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gibson 330 reissues, vs. epiphone john lennon signatures

mrfett

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Jul 23, 2015
Messages
34
The 2012-2014 (I think) ES-330 Reissues are great. They have the original neck join (Gibson did a long neck reissue with the neck join more like an ES-335 a couple years before). I'd just caution to be careful with price. You can get nice vintage ES-330s that are killer guitars for not much more than the Reissues. You won't get the huge neck but some of those 60s 330s are fabulous guitars. I A/B'd my Reissue with a 60s and the vintage one smoked it (plugged in, unplugged my guitar sounded nicer), it was no question (which led to me getting a different set of pickups that were able to compete). Just my $.02.

V80PAxp.jpg
 

mdubya

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Mar 31, 2010
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1,020
The 2012-2014 (I think) ES-330 Reissues are great. They have the original neck join (Gibson did a long neck reissue with the neck join more like an ES-335 a couple years before). I'd just caution to be careful with price. You can get nice vintage ES-330s that are killer guitars for not much more than the Reissues. You won't get the huge neck but some of those 60s 330s are fabulous guitars. I A/B'd my Reissue with a 60s and the vintage one smoked it (plugged in, unplugged my guitar sounded nicer), it was no question (which led to me getting a different set of pickups that were able to compete). Just my $.02.

V80PAxp.jpg

Which pickups did you get, Mr. F? And did they deliver? Did you use the stock harness? I am not wild about the taper on any of the pots on my 330, but the pickups sound great at volume. They sound fairly pedestrian (but no real complaints) at the low volumes I tend to favor.

The neck pickup, in particular, sounds glorious through my Champ, or Champion 600, or through the Deluxe model on my Mustang.

TIA. :peace2
 

mrfett

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Jul 23, 2015
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Which pickups did you get, Mr. F? And did they deliver? Did you use the stock harness? I am not wild about the taper on any of the pots on my 330, but the pickups sound great at volume. They sound fairly pedestrian (but no real complaints) at the low volumes I tend to favor.

The neck pickup, in particular, sounds glorious through my Champ, or Champion 600, or through the Deluxe model on my Mustang.

TIA. :peace2

I had a set custom-wound by Bryan Gunsher. I described what I perceived as the problem and told him how the guitar was loud and resonant unplugged. He had to use the baseplate of the neck pickup (I think) because there's something special about it's size... but yeah in the end I was very happy.

There's another guy on one of the forums who bought a set of Throbak P-90s for his 330 Reissue after having a similar experience comparing his to vintage examples and he was very happy with the change. I didn't feel I needed all the exact historical appointments just that tone. Bryan doesn't advertise at all so his prices are very reasonable, and I had heard his Tele pickups before so I figured he could wind a good P-90 and he did. bg-pups.com

I kept the stock harness, although I think I replaced one of a fake bees with an orange drop because I broke it trying to wire everything myself (I ended up giving up and bringing it to my tech, I just lost patience trying to pull the output jack through with the piece of string I'd attached lol).

I did the comparison at a local guitar store that had the vintage one. There were a few different players there and we all took turns. It wasn't gig volume but it was decently loud, we were in the fancy room so we were playing some boutique amp, maybe a Friedman or vintage blackface? I really don't remember the amp but I remember that the older 330 just had MORE. Yes the pickups were louder but they were also clearer and had more definition. If you hadn't done the comparison side-by-side you'd have thought my guitar was fantastic, but the direct comparison revealed flaws you didn't know were there.
 
Last edited:

TM1

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Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
All, & I mean All of the Lennon's were built by Terada in Japan. They were shipped over here to the States and finished & hardwared. Same with the bodies for the Eric Clapton "Crossroads" guitar. Tereada made the bodies and then shipped them to Custom in Nashville..why? Because they did not have a mold/template for the `63/`64 era bodies. Terada, having made the Elites and the Lennon Casino's used the body shape for the Clapton's.
Not until Mike Voltz took over the factory in Memphis have we seen the correct body shape for post Mickey Mouse eared Gibson semi's.
 

jb_abides

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Apr 6, 2005
Messages
5,274
All, & I mean All of the Lennon's were built by Terada in Japan. They were shipped over here to the States and finished & hardwared. Same with the bodies for the Eric Clapton "Crossroads" guitar. Tereada made the bodies and then shipped them to Custom in Nashville..why? Because they did not have a mold/template for the `63/`64 era bodies. Terada, having made the Elites and the Lennon Casino's used the body shape for the Clapton's.
Not until Mike Voltz took over the factory in Memphis have we seen the correct body shape for post Mickey Mouse eared Gibson semi's.

