fred68 Posted April 10, 2011 Posted April 10, 2011 I'm contemplating purchasing an H575, and I'd like to know what forum members think about the need for a bridge pickup. I have a 335 that works just fine for blues and rock, how is the H575 for non-jazz music?
tino Posted April 10, 2011 Posted April 10, 2011 I'm contemplating purchasing an H575, and I'd like to know what forum members think about the need for a bridge pickup. I have a 335 that works just fine for blues and rock, how is the H575 for non-jazz music? Not for rock....blues is passable
peteraltongreen Posted April 10, 2011 Posted April 10, 2011 I'm contemplating purchasing an H575, and I'd like to know what forum members think about the need for a bridge pickup. I have a 335 that works just fine for blues and rock, how is the H575 for non-jazz music? Hi Fred, If you're going to play non jazz on an archtop,I think you need the second pup.It's not to get the screaming treble,but to blend the two pups together.Steve Howe of the 'Yes' & 'Asia' bands successfully use a Gibson ES 175,George Thorogood used a variety of thinline Gibson Archtops,and Eric Gale made a Gibson L5 sound like a 'Strat' ! I used mostly Thinline archtops through the 1960's ( Hofner Club 60,Gretsch 'Tennessean',Epiphone 'Sorrento',and Gibson L5,playing the pop & latin jazzy tunes of the day.When the 70's hit,and the volume levels rose,feedback became an issue.I talked to Dan Armstrong ( father of Kent Armstrong,the pick up man ) and he suggested stuffing newspaper into the guitar to stop this.I never did,of course,I bought a solid guitar ( a Guild S100 ) for high volume work.I still prefer an archtop style guitar to play standards,but most gigs,I take both my Heritage H140 & a Fender Strat ,in a Levy's double guitar gig bag.I've included a photo of Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones playing a Gretsch Anniversary,in Smoke Green color,in May 1964.Keith Richards played a Harmony 'Meteor' that night,also a thinline ,hollow guitar.Both were played through a Vox 30 amplifier.I know this,as I played a gig with them in Manchester,U.K. the following night.The photo is an unpublished stage shot,taken by a friend at local concert. ( Bridlington Spa Hall,East Yorkshire,U.K. May 1964 ) Hope this information helps you decide. Peter Alton Green.
tino Posted April 10, 2011 Posted April 10, 2011 I'm contemplating purchasing an H575, and I'd like to know what forum members think about the need for a bridge pickup. I have a 335 that works just fine for blues and rock, how is the H575 for non-jazz music? Fred where are you based...If UK you are most welcome to try mine....I travel profusely so I may be passing if UK based
kbp810 Posted April 10, 2011 Posted April 10, 2011 Do it! The H575s are superb rock machines! +1 My 575 is a rock machine!
tino Posted April 10, 2011 Posted April 10, 2011 +1 My 575 is a rock machine! depends really what you class as rock.................if you really mean pop then I agree
fred68 Posted April 10, 2011 Author Posted April 10, 2011 Thank you Mr. Green and everyone else for your thoughtful replies. It sounds like two 'bucks is the way to go! There's a shop nearby that has a thusly equipped model, so I'll be able to try before I buy.
Steiner Posted April 10, 2011 Posted April 10, 2011 depends really what you class as rock.................if you really mean pop then I agree On the contrary... That particular H575 grinds through power chords and leads with the best of them.
cod65 Posted April 10, 2011 Posted April 10, 2011 +1 Steve Howe reference you also might want to swap the wooden bridge, if it has one, for a tune-o-matic for archtops
tino Posted April 10, 2011 Posted April 10, 2011 +1 Steve Howe reference you also might want to swap the wooden bridge, if it has one, for a tune-o-matic for archtops So in effect we are changing a 575 into NOT a 575 but a variant of....its like saying should I get a Gibson 175 or a 335..............it would be a 335 everytime...for this fellas needs Have we all lost the plot.....come on guys
eor Posted April 10, 2011 Posted April 10, 2011 not that it is the same thing, but i have a gretsch 6118t and a synchromatic 400 that are just awesome with tons of gain. there is much perverse joy to be had with a 575 as well, i would imagine. at least at home and in the studio. stage volumes could be tricky, but its possible. you can expect a really raw, throaty, middy sound when you crank up the gain. really interesting and unique. with the right pickups/od pedals/amps/eq settings, you can really get nearly any sound you want from one. a neat trick to add more solid body warmth is to play with flatwounds. having said all that, i use the neck pickup alone on my hollows about 85% of the time. and the 335 is a much better/safer choice for non jazz, in general. but you give up a lot of charm, feedback and perversity of playing a hollowbodied guitar really, really loud. it literally feels like you're fighting a living thing.
Kuz Posted April 10, 2011 Posted April 10, 2011 When you are talking about "rockin" a 575, just remember the guitar is hollow. It has no center block like a 535/335, so I agree that Steve Howe should be the reference for what a 575/175 can do.
cod65 Posted April 10, 2011 Posted April 10, 2011 So in effect we are changing a 575 into NOT a 575 but a variant of....its like saying should I get a Gibson 175 or a 335..............it would be a 335 everytime...for this fellas needs Have we all lost the plot.....come on guys Sounds to me like the 'fella' wants a 575. did I mention Steve Howe ? If he doesn't rock (on a very hollow 64 175 with a non-standard tuneomatic bridge), then my then 13-year-old-self was misinformed about what rock was. As far as no bridge pickup goes - you wouldnt have a 575 rock machine without a bridge pickup. Not really sure why this is an issue though, since 2 pickups are standard.
tino Posted April 10, 2011 Posted April 10, 2011 not that it is the same thing, but i have a gretsch 6118t and a synchromatic 400 that are just awesome with tons of gain. there is much perverse joy to be had with a 575 as well, i would imagine. at least at home and in the studio. stage volumes could be tricky, but its possible. you can expect a really raw, throaty, middy sound when you crank up the gain. really interesting and unique. with the right pickups/od pedals/amps/eq settings, you can really get nearly any sound you want from one. a neat trick to add more solid body warmth is to play with flatwounds. having said all that, i use the neck pickup alone on my hollows about 85% of the time. and the 335 is a much better/safer choice for non jazz, in general. but you give up a lot of charm, feedback and perversity of playing a hollowbodied guitar really, really loud. it literally feels like you're fighting a living thing. +1+1+1 Totally sensible and feasible advice
kbp810 Posted April 10, 2011 Posted April 10, 2011 Well, I'm not sure what these two lousy clips I just recorded will show... but hey, I had lots of fun making them! My 575 has humbucker sized p90's (Manilus Fat Goats), and these were played through my high gain single ended KT88 amp (AKA the "Underground", as it was so named by Detroit Blues) Proud Mary White Room
tsp17 Posted April 11, 2011 Posted April 11, 2011 If you are not playing straight ahead jazz, two is the way to go.
Steiner Posted April 12, 2011 Posted April 12, 2011 You're not supposed to play rock on the 575. Don't you read the HOC? TAG says you should play the Dumble... Nice playing KBP810. 'Twas enjoyable!
big bob Posted April 12, 2011 Posted April 12, 2011 depends really what you class as rock.................if you really mean pop then I agree I mean Rock, judis preist, motorhead, and billy, horton heat, calexico, x but mine has some funky pups
kbp810 Posted April 12, 2011 Posted April 12, 2011 You're not supposed to play rock on the 575. Don't you read the HOC? TAG says you should play the Dumble... Nice playing KBP810. 'Twas enjoyable! I nearly forgot... and if the internet says I can't rock a 575, then by golly I better rethink my playlist! Dumble you say? I can do that too! (Just finally finished up the cab today... really long story; including having cracked the nameplate I had made for it)
FredZepp Posted April 12, 2011 Posted April 12, 2011 Rock music on a Heritage Hollowbody.. that would be sacrilege.. (please excuse the sloppy playing, it's just for fun...)
kbp810 Posted April 12, 2011 Posted April 12, 2011 Rock music on a Heritage Hollowbody.. that would be sacrilege.. (please excuse the sloppy playing, it's just for fun...) I'm betting it sounded great Fred I watched the video, but I was too busy starring at the Centurion to focus on the sound coming from it
Steiner Posted April 12, 2011 Posted April 12, 2011 It's a darn good thing the three of you aren't playing rock and roll
Halowords Posted April 12, 2011 Posted April 12, 2011 I'll be the dissenting opinion and say one pickup, preferably floating. I just think I would dislike losing the acoustic properties of the second pickup near the bridge. You lose the thing that makes it special. I have nothing against rocking out with a hollowbody, but you can do some of that with a neck pickup and ALL of that with a semi-hollow and lose nothing of what makes me want an archtop hollowbody guitar in the first place. That's why I have the Prospect and when I get a hollowbody archtop I won't be getting a bridge pickup in it. Then again, if you're going to have more than one, or never going to play the thing unplugged, then I suppose go nuts. I'm sure they are fun either way and it is not like I have some moral highroad opposition to it, just personal preference.
Hfan Posted April 12, 2011 Posted April 12, 2011 On a 575 I would go with 2. More versatile. Also the single p up would be lonley after a while. Sorry, think my brain is fried today. For pure jazz I would get an eagle or similar with a floater.
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