NGD - EPI ES 335 PRO

I like that they used the old style Epiphone headstock. and not some modified Gibson headstock.
I will probable change the tuners though.
In time the wiring harness will get upgraded also, but for now I am really digging this.

This DOES stand up to the Sheridan that I had in the past. Not as fancy as far as fret markers and headstock inlay, but as far as playability and finish I am truly impressed.
 
Awesome to hear, Chas. Also Don, I didn't know you had a 339 too. Col Mustard loves his. I truly love ES guitars but believe it or not, sold my EPI Dot, due to need $$$$$$$$$ for bills and of course the GIANT EPI Head Stock. If it had the EPI LP one, I likely would have kept it.
 
ChasFred said:
I like that they used the old style Epiphone headstock. and not some modified Gibson headstock.
I will probable change the tuners though.
In time the wiring harness will get upgraded also, but for now I am really digging this.

This DOES stand up to the Sheridan that I had in the past. Not as fancy as far as fret markers and headstock inlay, but as far as playability and finish I am truly impressed.
Click to expand...

Is THAT what that is... the 'old style" Epiphone headstock
Caledonia headstock.jpg
I didn't know it was "Old Style..." I just like it. This is my ES-339, a bit smaller than the
ES-335, and not so grand. But I'm very fond of my guitar and have found very little fault
with it.

I got a great price on my Epi from M/F during one of their sales events, and used
the money I didn't spend to upgrade my Epiphone. So that process has endeared the
instrument to me even more.
Caledonia 2016@100.jpg
I replaced stock tuners with Gotoh locking set, not that the originals were bad,
but because I wanted black. Gotoh is decent quality/decent price and metric.

The same for the nut... The original seemed to be fine. It needed a little tweaking, but
that's to be expected. But I got it in my head to do a "Blonde/Black' motif on this
instrument, so I got a Tusq nut in black and never looked back.

I didn't care for the Epiphone stock bridge. And I wanted black, so the Gotoh part
called to me, and shortly arrived. It fit right in the factory studs, and right away I
had more travel for intonation. Highly recommended. Once again, the factory part was
ok, but once I installed what I really wanted, I was happier.

Here's a rather amusing tale, although I wasn't amused at the time.
I didn't want to replace the wiring harness because it's such a bitch on a semi hollow
guitar. On the 339, everything has to go in and out the F hole. (...hmmm, there's got
to be a song there...)

So I left the wiring alone and modded everything else, having fun doing it.
Then the selector switch began to crap out. So I thought, "this won't do, and if
I'm going in for a dime, I'll go in for a dollar and replace the whole shebang.
So I ordered a wiring set from Sigler Music, which was fairly inexpensive.
_DSC0041@100.jpg
I bought CTS 500 k pots for my blonde bombshell, and figured this would be a definite
upgrade over whatever was installed in Tsingtao. But after I went through all the rigamarole
involved... tying fishing line to each component before pulling out the stock harness
through the F hole... and then re-tying the knots on each new component so I could pull
them into the correct holes...

I found that what I removed from my Epiphone was CTS 500k pots, just like I had bought
to install. DOH! I wasn't amused, but I went on with the installation because I felt committed
by this time.

Laugh on three: One, Two, HA HA couldn't wait...

Anyway, the lesson for new owners of Epiphone semi hollow body or true hollow body guitars is:
GET OUT YOUR LITTLE MIRROR, AND LOOK INSIDE BEFORE YOU GO TO ALL THAT HASSLE
TO INSTALL THE SAME THING YOU'VE WORKED SO HARD TO REMOVE.

IF THE SELECTOR SWITCH CRAPS OUT, REPLACE ONLY THAT.

Less expensive, less aggravating, and more sensible. Epi wiring harness with CTS pots
stock from the factory... my Epi is a 2014, so maybe they are still using these components.
Anyway, my Epi now sports a high quality wiring harness and a pair of Rose "Eden" P-90s
and I love the tone and the playability and the dependability of this instrument.

May you have this joy with your new ES-335, and skip the hassle. *grins
 

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During the 70s and 80s Epi had several different style head stocks. This one is closer to the one used in the 60s. Thanks for the he ads up on the controls.

Col as always you are a wealth of knowledge.
 
I played an Epi 339 Studio in black metallic with a sparkly binding today at Long and McQuade. It was a used guitar I assume was traded in. It played well enough and the price was right but just didn’t do anything for me.
Maybe I’m just not a semi-hollow kind of guy????
 
I thought it was the "Dove wing" headstock........either way it will look lovely in my Doom ROom ........

actually Chas she is safe -- Im NOT a big Hollow or Semi Hollow fan -- I like solid bodies-- the Blueshawk ----FEELS solid -- but is a semi --
awesome
 
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