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Pick up placement on single pup ES330 and tone

mob

Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2015
Messages
64
There may be many threads on the topic and I should take the time to check. My 1st search didn't come up with much.

I may looking at another es330 soon (major P90 head) A '62 / single p90. My first choice before I found the recently purchased ES 330 '59 RI which I got a screamin' deal on. To those in the know what are the character differences in tone? Do to pup placement, would it be similar to the neck or bridge pup on a dual? Or it's own animal? Don't know the actual dimensions but with the naked eye it looks to be somewhere closer to the middle. Thanks for any insight.
 

marshall1987

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Messages
3,278
There may be many threads on the topic and I should take the time to check. My 1st search didn't come up with much.

I may looking at another es330 soon (major P90 head) A '62 / single p90. My first choice before I found the recently purchased ES 330 '59 RI which I got a screamin' deal on. To those in the know what are the character differences in tone? Do to pup placement, would it be similar to the neck or bridge pup on a dual? Or it's own animal? Don't know the actual dimensions but with the naked eye it looks to be somewhere closer to the middle. Thanks for any insight.

I'm not so sure that the position of the P-90 in those guitars is located at the proper position to "hear" the desirable harmonics. I can't think of any valid argument for that pickup placement. I would rather have a single P-90 at the bridge or neck. Your mileage may vary.
 

j45

Active member
Joined
Jun 14, 2002
Messages
9,081
I've played quite a few center position 330's and other Gibson's and they sound kinda cool. Definitely not like a neck or bridge pickup and not like the center position switch either because lack of the sparkly harmonics from the interaction of the two. We had a Les Paul Forum member named Troels and I believe his only or main guitar was a one PU 330 and to listen to him it was the single best guitar God or Gibson ever designed and you didn't dare question or disagree with him....you may want to search for some of his old posts. To his credit he was into it big time and did have a wealth of knowledge on the fine construction nuances of the 330 and some of his posts would be worth reading. It seems like I haven't seen him post in at least 5 years or so, though. If the price is REALLY good they could be a nice second guitar for your sound palette... otherwise, unless a steal and you have other guitars, I believe money is better spent on more traditional placements.
 

mob

Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2015
Messages
64
Points well taken guys and I tend to agree with both of you. There is a certain magic that lives in the center position/both pups and imo nothing beats a neck p90 in a hollow. Thanks for sharing.
 

class5lp

Well-known member
Joined
May 10, 2005
Messages
1,629
There may be many threads on the topic and I should take the time to check. My 1st search didn't come up with much.

I may looking at another es330 soon (major P90 head) A '62 / single p90. My first choice before I found the recently purchased ES 330 '59 RI which I got a screamin' deal on. To those in the know what are the character differences in tone? Do to pup placement, would it be similar to the neck or bridge pup on a dual? Or it's own animal? Don't know the actual dimensions but with the naked eye it looks to be somewhere closer to the middle. Thanks for any insight.

If you are buying it just as a player only and you are hell bent on the tone of a 1 pick up 330 than what I going to tell you don't even matter. The single pickup 330's are not a desirable guitar at all and very difficult to sell. Bottom line is nobody wants them and that's the truth. From a cost stand point you are with in hundreds of dollars between a single pick 330 and a reissue 330 with 2 pickups. From a tonal stand point I have always thought the single pick up 330 to be kind of flat, just in the middle with not many options. Most if not all the tone type of changes has to be with your amp settings which is not a big deal I guess. In addition when comparing the cost of a reissue 2 pickup 330 and an original mid 60's 330 now that's a no brainer. Depending on the year and condition of course there may only be a $500-1500 difference between a reissue 2 pup 330 and a mid 60's 330 but the original in most all cases will sound better and certainly will always be more desirable than an original 1 pup 330 or a reissue.
 

mob

Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2015
Messages
64
If you are buying it just as a player only and you are hell bent on the tone of a 1 pick up 330 than what I going to tell you don't even matter. The single pickup 330's are not a desirable guitar at all and very difficult to sell. Bottom line is nobody wants them and that's the truth. From a cost stand point you are with in hundreds of dollars between a single pick 330 and a reissue 330 with 2 pickups. From a tonal stand point I have always thought the single pick up 330 to be kind of flat, just in the middle with not many options. Most if not all the tone type of changes has to be with your amp settings which is not a big deal I guess. In addition when comparing the cost of a reissue 2 pickup 330 and an original mid 60's 330 now that's a no brainer. Depending on the year and condition of course there may only be a $500-1500 difference between a reissue 2 pup 330 and a mid 60's 330 but the original in most all cases will sound better and certainly will always be more desirable than an original 1 pup 330 or a reissue.

