Georgie_39 Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 Hi Everybody: My first topic here. I live in Santiango, Chile – South America. I went to Elvis week 2009 – Memphis, TN with a 21 chilean Elvis Presley fan club members. I bought a Gibson Custom ES-335 Dot Figured Top in Cherry Red Gloss Finish in Guitar Center, Memphis. I play Blues and Rockabilly too. I think Install a Bigsby Vibrato B-7 Model. I hate the Grover tuners and I think to change this for a Grover Deluxe 135N, Kluson Style with Tulip Head. I love the vintage look of this tuners. Any sugestion (opinion)?. Thanks. Georgie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgie_39 Posted September 28, 2009 Author Share Posted September 28, 2009 More Photos of my new Guitar. The guitar sound Great!. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sok66 Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 Really sweet! I just got a new 59 RI, waiting for it to arrive is driving me nuts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgie_39 Posted September 28, 2009 Author Share Posted September 28, 2009 Really sweet! I just got a new 59 RI' date=' waiting for it to arrive is driving me nuts! [/quote'] Thanks! ... The ’59 Reissue ... in antique natural .... my dream. Really nice guitar friend. The Upgrades for my guitar: 1.- Bigsby B-7 Vibrato 2.- Tune-O-Matic Roller Bridge (What is the best?) 3.- Gibson Custom Made Plaque (off course ...., a repro, not a original NOS from the '60s): 4.- Gibson Top Hat Silver - Reflector Knobs 5.- Grover Deluxe 135N Tuners Your opinions ... please [-o< . Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted September 29, 2009 Share Posted September 29, 2009 Very nice looking guitar!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Very nice Georgie. That may well be my next guitar as well. Unless I get a '61 RI SG first. Again, congrats, and welcome to the forums. There are some fine people here. Murph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgie_39 Posted September 30, 2009 Author Share Posted September 30, 2009 I would like to know your opinion relating to the upgrade that I want to do them to my guitar. Thanks :- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anothersixstringer Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 That is a beautiful guitar, felicitaciones! IMHO, I would not change anything. Maybe, just maybe the tuners (but would keep the originals) Adding the bigsby and the plaque would damage the original top and it's resale value would drop significantly. Not that you would ever sell it, but something to keep in mind. I remember that a local retail store here, custom ordered a lot of 335s with green tulip tuners and the plaque installed (no bigsby), it was priced at 3k Cdn last year.I bet you paid much more than that on your guitar. In any case, it is your guitar: do whatever makes you feel happy :- Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Hey Georgie, Congrats, it looks just like mine and I love it. I was thinking about changing my tuners as well. Do you know if they will fit perfectly? I personally like the Tulip over the chrome and I also like your choice of tuner knobs. Post some pics of you do any upgrades No go play it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Hey did they ship it for you or did you bring it back, just curious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeVeeWee Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Very nice guitar in a beautiful colour! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpdeluxe Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 I have a blonde one that I love, but if I had two, the second would be cherry red. Very nice guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgie_39 Posted October 2, 2009 Author Share Posted October 2, 2009 Hey Georgie' date=' Congrats, it looks just like mine and I love it. I was thinking about changing my tuners as well. Do you know if they will fit perfectly? I personally like the Tulip over the chrome and I also like your choice of tuner knobs. Post some pics of you do any upgrades No go play it [/quote'] The Grover Deluxe 135N have a great vintage look (Kluson Style - tulip head) and fit perfect on a Grover Rotomatic Holes of my ES-335 Dot. Gover Rotomatics= Gear Ratio is 14:1 Grover Deluxe 135N= Gear Ratio is 14:1 Look This: http://cgi.ebay.com/Grover-Vintage-135-Series-Tuners-135N-Nickel_W0QQitemZ350239858164QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar_Accessories?hash=item518bec1df4&_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116 http://cgi.ebay.com/Grover-Nickel-135N-Deluxe-Guitar-Tuners-for-Gibson_W0QQitemZ350258151851QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar_Accessories?hash=item518d0341ab&_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116 http://cgi.ebay.com/GROVER-135N-3-3-GUITAR-TUNER-MACHINE-HEADS-NICKEL_W0QQitemZ370268776781QQcmdZViewItemQQptZGuitar_Accessories?hash=item5635bd294d&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14 Regards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sok66 Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 Tempting as it might be to modify your new 335, I'd advise you play it as it is for some time before doing so. I'd be particularly cautious about installing the Bigsby on a stop tail guitar, because once the holes are drilled they're there for keeps. Although back in the day I installed them on a few of my player Gibson guitars, I'm not a fan of Grover tuners. They add a significant amount of weight and to me don't really cure many problems. Back in the 50s, 60s & 70s the Kluson's were pretty sloppy and wore rather quickly. However, the reproductions made today are just as precise as the Grovers and weigh much less. The Kluson-style Grover replacements may be a good answer, but there are also the Kluson-style that have the nut type bushings that you should also consider. (Just my $.02 worth here, of course!