Yes, thanks for the clarity; I was being sloppy above. My intent in using 'USA Lennons' (1999, plus the 2004/5 holdbacks) was to distinguish those built in Nashville from subsequent Lennon Casinos (which I believe originate totally built in Indonesia or China, made with US electronics).

To your point, isn't it also correct the necks were carved and definitely glued/set in Nashville? Then the HW and finishing. I think this was termed "Assembled in USA" by Epiphone...

:salude
 

mdubya

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Joined
Mar 31, 2010
Messages
1,020
I had a set custom-wound by Bryan Gunsher. I described what I perceived as the problem and told him how the guitar was loud and resonant unplugged. He had to use the baseplate of the neck pickup (I think) because there's something special about it's size... but yeah in the end I was very happy.

There's another guy on one of the forums who bought a set of Throbak P-90s for his 330 Reissue after having a similar experience comparing his to vintage examples and he was very happy with the change. I didn't feel I needed all the exact historical appointments just that tone. Bryan doesn't advertise at all so his prices are very reasonable, and I had heard his Tele pickups before so I figured he could wind a good P-90 and he did. bg-pups.com

I kept the stock harness, although I think I replaced one of a fake bees with an orange drop because I broke it trying to wire everything myself (I ended up giving up and bringing it to my tech, I just lost patience trying to pull the output jack through with the piece of string I'd attached lol).

I did the comparison at a local guitar store that had the vintage one. There were a few different players there and we all took turns. It wasn't gig volume but it was decently loud, we were in the fancy room so we were playing some boutique amp, maybe a Friedman or vintage blackface? I really don't remember the amp but I remember that the older 330 just had MORE. Yes the pickups were louder but they were also clearer and had more definition. If you hadn't done the comparison side-by-side you'd have thought my guitar was fantastic, but the direct comparison revealed flaws you didn't know were there.


Thank you. I truly appreciate that reply.

I grew up in Montgomery County and have been here doing business for about the last 18 months, also. I would love to know the name of your tech if you wouldn't mind sharing.
 

mrfett

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Joined
Jul 23, 2015
Messages
34
Thank you. I truly appreciate that reply.

I grew up in Montgomery County and have been here doing business for about the last 18 months, also. I would love to know the name of your tech if you wouldn't mind sharing.

Oh cool! I just take my stuff to the Drews at Chuck Levin's (they have 2 techs named Andrew who have been there I think since Paul Reed Smith worked there and one other guy who is also nice but isn't named Drew so I haven't learned his name lol). They're cool guys who have been at it a while and know what they're doing, although if you want things a certain way tell them because they'll turn an ABR-1 around the wrong way if they think it'll work better (which my OCD just can't handle lol). But they've worked on a lot of my guitars and done great work for little $, and they can handle vintage stuff and be trusted.

I'm going to have them install a De Lisle varitone circuit in my "issues" '59 ES-345 (and I may ask them to turn around the magnet in one of the (non-original) early patent # sticker pickups so that my middle position isn't OOP. I'm hoping they can do a neater job than I would (the covers have never been touched).

02V9Yt5.jpg
 

mrfett

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Joined
Jul 23, 2015
Messages
34
Thank you. I truly appreciate that reply.

I grew up in Montgomery County and have been here doing business for about the last 18 months, also. I would love to know the name of your tech if you wouldn't mind sharing.

Oh cool! I just take my stuff to the Drews at Chuck Levin's (they have 2 techs named Andrew who have been there I think since Paul Reed Smith worked there and one other guy who is also nice but isn't named Drew so I haven't learned his name lol). They're cool guys who have been at it a while and know what they're doing, although if you want things a certain way tell them because they'll turn an ABR-1 around the wrong way if they think it'll work better (which my OCD just can't handle lol). But they've worked on a lot of my guitars and done great work for little $, and they can handle vintage stuff and be trusted.

