# NGD Epiphone 339



## flashPUNK (Feb 16, 2006)

Some of you might know that i've been playing a Gibson es339 almost exclusively for the last 2 years. It's a fantastic guitar - I highly suggest you check one out if you're in the market for a hollowbody style guitar.

I had forgotten about Epiphone releasing a version of the 339 until about a month ago when I started to look for a replacement for my Les Paul Gold Top w/p90s - the p90 sound wasn't doing it for me in my current band, so I had started looking at other options. One day while looking around for options, a epi 339 came up on craigslist, and I jumped at it, but the guy had already decided to hold on to it. So I started looking around at all the shops in TO hoping they'd have some in stock.

No such luck, apparently there is some kind of supply problem to Canada right now with these guitars - I even contacted my guy at Gibson to see if he could get his hands on one, but he came back with a big fat NO.

So I ordered from Musicians Friend during their labor day sale (last week). They had a promo going on so I thought i'd just take the chance. I was hoping to grab one of the pelham blue models, but it seems that they only come in the 'Ultra' configuration - which has a bunch of crap on it that I am not interested in. So I settled on the Pro version in Vintage Sunburst - to match my Gibson - i'm going to call them "the Twins".

The guitar came to $406.10 after shipping costs - (Guitar cost: $399.00, Discount: - $39.90, Shipping: $47.00).
When it arrived (via UPS - the only option they have to Canada) I got charged another $65 for import fees (i'll post the breakdown tonight if anyone wants to see it, i dont have it right now).

I had hoped to keep the whole shabang under $450 (no case), I was unsuccessful, but it is close enough for me not to be upset.

I didn't get much of a chance to play her last night (or take photos), but in the little time that I did have to play it into my Eleven Rack I was very impressed.

Pros:
• The pickups sound decent - not great, but they're pretty close to what the 57 classics sound like in my Gibson 339.
• The finish on the guitar is surprisingly nice
• Absolutely no pointy bits on the frets, or nut
• The neck joint is very well done
• The giant E sticker on the pick guard came off very easily
• The neck is pretty nice - A LOT skinnier than the 50s neck on my Gibson 339

Cons:
• Coil tapping sounds ok, probably something i'll never use.
• The jack plate is plastic - this will have to be replaced before I play it live...
• The knobs seem cheap - and they were all stuck on crooked and funny, i had to kind of pull them off and stick them back on so they didn't wobble when you turned them - I might replace them if I can find something better & cheap.

That's it for now. Will try and post photos tonight. If anyone has any questions, or wants to see anything specific on the guitar, please post in this thread.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

Congrats! Nice review, thanks.

I asked about these in a local shop that deals them, the guy just shook his head, no.

One thing that I thought I'd like and find useful on that guitar would be the split coil.

Yes, pics please.


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## Jimmy_D (Jul 4, 2009)

The 339 is available to any dealer that buys from yorkville. When I wanted one early this year there wasn't a single on in any store I could find, yet when I asked a local mom-and-pop to check stock there were 27 available at yorkville, and in every color.

One issue is that most music stores don't even know there is an epi 339 out there, just the other day at Cosmos I asked if they were getting any and the guys told me they have never seen one and didn't know epi made a 339. A few weeks back at the Arts in Newmarket when I asked if they had any, the guy said yes and walked me over to a Dot, then came the stunned "I think you're wrong" look on his face as I explained that Epi also made a 339.

I think the issue is most stores don't have a clue, either because Epi doesn't inform their dealers well enough (that's probably down to yorkville) or because the sales guys aren't guitar forum members (because they always seem to be years behind the trend), all of which is typical for the guitar business in Canada.


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## flashPUNK (Feb 16, 2006)

Jimmy_D said:


> The 339 is available to any dealer that buys from yorkville. When I wanted one early this year there wasn't a single on in any store I could find, yet when I asked a local mom-and-pop to check stock there were 27 available at yorkville, and in every color.
> 
> One issue is that most music stores don't even know there is an epi 339 out there, just the other day at Cosmos I asked if they were getting any and the guys told me they have never seen one and didn't know epi made a 339. A few weeks back at the Arts in Newmarket when I asked if they had any, the guy said yes and walked me over to a Dot, then came the stunned "I think you're wrong" look on his face as I explained that Epi also made a 339.
> 
> I think the issue is most stores don't have a clue, either because Epi doesn't inform their dealers well enough (that's probably down to yorkville) or because the sales guys aren't guitar forum members (because they always seem to be years behind the trend), all of which is typical for the guitar business in Canada.


