For all you Es335 lovers. New pickups now fitted.

markj

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a512/markj49/IMG_2550_zpsgo62ejd9.jpg

markj

I bought this mint condition secondhand Gibson quilt es335 just less than 2 weeks ago. It looks like its hardly ever been played, it's probably lived most of it's life in its hardcase. A quick tweek of the truss rod and it plays beautifully. The 57 classic pups are going, just not that keen on them. Ash from Oil city pickups is making me a set of Masterwound PAF's, so expecting them to sound superb.

markj

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a512/markj49/IMG_2548_zpseqvb2ksl.jpg

Ravenous

Bah, wrong colour.

Only kidding.  Can we see a pic in a swimsuit too?

(No, not you.)

markj

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a512/markj49/IMG_2549_zpsoski7c91.jpg I really like the gentle quilt in the maple.

revsorg

I'm curious to know how these guitars are wired, in the sense that it's probably added after the guitar has been constructed?  Wiring up the potentiometers, switch and jack socket isn't quite like making a ship in a bottle, but it must be tricky?

ESchap

revsorg said:

I'm curious to know how these guitars are wired, in the sense that it's probably added after the guitar has been constructed?  Wiring up the potentiometers, switch and jack socket isn't quite like making a ship in a bottle, but it must be tricky?

The wiring loom is pre-made in a sort of horseshoe shape with the cable holding the whole thing together.  There is a slot cut in the centre block under the bridge pickup big enough to get the whole lot into the guitar, after wiring the pickups to the volume pots.  It's then a case of papering your hall through the letter box to get everything into the right holes.

In the late 50's early 60's 335's they didn't have the cutaway in the centre block and the whole lot had to go in through the f- hole!  I've done it ... not fun

Lovely guitar @markj

Lebarque

Absolutely gorgeous. Enjoy.

markj

If anybody's interested in the original pickups they'll be for sale in a couple of weeks.

Jimbro66

Very nice guitar and I really like the understated grain. Nice also to know that I'm not alone in disliking 57 Classics in an ES-335. I hear guys praising them but they're not my taste. The newer Gibson MHS 'buckers sound a lot better to my ear. Ash's pups will be sublime.

Lebarque

I'm thinking of pulling the trigger on some Monty's for my 335. Anyone tried them in a semi?

markj

Lebarque said:

I'm thinking of pulling the trigger on some Monty's for my 335. Anyone tried them in a semi?

Was thinking of Monty's but have had pickups from  Ash before and he's been there to give me a lot of advice. He's said if it's not how I like it, he can tweak it till it's right 

57Deluxe

Seriously - the ES335 (ilk) does not sound that amazing as a guitar. Well it does, but it does not have a distinctive character. Driven is largely down to how you are driving it - it can easily sound over compressed and fizzy sterile - unlike a LP which always sounds like a LP. Clean is tinkly (not jangly) so is how you use this in your music. It does nice Jazz - but only if you have Jazz in your soul!

Lovely guitars but they make you work to get the best from them. Your amp is *AS* important to your 335 sound.

OilCityPickups

@markj 's pickups are winging their way to him ... a very special Bean-0 Masterwound set ... meticulously built exactly as I have found from old Gibson PAF pickups that I have had the privilege to rewind. Butyrate bobbins, vintage spec PVA plain enamel wire, machined keeper bars, and threaded baseplates ... with the correct square corner feet. Maple spacers, and even period correct tape and black bobbin hookup wire inside. These pickups were topped off with Montreaux Time Machine 1959 style covers that exactly replicate the flat tops and 'TV' shape with the 'dished in' pole screw holes that characterised those early years. 
I must stress, it was me who decided to go all out for total authenticity ... I wanted to see exactly how close I could get ... even copying the characteristic place the screw coil earth wire is soldered and the way the coils are double taped. Will those touches make a difference to the sound? No, but I'll know they're there.  

markj

TheGuitarWeasel said:

@markj 's pickups are winging their way to him ... a very special Bean-0 Masterwound set ... meticulously built exactly as I have found from old Gibson PAF pickups that I have had the privilege to rewind. Butyrate bobbins, vintage spec PVA plain enamel wire, machined keeper bars, and threaded baseplates ... with the correct square corner feet. Maple spacers, and even period correct tape and black bobbin hookup wire inside. These pickups were topped off with Montreaux Time Machine 1959 style covers that exactly replicate the flat tops and 'TV' shape with the 'dished in' pole screw holes that characterised those early years. 
I must stress, it was me who decided to go all out for total authenticity ... I wanted to see exactly how close I could get ... even copying the characteristic place the screw coil earth wire is soldered and the way the coils are double taped. Will those touches make a difference to the sound? No, but I'll know they're there.  

