'63 ES-355 specs

[StarryNight]

I've got a friend who's bringing over his 1963 ES-355 (stereo version) He said i could remove the pickups and look behind. From what i understand the original PAFs were only made from 58-62 so I'm assuming these pickups are the patented versions. I'm wondering what the difference might be. Does anyone know what went on in the transistion years of the early '60 for Gibson? Should I be looking for something specific? I'll take some DC readings but I don't have an Extech unfortunately

[David Schwab]

From what Possum has said they should be the same as PAF's.

[billyz]

It would not be unheard of to find PAF's in a 63 es 355. The reason, They are gold plated. Gibson ran thru the nickel plated ones faster , more of their guitars used Nickel hardware. I have seen real Paf's or sometimes just one PAF one Patented P/U in a 63 Gibson with gold hardware. Same is even more true of Byrdlands bridge p/u, due to the narrow magnet spacing, Gibsons inventory was depleted at a much slower pace for these.

I am not certain that all Gibson Stereo guitar had a reversed Magnet in one of the pickups, but , the ones I have owned did. Gives the Peter Green tone in the middle position( both pickups).

[StarryNight]

I am not certain that all Gibson Stereo guitar had a reversed Magnet in one of the pickups, but , the ones I have owned did. Gives the Peter Green tone in the middle position( both pickups).

Man, I am so glad you mentioned this! I've got the 355 on the bench and noticed the screws on the neck pickup are south and the screws on the bridge were north! I thought someone messed with it and was going to flip the bridge. I guess this was the way they wired it at the factory. I have yet to take the pickup out and look behind. Very curious to see if they are PAFs or not. I'll take some pics and post them soon.

One of the reasons I have this guitar is that there is no sound coming the bridge pickup so I've been asked to have a look. I'll check the stereo cable first to see if it's working! and then I'll work my way in. Hopefully the pickup isn't shorted

I hope I don't have to remove all the pots. I've wired semi-hollows before but the added Vari-tone way back will be a pain... and this ain't exactly a Cort!

[billyz]

Screws north and south ? You mean someone flipped the neck pickup so the screw poles are closer to the bridge? That is part of the Peter green thing. But not all. A Stereo guitar naturally has the magnet flipped as well and that gives the total Green mod effect.

I find turning the pickup around does change the tone a very little bit, but reversing the magnet is the ticket. The pickup would have had the screw poles closer to the neck from the factory.

Check the output jack too. They get loose and turned enough to short out. And you will need a stereo cable to get both pickups. You can insert a mono jack part way to get both , but it is precarious at best.

I know it is a sin but I have mine wired mono. Actually Gibson began using plastic insulation on the inner wire and it gets brittle and shorts. usually the pickups are cloth covered wire and the controls get the cheaper plastic. I don't know when Gibson started using the crappy wire. But I have a 64 and 65 that both have it.

[Berman]

The old Gibson stereo guitars were out of phase because the most common two-channel Amps in these days were too out of phase between the two channels (example Fender Twin).
So you get a 'normal' sound when you use them in stereo on such an amp.

Greeting Hermann

[StarryNight]

The fellow who owns the guitar said that he had one of the pickups turned around so the screws on both pickups faced outward. It didn't look right to him that the bridge pickup screws faced inward.

When I checked the polarity of both pickups yesterday, the neck pickup has the screws as south but the bridge pick has the screws as north so the magnet is flipped in the bridge pickup (I assume).

This is invaluable info guys. Thanks! I think he wants it as original as possible so I assume that I should turn the bridge pickup around, leave the polarity as is for both and get both pickups working in stereo.

here's a pic. The fretboard had been changed at some point - unfortunately they didn't go with the split block inlay. Also, signed by BB King top left bout.

[billyz]

The picture you posted has the pickups correctly positioned as from the factory. The bridge is a later one. Very common for old Gibsons to not have the bridge position just right for good intonation.