Appreciate you comments. Yes I just bought a 2012 (2 pup) ES330 VOS and love it. No real desire now to get the 62 single pup I originally saw locally. Never went to play/hear it but the condition, price and unique-ness caught my eye. After the opinions shared here and from players I know who have experience it's a no go on the single pup. Now if it were an early 60's lp jr (SG shape)....
 

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
The single pickup 330's are not a desirable guitar at all and very difficult to sell. Bottom line is nobody wants them and that's the truth.

Well, that's definitely not true. :wah

I love mine, and I bet there are others who like them. :salude

DSCN9786.JPG
 

renderit

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Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
10,951
Just to play devil advocate, if nobody will buy them then the prices would not all be so damn close to the 2 pickup version. The statement just makes no sense in the business setting.
 

class5lp

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Joined
May 10, 2005
Messages
1,629
Well, that's definitely not true. :wah

I love mine, and I bet there are others who like them. :salude

DSCN9786.JPG

Yes but you are the rare extreme not the norm. As a general rule one cant give them away.
 

j45

Active member
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Jun 14, 2002
Messages
9,081
I often respond that way to absolute type statements like: " ... nobody wants them ...". :salude

Those statements usually don't come from players. I see well seasoned guitarists using one-P-90 Gibson's all the time. They do sell among real guitar players who are looking for a unique sound in their tone palette. As someone said, if "no one" bought them the prices would be much lower. In my experience it's the ones who make statements like that thinking they know what to "invest in" that usually get stuck with limited edition or collector's pieces they can't give away. Sit down, play one, and you'll be surprised how a different sound will bring out different nuances of your style, expand your playing horizons and bring out things you would have never discovered in your own playing. They can be great instruments.
 

lonesomesheik

Active member
Joined
Nov 18, 2009
Messages
1,217
I remember fondly my 1950 ES 175 with one pickup, it was light as a feather and a tone to die for!!!
 

boburst

Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2002
Messages
125
Over DECADES dealing with guitars, I've NEVER had anyone with experience that asked for one. It's the "center" placement problem, not the fact that it's a single pickup (same with ES 225 single pu).
 
Joined
Dec 11, 2014
Messages
58
Truth is, these are unique guitars.

I recently acquired a near mint 62'. The middle position never bothered me in terms of playability. I guess it all depends on the way you play.

Tone wise, it is a great guitar with a very distinctive sound. It will never be my "desert island guitar" but it has a great spot in my collection. I play it everytime I want something that sounds different.

 

Wally

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Joined
Feb 27, 2003
Messages
3,535
I have an early '60's ES-125T with that single pickup arrangement. I find that the guitar can be a great sounding guitar unless it is plugged into certain amps. Those amps don't let the guitar do anything but create mud. Through other amps, it can yield great warm bodied cleans and screaming overdrive. This guitar is a mess cosmetically. Someone painted it black...everything...even the binding is covered. There is some sort of MIJ nylon roller 'tuneomatic' bridge on it and it needs a good bone nut. I have turned down numerous offers over the years even with the drawbacks...because it has a fantastic neck, and I plug it into the amps that let it do what it can do.
 

Big Al

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Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
I have a few guitars. I indulged my G.A.S. once I started making $$$ giging starting mid 70's. Not building a collection so much as a tool chest. I never just kept a piece of gear as an investment, or because it was cool. If I didn't like it, it was gone, no matter how cool, rare, valuable or desired. Bleh, .... GONE!

I hang on to the good stuff, IMO. I say this because in 1976 I bought a 1957 ES225T which is very similar with a centered p90. It is different. I used the knobs a lot. I still have it. I still enjoy it, you know why.
 
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