Possible Next Project

ChasFred

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Well as many of you know, last year I bought myself an Epiphone ES-335 for my birthday. I love how if plays, looks and feels.
I am not crazy about how it sounds though. So this is what I am thinking.

I am thinking of replacing the wiring harness with a Gretsch style harness, that would be a Volume control for each pickup,
and then a Master Volume and Tone control.

While the guitar is stripped down go ahead and install some TV Jones Classics pickups.

This would give me to looks of my Ice Tea colored ES-335 (thank you @eSGEe for showing it to me) that I love, along with a my Gretsch sounding axe.

So tell me what do ya think.
 
No your not 335 feed the wiring through the pickup cavity

yes that is what my plan was.
Back in Jacksonville, that was one of my most called for jobs, replacing controls on various hollow bodies, and semi hollow bodies.
will need to get new rubber tubing for fishing parts to the holes.
The jack is always the toughest one.
 
OK, so I have laid out the wiring template, and have ordered some wire.
The pots and caps I already have. Once the wire is in hand I will begin soldering it up.
Then the next step will be to order the pickups and mounting rings.

I have not disassembled the 335 yet, as I really enjoy playing it.
I am hoping there is room in the pickup cavities to pass the components through.
I really hate working through the F holes.

I promise as always there will be pictures.
 
OK I have received my TV Jones Bridge pick up from our brother Robert Herndon.
I have temporarily installed it in the 335 but not wired it. Did it mostly to get a feel for what I was in for with the wiring.
The center block has a opening just big enough to pass the the connector that goes to the vol control.

The TV Jones pickup fits the Epi pickup ring but there is a gap around it.
I will order the proper pickup rings from TV Jones.

So it is time for me to start building the wiring harness and order the other pickup.

I promise pictures will follow also.
 
OK at long last I have finally installed the TV Jones Classics pickup in my Epiphone ES-335.
I have to say, I am blow away with the tone and clarity of the pickups.
I used a Gretsch style wiring for this project.
The diagram above is what I used. Going through the Mesa Mini Rec on clean is superb.
Have not played through the Princeton yet. It has a loud static sound coming from the power section I need to deal with.

I need to work on cleaning up the wiring a bit also, so it is not visible in the F hole.
I will supply some sound bites here in the next couple of days.

Did I mention how much I love how this beast sounds now.
If anyone wants a pair of Epi humbuckers drop me a line.
I have no need for them. will toss in the wiring harness also.


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