What pickups for Gibson ES-330

stickyfiddle

Situation: I have an ES-330 that I’ve had about 18months. It’s a beautiful and extremely resonant guitar with a fantastic neck, but the pickups are stupidly hot. It actually sounds amazing in some contexts (particularly Open G or D with a good bit of drive) but when all my other electrics have roughly similar output levels it means I can never use my amp or pedals set the same way because of the massive disparity in loudness. The spec sheet says they’re MHS P90s, which is supposed to be Memphis Historic Spec, but I’ve never played any P90 anywhere near this hot, historic or otherwise.

If I’m honest, it also doesn’t sound like all the classic P90 sounds that I know these guitars can do - Beatles/Stones type stuff, Radiohead, Interpol, even that Gilmour P90 thing (which I know was an LP into the desk, but my old Casino with Creamery re-winds did it marvellously well). 

I’m therefore thinking about some lower output pickups, so... what’s good? And what should I be looking for? I’ve never bought P90’s before.

p90fool

Measure them, and if they're not hugely overwound bung some A3 magnets in there. 

stickyfiddle

Honestly I’m keen not to bugger about with the original pickups, as i’ll sell if I can’t get happy with a new set, and you know how much people get funny about it when selling anything that’s been modded...

I do agree I need to measure the current ones before I jump on anything.

stickyfiddle

For a bit more background, I currently have a spacer under the bridge pickup to match the outputs. The bridge pickup output is more the right level but tone is less good without the spacer. Plus then the neck pickup is significantly louder even with polepieces lowered, so that doesn’t really sort it.

meltedbuzzbox

Surprised to hear that about a set of MHS. I generally dislike a gibson pickup but I really like the mhs set in my 345. 

Talk to Marc at mojo, tell him what you are after. He makes an amazing p90 (or set).

stickyfiddle

meltedbuzzbox said:

Surprised to hear that about a set of MHS. I generally dislike a gibson pickup but I really like the mhs set in my 345. 

Talk to Marc at mojo, tell him what you are after. He makes an amazing p90 (or set).

Yeah, people seem to rave about the humbuckers, but I’ve not heard so much on the P90s. 

It might just be that I’m not a “P90 guy”, and this will certainly put that to bed if so

octatonic

Fralin, Lollar or Duncan Antiquities.

Winny_Pooh

I'd look at Oil City, Creamery or Mojo.
I have a CS330L and did not like the pickups too much. Tried a lollar but was too weak. Rewound the bridge hotter but realised I dont like bridge P90's.
I eventually unwould the neck coils to a lower dc reading and replaced the bridge with an alnico ii Creamery dog ear humbucker. Still happy with that setup and have the bridge tone wired up to gradually roll one coil to ground so I can get thinner tones where I want.

ICBM

If you love the tone of it and it's only the high output volume that's the problem, all you need is a preset level reduction. You could actually build it into a cable very easily - two resistors, and possibly a cap if treble loss is noticeable, will fit inside a jack plug.

Seziertisch

Also consider getting an unpotted pickup. Depending on your volume levels, it helps to make things that much more enjoyable

WindmillGuitars

Speak to @deacci ;

stickyfiddle

ICBM said:

If you love the tone of it and it's only the high output volume that's the problem, all you need is a preset level reduction. You could actually build it into a cable very easily - two resistors, and possibly a cap if treble loss is noticeable, will fit inside a jack plug.

I don't really - I think that's at the root of the issue. If it was just "the perfect sound, but too loud" that would be more manageable. I'll get a multimeter out to confirm next time I'm home, but it just doesn't hit the classic Casino/330 types of sounds I'm expecting

earwighoney

stickyfiddle said:

meltedbuzzbox said:

Surprised to hear that about a set of MHS. I generally dislike a gibson pickup but I really like the mhs set in my 345. 

Talk to Marc at mojo, tell him what you are after. He makes an amazing p90 (or set).

Yeah, people seem to rave about the humbuckers, but I’ve not heard so much on the P90s. 

It might just be that I’m not a “P90 guy”, and this will certainly put that to bed if so

If P90's aren't for you then they are not for you.  There are other pickups that can be installed in your guitar without any modifications.Why not try something else like a Gold Foil? eg

https://www.mojopickups.co.uk/product/p90-sized-gold-foil-dogear/

Or a HB, This fella does many types of HB's in the 330 configuration

https://www.rautiaguitars.net/dog-ear-specials.html

stickyfiddle

Did some measurements this weekend. Both pickups measure dead-on 7 Ohms at the jack, with that value maxing out around 112 (neck) and 120 (bridge) as you turn the pot down. By my maths that puts both volume pots between 450 and 500k, so there's nothing to change there. 

Which means I'm left thinking lighter strings would reduce output, otherwise lowering the pickups is my best bet, but I can't lower the neck because it's a non-shimmed dogear. Maybe I just don't like P90s. But they always sound really good when other people play them... 

 

Hrumph, etc.

Henrytwang

I’ve tried several aftermarket P90s but found that the best P90s  for me are made by Gibson. I know it’s probably unfashionable to say so but there you are, they just sound like a P90 should to me.

Winny_Pooh

stickyfiddle said:

Did some measurements this weekend. Both pickups measure dead-on 7 Ohms at the jack, with that value maxing out around 112 (neck) and 120 (bridge) as you turn the pot down. By my maths that puts both volume pots between 450 and 500k, so there's nothing to change there. 

Which means I'm left thinking lighter strings would reduce output, otherwise lowering the pickups is my best bet, but I can't lower the neck because it's a non-shimmed dogear. Maybe I just don't like P90s. But they always sound really good when other people play them... 

 

Hrumph, etc.

Take the cover off the neck and see if there are shims under the legs. If so remove them and then raise the polepieces higher. This will thin and brighten the tone a bit. That bridge pup is underwound IMO. Raise it if too low but I'd get it rewound hotter or get an 8.5k ish humbucker in there.

For reference, here are the heights on mine: