time to upgrade my Epi 335 Dot

Al Heeley

Al Heeley

New member
Apologies if this subject has been discussed here before. I'm a newbie to the forum, and seek the opinion of the Seymour Duncan sound gurus as to the best replacement pup upgrades for my Epi 335 dot. I'm looking for a versatile array of sounds, from jazzy blues thru paul weller raunch to Santana overdriven honey neck tones. Oh, with a sprinking of jangly jonny marr thrown in for good measure. Asking too much of a £300 guitar? Well, if you don't ask, you don't get...!
 
Re: time to upgrade my Epi 335 Dot

For this type of guitar I would go with either Seth Lovers, Antiquities or my overall favorites are the Alnico2 pro's. A lot of people will try to compare a PUP to a real PAF. IMO nothing really does compare to the real deal, but the Alnico 2 pro is one of if not the warmes well rounded HB I've heard. I have a set in a Les Paul and I can do just about anything I want with them. I plan on putiing a set in my 335 somrtime in the future.
 
Re: time to upgrade my Epi 335 Dot

My suggestions will probably seem mundane - but you can't go wrong with a pair of 59ers in there (which I did for a pal, he STILL gets compliments on the tone). I had a Sheraton loaded with a JB and a Pearly Gates that was a tone monster as well, and my ES-333 has the JB and Jazz combo that S-D recommends. AND, I will second the previous poster, 'cuz, well, they're all good choices. It's a wonderful world.

But if your just looking for your first time, lemme just try this set of pups, I'll stand by the 59ers.

Wanna get extra special? Add a push/pull for coils shunts, that'll jangle you a bit.
 
Re: time to upgrade my Epi 335 Dot

Thx, I like the sound of the coil tap pot, I put that in my PRS CU24 instead of the silly 5-way rotary knob that you can't turn when your hands get sweaty during a gig.:banana:
So it's 59's, or JB + Pearly Gates (thats a Billy Gibbons thing going on there isn't it?) or maybe the Seth Lovers....too many choices...need another guitar.
 
Re: time to upgrade my Epi 335 Dot

I had a Sheraton once and loaded it with a nickel-covered '59 set and coil taps. They were weird. At home, through my Marshall, they were overly thin and bright, then through my friend's Mesa Mk II, they were PERFECT, very fat and growly. So it depends on the amp, to. I wanted a Noel Gallagher (Oasis) sound, I got close, but I feel like an Alnico 2 based pickup like the Seth Lover set would be a bit smoother and less harsh. WIth the coil-tap, I was able to get a convincing John Squire (Stone Roses) tone.
 
Re: time to upgrade my Epi 335 Dot

Pearly Gates in the neck and a C5 in the bridge will do what you're asking, especially if you go with coil splitting.
 
Re: time to upgrade my Epi 335 Dot

either a set of 59's or benjys idea of a PG and C5....either one will do ...depending of course on your amp and efx setup....and what tones you are after

chris
 
Re: time to upgrade my Epi 335 Dot

I'm playing thru a Marshall 30th anniversary 6101 combo tube amp.
Effects: Boss GT5 floor processor for a bit of echo, reverb, chorus.
There's a lot of choices here, but I really like the idea of adding a micro switch for series/parallel/coil tap as per one of the SD schematics.
People are also saying they are upgrading their pots on the Epi's. Is this really going to make much difference to the tone?
 
Re: time to upgrade my Epi 335 Dot

welcome

pot upgrade is usually for reliability more than tone

usually a set of seths is the standard best answer for a 335 style guitar pup upgrade ... but in your case, given that you want it to do a bit more than 'standard' i'd say a 59 bridge and AIIP neck.. or a CC bridge if you want a bit more 'hit'

good luck
t4d
 
Re: time to upgrade my Epi 335 Dot

"..the pickup is not wax potted. The tone is vintage P.A.F. The unpotted cover gives a slightly “honky” microphonic quality..."
Somehow this puts me off the Seth's. I'm leaning towards the Pearly neck and a '59 bridge, but don't ask me why!
 
Re: time to upgrade my Epi 335 Dot

"..the pickup is not wax potted. The tone is vintage P.A.F. The unpotted cover gives a slightly “honky” microphonic quality..."

Yes, I was put off by that description, too. Do they really sound "honky?" There is a nasal quality to some HB's that I don't like. If this is true of the Seths, I don't want to go there, either.
 
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