Best and Worst of Pickups in a Heritage

[cosmikdebriis]

The idea here is to find out what people prefer as a pickup in the various Heritage models.

 

It would be particularly helpful if anyone can make direct comparisons of same model of guitar with different pickups.

 

I'd also like to know what you don't like in a certain pickup.

 

I appreciate there are various posts on particular pickups but I'm trying to assimilate the information in one post.

 

The type of pickup you prefer may well depend on the type of music you choose to play, so please include that as well.

 

Of course, all opinions are subjective ;D

[GuitArtMan]

H-535 - Seth Lovers vs. HRWs vs. Schallers

Seth Lovers - The tits, the cats meow, the pickup of choice for a semi hollow body. Neck is full, yet crisp and clear.  The bridge has nice bite, and sounds good clean or distorited.  The middle position is to die for.

HRWs - Nice, but too hot for my tastes and a little to HiFi sounding.  I've known some other local players with similar feelings. 

Schallers - Ok on a budget, but lack the clarity and definition of the other two pickups imho. 

[Kuz]

H-535 - Seth Lovers vs. HRWs vs. Schallers

Seth Lovers - The tits, the cats meow, the pickup of choice for a semi hollow body. Neck is full, yet crisp and clear.  The bridge has nice bite, and sounds good clean or distorited.  The middle position is to die for.

HRWs - Nice, but too hot for my tastes and a little to HiFi sounding.  I've known some other local players with similar feelings. 

Schallers - Ok on a budget, but lack the clarity and definition of the other two pickups imho. 

 

End the poll here GAM nailed it.

 

I will add two more bits.

 

1.  MANY people love the HRWs in archtops (sweet 16, 550, 575, Golden eagles, ect) because they are very acoustic & transparent. Great clean tone.

2. Lollar p90s RULE in 150s. Very warm, fat, but still can get ratty, and gritty without ear piercing highend shrill.

[cosmikdebriis]

End the poll here GAM nailed it.

 

Hold on... Not everyone is going to agree and there's a few more options yet, not to mention aftermarket pickups someone might have tried ;D

[dblazer]

I've had Schallers in two guitars, neither of which I still have. One was a Prospect/Blues Jr. and the other was an H-150 Gold Top. They sounded "O.K.", smooth and pretty well lacking in Character.

 

Now I've got an H-140 with Seymour/Seth P.A.F.s, and an H-137 with the Lollar P-90s.

 

The Seth Lovers are IT for humbuckers, and the P-90s are an awesome alternative.

 

I'm a blues fan.

[Kuz]

Hold on... Not everyone is going to agree and there's a few more options yet, not to mention aftermarket pickups someone might have tried ;D

 

Sorry I was just kidding and trying to give props to GAM's post at the same time.  :-[

 

Everyone should share their experiences!

[BrianToth]

Fralin P-92s!!!!!!!

 

Got 'em in my Prospect and in my Sweet 16

[Thundersteel]

#1--HRWs

#2--SD Seth Lovers

 

I never really liked the SD 59s much. The Schallers are OK, but nothing special.

 

 

I haven't had much experience with the P90s, so I can't comment on those.

[snacker]

i have G****n classic 57s in my H576 and they sound great - perfect for what i do (world infused jam-rock) - my 535 has HRWs which are great for more aggressive material

[plexirocker 68]

I use Wolfetone Dr.V's in mine, a 355 and a 150.

 

Heritage uses such great tonewoods it would be a shame IMO to hide that tonal beauty behind a real hot pickup.

 

 

The trick to the the great PAF character or sound is more of what it's NOT doing to overide the guitars sound as it is just amplifying it purely.

 

I haven't tried the HRW''s,  but I had to pull the Schallers quick. Not bad but not articulate enough to bring out the true sound of these great guitars.

 

I think the SD59's are pretty cool. Not real articulate like a Ant, Seth or Dr.V but they have a cool "rocking' vibe on their own.

 

plexi

[High Flying Bird]

Good post Cosmik.  I have been wondering the same thing.  I have 2 535s and can play a 550 almost any time I want.  One 535 and the 550 have Schallers but the other 535 has something hot inside it.

I get great tone from both pickups but they respond differently.

 

I have to agree with Plexirocker about the wood being the most important ingredient.....100%.  I love the sound I get from the wood of a Heritage.  That is why I buy and play them. 