I'm going to have them install a De Lisle varitone circuit in my "issues" 1959 ES-345 (and I may ask them to turn around the magnet in one of the (non-original) early patent # sticker pickups so that my middle position isn't OOP. I'm hoping they can do a neater job than I would (the covers have never been touched).
 

mdubya

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Joined
Mar 31, 2010
Messages
1,020
Oh cool! I just take my stuff to the Drews at Chuck Levin's (they have 2 techs named Andrew who have been there I think since Paul Reed Smith worked there and one other guy who is also nice but isn't named Drew so I haven't learned his name lol). They're cool guys who have been at it a while and know what they're doing, although if you want things a certain way tell them because they'll turn an ABR-1 around the wrong way if they think it'll work better (which my OCD just can't handle lol). But they've worked on a lot of my guitars and done great work for little $, and they can handle vintage stuff and be trusted.

I'm going to have them install a De Lisle varitone circuit in my "issues" 1959 ES-345 (and I may ask them to turn around the magnet in one of the (non-original) early patent # sticker pickups so that my middle position isn't OOP. I'm hoping they can do a neater job than I would (the covers have never been touched).

Haven't been to Chuck's in years. I guess I need to pay them a visit.
 

bobore

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Joined
Jun 10, 2005
Messages
192
Yes, thanks for the clarity; I was being sloppy above. My intent in using 'USA Lennons' (1999, plus the 2004/5 holdbacks) was to distinguish those built in Nashville from subsequent Lennon Casinos (which I believe originate totally built in Indonesia or China, made with US electronics).

To your point, isn't it also correct the necks were carved and definitely glued/set in Nashville? Then the HW and finishing. I think this was termed "Assembled in USA" by Epiphone...

My understanding is that the USA series (Lennon Casino & JLH Sheraton) bodies were fully assembled & nitro finished by Terada in Japan, and then shipped to Nashville for installation of hardware & final assembly.

I have one of the JLH Sheratons, and the build quality is extremely high. I also have the Terada-made Elitist Casino, as well as a 2010 ES-330L in Beale St Blue, and a 2012 ES-330 VOS in natural finish.

As good as the Terada-made guitars are, the two recent 330s would be my keepers if forced to choose, and the 330-VOS would make the final cut if banished to a desert island with only one in hand.
 

handwerk

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Mar 13, 2017
Messages
44
??? Is there some text here?

sorry for posting for what is possibly a tired subject.
i would be interested in comparisons of overall quality in construction and sound, playability, between the 2; gibson reissues, vs. epiphone john lennon, signature casinos.
my experience is with the epiphone.

thinking of selling a gibson to finance a 330. in nyc, hard to believe there is not a store where they are plentiful. they do have a vintage 65, and 61 in one store. and also a reissue, out in long island, (with a bigsby).
i will check that out but vintage is not what i am desiring.

i keep reading the gibson 330 in general is constructed better, and sounds better, in general. i can believe this for obvious reasons, though i am certain you can find a casino which would out do a 330. i also like the idea of the 3 ply vs. 5 for added resonance. also, i honestly just prefer a gibson.

i have had a johnny a custom for 10 years and it is an excellent guitar, however i find i only use it for recording, and tho the value has doubled in that time, and will probably continue to do so i find my tastes have changed and i would rather have a guitar which also lends itself to creating music, (basically i write songs). have 2 casinos. one, too low volume/resonance. (i typically play unamplified), and the other, great acoustically, but somewhat harsh for my tastes, (the revolution model). I am also put off a bit purchasing on eBay for this guitar as guitars can vary so much, the chance of getting one that fits would be somewhat rare possibly.
 

Elliot Easton

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Mar 5, 2003
Messages
3,478
It has been said on the forum that there is a major diff twixt a 330 and a Casino. It has been said that a 330 is 3-ply and the Casino 5-ply, somehow making the Casino more feedback resistant at higher volumes, which might explain how The Beatles could play them thru the Vox Super Beatles.
 

