Rabs Posted May 27, 2021 Share Posted May 27, 2021 (edited) Ok, its not a dilemma at all but I have an issue. I was twiddling around on my 336 this evening and noticed something. The problem is that it has two different sides of guitar OCD fighting each other. Basically I noticed that the neck pickup is not parallel to the strings.. In looking at it, it just needs a non sloped surround rather than a sloped one (I even have several in stock).. That would sort it out immediately. BUT the Gibson nerd fanboy in me says, leave it, its factory and doesnt really make any difference... The luthier in me cant stand it though 😄 I am being pulled apart here... (yes I am somewhat bored) Its odd actually. I just checked my LPs and including the one with P90s, all of the neck pickups are perfectly parallel.. Damn it!! That makes it worse Edited May 27, 2021 by Rabs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 27, 2021 Share Posted May 27, 2021 Do it what have you got to lose? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted May 27, 2021 Author Share Posted May 27, 2021 Just now, Sgt. Pepper said: Do it what have you got to lose? Then it wont be stock any more which may annoy me as much as not changing it 😄 (I know how ridiculously stupid this all is) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 27, 2021 Share Posted May 27, 2021 Just now, Rabs said: Then it wont be stock any more which may annoy me as much as not changing it 😄 (I know how ridiculously stupid this all is) I think you need to chose your battles. Just change strings and call it a day. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted May 27, 2021 Author Share Posted May 27, 2021 1 minute ago, Sgt. Pepper said: I think you need to chose your battles. Just change strings and call it a day. Yeah I may wait till the next string change and do it then... In looking at the difference between how the LP is made and the 336 is made it seems the angle of the neck is less and thus probably the reason.. They just put them on all of them I think... All silly stuff really but where else can I share this sort of thing? 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 27, 2021 Share Posted May 27, 2021 1 minute ago, Rabs said: Yeah I may wait till the next string change and do it then... In looking at the difference between how the LP is made and the 336 is made it seems the angle of the neck is less and thus probably the reason.. They just put them on all of them I think... All silly stuff really but where else can I share this sort of thing? 🙂 I've owned a few SG's and those really have a steap angle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted May 27, 2021 Author Share Posted May 27, 2021 21 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said: I've owned a few SG's and those really have a steap angle. Check side by side with my LP Standard.. Quite a difference. Yet if you look at the string height on the fretboard they are about the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted May 27, 2021 Share Posted May 27, 2021 Just Pete Townshend it and call it a day. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNJ Posted May 27, 2021 Share Posted May 27, 2021 Hi Rabs, just use your ears 😉 As long as it sounds good, it's adjusted just fine. BTW, that is one FINE looking guitar! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted May 27, 2021 Author Share Posted May 27, 2021 (edited) 2 minutes ago, CNJ said: Hi Rabs, just use your ears 😉 As long as it sounds good, it's adjusted just fine. BTW, that is one FINE looking guitar! Yeah I know I am being silly.. We will see 🙂 And thanks.. Its my newest guitar, only had it since about October last year.. Has been my dream guitar for a long time now and it sounds and plays as good as it looks.. Everyone should try a 336 if you ever get the chance. Edited May 27, 2021 by Rabs 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNJ Posted May 27, 2021 Share Posted May 27, 2021 Stunning! The closest I have to that is an Epiphone Sheraton (sorry for the small thumbnail pic), but hopefully one day soon will be able to get the 336. Enjoy playing it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lungimsam Posted May 27, 2021 Share Posted May 27, 2021 (edited) It’s a 336, not a LP.Contact Gibson. There may be a reason they want that pickup tilted. Edited May 27, 2021 by Lungimsam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted May 27, 2021 Share Posted May 27, 2021 I think my SGs have the same "odditiy" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted May 27, 2021 Share Posted May 27, 2021 If you just turned the pickup surround around?...... I'd sort it anyway, it would look much better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karloff Posted May 27, 2021 Share Posted May 27, 2021 yea, just flip the plastic mount around ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted May 27, 2021 Author Share Posted May 27, 2021 2 hours ago, jdgm said: If you just turned the pickup surround around?...... I'd sort it anyway, it would look much better. Hmm yeah maybe.. Might look a bit odd though..... I will check the specs of the rings I have at my "workshop" tomorrow and see if they will fit. But I may try turning it around.. Certainly the easy