Pups for Gibson ES-339?

[jumble jumble]

I'm thinking of buying an ES-339 from a friend. It's stock at the moment so it has the 57 Classics in it. I've got those in an LP at the moment and they're OK (soon to be changed for the Slash set), but I've played the ES-339 and they're a little uninspiring.

Unplugged the guitar is loud and twangy.

I want a nice airy, dry, articulate tone in the neck; I suspect it's going to be a '59 or a Seth - but should I also consider anything else? Pearly Gates perhaps? Jazz? I might split this pickup to the screw coil too, but I'd rather have a nice humbucker tone than compromise to get the single coil sound.

For the bridge I'm after I guess what you'd call a rockabilly tone. The most gain I'll ever use with this guitar would be just a little boost into the amp to overdrive the input a little. So to me that says probably low output again. Another 59? Could it be that simple? What else should I consider for that?

[Gypsyblue]

B4 replacing pickups, why not check to see if your guitar and your friend's guitar has 500k pots? If they're only 300K (and they probably are), and not 500K, your guitars are throwing away output and tone and you're blaming the 57 Classic pickups. 50's and 60's and 70's Gibsons used 500K for humbuckers. Your guitar may not...but should. So put some 500K pots in there and you'll hear the tone you should have been getting all along.

[Christopher Caruana]

B4 replacing pickups, why not check to see if your guitar and your friend's guitar has 500k pots? If they're only 300K (and they probably are), and not 500K, your guitars are throwing away output and tone and you're blaming the 57 Classic pickups. 50's and 60's and 70's Gibsons used 500K for humbuckers. Your guitar may not...but should. So put some 500K pots in there and you'll hear the tone you should have been getting all along.

+1 pop some 500k volume pots in there and rock it. (the tone pots should have come stock as 500k's and the volumes should have come as 300ks stock from gibson)

[jumble jumble]

I guess I'll try that, yeah. Thing is, I think the 57C's sound way better in my LP, and that has the 300k vol pots. So much so that I'm going to keep those pots when I switch over to the Slash set, at least at first.

It's not just a bit of treble that's missing though, the whole style of the sound isn't what I'm looking for. I know the guitar can do it because it sounds exactly right unplugged.

[Aceman]

werd - check those pots!

Man - 339 pups.... I have no idea about that things sonic mojo. I'd LOVE to hav this problem!

[Jeffrec]

After fiddling with the pots, try a set of Seths. They always sound awesome in a semi-hollow. That's a great guitar. Bludave has a really beautiful one.

[jumble jumble]

It's not that bizarre that the 57 Classics might not give the sound I'm looking for. They give one sound, and, well, I'm looking for another. When I use the word "uninspiring" I don't mean there's an objective lack of anything in the tone. I just mean, they're not the thing I was hoping to get from a semi-hollow.

[Jeffrec]

It's not that bizarre that the 57 Classics might not give the sound I'm looking for. They give one sound, and, well, I'm looking for another. When I use the word "uninspiring" I don't mean there's an objective lack of anything in the tone. I just mean, they're not the thing I was hoping to get from a semi-hollow.

I'd still go with the Seths, but you also couldn't go wrong with a Jazz neck pup. They're real nice and not muddy like other neck pups.

[LtKojak]

I'm thinking of buying an ES-339 from a friend. It's stock at the moment so it has the 57 Classics in it. I've got those in an LP at the moment and they're OK (soon to be changed for the Slash set), but I've played the ES-339 and they're a little uninspiring.

Unplugged the guitar is loud and twangy.

I want a nice airy, dry, articulate tone in the neck; I suspect it's going to be a '59 or a Seth - but should I also consider anything else? Pearly Gates perhaps? Jazz? I might split this pickup to the screw coil too, but I'd rather have a nice humbucker tone than compromise to get the single coil sound.

For the bridge I'm after I guess what you'd call a rockabilly tone. The most gain I'll ever use with this guitar would be just a little boost into the amp to overdrive the input a little. So to me that says probably low output again. Another 59? Could it be that simple? What else should I consider for that?

If I was you, before changing p'ups altogether, I'd try those '57 Classics with an A4 magnet in, plus changing the stock volume pots with some nice, 550K CTS. Making both mods will take you at least in the ballpark you're aiming for. The rest will be fine-tuning the right p'up height, which in your case is mandatory.

I've made this mod to a customer of mine with his newly acquired (used) CS ES-339 and he was happy as a clam.

If not, I think a Seth Lover set would sound REALLY GOOD in a 339, assuming you WILL change the volume pots as well.

Last but not least, if you like it articulated and twangy, an A2 Jazz set will give you that in spades. I have this very set in my Gibson L-5 CES copy and they provide all the articulation I'll ever need and then some.

HTH,

[jumble jumble]

Cool. Looks like I'll need to keep it stock for a month or so to be sure about this stuff. It's going to sound different on my amp to his too, so at the moment I can't be sure it'll need changing. We used to have the same amp solaying his was like playing mine. But I think, actually, he got a different amp before I tried this guitar. I definitely know I don't like his new amp. Maybe it's just that.

[Tio Kimo]

I agree that Seth's are a great addition to any semi.

that said, if you're interested in a Jazz Neck.....check this thread.

[blueman335]

If I was you, before changing p'ups altogether, I'd try those '57 Classics with an A4 magnet in, plus changing the stock volume pots with some nice, 550K CTS. Making both mods will take you at least in the ballpark you're aiming for. The rest will be fine-tuning the right p'up height, which in your case is mandatory.

I've made this mod to a customer of mine with his newly acquired (used) CS ES-339 and he was happy as a clam.

If not, I think a Seth Lover set would sound REALLY GOOD in a 339, assuming you WILL change the volume pots as well.

Last but not least, if you like it articulated and twangy, an A2 Jazz set will give you that in spades. I have this very set in my Gibson L-5 CES copy and they provide all the articulation I'll ever need and then some.

HTH,

+1 on all points.

[Aceman]

WHat about plain old 59?

How does the 339 sonic mojo differ from the 335? 59's are always a good answer for 335's

[Gearjoneser]

I think if it were mine, I'd go for two proven winners in the Duncan line.

C/59 Hybrid/Pearly Gates Neck.

[dkal24]

I don't care much for the 57 Classics but I played a 339 Ultra with Epi's new Probuckers and I thought they sounded pretty good.