Pick guard or not?

I have just got an Epiphone ES-339 Pro in Pelham blue. I love it, plays well, really pleased. I'm wondering whether to take the pick guard off to enhance the look, especially to show off the f holes. Are there any downsides or performance issues to doing this? Should I? Any thoughts?

Originally Posted by: dehc20

I have just got an Epiphone ES-339 Pro in Pelham blue. I love it, plays well, really pleased. I'm wondering whether to take the pick guard off to enhance the look, especially to show off the f holes. Are there any downsides or performance issues to doing this? Should I? Any thoughts?

Funny, I'm going to put a pickguard on my Gibson ES333. To that point, I think it is a matter of personal taste. I don't think it really matters with performance. Good pickups and all that jazz matter more that whatever possible impact the pickguard wold have and to my mind, I doubt that would have any impact.

Originally Posted by: JeffS65

Funny, I'm going to put a pickguard on my Gibson ES333. ...

first off, dehc20, I don't think there are any performance issues or other such concerns with the pickguard. It is completely a matter of cosmetic choice. Should you? Completely up to you.

@jeffS65, Gibson ES 333?!?!?!?!? That's a new one. I, of course, know about a 335, the most famous of them all. And, the 355, which BB famously played, which has the varitone. There's a 345 I believe?! And I have a 325 which is like a 335 but has mini-humbuckers rather than full humbuckers and is a true hollowbody rather than semi.

But what the heck is a 333?!?!

Originally Posted by: matonanjin2

Originally Posted by: JeffS65

Funny, I'm going to put a pickguard on my Gibson ES333. ...

first off, dehc20, I don't think there are any performance issues or other such concerns with the pickguard. It is completely a matter of cosmetic choice. Should you? Completely up to you.

@jeffS65, Gibson ES 333?!?!?!?!? That's a new one. I, of course, know about a 335, the most famous of them all. And, the 355, which BB famously played, which has the varitone. There's a 345 I believe?! And I have a 325 which is like a 335 but has mini-humbuckers rather than full humbuckers and is a true hollowbody rather than semi.

But what the heck is a 333?!?!

Ha! I never heard of it either but here it is.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibson_ES-333

Originally Posted by: matonanjin2

@jeffS65, Gibson ES 333?!?!?!?!? That's a new one. I, of course, know about a 335, the most famous of them all. And, the 355, which BB famously played, which has the varitone. There's a 345 I believe?! And I have a 325 which is like a 335 but has mini-humbuckers rather than full humbuckers and is a true hollowbody rather than semi.

But what the heck is a 333?!?!

Certainately not a typo. The link by davem covers it mostly, but here's a Reverb link (click).

In short, it was made to be an ES335 'Studio'. Still a US made guitar but without all the bells and whistles of the big brother ES335. The logo is slikscreened, no headstock crown inlay and has a control cavity acces a la a Les Paul (335's don't have an access cavities and pickup changes have to be fished through the pickup openings etc). They were only made from 2002 through early 2004, I believe. They retailed for about $900.

Funny, they've gone up in value quite a bit. I see them on average for $1500 but it fluctuates but still gaining in value. I paid nothing for mine. A relative had it but due to living in an old, damp house in Chicago's north side, it never stayed in tune so he's like; 'Wanna be the keeper since I can never play it?'. Knowing he would never see it again as his health was failing so all family (none of which played guitar) just figured that I should keep it.

It plays great but in a few weeks, I'm taking it to get the pickguard installed and new pickups installed too. These come from the factory with Gibson 490 series pickups and they are terrible in this guitar. So I've got Dave Onorato tee'd up in a few weeks to (finally) get my Strat, ES and Les Paul worked on.

Side note, if you search ES333, more often you'll find the Tom Delonge 333 which is a completely different guitar.

Originally Posted by: JeffS65

...

It plays great but in a few weeks, I'm taking it to get the pickguard installed and new pickups installed too.

...

Thanks for explaining that. And interesting that you are getting new pickups intstalled. I've thought about doing just that with my 325.

Of all my guitars my 325 is the one that I just don't seem to be able to bond with. It is a beautiful guitar. But witht he mini-humbuckers I just can't seem to get the tone from it I like. I had posted in some forum about changing out pu's and people went nuts screaming, calling me lots of obscene names for for even considering changing out the pickups. I guess since it's a '72 it's considered vintage and doing so would effect the value! I couldn't care less about any resale value as I probably never will sell it.

Report back please your experience with changing out the pu's in yours.

btw, Dave Onorato's knowledge, especially historical knowledge, of guitars is encyclopedic. I've seen him on several YT videos with Rhett Shull and Rick Beato. I'm sure you have as well.

Originally Posted by: matonanjin2

Originally Posted by: JeffS65

...

It plays great but in a few weeks, I'm taking it to get the pickguard installed and new pickups installed too.

...

Thanks for explaining that. And interesting that you are getting new pickups intstalled. I've thought about doing just that with my 325.

Of all my guitars my 325 is the one that I just don't seem to be able to bond with. It is a beautiful guitar. But witht he mini-humbuckers I just can't seem to get the tone from it I like. I had posted in some forum about changing out pu's and people went nuts screaming, calling me lots of obscene names for for even considering changing out the pickups. I guess since it's a '72 it's considered vintage and doing so would effect the value! I couldn't care less about any resale value as I probably never will sell it.

Report back please your experience with changing out the pu's in yours.

btw, Dave Onorato's knowledge, especially historical knowledge, of guitars is encyclopedic. I've seen him on several YT videos with Rhett Shull and Rick Beato. I'm sure you have as well.

Sure, it's a '72 and vintage and aall that but people sho say that you should not change in instrument aren't playing them. If you love everything but the sound, then change the sound I say. If you can find a pickup that fits (since you have mini's), all the better. I just don't want to plug in the 333 simply because I get annoyed. So, I agree, if you make a change and you eant to play it after, then change pickups.

Once I've done the change, I'll share. I'm going with much more mellow 57 style pickups. My Les Paul Trad IV already has hotter 57's so the ES is to be a more mellow, jazzy vibe.

..and Onarato....When I moved down to the Atlanta area and knew I was going to do some work, I'm like 'it's gonna be Dave'. No brainer. I would say his prices are very reasonable given his skill.

Guys, there is a problem. I want to choose my first guitar, but I don't know what I need. I love the metal genre.[u] https://www.kaotoxin.com[/u] find some tips here but I need your help

Originally Posted by: avelpokrov

Guys, there is a problem. I want to choose my first guitar, but I don't know what I need. I love the metal genre.[u] https://www.kaotoxin.com[/u] find some tips here but I need your help

You are in a thread about pickguards. I'm not sure if your link is a bait or not. But assuming sincerity, I suggest you start a new thread in the gear subforum. I'm sure that you will get a lot of helpful suggesstions for your first guitar there.

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