I checked L&M - the sales person knew about them, said they had 1 in stock, but didn't really, he said this usually means they have them on order, but haven't arrived. He said he didn't expect them to come in any time.
I also checked Steve's Music in TO.


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## Jimmy_D (Jul 4, 2009)

Ask any dealer to check stock at yorkville, even if there's no stock it shouldn't take long, mine was in within a few days, failing that order from an American chain...


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## flashPUNK (Feb 16, 2006)

Jimmy_D said:


> Ask any dealer to check stock at yorkville, even if there's no stock it shouldn't take long, mine was in within a few days, failing that order from an American chain...


Yup, thats what I did. Had my guitar in 5 business days from Musicians Friend.


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## Rideski (Feb 25, 2009)

Nice! Congrats on the Epi. I sold my Gison 339 in a moment of gas weakness and have always missed it and now they have jumped in price so it's highly unlikely I'll replace it.
I'd like to know more, in your opinion, on the difference between the two?


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

Congrats! The ES339, epiphone or gibson are great guitars.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

I have an Epi. 339 and Im enjoying it very much. My friend and GC member Hamstrung asked the Waterloo L & M store to bring one in for him to see. I went to see it with Hamstrung (GC member starjag joined us). I had intended to get an Epi LP....but the Epi. 339 followed me home. 

I was considering putting in new pickups, as I have several that I could try.....but I think I'll just leave it alone for now.

Congrats....Enjoy your Epi. 339 Flashpunk....BTW...I removed the "E" from the pick guard also (Yuk)

Cheers

Dave


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## buzzy (May 28, 2011)

Congratulations on the new 339 and thanks for your detailed review. It's a shame there aren't more of these in stores for people to try.

I've often seen the comment, "The 'E' fell off the pick guard." in reviews of Epi guitars. I don't know why they bother putting the E there since the guitar looks better without it anyway.


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## The Kicker Of Elves (Jul 20, 2006)

I think it looks even better with the pickguard off, but maybe that's just me.

As I mentioned in another thread about the Epi 339, I'm happy with mine (cherry) but not yet satisfied. Gutted the electronics, changed the nut, might still go up in gauge from .10-46 to .11-49...

Stock it was good enough, definitely worth the sticker price. I never can leave well enough alone, however, and now it's better. But I don't think I'm done.


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## flashPUNK (Feb 16, 2006)

The Kicker Of Elves said:


> I think it looks even better with the pickguard off, but maybe that's just me.
> 
> As I mentioned in another thread about the Epi 339, I'm happy with mine (cherry) but not yet satisfied. Gutted the electronics, changed the nut, might still go up in gauge from .10-46 to .11-49...
> 
> Stock it was good enough, definitely worth the sticker price. I never can leave well enough alone, however, and now it's better. But I don't think I'm done.


Did you do the pickup swap yourself?
What pickups did you choose to use?


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## The Kicker Of Elves (Jul 20, 2006)

flashPUNK said:


> Did you do the pickup swap yourself?
> What pickups did you choose to use?


Yeah, I changed the pickups and all the pots, switches, wiring etc. Was glad to get rid of those loose push-pull volume pots, that's for sure. 

First set of pickups I put in were the Reilander RH-1s, which sound great in one of my Agiles, but just didn't have any "colour" in the 339. Replaced the bridge pickup with a Dimarzio 36th Anniversary and that was an improvement, but still not what I was after.

Decided to go in a different direction and put in the Reilander P90s-in-humbucker-form in and that's where it is right now.

I like the Reilander pickups well enough, and they are definitely affordable which makes it easier to chase the right combination of guitar and electronics, if at all possible to find.

Can't say as I am a big fan of working through an f-hole, but who is?


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)




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## flashPUNK (Feb 16, 2006)

The Kicker Of Elves said:


> Yeah, I changed the pickups and all the pots, switches, wiring etc. Was glad to get rid of those loose push-pull volume pots, that's for sure.
> 
> First set of pickups I put in were the Reilander RH-1s, which sound great in one of my Agiles, but just didn't have any "colour" in the 339. Replaced the bridge pickup with a Dimarzio 36th Anniversary and that was an improvement, but still not what I was after.
> 
> ...



Yeah, i really want to give the whole wiring swap thing a go, was it that difficult? did it take you long?

Where did you get the new wiring? did you have to enlarge the holes for the pots/switch?

There used to be a great video on Youtube on how to change the wiring/pickups on a 335 style guitar, but I can't find it.


