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Es-335 with p90

Reinhard

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Nov 12, 2002
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Are these only available from Music123? Haven't seen any on Ebay yet...
 

Bluefinger

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Oct 16, 2006
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I played both the P90 335 and the P90 355 at the Gibson Factory in Memphis about two weeks ago ... especially the 335 was awsome. They told me that only 75 pieces are made of the 335 ... dunno about the 355 ...
 

plaintop60

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Nov 20, 2006
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The reason the 330 has the neck joint where it does is because the 330 is a double cutaway version of the thinline series. If they had given the guitar a neck like 335, the bridge would have to move away from the center of the arch towards the fingerboard. This would have really mucked up the guitar's geometry and tone. The es335 is a solid body guitar with hollow wings. Because of this they were able to give it the full electric treatment with access all the way up the neck like an sg.
 

Strings

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Aug 21, 2006
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335
Starting in '68 you could get a 330 with the 19th fret neck joint. Like a hollow 335 with P-90's. I have one. It's a great guitar. I'm always impressed with the range of tone it has. Nice variation from a humbuckered Les Paul. This thread actually made me get it out and play it for a while the other night and appreciate it all over again. Thanks guys!:2cool
 

andreja marovic

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Jun 1, 2004
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Those P90 ES335 AND 355 must be fantastic guitars.
I also like the Klussons tuners on the 335, looks much better than Grovers.
I wonder how heavy they are?

If I could get one I will have been very happy.
Love ES330 as well 335's....and this is a cross!!!
Thank you Gibson.This was a GREAT idea...wish they make more than 75 guitars each model.
What are we going to see next: 356 and 336 with P90's?
and WHY NOT?
 

Guitar Whiskey

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Aug 10, 2006
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I see Gibson has an image of this guitar on their site but don't mention it anywhere. Is Musicians Friend the only source? Anyone recently played one and what was your impression?
335p90.jpg
 

Bluefinger

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Oct 16, 2006
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I see Gibson has an image of this guitar on their site but don't mention it anywhere. Is Musicians Friend the only source? Anyone recently played one and what was your impression?
335p90.jpg

I played them both at the Memphis Factory. They are awsome. The 355 was a bit heavier but nothing extreme ... maybe just because of the Bigsby. They both had fat 50s necks and played extremely well. Grab one while they are around ...
 

slowjoe

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Jan 12, 2005
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330
It does sound great. My pal has one, saw him use it on some gigs, played it and ordered one today. The original 330 had the neck joint at fret 15 or 17, also they used a trapeze TP. Whatever you call it, it they sound great and are comfortable to play. It really cuts on the gig. Looking forward to getting it in my hands and firing up the Super Reverb...
 

Leña_Costoso

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Jul 24, 2005
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You could always drop in the P-94 (humbucker sized P-90) into a "regular" ES-335 to get that tone.

I would agree with GuitarWhiskey, this guitar will probably not sound exactly like an ES-330.

And neither does a P94 sound like a P90..... because what does a P90 sound like?

Not wanting to jump your case, just that you said something, and there are a lot of misconceptions.

Do all HBs sound the same? No. Do all Strat type SC's sound the same? No.

Why is it that when folks talk about a P90, its pretty much "a given" that P90s have this certain sound. They dont. Even Gibson P90's don't all sound the same, and there's evidence that this might have been on purpose.

The P90's found in "most" (who can say for sure...) older hollow Gibsons seem to be wound much lighter than the later P90's that were used in "entry level" solid bodies. Sure, there are many variations, but the general trend is as I stated.

Beside just the winding, there are obviously magnet differences, and base plate differences.

Even today - the CURRENT P90s Gibson is winding are almost 2k hotter than those of just three years ago. HUH? WHA? Having bought eight P90s in the last three years, I think I have a good handle on this. The ones in the converted Strat I did, and in my SG are in the high 7's/low 8s. That was three years or so ago. The BFG, and the P90's I put in the two tele's are all upper 9's/low10's.

The newer ones are much darker ... much. Not bad toned, just darker by a good amount, than the others. And louder too.

There are light wound very sweet toned open and airy P90's that are really something to be heard on an ES330 type guitar (or even 335 with block). There are heavy and meaty P90's that are really ballsy in guitars like SGs and even Firebirds. There's everything in between. And then there's Fralin, Duncan, etc etc ad nauseum. They all have different tones, just as all the HB's have different tones.

