ES-335 and 57 Classic PLUS in Bridge Question

[bluezguy]

Hey ... I respectfully submit this question to ONLY those of you who ARE currently using an ES-335 or 345 or 355 loaded with 57 Classic neck and 57 Classic Plus bridge - NO other models please! My latest acquisition, a 335 Dot Re-Issue 2006 came stock from the factory with a pair of 57 Classics. The neck measures at 7.96k and the bridge measures in at 7.98k meaning, they are pretty much identical.

 

Since I use mostly the neck, mostly wide open, and the pup height adjusted to maximum (according to the godfather of pickups, Mr. Bill Lawrence r.i.p.), when I flick 'er down to the bridge pup - it too, being adjusted to max height, the volume difference makes the bridge wimpy and not usable.

 

I come to you asking about the 57 Classic Plus as I know it can come in DCR values of 8.6k - 9.1k. This could quite possibly cure my problem. I also understand that DCR is NOT a guarantee or measurement of volume output. However, it does seem to be in my 2013 ES-335 where when I bought it new, the same 57 Classics were in her with the same problem (my problem) - almost equal outputs.

 

I bought a set of matched Seth Lovers where neck is 7.24k and bridge came in at 8.6k ... cleanest, most transparent/dimensional sounding pups I've ever heard. WHAT A PERFECT BALANCE - btw ... this particular 335 is used only for my original works. My 'new' '06 is my cover song R&R balls to the wall weapon. The Classics seem to respond very well to both my Fender Super and Marshall VM stack. The Seths are better with my finger style plucking through the Super.

 

Has anyone achieved this "perfect balance" with the 57 Classic Plus and 57 Classic in your ES-335???

 

I know there's a 'uge' number of democrat 57 Classic haters out there but that's because obviously your ears don't work [lol]. I've been at the performer end of the biz for over 40 years now and, of all the dozens of Gibsons I've owned and hundreds of pickup swaps done, a 57 Classic is still hard to beat.

[stein]

Not a 335 owner, not a '57 classic owner. But I do have a couple ideas.

 

One, I don't know that "maximum" is the ideal height, especially at the neck. Maybe worth considering. Personally, I find things sound better low, but that's me. If you have tried and decided...

 

Another, what are the pot values? Gibson for some reason has been using 300k pots in a lot of their humbucker guitars, almost making it the new standard. The old standard was 500k. So if you have 300k volume pots and you like the sound of everything except the bridge volume, might change the bridge volume pot to 500k.

[Sava]

Hey ... I respectfully submit this question to ONLY those of you who ARE currently using an ES-335 or 345 or 355 loaded with 57 Classic neck and 57 Classic Plus bridge - NO other models please! My latest acquisition, a 335 Dot Re-Issue 2006 came stock from the factory with a pair of 57 Classics. The neck measures at 7.96k and the bridge measures in at 7.98k meaning, they are pretty much identical.

 

Since I use mostly the neck, mostly wide open, and the pup height adjusted to maximum (according to the godfather of pickups, Mr. Bill Lawrence r.i.p.), when I flick 'er down to the bridge pup - it too, being adjusted to max height, the volume difference makes the bridge wimpy and not usable.

 

I come to you asking about the 57 Classic Plus as I know it can come in DCR values of 8.6k - 9.1k. This could quite possibly cure my problem. I also understand that DCR is NOT a guarantee or measurement of volume output. However, it does seem to be in my 2013 ES-335 where when I bought it new, the same 57 Classics were in her with the same problem (my problem) - almost equal outputs.

 

I bought a set of matched Seth Lovers where neck is 7.24k and bridge came in at 8.6k ... cleanest, most transparent/dimensional sounding pups I've ever heard. WHAT A PERFECT BALANCE - btw ... this particular 335 is used only for my original works. My 'new' '06 is my cover song R&R balls to the wall weapon. The Classics seem to respond very well to both my Fender Super and Marshall VM stack. The Seths are better with my finger style plucking through the Super.

 

Has anyone achieved this "perfect balance" with the 57 Classic Plus and 57 Classic in your ES-335???

 

I know there's a 'uge' number of democrat 57 Classic haters out there but that's because obviously your ears don't work [lol]. I've been at the performer end of the biz for over 40 years now and, of all the dozens of Gibsons I've owned and hundreds of pickup swaps done, a 57 Classic is still hard to beat.

Try this factory setup.

 

"Hi I'm David the final inspector at Gibson Memphis. I can give you the factory spec info. on our setups. You will need a mechanics rule to do this properly.

...

Pickups: Fret low E at 22nd fret and measure pickup height from underside of string to point on pickup closest to string. Bridge pickup should be 3/64" (1.19 mm), neck pickup should be 4/32" (3.17 mm). Fret high E at 22nd fret, distance for both pickups should be 3/32" (2.38 mm)."

 

Note: bass side of the bridge pickup is closer to the strings.

[bluezguy]

Try this factory setup.

 

"Hi I'm David the final inspector at Gibson Memphis. I can give you the factory spec info. on our setups. You will need a mechanics rule to do this properly.

...

Pickups: Fret low E at 22nd fret and measure pickup height from underside of string to point on pickup closest to string. Bridge pickup should be 3/64" (1.19 mm), neck pickup should be 4/32" (3.17 mm). Fret high E at 22nd fret, distance for both pickups should be 3/32" (2.38 mm)."

 

Note: bass side of the bridge pickup is closer to the strings.

Thanks Sava! It IS a perfect setup if it is done with the accurate measurements as listed. I tried it and was very impressed HOWEVER; it is not for me. My ears and preference are for this 57 neck pup to be set up as high as possible to give me the tones I need. In this position, the 57 is incredibly powerful and really shows it's colors. I will submit some soundclips somewhere in the next week or so.

 

This still means I stay on track for the 57 Classic Plus because everything I've read on the 'thousands' of pages of users on the 'net DO say it is substantially louder than the regular 57. Nobody seems to address the tone so, I guess I'll just have to find out