CAGinLA

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Jan 4, 2016
Messages
489
It has been said on the forum that there is a major diff twixt a 330 and a Casino. It has been said that a 330 is 3-ply and the Casino 5-ply, somehow making the Casino more feedback resistant at higher volumes, which might explain how The Beatles could play them thru the Vox Super Beatles.

I am not certain about vintage ones, but that's definitely true for the re-issues. Gibson Memphis ES-330s are 3-ply maple-poplar-maple and most models of Epiphone Casinos (including the John Lennon models) are 5-play maple.
 

handwerk

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Mar 13, 2017
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I am not certain about vintage ones, but that's definitely true for the re-issues. Gibson Memphis ES-330s are 3-ply maple-poplar-maple and most models of Epiphone Casinos (including the John Lennon models) are 5-play maple.

have read the wood is better. oddly tho i have book a gibson book which the vintage 330's they used the leftover wood from other models to save, and it was a budget guitar.
 

StSpider

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Aug 24, 2002
Messages
2,148
I can't say I have tried all hollowbodies Gibson and Epiphone make or have made in the past but I can say this: my 2012 330 VOS is my best sounding and playing guitar. It's just a terrific instrument, better than the vintage pieces I put her up against (take this with a grain of salt because they weren't many tbh) and better than anything I own really. Feedback is very manageable too and keep in mind that I do play hard rock with it and gig it regularly. Only time I had problems was when I was gigging with my kemper and I only had frontal monitors to hear me so the sound guy had to cut some frequencies to prevent feedback. Still sounds fantastic in the recording tho.

It's my #1 and will likely ever be. My only gripe with it is the upper fret access but you can't have it all apparently.

A friend of mine was so in love with it that I gifted him a Casino. And let me tell you, it's a GREAT sounding guitar (Korean made IIRC) without even changing the pickups. But not as good as my 330.
 

handwerk

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Mar 13, 2017
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I can't say I have tried all hollowbodies Gibson and Epiphone make or have made in the past but I can say this: my 2012 330 VOS is my best sounding and playing guitar. It's just a terrific instrument, better than the vintage pieces I put her up against (take this with a grain of salt because they weren't many tbh) and better than anything I own really. Feedback is very manageable too and keep in mind that I do play hard rock with it and gig it regularly. Only time I had problems was when I was gigging with my kemper and I only had frontal monitors to hear me so the sound guy had to cut some frequencies to prevent feedback. Still sounds fantastic in the recording tho.

It's my #1 and will likely ever be. My only gripe with it is the upper fret access but you can't have it all apparently.

A friend of mine was so in love with it that I gifted him a Casino. And let me tell you, it's a GREAT sounding guitar (Korean made IIRC) without even changing the pickups. But not as good as my 330.

I have only been able to try 2. one a 59 dos, and 2nd, a 61 vintage. the 59 had 3 year old strings, and the action was atrocious. really bad. made me question whether the neck was good. the vintage was unremarkable. the problem with 330s is, in nyc that there are not any to be sampled. i know it can take awhile to find one which fits. i am interested in purchasing one but, especially eBay is a risk given the possibility of getting one which is not in complete working order, etc. i always have had a guitar set up of course. with some, replacing nut and bridge, but with this guitar being a reissue i'd rather not do this. a set up of course. this guitar i speak of may have needed fret leveling as well. not sure, but it was really quite bad.
 

handwerk

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Mar 13, 2017
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It has been said on the forum that there is a major diff twixt a 330 and a Casino. It has been said that a 330 is 3-ply and the Casino 5-ply, somehow making the Casino more feedback resistant at higher volumes, which might explain how The Beatles could play them thru the Vox Super Beatles.

well i read that the laminate on 330 is thicker, and after playing one yesterday i can state that on the 2 i played the laminate tho only 3ply was as thick as my lennon casino.
 

g6120

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Jan 17, 2009
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I've had a bunch of the Epiphones the original limited edition Lennon and the inspired as well as the stock version and found the Gibson Es 330 to have much more output and crunch just a mature sound in general the pickups are great . I prefer the 59 reissue very comfortable neck . Probably one of the best reissues that Gibson has made . Two different guitars that play and sound different in my estimation and saying this the Casino is a great instrument yes but the ES 330 is the one for me .

15844852_1223110934391337_7886026403557823430_o.jpg
 
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