, mind you, but not annoying at all--perhaps this has to do with the metal pickup covers? If you go with two, they are hum cancelling when they're both on at the same time.
Are you unhappy with the bridge humbucker? As blueman stated, I think a cool combination would be the Phat cat in the neck postion and a nice humbucker you are happy with in the bridge position. I really like the HB+Phat Cat position on my les paul. Or, if you end up really digging the Phat Cat, get a bridge pickup, too, but perhaps try the neck position first...I think that is where you'll see the most dramatic difference.
FAC
I concur with blueman...a phat cat in the neck position would likely sound fantastic. I recently put two in my 3-pickup les paul, and it sounded like someone took a pillow off my speakers. I really like these pickups! Given the lack of posts on this forum versus other pickups, I think the phat cat is an underappreciated pickup that more people should check out.
I was also impressed with the lack of noise. I have two Gibson P90's in my LP-Double cutaway, and they hum like crazy, but the phat cats are much quieter...not humbuckers, mind you, but not annoying at all--perhaps this has to do with the metal pickup covers? If you go with two, they are hum cancelling when they're both on at the same time.
Are you unhappy with the bridge humbucker? As blueman stated, I think a cool combination would be the Phat cat in the neck postion and a nice humbucker you are happy with in the bridge position. I really like the HB+Phat Cat position on my les paul. Or, if you end up really digging the Phat Cat, get a bridge pickup, too, but perhaps try the neck position first...I think that is where you'll see the most dramatic difference.
FAC
scottish
WeirdScienceologist
Re: Phat Cats in a 335?
what pups do you have in there right now that are causing the muddiness? if they are stock (and its not a gibson) then putting any duncans in there would give you more clarity, lol
if you already have a good set of pups in there and are having problems then its a whole other ballgame
in general, ive heard real good things about phat cats in 335 styles...but imo you still cant beat a set of 59s, aph2s, or seths
what pups do you have in there right now that are causing the muddiness? if they are stock (and its not a gibson) then putting any duncans in there would give you more clarity, lol
if you already have a good set of pups in there and are having problems then its a whole other ballgame
in general, ive heard real good things about phat cats in 335 styles...but imo you still cant beat a set of 59s, aph2s, or seths
ponch
New member
Re: Phat Cats in a 335?
Ive heard them in a sheraton. Those pups sound awsome! Really warm on the neck, but not muddy, and in the middle they rip. You can almost drive an amp in overdrive in that position. The bridge is also a very good sounding pup. The whole set cuts through very well without being too bright.
Ive heard them in a sheraton. Those pups sound awsome! Really warm on the neck, but not muddy, and in the middle they rip. You can almost drive an amp in overdrive in that position. The bridge is also a very good sounding pup. The whole set cuts through very well without being too bright.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Phat Cats in a 335?
Anyone with HB guitars should consider Phat Cats. Maybe you'll end up going with something else, but they should be in the running. For rock & blues, you'll get a nice open tone that sounds good clean, and for metal they'll give more upper end EQ to cut through. If you like a Strat with tons 'o distortion, just think of how much fuller it would sound with grown-up size single coils.
Anyone with HB guitars should consider Phat Cats. Maybe you'll end up going with something else, but they should be in the running. For rock & blues, you'll get a nice open tone that sounds good clean, and for metal they'll give more upper end EQ to cut through. If you like a Strat with tons 'o distortion, just think of how much fuller it would sound with grown-up size single coils.
viewaskew2k5
New member
Re: Phat Cats in a 335?
Do it!! This was my first idea when i picked up a Epi e335. Stock pickups where ok...but my Luth just swapped them out with his phat cats....it just..hmm...well you can 'hear' the e335 coming through more!!
Do it!! This was my first idea when i picked up a Epi e335. Stock pickups where ok...but my Luth just swapped them out with his phat cats....it just..hmm...well you can 'hear' the e335 coming through more!!
Re: Phat Cats in a 335?
Thanks for all the replies. It is a genuine Gibson 335 that I have (a 79 with coil tap). It's got stock pickups which I think are probably T-Tops from what information I can gather. The humbuckers are a bit too creamy and rich for me, I think. What I want is a nice fat single coil sound (I think!), something that cuts through a bit more than the humbuckers do. Tapped, the sound is too thin. I'd love to hear some clips of a 335 with Phat Cats, but they're about as common as hen's teeth.
Thanks for all the replies. It is a genuine Gibson 335 that I have (a 79 with coil tap). It's got stock pickups which I think are probably T-Tops from what information I can gather. The humbuckers are a bit too creamy and rich for me, I think. What I want is a nice fat single coil sound (I think!), something that cuts through a bit more than the humbuckers do. Tapped, the sound is too thin. I'd love to hear some clips of a 335 with Phat Cats, but they're about as common as hen's teeth.
LtKojak
New member
Re: Phat Cats in a 335?
I don't have anything against Phat Cats, mind you, but if you wanna get that guitar ready to play anything, IMHO you should put a Jazz set with 4-conductor cable, so you can still use the coil tap, which adds a nice sound variety to that type of guitar.
I have a 1967 Emperador Guitar, a Japan-made 335 copy and I put a Jazz bridge in the neck and a C 5 at the bridge, coil tapped, and a .001 mF cap as treble bleed and it's a tone monster!!!
Do some homework before doing anything, that's my two cents.
HTH,
Pepe aka Lt. Kojak
Milano, Italy
If that's an original '79 that haven't been tampered with, it should have 490/498 pup's with metal covers on and no coil tapping. If I was you, I'd take a look at what's inside, meaning if the pots are 500K or not, if the caps are Hovland or Sprague, and at this point if the pup's are REAL Gibson...
