shakey64 Posted December 12, 2014 Share Posted December 12, 2014 I picked up an EPI 335 PRO couple weeks ago. Nice axe...I don't use the coil spit option at all. Ive previously owned probably 3 DOTS before. I think these PRO pickups are just a little too bright..than Im used to. Seems the prior pups had little more warmth to them. Maybe Im crazy. Am I the only one that like those earlier pickups used on DOTS or even SG's? Before the PRO? Im thinking of just getting an older DOT model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingfrets Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 Forgive me for questioning the obvious, but are you sure it was in humbucking, not single-coil mode? The single-coil mode doesn't come with all the 60 cycle hum & buzz you'd get with a Strat. It'd be fairly easy to mistake it for a "thin" humbucker. I made that mistake myself when I bought an LP Plus Top Pro last spring. When I figured out what I was doing, I found the actual humbucking pickup to be very full bodied with a really sweet tone and chime - no mud at all. And definitely NOT overly bright (though the top end is very clear & distinct). With moderate overdrive (just past signal break up - I don't use metal style distortion), it became very "throaty." Nice growl, but still articulate and defined. By no means a boutique pickup, but I like 'em enough that they're staying in the guitar (the only one of my Epiphones I can say that about). But as they say, beauty is in the eye (or ear) of the beholder . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byrds1965 Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 I picked up an EPI 335 PRO couple weeks ago. Nice axe...I don't use the coil spit option at all. Ive previously owned probably 3 DOTS before. I think these PRO pickups are just a little too bright..than Im used to. Seems the prior pups had little more warmth to them. Maybe Im crazy. Am I the only one that like those earlier pickups used on DOTS or even SG's? Before the PRO? Im thinking of just getting an older DOT model. No you are not the only one. I do not like the Alnico Classic Pro I find them bright as you describe and just plain flat = one dimensional. I like the Probucker much better and I think they have some depth or dimension to them. They are both bright PUs like you say. In the ACPs just a bright flat PU in my opinion. I think in the Probucker the depth = uneven winds, I don't know how to describe right make them sound more like a bright 57 or very close to the new Gibson 61s. I own the same guitar as you and swapped the ACPs for PBs. I like the 335 Pro and the coil tap concept in that style of guitar.......I also own a Gibson 335 for comparison. With the Probuckers it sounds good..........not a Gibson despite what others say in reviews.....but a nice guitar that does several things well now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byrds1965 Posted December 13, 2014 Share Posted December 13, 2014 One last suggestion: If you own any Burstbucker guitars which is what Epiphone says these are based on they are bright PUs and the guitars I have them in minus the new Gibson 61a also in the Burstbucker family I do find the high end piercing and always roll the tone off to deal with them. I love both 57s and the new Gibson 61s....any Burstbucker guitar I have owned or played........MEH. The Epiphone ACP they claim is based directly on the 57.......sorry no I do not hear it at all as you say lack of mid warmth and flat. The Probucker is "based" on the Burstbucker that I buy though does not sound like a real Gibson Burstbucker either.......they sound very close to the new Gibson 61s or a scooped mid/bright 57. I would guess the ACP is just an even wound PB and both are based off the Gibson Brustbucker 1s or 2s? Try rolling the tone off and you will get rid of some of the high end and allow the mids to come forward more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shakey64 Posted December 14, 2014 Author Share Posted December 14, 2014 thanks BYRDS1965.....that settles my mind....not just me! lol! ....that's what I kind of hear...bright and flat. The word I was gonna use on my original post was DEPTH...didn't have the depth of my previous DOTS had. I think the older DOTS had PRO BUCKERS? