535 - what pickups?

[Taller]

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. 

[skydog52]

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.

[Genericmusic]

https://www.throbak.com/

 

[PunkKitty]

I have a set of Duncan Antiquity humbuckers I can sell you. Send me a DM.

[TalismanRich]

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.  

[Taller]

2 hours ago, 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.  

Hard to describe, I just know what I like when I hear/feel it, which I realize is no help.  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.

[PunkKitty]

You might consider Fralin P92's. They are Lindy's version of a noiseless P90. Great sounding pickups.

[bolero]

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

[DetroitBlues]

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)

[davesultra]

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.

[kbp810]

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. 

 

[rwinking]

I like the Seth Lovers in mine too.

[Gitfiddler]

1 hour ago, rwinking said:

I like the Seth Lovers in mine too.

+1 

Seths woke up my 535. 

[High Flying Bird]

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. 

[TalismanRich]

4 hours ago, 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. 

...which is crazy because people take out the HRWs and then sell them for big money.    It's true that one man's trash is another man's treasure.

[Kuz]

10 hours ago, 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. 

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.

[Taller]

On 8/22/2023 at 11:46 AM, 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.

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?)

 

[bolero]

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

[High Flying Bird]

17 hours ago, TalismanRich said:

...which is crazy because people take out the HRWs and then sell them for big money.    It's true that one man's trash is another man's treasure.

I sold my HRWs to a "Guy" in Vegas for a fair price.  I didn't take advantage. 

[High Flying Bird]

2 hours ago, bolero said:

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

I don't like the tone of '59s at all. 

[rockabilly69]

1 hour ago, High Flying Bird said:

I don't like the tone of '59s at all. 

Me either, I've only have one set of Duncans that I've stuck with, a Peter Green set (without reversed neck pickup). They are unpotted and slightly unbalanced. They've been in my H150 for almost as long as I've had it! They sound great. They came from the SD Custom Shop.

[bolero]

 

 Actually I think that blue H150 had a 59 neck & a Pearly Gates bridge. That bridge pup was good sounding

[PunkKitty]

I also have a zebra set of Pearly Gates that I'm about to list for sale.

[zydecosoultrain]

Hi,

I have a H535 with SD jazz in the neck and an SD JB at the bridge.  Sounds fine to me. Different character to the HRWs in my H575 which seem hotter somehow.

Cheers,

Greg 

[Gtwibs]

My prospect has Lollar Low Wind Imperials installed from the previous owner and I'd say they're perfect.