535 - what pickups?

T

Taller

Charter Member
This topic has likely been covered to death, but I could not find a pertinent thread.

I've got a new H535 with the stock S-D '59 pickups. I find them to be a bit underwhelming. I had the same pickups installed in my PRS McCarty for a time, with the same result. I replaced those pickups with Tom Short's Tombucker pickups. If you are unaware, Tom was a pickup winder in SoCal who no longer makes pickups, so I can't turn to him any more.

535 owners - what pickups have you installed in your guitars and what type of music do you play (and/or, how do you approach your tone)? I don't favor 'hot' pickups. I run my tube amps to a point of light overdrive, then maybe hit them with a Klon type pedal or a Tim to take them up a notch.

I prefer a 'vintage' wind pickup, which I would guess describes the S-D 59's, but I find they lack character. 

 
Most of the old school H-535s had Seth Lovers in them. I always like the tone of them in that platform and where always versatile in most situations.

 
I swapped out the original Schaller pickups from my 535 for a pair of Sheptone Tributes.    I can't say it was an earth shattering difference,  but they were a different flavor.   

SD 59 are a pretty typical Alnico V PAF from what I've heard.   What type of "character" are you looking for?    Maybe looking at an Alnico II Pro or Seth Lover would work better.  

 
TalismanRich said:
I swapped out the original Schaller pickups from my 535 for a pair of Sheptone Tributes.    I can't say it was an earth shattering difference,  but they were a different flavor.   

SD 59 are a pretty typical Alnico V PAF from what I've heard.   What type of "character" are you looking for?    Maybe looking at an Alnico II Pro or Seth Lover would work better.  
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Hard to describe, I just know what I like when I hear/feel it, which I realize is no help. :rolleyes:  Just looking for others who might have a similar tone quest and have replaced their '59s.

I'm primarily a single coil player. I've had a few different S-D pickups in my PRSs (I own 2), and was never completely satisfied with any of them ('59s, Custom 5...). 

I got spoiled with the Tom Short pickups. 

My approach leans towards Keith Richards or Rich Robinson: Get a tube amp cooking, but without the pickups overpowering the preamp.

 
I have Wolfetone Legends in my H535.

I previously had an H535 with SD 59's & sold it.

 I did like SD 59's in an H150, I think I sold it to Detroit Blues? It was blue.

The music I play is mostly crap

 
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I had Seth Lovers originally in mine.

I went to a rather unorthodox set of pickups, Railhammer Hypervintage Bridge and Nuevo90 in the neck.

Since I play more heavier stuff, I can't use unpotted pickups and the owner of Railhammer gave me the artist package deal on them.  (I'm not a Railhammer endorsed artist, he's just a cool guy to work with)

 
I have a set of Brandonwound Pat Sticker Clones that I want to (someday) install in my 535. It’s just such a PITA to swap em’ out! I too find the stock 59’s to be “meh” in a semi-hollow. I don’t mind them in solidbodies though.

 
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I was a big fan of Tom Short as well; great guy and made excellent pickups. Even called upon him to make a custom set of mini's for my triple mini 157 (long ago). 

These days my usual go to is Wolfetone, and Wolfe is a tremendously awesome person to work with as well. The ever popular Dr V neck and Marshallhead bridge combo; or perhaps my new favorite, Grey Wolf A2 neck Timberwolf A2 bridge combo. 

So many stellar options to chose from these days, and so many great suggestions already posted above though too. 

 
High Flying Bird said:
I had HRWs in my 535 but thought them to lack flavor.  I replaced them with SD Phat Cats and love it's tone now. 
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I am with Bird on HRWs.  I liked them enough I guess on the big hollow jazz boxes, but found them incredibly hi-fi,  with no character in semis and solidbodies.

 
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davesultra said:
I have a set of Brandonwound Pat Sticker Clones that I want to (someday) install in my 535. It’s just such a PITA to swap em’ out! I too find the stock 59’s to be “meh” in a semi-hollow. I don’t mind them in solidbodies though.
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Agree with you on the thought of replacing the pickups!? And to that - I sat down and really played and listened to my guitar, adjusted the pickups, noodled in all switch positions, and rolled the tone controls to see/listen to what's going on here. Still not knocked out by the '59s, but I ask myself if it's worth the trouble to pull them and go about the perpetual experiment of pickup swapping? I'm not gigging. This is strictly a studio weapon, and it's warm and different than what I'm used to.

I've heard good things about the Wolfetone pickups.

For those of you who commented that they like Seth Lovers', did you replace '59s? (IOW, how do they compare to '59s?)

 
IMO the Seths sound "airier" than 59's. SD 59's sound a bit muted & dull to me, in comparison to unpotted pickups.

I have Seth's in a Millenium hollow ( semi-hollow? ) & like them in there
 
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