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willsjazz Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 I agree 100% with you. I love my 335 pro but hated the original pickups. I also found the coil tapping useless. I guess Epi's theory is that it makes the guitar more versatile. But that's not what 335s are built for. The coil tapped position sounded terrible, and the standard position was just ok. Kinda flat and thin. I ended up putting in standard gts volume pots and Gibson classic 57s. Now is sounds great. Btw, I played an Epi 355 a while back and that sounded pretty good stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byrds1965 Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 thanks BYRDS1965.....that settles my mind....not just me! lol! ....that's what I kind of hear...bright and flat. The word I was gonna use on my original post was DEPTH...didn't have the depth of my previous DOTS had. I think the older DOTS had PRO BUCKERS? It gets very confusing: The old Epiphone PUs were the Alnico Classics no Pro on the end, the newer ones I think sound ok as in my Pelham Blue 355 I think they did some kind of upgrade on them = they are Alnico 5 mags and more like a Gibson 490. The 2 new PUs introduced about 2010? are the Alnico Classic Pro = Epiphone claims is a direct copy of the Gibson 57 and Alnico 2 mags The Probucker = Epiphone says their copy of a Gibson Burstbucker and Alnico 2 mags but do not state which Burstbucker they copied I II III etc. From owing guitars with all the PUs would say they tried to copy a Gibson Burstbucker 1 or 2.......I am not a Gibson Burstbucker fan though I have guitars with them. I think all they did was copy a Gibson Burstbucker in the Probucker and then make the ACP an even wind version and why it sounds flat to me. The Probucker I like the best of the Epiphone PUs and I have done direct comparison to the Probucker guitars and ACP guitars. My friend got the first run of the Epiphone ES339s with the Probuckers before they changed to the ES339Pro with ACPs. That was the first guitar I heard the Probuckers in and liked/still like it. Every one I played at SA or GC after I thought sounded off and can go back to search old posts here where Epiphone changed PUs, name, and dropped the price. I knew buying my 335Pro that I do not like the ACPs it came with but do like the guitar and the block inlays like my old Gibson 68 335 I sold years ago. I swapped my PUs to a set of Probuckers I got on Ebay and like the tone of the guitar and wanted a 335 style guitar that does the coil tap thing and not messing with my current Gibson 335 on that. I have a Gibson 335 so not trying to make a budget version 335 clone.......I like it for what it is but it will never be a Gibson 335 as nice as it is. If you do get a Probucker guitar roll the tone back and the mids will come forward some not like a Gibson 57 but a nice sound. If you like 57s either get the 4 wire set to keep the coil tap functions of the guitar or just get a set to wire it straight HB and replace all the pots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byrds1965 Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 thanks BYRDS1965.....that settles my mind....not just me! lol! ....that's what I kind of hear...bright and flat. The word I was gonna use on my original post was DEPTH...didn't have the depth of my previous DOTS had. I think the older DOTS had PRO BUCKERS? Sorry double post.........deleted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VinceS Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 As was said before, beauty is in the ear of the beholder. I have a 2012 ES-339 with the Probuckers in it and I'm fine with the tone. It sounds very rich and full going thru my Peavy Delta Blues 115 amp. Maybe the 15" speaker helps out. Not sure, but I know that I do like them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byrds1965 Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 As was said before, beauty is in the ear of the beholder. I have a 2012 ES-339 with the Probuckers in it and I'm fine with the tone. It sounds very rich and full going thru my Peavy Delta Blues 115 amp. Maybe the 15" speaker helps out. Not sure, but I know that I do like them. If your ES339 has the Probuckers we agree.......if the Alnico Classic Pros.......then no. As I and others have said in the past..........Epiphone confused things by naming things so close to each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
byrds1965 Posted December 14, 2014 Share Posted December 14, 2014 Maybe the moderator can post a sticky of guitars and PU specs as every time this comes up gets very confusing and all goes back the introduction of the ES339 and ES339 Ultra. The run first ES339 2010? had Probuckers others have posted thiers and my friend owns one.......we checked the PUs are labeled PB not ACP. Took his PUs out on a string change to find out why sounded different than all the other ES339s we played at all the stores back then: Following this and all kind of people confused: The President of Epiphone posted that the ES339 changed names and spec to the ES339PRO and now came with Alnico Classic Pros and they dropped the price $100. The ES339 Ultra introduced at the same time has always had the Probucker from the beginning until now. Maybe there are other ES339s out there other than first runs with the Probuckers ie: the factory ran out of PUs and just installed what they had......would not surprise me. The poster asked about the ES335Pro which I own and know comes with the ACPs and I agreed I do not like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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