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpdeluxe Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 You might try the Vibromate adaptor to mount a Bigsby B5 on...no new holes, but it doesn't have the look. I just ordered one for my SG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Tone Pros offers Kluson Deluxe tulip tuners with tulip knobs that use bolt bushings so they'll fit the holes from the Grovers without conversion bushings. The chrome ones on my Les Paul Traditional are very nice and smooth, so I'd recommend you look into whether they have them in nickel (email Brian at Marquis Distributing with questions about Tone Pros products). If you want to go totally retro you could use conversion bushings so there's only a press-fit bushing visible from the front. Either way if you change from kidneybeans to tulips, you're going to be drilling twelve little holes in the back of the headstock for the small wood screws that hold the back of the tuner on. Since the guitar came with Grovers already, I'd leave them on unless the different weight up there makes a difference to you. Very nice guitar you have there, by the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ES345 Posted October 11, 2009 Share Posted October 11, 2009 Georgie Have you played a 335 with a Bigsby? You may not get quite the affect that your are after, my experience is that they they are quite limited as compared to some Gretsches (Brian Setzer). Tuning stability will be adversely affected, livable but not as stable, and changing strings takes 2 to 3 times longer to do. I have two Gretsches, Brian Setzer and a Elliot Easton, both have Bigsby's and work well, the Setzer has a great feel and affect the Easton is much more limited more like an LP with a Bigsby. Of your mods, the only one that i would do is changing to reflectors, minor and totally reversible. Your 335 is very nice, I would leave it as is, other than the reflectors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjcharley Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 Your guitar is beautiful! I have an Epiphone Riviera and Casino and I hope to one day own an ES-335. Oasis is one of my favorite bands and that guitar is the one that Noel Gallagher mainly uses. Have Fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild_Rose Posted October 12, 2009 Share Posted October 12, 2009 looks great! congrats! I wouldn't change its tuning keys if I were you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgie_39 Posted October 18, 2009 Author Share Posted October 18, 2009 Many thanks to all by its suggestions. Finally I bought a Tonepros TPKB3-N Tuners (fit perfect in a Grover Rotomatics Holes) and Black reflector Knobs That they offer a vintage look. The other changes rule out them. The 2010 I will return to Memphis and I bought a guitar with Bigsby, probably a Gretsch 6120. Greetings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgie_39 Posted November 2, 2009 Author Share Posted November 2, 2009 Hi. The Upgrade: Tonepros Kluson TPKB3-N Tuners Gibson Black Reflector Silver Knobs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobv Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 Good call (if you were going to change machines). The Tone Pros have a nice marbeled creme color to them compared to the green Gibson Deluxe tulips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sok66 Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 Very nice, authentic look. JMHO, but I prefer the Klusons due to their lighter weight. The reflectors just look right on there, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanC Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 I agree with lpdeluxe. "Play it for awhile before changing". I'm really into customising my guitars and have done it a number of times with multiple changes on some guitars. I continue to do it provided I see a playing/sound benefit. However these days I tend to only do changes that are reversable back to the original. I also keep all of the parts that are changed so that they can be reinstalled at a later date if necessary. Previously I have installed new machine heads that didn't fit the original holes. I definitely wouldn't do that now and regret having done it previously. But I continue to change pick ups, bridge pins, nuts, saddles, bridges, machine heads, snaplocks etc. All the changes I now make are reversable! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mygibson Posted November 4, 2009 Share Posted November 4, 2009 Hello Georgie, That's a beautiful ES-335. I also have a cherry red ES-335 that I have owned since new in 1979. It is in original condition. It is your guitar jeffe but, don't muck it up with a Bigsby. Removing the tun-o-matic bridge and stop bar tailpiece will leave some feo agujero right in the middle of that beautiful red top. My advice amigo, if you want a semi hollow sound box with a Bigsby, buy a Gretch but, keep the Gibson! If you just want to play with a twang bar, buy a 1957 Strat re-issue! They also come in cherry red. Been to Santiago once quite a while ago to visit my customers. El Diario and El Mercurio. Anyway, enjoy your ES as I am still enjoying mine. It will pass on to my son because they are keepers! Joe ps. Could not figure out how to insert a picture! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.