335 Setup

rkbsound · Post by **rkbsound** » Thu Feb 07, 2002 12:01 pm

I really like my '66 335. But now the love affair has reached a new height. I purchased it in 1985 and never had it set up right. I took it to someone in 1990 and he screwed it up worse. Somehow I fixed it back to just being lousy. But when you always play it in that condition you get used to it! I just had it professionally set up and got it back today. This guitar ROCKS. It plays much differently, and much better. I cannot even describe it, but my desire for a new guitar is not as great anymore. It still needs a fret job, but I'm not emotionally ready for that type of operation just yet. So anyone out there who is a novice like me and has not had it done yet -- go do it now! And it cost next to nothing! I still can't get over how low my bridge is!!

rickplayer · Post by **rickplayer** » Thu Feb 07, 2002 1:11 pm

I assume Mark did it?

markthemd · Post by **markthemd** » Thu Feb 07, 2002 1:53 pm

Not me ,I am rebuilding a 335 that was raped ,butchered and then some ...I get one of these every year it seems .

ES 335 's have a 12" radius , and when set up (and if the frets are in good to great condition and crowned and ploished ) they are a tremedous instrument ....THE Steeley Dan guitar tone.

rkbsound · Post by **rkbsound** » Thu Feb 07, 2002 3:36 pm

Just in case there's any confusion, mine is a Rickenbacker 335. I mean, this IS the Rick Forum! Mark, I wish you were in NY so you could work on it. My ultimate goal is have this guitar completely restored. It needs a great deal of work, despite playing very well. The fact that it sounds so great and yet is in such rough shape is a testament to the guitar and the quality of instuments produced by RIC. I also learned that the "hairline" crack that eminates a good 4-5 inches from the bottom of the sound hole goes all the way through, and was repaired by gluing a piece of veneer to it underneath. I just never saw the veneer piece! When I decide on a total restoration (years from now) I would like someone like Mark to tackle it. Even if it's a long term project.

markthemd · Post by **markthemd** » Thu Feb 07, 2002 3:56 pm

There is a guy in NY NY named Richard Huddleston that I performed a restoration on his ES 335 a year ago .
He wanted a natural or sunburst ES 335 , he sent me a burgundy ....under the color was stock Gibson applied Walnut stain .My job was to remove this .
This was all over the net and things got touchy.

He lives within 4 blocks of the former WTC .
It is now 1950's classic burst .I performed some tricks to hide the walnut.
Bleaching would only get so much of this out .In the furnature business , Walnut has been used for years as it is THE ultimate in color fast and longest lasting ,impervious dye/stain .In other words .......it out lasts radioactivity! I got it out ...what a pain.
He loves it and plays around Manhattan .Check him out some time .

kennyhowes · Post by **kennyhowes** » Thu Feb 07, 2002 5:57 pm

Hey Mark MD--do you have a website or anything?

gbogart · Post by **gbogart** » Thu Feb 07, 2002 7:50 pm

Hey Mark, you know I've got that Gibson ES-335 (the one I bought new in '68... remember? The one Justin Hayward wanted to borrow?) Anyway, it IS a great instrument; it was my only electric axe for all the years I gigged. Still a beauty, but it could probably use a refret. Maybe we should talk about sending it out to you - I doubt there's anyone else I'd trust to do this job!

Dahling... we'll talk...

Gene

markthemd · Post by **markthemd** » Thu Feb 07, 2002 8:36 pm

Happy to help you out .

I stock 6 sizes of fret wire and love those guitars .