Which low output humbuckers for my 335?

chrisj1602

I've seen these on The Creamery website but haven't used them...

The Creamery Hollowbody Humbuckers

[Deleted User]

equalsql;2522" said:

I have a pretty rare Orville ES-335 which is wonderful guitar to play but I find the Japanese pickups rather harsh (bridge) and woolly (neck)

I'm sure there are better pick-ups out there, but the contrast you describe between the neck & bridge positions is pretty much the norm on 2 HB guitars. My vintage 335 and PRS McCarty both exhibit this quality. If I set the amp so the bridge pick-up sounds fat enough, the neck pick-up sounds 'plummy' and indistinct. Set the amp so the neck pick-up is clear and the bridge setting sounds thin.....

In a variation of what ESBlonde suggested, I lower the treble-side pole screws below the cover on the bridge pick-up and adjust the height of the pick-up on the treble side close to the strings. This rounds out the high-end, as the slug coil is making a greater contribution than it would, were the pick-up set more conventionally.

On the PRS, this is enough to solve the problem completely. On the 335, I run both pick-ups all the time, rolling the bridge volume down a touch when I want a 'fat with clarity' sound and rolling the neck pick-up down when I want a 'bright but not thin' tone.

ThePrettyDamned

Ask ash at oil city, he'll fix you.

JookyChap

I've just had some of Mojo's Gold Foil pickups in a couple of semis and they are awesome sounding, I'd highly recommend them if you want something a little different. He does them in a HB size too

shugz

It might sound like vested interests here so I don't want to say too much but I'd recommend upgrading your wiring harness possibly as well. There's a lot to be had from doing that too.

If you need any (free and impartial) advice on that, just let me know. There are a few vendors out there as well, some UK and some in the US/ EU (Crazyparts/ RS Guitarworks).

For pickups in a 335, I'd recommend giving Marc at Mojo Pickups a shout. I have some Pat No inspired pickups in a 335 of his and they really are great pickups. Also, Haydens (Bulldog Pickups) 'cool' PAFs, Lollar Imperials, BK Stormy Monday (spec Alnico 4 if you can) and SD Antiquities all work really well too.

Try Alnico 4 if you can too, I really like that magnet in the PAFs I use. Even better if it's an old set of them too.

Cheers

Hugh

bandmaster188

+1 for alnico 4 pickups. very smooth and rounded.

i have a bkp mule (bridge) and stormy monday (neck) combo in my 335 which works really well for me. the mule neck  is also a really sweet sounding pickup which i have in a les paul. i would stick a mule neck in my 335 if it wasn,t such a feckin pain in the arse to do     

:-S

you could also look at some bucker sized p90's

equalsql

stickyfiddle said:

Generally a fan of Gibson 57 Classics but I'm sure a hand wound equivalent from Oil City or Mojo would be better for similar cash

  I must admit I'm leaning towards these, being alnico 2. Perhaps scatter wound versions.The Oil City Blitz humbuckers look very close to the spec I'm looking for and Ash's price's are very fair.