The guitar amp phasing between channels sounds like a good explanation for the out of phase pickups. I am sure gibson meant these guitars to be used with their RVT 79 stereo amp.

[StarryNight]

well, the plot thickens...
here's a pic of the two pickups. one has the classic PAF sticker and one doesn't. Any theories? the baseplates have exactly the same patina so i imagine they are matching. I've confirmed that the bridge pickup is not working at all. I'm letting it sit for a while just 'cause I don't want to face the inevitable of opening that pickup and trying to fix it. I got to tell you it was quite a thrill to turn over a PAF. I've owned a few vintage P90s and humbuckers but never saw a PAF up close. Felt kind of dirty.

Here's where I really show my ignorance but could someone please offer to tell what the 2 aluminum casings are down in the guitar? Is that the Vari-tone circuitry? I've never seen anything like that before.

[StarryNight]

[QUOTE=billyz;91884]It would not be unheard of to find PAF's in a 63 es 355. The reason, They are gold plated. Gibson ran thru the nickel plated ones faster , more of their guitars used Nickel hardware. I have seen real Paf's or sometimes just one PAF one Patented P/U in a 63 Gibson with gold hardware.QUOTE]

I guess this would be another example! Thanks Billyz

[billyz]

Those are the inductors for the varitone circuit. It is actually two inductors one for each pickup. Don't assume the pickup is dead yet, could be a wiring problem. Also, a good pickup rewinder might be able to save it without rewinding. Lindy Fralin has saved a few for me over the years. Even though the other pickup is not technically a PAF, it would be almost of indentical construction and sound.

[StarryNight]

Those are the inductors for the varitone circuit. It is actually two inductors one for each pickup. Don't assume the pickup is dead yet, could be a wiring problem. Also, a good pickup rewinder might be able to save it without rewinding. Lindy Fralin has saved a few for me over the years. Even though the other pickup is not technically a PAF, it would be almost of indentical construction and sound.

I pulled the 3 way out and checked the resistance right from the leads - no life. How would one proceed in this case? I can't think of any other testing I could do. I guess the next step might be to pop the cover and check the leads soldered to the magnet wire. I'm not set up to unwind a bobbin properly so short of a rewind (pun?) I don't think there's much I can do.

Inductors for the Vari-tone? That's cool. I would have thought it just filters the signal like a tone pot or wah pedal but it actually generates a current? I'll have to get schooled on this one. I love the tones it gets.

[billyz]

The Inductors are used as low pass filters in the varitone circuit. Inductors have many properties magnetic and other. But in this circuit they are primarily Low pass filters.

As for your pickup, It sounds like it may be time to take off the cover. Be careful as you go measure for continuity. Maybe you'll get lucky and find a bad lead from one of the coils. Usually only one coil goes bad. If the pickup is severely corroded it could be inner core corrosion from the pole piece, which would mean a complete rewind. Check for resistance from the pole piece. That pick up is quite valuable and I would suggest a Master pickup Rewinder do the work.

[Possum]

....

Its not uncommon to have an unstickered PAF, the earliest ones from '57 didn't have stickers alot of the times. I own a '62 and it never had a sticker, so it is possible you have a '62 Patent in there along with an earlier PAF. '62's were still real PAF's but they had equal wound coils. In '63 they went to poly insulation. Some '62's and '63's had short magnets in them, neither of mine does, both have long magnets. Yeah check the wiring on everything first. If you're not pickup maker DON'T open the pickups. I'd be happy to fix the one thats not working if it isn't, maybe not even charge for it as I like to see what was done so its a research candy thing for me. Email me from here or my website if you're interested.

[StarryNight]

thanks guys! I'm going to contact the owner and see how he wants to proceed. I've got some 42PE in stock and I can do (would love to do) a rewind on this pickup but it's not my decision. If I remove the cover I'll take some pics and DCR readings of each coil (if possible). Damn, another reason to invest in an LCR meter!