Hi Everyone,
I recently picked up this '65 ES-335. There's some good and bad news with it. The bad news is all of the changed parts, as well as a neck crack repair (done well, from what I can see), but the good news is the wide neck (not quite 1 11/16" but close), original patent-sticker pups, and plays great. I'd like to restore the restorable parts, but the question is should I take a "vintage parts" or "repro parts" approach? For example, I could get a vintage harness (there's a '65 harness on eBay with a BIN of $200), double-ring Klusons (several sets on eBay for $300), and gold reflector knobs (several vintage sets on eBay). But doing so, given the neck repair and bridge change, would likely not improve it's value (not that I'm planning on selling it) so it's less justifiable. Repro parts are less expensive and would it least give it that "look" (and sound, in the case of the harness).
I'm leaning toward repro parts, but I have another question about harnesses. Do you like the RS or Bumblebee versions? Which seems more "accurate" compared to the vintage harness? Or maybe I should grab that '65 harness and use repro parts for the rest?
Thanks in advance.
Joe
I recently picked up this '65 ES-335. There's some good and bad news with it. The bad news is all of the changed parts, as well as a neck crack repair (done well, from what I can see), but the good news is the wide neck (not quite 1 11/16" but close), original patent-sticker pups, and plays great. I'd like to restore the restorable parts, but the question is should I take a "vintage parts" or "repro parts" approach? For example, I could get a vintage harness (there's a '65 harness on eBay with a BIN of $200), double-ring Klusons (several sets on eBay for $300), and gold reflector knobs (several vintage sets on eBay). But doing so, given the neck repair and bridge change, would likely not improve it's value (not that I'm planning on selling it) so it's less justifiable. Repro parts are less expensive and would it least give it that "look" (and sound, in the case of the harness).
I'm leaning toward repro parts, but I have another question about harnesses. Do you like the RS or Bumblebee versions? Which seems more "accurate" compared to the vintage harness? Or maybe I should grab that '65 harness and use repro parts for the rest?
Thanks in advance.
Joe