Looking forward to putting these into the guitar.

ennspek

Lovely guitar. I wanted a red one ala Clapton but came away with something similar to yours as it sounded so much better.
They are obviously the best sounding finish!

markj

I have now fitted a set of Oil city  Masterwound PAF,s. It's absolutely transformed the guitar. The neck pickup is an absolute peach and the bridge is the best I've heard. They sound warm and clear when played clean but played with a bit of drive they thicken considerably. I've had a lot of pickups in my guitars over the years a lot from high end manufacturers but these knock the spots of the others. These pickups don't come cheap but if you're after a superb set of vintage 59 style PAF,s there aren't many better.

BBBlues

57Deluxe said:

Seriously - the ES335 (ilk) does not sound that amazing as a guitar. Well it does, but it does not have a distinctive character. Driven is largely down to how you are driving it - it can easily sound over compressed and fizzy sterile - unlike a LP which always sounds like a LP. Clean is tinkly (not jangly) so is how you use this in your music. It does nice Jazz - but only if you have Jazz in your soul!

Lovely guitars but they make you work to get the best from them. Your amp is *AS* important to your 335 sound.

Are you on crack?

markj

BBBlues said:

57Deluxe said:

Seriously - the ES335 (ilk) does not sound that amazing as a guitar. Well it does, but it does not have a distinctive character. Driven is largely down to how you are driving it - it can easily sound over compressed and fizzy sterile - unlike a LP which always sounds like a LP. Clean is tinkly (not jangly) so is how you use this in your music. It does nice Jazz - but only if you have Jazz in your soul!

Lovely guitars but they make you work to get the best from them. Your amp is *AS* important to your 335 sound.

Are you on crack?

I agree.

OilCityPickups

markj said:

I have now fitted a set of Oil city  Masterwound PAF,s. It's absolutely transformed the guitar. The neck pickup is an absolute peach and the bridge is the best I've heard. They sound warm and clear when played clean but played with a bit of drive they thicken considerably. I've had a lot of pickups in my guitars over the years a lot from high end manufacturers but these knock the spots of the others. These pickups don't come cheap but if you're after a superb set of vintage 59 style PAF,s there aren't many better.

Thanks @markj ... glad you like the pickups. The 'Time Machine' authentic 59 covers added a bit to the price ... but I'll be offering them as a custom option on Masterwound Humbuckers from now on ... they are total gems. I went a bit mad on accuracy on these, but in my mind I wanted to satisfy myself that I could produce what I think may well be the most detail correct PAF style pickups to be made in the UK. I was lucky enough to have a genuine PAF on the bench for direct comparison as I assembled your pickups, so I was able to even duplicate the soldering points and the way the tape was applied. True, those touches make bugger all difference to the sound, but I know they are in there, and if someone pops the covers in the future I'd like them to think 'that was done right'.

markj

TheGuitarWeasel said:

markj said:

I have now fitted a set of Oil city  Masterwound PAF,s. It's absolutely transformed the guitar. The neck pickup is an absolute peach and the bridge is the best I've heard. They sound warm and clear when played clean but played with a bit of drive they thicken considerably. I've had a lot of pickups in my guitars over the years a lot from high end manufacturers but these knock the spots of the others. These pickups don't come cheap but if you're after a superb set of vintage 59 style PAF,s there aren't many better.

Thanks @markj ... glad you like the pickups. The 'Time Machine' authentic 59 covers added a bit to the price ... but I'll be offering them as a custom option on Masterwound Humbuckers from now on ... they are total gems. I went a bit mad on accuracy on these, but in my mind I wanted to satisfy myself that I could produce what I think may well be the most detail correct PAF style pickups to be made in the UK. I was lucky enough to have a genuine PAF on the bench for direct comparison as I assembled your pickups, so I was able to even duplicate the soldering points and the way the tape was applied. True, those touches make bugger all difference to the sound, but I know they are in there, and if someone pops the covers in the future I'd like them to think 'that was done right'.

You forgot to add how amazing they sound. I've had pickups from BKP, Lollars and Bulldog. They were OK but these take tone to a different level. It's the only maker I've phoned thanking them for making such an amazing set of pickups.