Pickups and amp for H550

[jsolman]

Hello,

New member and Heritage owner, still feel like I'm in the "getting to know you" phase of my relationship with my 2008 H550. Only been a couple of months. Overall I'm happy, it's just been set-up, replaced the nut with a Graph Tech and had a fret dress done - plays like butter now! But, I find the guitar really, really boomy. It came with Seymour Duncan 59s'. I have a Mesa Boogie 5:50 and a 59 Fender Bassman RI. With some work I've managed to tweak both amps to get a passable jazz tone. The Mesa is actually winning, but the Fender is not too bad. Just breaks up early. The biggest problem is that I'm finding the guitar or the pickups just to boomy. Even with the bass at "0" the bottom is just too much.

I'm toying with replacing the pickups (any ideas?) or getting rid of my Bassman, maybe for a Twin Custom or Deluxe. I've heard a lot about SS amps like JazzKat and Henriksen but I must say to me they lack character and tend make everyone sound the same. I like a little more old school tube feel in my tone. I like the clarity of the SS jazz amps, just not the muffled blanket sound, but have not tried one out myself so I may be judging to quickly here. Any thoughts? Suggestions?

Cheers

[mars_hall]

Have you tried adjusting the pole-piece screws? Pickup height and the height of the screws will make a big difference in what frequencies are accentuated.

[jsolman]

Thanks for the reply, they seem pretty low already, but I'll try and see if I can get them any lower.

[High Flying Bird]

But, I find the guitar really, really boomy. It came with Seymour Duncan 59s'.

 

No amount of tinkering with those pole pieces is going to help. The 59s' are too dark for my taste. Joe has plain old Schallers in his 550 and it has a full range of sounds. A set of Schallers, SD Phat Cats or maybe SD Seth Lovers will do it.

[MichYank]

Duncan '59s cam be boomy, I've found dropping the bass side remedies the problem quickly and cheaply.

[Gitfiddler]

My 550 can be boomy too unless the amp is EQ'd just right for that bog box. But I have Schallers in her now that are OK, and considering a swap over to SD Phat Cats for more note clarity.

 

59's can be too muddy and thick for archtops. The laminated 550 is meant to be played out, so a clearer pickup may be in your guitar's future. (Seths, Phat Cats, Classic 57's, Lollar Imperials, etc.)

[mars_hall]

Thanks for the reply, they seem pretty low already, but I'll try and see if I can get them any lower.

 

You actually lower the coil and raise the poles to get more treble and less low end. You are focusing the field to a narrower window.

[Joey]

Try a set Fralin Pure PAFs. Exceptionally clean, well balanced and warm sounding pups.

[High Flying Bird]

But I have Schallers in her now that are OK, and considering a swap over to SD Phat Cats for more note clarity.

 

The note clarity and the ability to roll of the volum to clean up the Cats is what has made me love them.

[barrymclark]

Granted, I have Seths but I had the 'boom' problem with my 575 through my Roland Cube until I did a couple of things. Adjusted the pole pieces and dropped the bass side of the neck pickup until I got a more even response out of it. Then, I moved away from the Fender-flavored tones and started to use the JC channel (like the Jazz Chorus). That really got me a nice even tone across the strings. Just gotta toy around I guess is what I am getting at. I just got lucky in that my amp has all kinds of amp flavors in it. I am sure the Mesa will do it. Just gonna take time. What I have learned is that a good amp is a good amp and a good guitar is a good guitar. If you have those two, the rest just takes time and patience and twiddling.

[Genericmusic]

Granted, I have Seths but I had the 'boom' problem with my 575 through my Roland Cube until I did a couple of things. Adjusted the pole pieces and dropped the bass side of the neck pickup until I got a more even response out of it. Then, I moved away from the Fender-flavored tones and started to use the JC channel (like the Jazz Chorus). That really got me a nice even tone across the strings. Just gotta toy around I guess is what I am getting at. I just got lucky in that my amp has all kinds of amp flavors in it. I am sure the Mesa will do it. Just gonna take time. What I have learned is that a good amp is a good amp and a good guitar is a good guitar. If you have those two, the rest just takes time and patience and twiddling.

+1

[Spectrum13]

Have you checked the pot and cap values? Lots of Heritages are assembled with 250 volume and tone pots and a swap to 500s would extend the range of your highs at the expense of the bottom end. Much cheeper than a pickup change.

[Heritage525]

I put a set of SD Pearly Gates in mine and they really transformed my 550 into a great guitar for all types of music.

[Gitfiddler]

I put a set of SD Pearly Gates in mine and they really transformed my 550 into a great guitar for all types of music.

 

 

Steve, now THAT is true 'outside the box' thinking, my friend. Most archtop players would not have tried that pickup combination.

[moylando]

If you've got a pickup with 4 wires (don't think the 59 does) you could try wiring the coils in parallel as opposed to series. should give more high end and move the resonance bump higher. if you do get a replacement pickup might try to get a 4 wire just so you have options.

[Heritage525]

These Pearly Gates really brightened up the tone of my 550 . . . I think that PG's have a misconception that are hot rockin' roll pups . . but in a big jazz box, they really worked well, and are not hot in output.

[dantahoua]

I'll try first to change the pot as said earlier. Also redo all the solder might help. After that you can try the Sheptone Tribute humbuckers, the best humbuckers I tried. I put a set in my 535 (she was too boomy with the original shaller pu). The Sheptone are not boomy at all...

[unikh550]

Hi, Jsolman, Have a Charlie Christian pickup from a '79 Gibson ES-175CC on my H-550. Lollar and CC Pickups in the UK (which sound closer to CC's than do the Lollars) sell repros of the CC that are in the same ballpark as the Gibson, for around $300. You have to find someone who knows what they're doing if you get an actual CC because they're around a pound in weight. The repros are much lighter. I don't get a deep sound, but more of a strident tone, like that of Barney Kessel's, whom I try to emulate in tone, although I vary some from him in actual approach. It's extremely clear and biting when you want it to be, and very identifiable from the sound of any other pickups. They have a tendency to pick up surrounding noise, but seating and amp re-location to fit a room in which you're playing are small prices to pay for the sound. If you're ever passing through Bloomington, IN, I play around town. Good luck!- Charley Bevell

[zguitar71]

I think the Black Face amps or amps patterned after them are the best for a good jazz tone. I have found great creamy tone with my Carr Slant 6V amp on the 18,22 or 40 watt setting using a Schaller equipt Super Eagle, a floating pickup eagle, the standard Gibson pickups that came in my `81 ES347 and with my H150gt using Lollar p-90's. In other words the tone was there regardless of the pickup or style of guitar, it just took some tweaking of the tone and volume knobe but the amp setting stayed the same. I usually have the mids at 1:30 -2 o'clock and the highs and lows at 12 o'clock with a little reverb. The different guitars and pickups just color the tone that is always present from the amp. I have heard the same type of tone from real BF deluxe reverbs too. So in the end I think a BF or BF clone is a great amp to get some jazz tone from and the guitar and pickups can be what they are. I have seen people get great jazz tone from Tele's too with a little tone knob roll back on the neck pickup.