option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted May 27, 2021 Share Posted May 27, 2021 1 hour ago, Karloff said: yea, just flip the plastic mount around ... Yes this is exactly what I did. I will post a picture when my stupid mail starts working again. I hope you have better luck. One of my springs pinged off. I didnt find it until about 6 weeks later. I had the cut the other spring in half and use it that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted May 27, 2021 Share Posted May 27, 2021 ok this is the pickup ring flipped around on my 339 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted May 27, 2021 Author Share Posted May 27, 2021 4 minutes ago, merciful-evans said: ok this is the pickup ring flipped around on my 339 Hmm, interesting.. Thanks for posting. Your neck surround looks like its the thicker type.. They usually use the thinner ones like on my one for the neck.. Odd... I still may have to just change it out for a non wedged one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted May 27, 2021 Share Posted May 27, 2021 Either that or play it and don't think about it? I know, what fun would that be. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted May 27, 2021 Author Share Posted May 27, 2021 3 minutes ago, SteveFord said: Either that or play it and don't think about it? I know, what fun would that be. I was doing that until I noticed it.. I cant un-notice it now I know.... 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveFord Posted May 27, 2021 Share Posted May 27, 2021 I knew that was coming! It's not a carve thing, my 137 has them parallel, the 335s are slanted. They've been making these things for decades, I can't imagine them doing it because they're incompetent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted May 27, 2021 Author Share Posted May 27, 2021 1 minute ago, SteveFord said: I knew that was coming! It's not a carve thing, my 137 has them parallel, the 335s are slanted. They've been making these things for decades, I can't imagine them doing it because they're incompetent. No.. But I ca n imagine them doing it because its just how they do it and how they have always done it.. Doesnt make it right 😛 (like the stupid headstock angle). They do it just cos thats how they do it.. And by MEs picture as with other things they do, its not even consistent let alone logical. And I am not even saying its wrong. In fact I have said all along that this whole thing is pretty silly. BUT it seems I am not the only one who thought that so at least it was worth while for me even just for that... 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twang Gang Posted May 27, 2021 Share Posted May 27, 2021 (edited) Hey Rabs - glad you are enjoying the 336, they can't be beat. You are not the first one to notice this string angle to the pickups. I flipped my pick-up ring 180 degrees on my 336 and that got the strings very close to parallel to the pick-up. Bad Blues Player noticed the same thing on his 335 so he sanded the bottom of the pickup ring flat and that got his real close too. Our opinion is that the ES models have more of a curve in the top than a LP, but Gibson puts the same pick-up rings on both models causing that string to pickup angle. I pretty much determined that it made no difference in sound, but it just bugged me to look down and see that big angle. If you spend another $1500 and upgrade to a 356 (made in the real Custom Shop as opposed to the pretend "custom shop" that they had in Memphis) they install two different pickup rings and the strings are pretty even to both pickups (see below, my 356). It's still not perfect, but it's a lot closer. Just one of those quirky Gibson things that they could easily remedy but don't want to spend the extra time and money to fix. Go ahead and fix yours so it's straight, you'll feel better about it, you'll know that you've improved the set-up a little and no one except you (and a few of us on this forum) will ever know that it's not stock the way it came from the factory. Here's my 356 from the factory (notice huge difference in pickup rings) And here is how my 336 looked after I flipped the ring around (Imgr says photo 4 years old when Bad Blues and I were discussing this :)) Edited May 27, 2021 by Twang Gang 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted May 28, 2021 Author Share Posted May 28, 2021 (edited) 5 hours ago, SteveFord said: I knew that was coming! It's not a carve thing, my 137 has them parallel, the 335s are slanted. They've been making these things for decades, I can't imagine them doing it because they're incompetent. In looking at the pics further.. You can see the neck is set in differently.. The LP has a carved slope from the neck pickup to the edge of the body and the fretboard sits on the body directly.. With the 33 series it seems that the neck wood is showing by a good 3-5mm... Just a different type of construction. As said above it means the 33 series has less of an angle on the neck so it has to be set in higher on the body. You can really see it in this pic Then check the LP.. The body is right up on the fretboard. Edited May 28, 2021 by Rabs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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