NGD Epiphone ES-339 P90 PRO
- Thread starter WavMixer
- Start date
OP
Well, I finally got around to giving this guitar a set up and WOW!!!! After rebuilding the curbside rescued injured orphan LP yesterday and it feeling good, I was kinda upset with the way my ES-339 felt :-(
So I gave it the Biddlin method and DAYUM!!! This feels like a whole 'nuther guitar.
So I gave it the Biddlin method and DAYUM!!! This feels like a whole 'nuther guitar.
You’ve been on a roll sir! Good work all around! Congrats.
OP
I have no problem with Bo Biddlin, something happened while I was out of state visiting my terminally ill daughter. When I got back home, Biddie was gone.The Biddlin method...we should bring back Bo on this forum!
;>)/
BlackSG91
Ambassador of Anarchy
Bo Biddlin should be re-instated back on here because he would be a great asset to this forum. Maybe he had a conflict of interest with eSGEe a.k.a. Yo Adrian...who knows?
BTW...I'm still sorry about your daughter and I hope you're dealing with it ok so far I hope Grant. I'm still grieving the loss of my wife from time to time...I always wish I could have one last moment with her. Keep strong my friend.;>)/
Col Mustard
Ambassador of Perseverance
Excellent post, and an excellent choice of guitar IMHO... AND deep sympathy for your
triple whammy losses... This is the time of our lives. Music can help IMHO...
That red color looks great. You've seen my blonde bombshell enough times.
There are several things I just love about this Epiphone version of a Gibson "new Classic."
1. The price... I bought mine new, and felt like I got a fine deal, and the Gibbie version was like eight times more.
Both versions have "laminated" tops, the Gibson's got "prestige" but the Epiphone doesn't give up much IMHO.
I imagine you got a better deal than I could have. I paid $339 for mine, easy to remember.
2. The size. This one snuggles right into me like a lover... and that won my heart when I played one at GC.
Other "Jazz Guitars" are bigger and (to me) more clumsy. Because the ES-339 has a solid center block, it really
doesn't count as an acoustic or semi-acoustic guitar. The ES-339 is just an electric guitar with a pair of hollow
"wings" on the upper and lower bouts... It doesn't have much in the way of acoustic tone, and I don't think I can
hear any of that when I plug in. But it feels so great to play, why should I care?
3. The weight: "Take a load off Fannie... Take a load for free..." My ES-339 is a very playable 8 pounds, about
the same as my cool Telecaster Deluxe. No problem for a bass player like me who's used to shouldering nine or
ten pounds as if it were nothing. My favorite SG still wins this contest at a nominal 6 3/4 lb, but who would expect
some "other' instrument to live up to that? There's no competition, it would hardly be fair. An SG would always win.
4. The P-90 snarl and chime. I confess, I replaced the p'ups with hand made P-90s from Rose Pickups in California.
But not because the stock pickups were bad. They were fine. I just wanted the best for my new lover. Like a
besotted sugar daddy who knows no restraint. I had to buy her a new dress, in spite of the FACT that she looks
lovely in a feed bag, or a man's shirt (and nothing else) or what. I played the stock pickups for a good long time
...just exploring the tones. Then when the selector switch began to fail, I was driven to replace the whole she-bang.
The pair of Rose pickups I bought seem to suit my blonde guitar babe, and I don't regret a thing. My neck p'up has
a fine woody tone, very guitar like, very jazz... and my Bridge pickup is somewhat hotter wound, and has all the
rock an roll grit and kerang, very Casino, which is just what I wanted. The Rose pickups were wired to be a
big hum bucker, so the middle position on the selector switch really does buck the hum.
5. The detailing... This humble Epiphone was very well made (mine is a 2014) and has no issues.
That says worlds. Buying this guitar was my vote in the dreadful 2015 Gibson bash-fest... I just basically
stepped away from all the hoopla-oink and bought a serviceable guitar (for a fraction of the prices under discussion),
and did some upgrades and have been playing it ever since.
Epiphones respond very well to upgrades IMHO. AND in my experience.
REMINDER: The pots on my Epi were CTS pots... So there was really no need to replace them.
Unless CTS means "Chinese Telephone Supply..." But I didn't find
out about this until I had already gone to the trouble of tying 10lb test fishing line to each one and yanking
them out with the mono-filaments running back through each one's proper hole. Then I thought:
"if I've gone to this much hassle to pull all this poop out through the F-hole, I'll only re-install the best."