P94's, or at least the first gen of 10 years ago, were a relatively hot and ballsy pickup with a good deal of snarl. I hope they didn't change it. They sound a lot like the past present P90s, but with less lower mids and perhaps a more defined bottom thump. I've used these in Teles cut for HB's with good tone results... bluz monsters.

The Duncan Phats - I like em on hollow/semi hollow - are a relatively light toned pickup, and sound similar to the very old P90 that was used in the mid 50s in hollow bodies, but with a less solid low end. The low end is a bit subdued in these, and they actually have a bit of Stratty chime in solid bodies.

Rio Grande Fat Bastard didn't impress me at all. The two I had were just not made very well. One had its magnets out of phase and sounded like total crap. The replacement was not wound to spec (or partially shorted... hard to say). It also soudned like crap. I decided to cut my losses - you could look at the pickup and see it was just not made very well. Glue and silicone seal dripping from it, with thumbprints glued onto the base... just sloppy craftsmanship. Shoddy in fact.

So... P90's may or may not sound like P94's, and P90's have a very very wide tonal range. We should think of P90s as "dual magnet single coil pickups, with low wide coils". After that, all bets are off on tone... too many variables, as with all pickups.

Thanks JD
 

andreja marovic

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Jun 1, 2004
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The P90's ES335 is a fantastic idea...
I wish I could play one and tell you..
Anyway, I own various 330's and I also love the 335 NECK AND HOLLOW WINGS.This baby ( or a ES355 with P90's ) and Bigsby should make great tones and killer VIBE...If they could make a CS or Historeic body with P90's it would be a great guitar.
Looks like 333,336,339,330, 345,355 are very In fashion today.
 

slowjoe

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Jan 12, 2005
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330
there are a wide range of variations...and the host guitar has a lot to do with it. The P90's on my friend's 335p90 were in the 8k range IIRC which is what I'm hoping for- somewhere between my '56 cloud 9 and my R4... the maple block makes a BIG difference in tone and is what I'm looking for...I'd love an ES 357 , but they're big $ and they're hard to find...
 

garywright

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Aug 17, 2002
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slowjoe

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Jan 12, 2005
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330
its fallen off the Gibson Bus.. the guys at guitarsale.com have a bunch...
 

's mel gibson

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Aug 27, 2003
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They're all sold out.

I can just imagine every rich rock star wanting one or two.(of the entire series)

Also the lucky average joe who had the money at the time and went for any of them.
 

slowjoe

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Jan 12, 2005
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330
that was my one reservation, but its thicker than the GC R0s and my real '61 ES, not like a '59 neck but not too thin..
 

kitmac53

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Dec 27, 2006
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I played both the P90 335 and the P90 355 at the Gibson Factory in Memphis about two weeks ago ... especially the 335 was awsome. They told me that only 75 pieces are made of the 335 ... dunno about the 355 ...

I've just bought one in Cherry.I had no intention of buying a guitar,let alone a 335,but as soon as I started playing it,it was game over!
I've owned two other 335's which were ok,but this is in a different class. It seems to like/need less gain than the 'bucker equipped type,and seems lighter and thinner bodied,though that might be just my memory of the previous guitars I've owned.
I've been looking for info on the Gibson site with no luck,so is that correct that there are only 75 made?
Is it a Custom Shop guitar,or just Custom Shop designed? Whatever,it's very cool looking/sounding,with no mud from the neck pup,which is something I can't bear on any guitar as I like to get different tones by turning the volume down. It has a '60's neck which wouldn't have been my 1st choice,but it's great.Kluson tuners too,which I prefer over Grovers,though I know other's will disagree.Fit and finish is good too,and the cherry finish is almost Candy Apple Red in the right light,set off nicely by the "aged" binding. The only thing that doesn't look perfect is the switch tip,which is quite white,but that can be fixed easily enough!
Only got it on Wednesday,so haven't gigged it yet,but I'm looking forward to the next one very much. Any questions welcome.
 

ES345

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Aug 13, 2006
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Love to see a few pictures when you put it down long enough to snap a few, good luck and enjoy, should be a very versatile tone machine.


peace
 

Rasmus-Skov

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Nov 4, 2007
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I have a 68' ES-330 with the long neck joint... I actually prefer it that way. Some people think the guitar with the short neck joint looks more harmonic with the bridge mounted further down the body.
Billede000.jpg
 

Budokahn

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Oct 7, 2006
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I just picked up one of the p90 ES-335 It is just cool, unique, and has a great tone. I am really stoked and am really pretty pleased with the stock p90s so far.
 
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