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## The Kicker Of Elves (Jul 20, 2006)

flashPUNK said:


> Yeah, i really want to give the whole wiring swap thing a go, was it that difficult? did it take you long?
> 
> Where did you get the new wiring? did you have to enlarge the holes for the pots/switch?
> 
> There used to be a great video on Youtube on how to change the wiring/pickups on a 335 style guitar, but I can't find it.


It wasn't a walk in the park, that's for sure. I did have to put the guitar in the drill press and make the holes for the pots bigger (always fun to drill the top of a new guitar...)

I bought the "Les Paul Wiring Kit - Short Shaft from GuitarsCanShop and built the whole wiring harness on a piece of cardboard so that it could be fed into the f-hole in the right order and minimize twisting and yanking on all the wires. I didn't have any rubber tubing to help feed the tone pot shafts into the right holes easily, but with the 339 it's not as bad as a 335 would be. I have big hands and could reach the pot (barely) to push it into place.

The one thing I didn't do, and regretted omitting it, was to make up piece of dowel with a 1/4" plug on to get the jack in place and hold it there while installing the washer and nut. Had to jury-rig something in a hurry part way through the job.

There's a guide or two online that show some of these tricks, I didn't really follow one but it would have been easier if I had. I'll look for it when I get a chance and post it here.

If it sounds good to you in its stock form I'd leave it...it's a lot of work to put in with no guarantees how it'd sound when you are done. I can't help myself when it comes to gutting a cheaper guitar and trying to change as much as I can. I'm a terrible guitar player but a decent "fiddler" and it isn't long before I'm elbows deep in solder and wire instead of practicing...

I did run a separate piece of wire from each volume pot to the pickup cavities and "pigtailed" the pickup wires to it so I can change the pickups again quickly and without going back into the control cavity, once was enough. That being said the switch is a little dodgy right now and I might have to go back in anyhow (facepalm).


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## Big_Daddy (Apr 2, 2009)

Mike,

Here is a good thread on replacing a 335's wiring. I did this install on my old 335 and it went very well. You just have to take it slow and be patient.

Installing 335 Wiring Harness!


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## flashPUNK (Feb 16, 2006)

Big_Daddy said:


> Mike,
> 
> Here is a good thread on replacing a 335's wiring. I did this install on my old 335 and it went very well. You just have to take it slow and be patient.
> 
> Installing 335 Wiring Harness!


Thanks for that!
Problem is that i'm not that patient (internet generation), especially when i've drank too much coffee! Will take a look though!


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

flashPUNK said:


> Thanks for that!
> Problem is that i'm not that patient (internet generation), especially when i've drank too much coffee! Will take a look though!


Mike...I have done several wirings of 335's and hollowbodies. 
Patience is required....more like totally essential.

Cheers

Dave


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## The Kicker Of Elves (Jul 20, 2006)

That's the guide I was thinking of, on the LPF. Thanks Big_Daddy.

Here's my 339 hanging on the wall in my lair under the stairs...

View attachment 1485


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Congrats. I haven't seen one, so I haven't been able to give an Epi 339 a test run 

The $65 is likely HST plus 6% duty. The 6% because we don't have a free trade deal with China.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

PM sent

Cheers

Dave


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## Brennan (Apr 9, 2008)

Grats, I'm a big fan of the 339 style guitars.

If you're going to re-wire it yourself, make sure you wire it all up and fully test it *before* putting it all into the guitar. I learned this lesson the hard way and ended up having to do it all twice with my 335. =P


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## Big_Daddy (Apr 2, 2009)

Brennan said:


> Grats, I'm a big fan of the 339 style guitars.
> 
> If you're going to re-wire it yourself, make sure you wire it all up and fully test it *before* putting it all into the guitar. I learned this lesson the hard way and ended up having to do it all twice with my 335. =P


Ouch!! Now _*that*_ will test your patience.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

These are listed for $425.00 at Long and McQuade. With tax that is $471.25 in Ontario. 

Yorkville sound makes a HSC for the Alleycat for $79.00. Think that might fit the ES339?


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## flashPUNK (Feb 16, 2006)

Some photos:


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## Intrepid (Oct 9, 2008)

Looks like my Gibby 339 in VB. Mine has a relatively plain top but that's the way I like it. really looks like a nice score. Congratulations.


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## flashPUNK (Feb 16, 2006)

Unfortunately, i've decided to sell this guitar - ordered a PRS DGT & I can't keep both.

It's in the emporium if anyone is interested!


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

I saw your ad yesterday and I'm struggling to keep from sending a PM! G/L with the sale, Mike! Killer axe!


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