I went through all that nonsense because one component (the selector switch) began to fail, so I suspected
everything was cheapo cheapo and ought to be replaced. Maybe if I had it to do again, I'd try to replace only
that one component, and leave the rest in there. It was fine... mostly.
But I sure do like the results of my Epiphone Odyssey... The ES-339 has a distinctive voice different from all
my other guitars (which are all unique in their own way anyhow...)
So I'm very fond of my Epiphone ES-339 P-90 pro. I sure do like the color of yours.
And I'm interested in how this compact semi-hollow instrument finds its way into your heart and your music,
or fails to and gets auctioned off. Keep us posted.
triple whammy losses... This is the time of our lives. Music can help IMHO...
That red color looks great. You've seen my blonde bombshell enough times.
There are several things I just love about this Epiphone version of a Gibson "new Classic."
1. The price... I bought mine new, and felt like I got a fine deal, and the Gibbie version was like eight times more.
Both versions have "laminated" tops, the Gibson's got "prestige" but the Epiphone doesn't give up much IMHO.
I imagine you got a better deal than I could have. I paid $339 for mine, easy to remember.
2. The size. This one snuggles right into me like a lover... and that won my heart when I played one at GC.
Other "Jazz Guitars" are bigger and (to me) more clumsy. Because the ES-339 has a solid center block, it really
doesn't count as an acoustic or semi-acoustic guitar. The ES-339 is just an electric guitar with a pair of hollow
"wings" on the upper and lower bouts... It doesn't have much in the way of acoustic tone, and I don't think I can
hear any of that when I plug in. But it feels so great to play, why should I care?
3. The weight: "Take a load off Fannie... Take a load for free..." My ES-339 is a very playable 8 pounds, about
the same as my cool Telecaster Deluxe. No problem for a bass player like me who's used to shouldering nine or
ten pounds as if it were nothing. My favorite SG still wins this contest at a nominal 6 3/4 lb, but who would expect
some "other' instrument to live up to that? There's no competition, it would hardly be fair. An SG would always win.
4. The P-90 snarl and chime. I confess, I replaced the p'ups with hand made P-90s from Rose Pickups in California.
But not because the stock pickups were bad. They were fine. I just wanted the best for my new lover. Like a
besotted sugar daddy who knows no restraint. I had to buy her a new dress, in spite of the FACT that she looks
lovely in a feed bag, or a man's shirt (and nothing else) or what. I played the stock pickups for a good long time
...just exploring the tones. Then when the selector switch began to fail, I was driven to replace the whole she-bang.
The pair of Rose pickups I bought seem to suit my blonde guitar babe, and I don't regret a thing. My neck p'up has
a fine woody tone, very guitar like, very jazz... and my Bridge pickup is somewhat hotter wound, and has all the
rock an roll grit and kerang, very Casino, which is just what I wanted. The Rose pickups were wired to be a
big hum bucker, so the middle position on the selector switch really does buck the hum.
5. The detailing... This humble Epiphone was very well made (mine is a 2014) and has no issues.
That says worlds. Buying this guitar was my vote in the dreadful 2015 Gibson bash-fest... I just basically
stepped away from all the hoopla-oink and bought a serviceable guitar (for a fraction of the prices under discussion),
and did some upgrades and have been playing it ever since.
Epiphones respond very well to upgrades IMHO. AND in my experience.
REMINDER: The pots on my Epi were CTS pots... So there was really no need to replace them.
Unless CTS means "Chinese Telephone Supply..." But I didn't find
out about this until I had already gone to the trouble of tying 10lb test fishing line to each one and yanking
them out with the mono-filaments running back through each one's proper hole. Then I thought:
"if I've gone to this much hassle to pull all this poop out through the F-hole, I'll only re-install the best."
I went through all that nonsense because one component (the selector switch) began to fail, so I suspected
everything was cheapo cheapo and ought to be replaced. Maybe if I had it to do again, I'd try to replace only
that one component, and leave the rest in there. It was fine... mostly.
But I sure do like the results of my Epiphone Odyssey... The ES-339 has a distinctive voice different from all
my other guitars (which are all unique in their own way anyhow...)
So I'm very fond of my Epiphone ES-339 P-90 pro. I sure do like the color of yours.