I don't have anything against Phat Cats, mind you, but if you wanna get that guitar ready to play anything, IMHO you should put a Jazz set with 4-conductor cable, so you can still use the coil tap, which adds a nice sound variety to that type of guitar.
I have a 1967 Emperador Guitar, a Japan-made 335 copy and I put a Jazz bridge in the neck and a C 5 at the bridge, coil tapped, and a .001 mF cap as treble bleed and it's a tone monster!!!
Do some homework before doing anything, that's my two cents.
HTH,
Pepe aka Lt. Kojak
Milano, Italy
Re: Phat Cats in a 335?
It's definitely an original 79. Gibson put coil taps in 335s for a couple years in the late seventies. In all honesty I don't what pickups are in there, and I am open to suggestions for other pickup alternatives that might fit the bill. Homework is why I'm here
You're right, tappable humbuckers would make more sense, but can I get a fat single coil sound from tapped humbuckers?
For me, there's an open-throated character to the tone of the guitar which means it doesn't really cut through (is this what's referred to as "scooped mids"?). This may be due to the nature of the guitar, but perhaps a change of pickups would give it more punch...?
I don't have a problem with changing the pickups in this guitar, as I'm not a historian or collector, and ain't gonna sell it!
Cheers.
It's definitely an original 79. Gibson put coil taps in 335s for a couple years in the late seventies. In all honesty I don't what pickups are in there, and I am open to suggestions for other pickup alternatives that might fit the bill. Homework is why I'm here
You're right, tappable humbuckers would make more sense, but can I get a fat single coil sound from tapped humbuckers?
For me, there's an open-throated character to the tone of the guitar which means it doesn't really cut through (is this what's referred to as "scooped mids"?). This may be due to the nature of the guitar, but perhaps a change of pickups would give it more punch...?
I don't have a problem with changing the pickups in this guitar, as I'm not a historian or collector, and ain't gonna sell it!
Cheers.
JumpMarine
18 watts of Mayhemologist
Re: Phat Cats in a 335?
I can't attest to them in a 335, but my buddy has them in a Schecter C-1EA Semihollow and they are wicked.
I can't attest to them in a 335, but my buddy has them in a Schecter C-1EA Semihollow and they are wicked.
Re: Phat Cats in a 335?
I can't find ANY clips of Phat Cats or Gibson p94s ANYWHERE on the internet on ANY GUITAR, let alone a 335! (apart from the pretty useless ones on the SD website).
I've been listening to The Strokes this morning as the guitarist uses p94s, but it's difficult to judge.
I can't find ANY clips of Phat Cats or Gibson p94s ANYWHERE on the internet on ANY GUITAR, let alone a 335! (apart from the pretty useless ones on the SD website).
I've been listening to The Strokes this morning as the guitarist uses p94s, but it's difficult to judge.
scottish
WeirdScienceologist
Re: Phat Cats in a 335?
i can tell you that they dont sound like p90s or singles or humbuckers, lol. they probably sound more like buckers than anything else imo, but its a creature of its own.
at the end of the day i say go for it. it seems like that was your original idea and its more like you are looking for reasons not to try it. give it a shot and if its not what you are looking for then try a set of aph2s in there next
i can tell you that they dont sound like p90s or singles or humbuckers, lol. they probably sound more like buckers than anything else imo, but its a creature of its own.
at the end of the day i say go for it. it seems like that was your original idea and its more like you are looking for reasons not to try it. give it a shot and if its not what you are looking for then try a set of aph2s in there next
LtKojak
New member
Re: Phat Cats in a 335?
I remember the muddyness issue back in the '70s when I used to hang out at this luthier guy's place; that's when I've learn 'bout changing the pots to 500K and the treble bleed trick, i'm pretty sure your pots are 300K and maybe even in bad shape, reading even less than 250K causing the muddyness. I'd start checking out this but, if you wanna go for the p'up change anyway, my little two cents will be a SD Jazz set if you wanna keep the PAF vibe.
If you wanna go for the higher output way, get the combo I've got in my 1967 Emperador 335 copy; get a Jazz bridge for the neck and a C5 for the bridge and keep the coil splitting.
HTH,
Pepe aka Lt. Kojak
Milano, Italy
Well, 'cause this statement got me curious, I went to research the subject and I've found out you were right 'bout the coil tapping, and I was wrong 'bout the pup's; they're actually PAF-like, and they used the same for bridge and neck and they're kind of lackluster, if you ask me.
I remember the muddyness issue back in the '70s when I used to hang out at this luthier guy's place; that's when I've learn 'bout changing the pots to 500K and the treble bleed trick, i'm pretty sure your pots are 300K and maybe even in bad shape, reading even less than 250K causing the muddyness. I'd start checking out this but, if you wanna go for the p'up change anyway, my little two cents will be a SD Jazz set if you wanna keep the PAF vibe.
If you wanna go for the higher output way, get the combo I've got in my 1967 Emperador 335 copy; get a Jazz bridge for the neck and a C5 for the bridge and keep the coil splitting.
HTH,
Pepe aka Lt. Kojak
Milano, Italy
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Phat Cats in a 335?
One a neck PU, I can't see using anything except 500K pots. 300K's with an A2 magnet is going to make a neck PU awful dull & dark. 300K and 250K's are much better on a bridge PU.
The JazzN/C5 combo is one of my favorites too. Works great in LP's, SG's, & 335's.
One a neck PU, I can't see using anything except 500K pots. 300K's with an A2 magnet is going to make a neck PU awful dull & dark. 300K and 250K's are much better on a bridge PU.
The JazzN/C5 combo is one of my favorites too. Works great in LP's, SG's, & 335's.
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