333 to 335

[renin74]

I bought a new es 333 in 2005, never liked the pickups, so changed them to 57 and 57 plus in the bridge. took it to a local store recently and had it modded to look like a historic es 335, with the black pickguard and nickel pickup covers and changed the knobs. Kept the kluson tuners. it looks and sounds great. Anybody else do this to their es 333? saves a lot of money than buying a new es 335(my es 333 new cost $800). Mine is satin red...

[mildperv]

I think the ABR is the biggest asset to the 335. The '57s help a lot, too, though.

[Red 333]

I bought a new es 333 in 2005' date=' never liked the pickups, so changed them to 57 and 57 plus in the bridge. took it to a local store recently and had it modded to look like a historic es 335, with the black pickguard and nickel pickup covers and changed the knobs. Kept the kluson tuners. it looks and sounds great. Anybody else do this to their es 333? saves a lot of money than buying a new es 335(my es 333 new cost $800). Mine is satin red...[/quote']

 

I've heard of a lot of folks who do some or all of those mods. Makes great sense. You end up with a guitar that's similar to the $2K satin 335, but with the added perks of the access panel and the bound neck and frets.

 

I've got a 335 (and an Epiphone Elitist 335) so I've left my (red) 333 stock. I paid about what you did for yours, and consider that I got a bargain. It's a nice guitar stock, but probably more versatile still with those those '57s in it. They are sweet!

 

Red 333

[onewilyfool]

rdwivde......how much did those mods cost you???? I'm thinkiing of getting a similar guitar....thanks

[renin74]

the pickups were about $100 apiece, the rest cost me $125 including labor at the store that did it for me. So I saved about $1500 than buying a new cherry es 335! worth it...

[loneguitar]

Sweet, I have an '03 333, and did the exact mods, the only cosmetic difference between that and my '91 335 is the headstock, they do sound SWEET