And I'm interested in how this compact semi-hollow instrument finds its way into your heart and your music,
or fails to and gets auctioned off. Keep us posted.
Last edited:
ChasFred
Ambassador of Smooth Operations
Se now ya all have me second guessing myself, I was about to pull the trigger on a G&L Legacy now this has me thinking 339. I know totally different animals.
I have no Strat style axe nor do I have an arch top. AAhhhhh and not enough $$$ to buy both.
YOUR KILLING ME!!!
I have no Strat style axe nor do I have an arch top. AAhhhhh and not enough $$$ to buy both.
YOUR KILLING ME!!!
eSGEe
Ferengi Ambassador of Trade
Dont drink the water.............
OP
OK Col, I need some info. Knobs, tuners, bridge and tail piece. What are they, where can I get some?
Col Mustard
Ambassador of Perseverance
Philadelphia Luthier Tools and supplies...
Philadelphia Luthier Tools & Supplies Guitar building tools and parts
The bridge and tailpiece I bought there were made by Gotoh... fit right in the Epiphone studs with
no problems. The Gotoh bridge has more travel for the saddles than the stock Epi Bridge, and it feels
like it's made better. Not too expensive. They have several colors, but I wanted black for my blonde
beauty. Once they go black, ya know...
I also bought the matching black tuners there, also a Gotoh product, also very well made and satisfactory.
Also not too expensive.
The knobs I got from StewMac... I began with black metal dome top knobs, like telecaster ones
but finally chose the "bevel top" knobs... not too costly.
Knobs | stewmac.com
I believe I also bought my black tusq nut from StewMac too, and the ebony headstock veneer I used
to make my pick guard. AND the black bracket and screws to hold it. Ebony splits easily, so I reinforced
the forward end of my pick guard with a thin washer, glued in place underneath the screw hole.
This guitar is a real pleasure to play, either sitting or standing. Love the fret-over-binding and the
feel of the neck. Having the Epiphone makes me understand why someone would pay $2700 for
the Gibbie version, it's very inspiring to play. I fell heavily for this model after playing one at a store.
But then I went home and ordered online and got a better price, spelling the doom for brick & mortar
guitar shops and GC in particular. All the parts I ordered were pretty fair priced IMHO, so I believe I
did quite well on the whole instrument and all the upgrades and a good case.
But you know what? This guitar inspires a fierce possessive loyalty to the point where I don't even
care what I spent on it. It's all paid for now, and I got what I want and it's not for sale. Not everyone
feels this way about their instruments, but this fiery emotion increases my joy when I play it.
And that's priceless. *grins
Philadelphia Luthier Tools & Supplies Guitar building tools and parts
The bridge and tailpiece I bought there were made by Gotoh... fit right in the Epiphone studs with
no problems. The Gotoh bridge has more travel for the saddles than the stock Epi Bridge, and it feels
like it's made better. Not too expensive. They have several colors, but I wanted black for my blonde
beauty. Once they go black, ya know...
I also bought the matching black tuners there, also a Gotoh product, also very well made and satisfactory.
Also not too expensive.
The knobs I got from StewMac... I began with black metal dome top knobs, like telecaster ones
but finally chose the "bevel top" knobs... not too costly.
Knobs | stewmac.com
I believe I also bought my black tusq nut from StewMac too, and the ebony headstock veneer I used
to make my pick guard. AND the black bracket and screws to hold it. Ebony splits easily, so I reinforced
the forward end of my pick guard with a thin washer, glued in place underneath the screw hole.
This guitar is a real pleasure to play, either sitting or standing. Love the fret-over-binding and the
feel of the neck. Having the Epiphone makes me understand why someone would pay $2700 for
the Gibbie version, it's very inspiring to play. I fell heavily for this model after playing one at a store.
But then I went home and ordered online and got a better price, spelling the doom for brick & mortar
guitar shops and GC in particular. All the parts I ordered were pretty fair priced IMHO, so I believe I
did quite well on the whole instrument and all the upgrades and a good case.
But you know what? This guitar inspires a fierce possessive loyalty to the point where I don't even
care what I spent on it. It's all paid for now, and I got what I want and it's not for sale. Not everyone
feels this way about their instruments, but this fiery emotion increases my joy when I play it.
And that's priceless. *grins
Col Mustard
Ambassador of Perseverance
yeah, the red's got a charm all it's own...
looks great.
looks great.