What Are You Guys Using in Your ES-335?

B

bluezguy

New member
I've BurstBuckered (1&2 twice, 2&3 once) 3 of my Gibsons and kinda don't wanna do it to my ES-335 Dot Figured. I'm bored with the '57 Classics.
Have any of you 335 owners stuffed a Duncan or set of Duncans into her?
Which ones and are you happy? Got any sound clips played dry?

I'm trying to find something resembling the Patent# pickups circa '63, '64 or '65 - not PAFs, not T-Tops ... Patent#. Poly coated orange/red coil wire as well as Alnico 5 mags are the basic composition. I understand they are PAFs with a sticker change. This maybe so but, I seek the similar wire construction and the rough cast A5 in somebody other than Gibson. Gibson's pups in their '64 ES-335 are basically PAFs but they carry Alnico 3 mags and are called CustomBuckers.
Who knows??? :scratchch
 
Re: What Are You Guys Using in Your ES-335?

Slash alnico 2s are what you want. Do not let the a2 mag throw you. Very similar to a late pat#/early T . Punchier than either without added midrange like a.typical overwind.
 
Re: What Are You Guys Using in Your ES-335?

I use the original Pat # pickups in my 335...

No idea what is out there thats close to them really...my Shaw pickup in my Moderne are in the ballpark but still different.
 
Re: What Are You Guys Using in Your ES-335?

The Seth Lover set is what you want.

After all, this set is a revised version of the original PAF p'up, done by the creator himself, tweaked using nowadays materials, knowledge and production processes to obtain an optimized version for the neck and the bridge positions.

I don't think they can get any better than this, I'm telling you... ;)
 
Re: What Are You Guys Using in Your ES-335?

ive tried a bunch of pickups in mine. What kind of vibe are you going for? Fat bottom? Spongy? Punchy? Sweet? Growling? Twangy? Smooth?
What is it about the 57's you are using that you would like to change/keep or improve on?
You have mentioned wire and magnets, but nothing about sound and feel so its hard to say what would suit you best without a bit more info.
 
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Re: What Are You Guys Using in Your ES-335?

Listen to the good Lt. on this one. Whilst not a 335, the construction is basically the same, my Cort Source sounds an absolute tone monster since fitting a set of Seths' - a well worthwhile upgrade. I happen to think the WLH set would do good thing there too, but I've not tried mine on a semi-acoustic, so can't do a more representative comparison.
 
Re: What Are You Guys Using in Your ES-335?

LtKojak said:
The Seth Lover set is what you want.

After all, this set is a revised version of the original PAF p'up, done by the creator himself, tweaked using nowadays materials, knowledge and production processes to obtain an optimized version for the neck and the bridge positions.

I don't think they can get any better than this, I'm telling you... ;)
Click to expand...

blueman335 said:
Seths are always good.
Click to expand...

Now...where is that Dislike button?!!

You did read that he's looking for a MID 60'S pat # pickup sound...this is NOT the same as a PAF so a pickup that is patterened from the original PAF design is not what he's looking for.

I know you guys love the Seth Lovers but man...they are not the answer for everything...
 
Re: What Are You Guys Using in Your ES-335?

LtKojak said:
The Seth Lover set is what you want.

After all, this set is a revised version of the original PAF p'up, done by the creator himself, tweaked using nowadays materials, knowledge and production processes to obtain an optimized version for the neck and the bridge positions.

I don't think they can get any better than this, I'm telling you... ;)
Click to expand...

I'm a Seth fan too, but that's a radically different sound. Also I agree with you about refined processes but the materials are old school not modern.


As to the original question, the WLH set would probably be a step in the right direction. The thing is to REALLY nail that tone you need the short magnets, if memory serves. So to TRULY hit the nail on the head you'd need to call the Custom Shop.
 
Re: What Are You Guys Using in Your ES-335?

I'm using the stock pickups in my Epi Sheraton II (the cheap, slutty Asian sister to the 335) at the moment. Not because they sound better than Duncans mind you, but because I'm too afraid to try and change them out on a semi-hollow bodied guitar. All the books I've read on such a subject leave me rather scared. EEK!!!
 
Re: What Are You Guys Using in Your ES-335?

foogiefoogie said:
I'm using the stock pickups in my Epi Sheraton II (the cheap, slutty Asian sister to the 335) at the moment. Not because they sound better than Duncans mind you, but because I'm too afraid to try and change them out on a semi-hollow bodied guitar. All the books I've read on such a subject leave me rather scared. EEK!!!
Click to expand...

The medical tubing trick works really well. Some people have good luck with string, I didn't...but I'm one guy. It's just a pain and you need to plan on it taking a good while. Your Sheraton will be like a new guitar with quality pots and pups, you should consider givving it a try.
 
Re: What Are You Guys Using in Your ES-335?

foogiefoogie said:
I'm using the stock pickups in my Epi Sheraton II (the cheap, slutty Asian sister to the 335) at the moment. Not because they sound better than Duncans mind you, but because I'm too afraid to try and change them out on a semi-hollow bodied guitar. All the books I've read on such a subject leave me rather scared. EEK!!!
Click to expand...

I do the job in an average of 1 1/2 hour, counting from gutting the instrument AND including building the new harness from scratch, being the prepping of the instrument what takes the longest... but then I'm a moonlightning pro, specialized in this kind of jobs. ;)

If you don't think you can do it, it's better getting somebody qualified to do it. You won't regret it!
 
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Re: What Are You Guys Using in Your ES-335?

If you do not need to change pots, you can simply cut the pickup leads close to the original pickups, and then use them to wire in the new pickups (converting/matching wire colors as/if needed).

Of course this will leave the original pups useless, but it works until you are ready to tackle a full rewire, or pay someone to do it.
 
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