Eko 335 Electrics

[EKO]

Hi there, im new to this forum and i just wanted to ask some advice.

I have beautiful old eko 335 style guitar, it was made in 1965, and unfortunatley the vox pickups and all the electrics are crap.

Here is a picture of it now.

larger full pic:

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h287/Luc...s/HPIM1626a.jpg

Has anyone replaced pickups on an archtop.. it would probably require new holes. I was thinking about mini humbuckers.

Thanks.

[crafty]

Sell it to someone who won't hack it up. Take the money and buy an Epi or Ibanez semi-hollow.

[George Brown]

never seen p/u's like that before, if you want information on wirring the guitar go here

here is the schematic you will need (ignore the SPDT switch its for a coil tap couldnt find a 2 humbucker 2vol 2tone and 3 way on their site), however your p/u selector appears to be rotary if it is a 5 position ratory selector you may need wirring like a PRS shown here or here

edit: my 100th post yay !

Edited May 29, 2006 by George Brown

[unclej]

Hi there, im new to this forum and i just wanted to ask some advice.

I have beautiful old eko 335 style guitar, it was made in 1965, and unfortunatley the vox pickups and all the electrics are crap.

Here is a picture of it now.

larger full pic:

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h287/Luc...s/HPIM1626a.jpg

Has anyone replaced pickups on an archtop.. it would probably require new holes. I was thinking about mini humbuckers.

Thanks.

well, the first thing you should do is read this guy's tutorial on working with electronics on hollow bodies..

http://projectguitar.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=21345

he reallyl knows his stuff.

then carefully plan what it is that you're trying to accomplish..what sound are you looking for and will new pickups give you that sound..if so measure everything out and make sure that the new pups will fit into the space available..you're not only likely to have to cut holes in the top of the guitar but enlarge the notches in the pickguard as well..then you have to decide if you have the skill to do those two things without messing up a beautiful instrument...

does the guitar have any collector value at present and will modifying it ruin that value. even though there's a lot you should think about there's nothing terribly difficult about accomplishing it if you have the proper skills and tools.

good luck.

[Mickguard]

Sell it to someone who won't hack it up. Take the money and buy an Epi or Ibanez semi-hollow.

+1

Although it looks like the pickups are surface-mounted? You might be able to find toaster pickups to fit the guitar something like this or this. Or better yet this one.

But I have a set of toaster tops with middle screw holes--something like that might retrofit the guitar's existing screw holes.

Just seems like a shame to cut up a guitar that's made it this long without any mods.

[EKO]

Sell it to someone who won't hack it up. Take the money and buy an Epi or Ibanez semi-hollow.

+1

Although it looks like the pickups are surface-mounted? You might be able to find toaster pickups to fit the guitar something like this or this. Or better yet this one.

But I have a set of toaster tops with middle screw holes--something like that might retrofit the guitar's existing screw holes.

Just seems like a shame to cut up a guitar that's made it this long without any mods.

yeah thanks for all your help, well almost no mods.. it has a new tailpiece, new tuners.. which some bastard put on which made new screw holes.

^^ about the selectro its a 4 way, off, 1, 2, 1 and 2.

I was thinking about toaster pickups, as i do not want to make the holes bigger... and they look/sound great.

All the electrics need replacing cos theyre scratchy.

[yahilltrade]

yeah i got a pair of toasters in one of my gretsch's and it screammmmsss.

i would go with toasters for this 335....it would sound good and look great.

[j. pierce]

All the electrics need replacing cos theyre scratchy.

I'd replace the pots first then - that's where the scratchy is probably coming from - and leave the p'ups alone, see how that sounds first.

If it still doesn't suit you, See about getting the pickups re-wound - you might be able to get a different sound out of them, while still keeping the look stock, and not putting any more holes in the thing.

Of course, it's your guitar and you're free to do what you want to it, but if it was mine, I'd want to keep it looking as close to original looking as possible.

[crafty]

The only reason why I said don't hack it up is because those old Kays, Ekos, and Voxs are increasing in their collector's value. There's only so many '59 Les Pauls and '54 Strats to be had, after all. Replacing the pots with a good set of CTS pots would be a good start. If you can replace the pickups with ones that are surface-mountable in the original holes or near them, you could make it a good player without sacrificing too much value.

Anyway, for the money you could get out of it, you could probably get a more playable guitar for the sound I think you're looking for.

[Mickguard]

The only reason why I said don't hack it up is because those old Kays, Ekos, and Voxs are increasing in their collector's value. There's only so many '59 Les Pauls and '54 Strats to be had, after all. Replacing the pots with a good set of CTS pots would be a good start. If you can replace the pickups with ones that are surface-mountable in the original holes or near them, you could make it a good player without sacrificing too much value.

Anyway, for the money you could get out of it, you could probably get a more playable guitar for the sound I think you're looking for.

How about just trying to clean the pots first? ...squirt a little of goop in there, might be enough to keep it going. Those collector types get pretty **** about things when you start changing parts...

[marksound]

Contact Curtis Novak. He sorta specializes in oddball pickup restorations and rewinds. He'll tell you if your old pickups are worth messing with. Either way, if that old dog has any collector value I'd keep it as original as possible.

[stevenhoneywell]

try contacting http://www.brandoniguitars.co.uk/alanhistory.html

although they don't mention their entire range of pickups on their site I have bought vox pickups from them in the past and they are really nice and helpful

[EKO]

All the electrics need replacing cos theyre scratchy.

I'd replace the pots first then - that's where the scratchy is probably coming from - and leave the p'ups alone, see how that sounds first.

If it still doesn't suit you, See about getting the pickups re-wound - you might be able to get a different sound out of them, while still keeping the look stock, and not putting any more holes in the thing.

Of course, it's your guitar and you're free to do what you want to it, but if it was mine, I'd want to keep it looking as close to original looking as possible.

yeah thanks, i think ill clean the pots first, it plays beautifuly unpluged, but the pups arnt great, it just seems the tone pots have almost no effect.

im not going to cut new holes.. and there are no modern pups in the world that will fit these ones..