[jacques]

If the wood is right, the pickups do what they're supposed to do and your tube amp boasts the simplest construction then it mostly depends on your fingers.

 

You just don't change the sound of an already good guitar very much when you go from one decent pickup to another. At least not when you're dealing with a design that has proven its merits since 1958 ('heritage', remember? Even our luthiers are historically accurate...)

 

A Heritage meets all the ends and I don't believe there are more than subtle differences between most top grade pickups like the SDs, the Schallers or the HRWs. Maybe a Dimarzio could be too shreddy for our tastes (you hardly ever hear Heritage players talk about Dimarzios), or an EMG could be too lifeless but apart from that: don't fool yourself. Always remember: the aftermarket pickup business is BIG business. Also you have some psychology here: after you've spent a load of dollars on pickups and a long time replacing the old ones you WANT to hear something better. How do I know all this? I've been there...

 

Personally I compared two 535s, one with '59s and one with Seth Lovers. The Lovers were a tiny bit more trebly, a difference that would immediately disappear in the big noise of a band.

 

(But maybe the Seth Lovers were more trebly because the 535 with 59s is an Almond Sunburst and the Seth Lover 535 was Cherry Red?)

[les paulverizer]

Great and "innerestin'" post Cosmikdebriis (great name by the way but hey, after all "you are what you is", right?) 8)

I've been swearin' by my Seynour Duncan Antiquity's since I got my H150; no matter what I do I always get "that sound"!!!!!!!!!

What sound am I referrin' to here?

That great superlative Tone that inspires you and pushes you to greater hights no matter what kind of music you play, that's what!!!!!!

I play loud Rock'n'Roll, turbocharged Classic Rock if you really...gotta use a label, but I also dabble, for my own enjoyment, in other somehow related styles; Delta blues, Country, Rockabilly, 50's & 60's Jazz, and my H150 always delivers Big Time with the most authentic legit Tone, rangin' from Hubert Sumlin to John Sykes goin' through Grant Green & Peter Green, and I always "feel" the pup's contribution; this particular guitar might the best I've ever owned/played (and I've played h-e-a-p-s, believe me!), but the difference between the original Shaller's and the Antiquity's is staggerin'

The Shaller's were good and perfectly usable, don't get me wrong, but in terms of Tone-articulation-depth-responsiveness, what I hear in the Seymour Duncan's comes from a totally different higher developed. planet.

I also think that you gotta have the right guitar/pick up combination; I used to have Gibson 57 & 57+ fitted to a Les Paul but felt there was "somethin" lackin', but when I replaced the bridge pup with an early unlogo'd Seymour Duncan JB everything came together; on the other hand I've played other Les Paul's fitted with 57's that sounded wonderfull...

It seems to vary greatly from one guitar to another, even within the same Brand and model (unless you go Ibanez, Yamaha, PRS,...where every guitar within the same model will sound the exact boring same...!).

What puzzles me is the fact that both Antiquity's and Seth Lover's are supposed to be replicas of the same era pup's (I mean, whaddaheck...!)... so...whatz happenin' there? Whatz the difference?

Do I smell a...marketin' plot there...?

Whatever, Tone is what counts.

I'd like to make is the high/medium/low output thing.

Used to use high output pup's only and were happy with them until the day I bought this H150; I decided to fit Antiquity's as a form of respect and to be in line with its "heritage" (excuse the pun...) and it turned out to be a major turnin' point in my approach to gear.

I honestly strongly recommend ANYBODY playin' ANY kind of music to give unpotted lower output pup's a try: I think that move seems to have got the best out of me as a  player.

Last night I had a rehearsal, we're preparin' for a little late spring/summer tour,and I cannot recount the exact number of smiles my gear brought to me as I was playin'.....

As I said before, it makes me a better player.

Thank you guy's at Heritage, and thank you too Seymour...and anybody keepin' this forum alive

[SouthpawGuy]

Hi all, nice post cosmik

I have the same pickups in two different models -- Duncan 59's in a 535 and a 575 Custom.

The two guitars do indeed sound different, the 535 has more punch and "jangle" 

The 575 has a bigger "airier" sound with more depth and bottom in a laid back sort of way.

I also have HRWs in a Millennium Standard Ultra and it is indeed "hotter" than the other two, but in a very musical way. It is surprisingly good for rock but it can also nail a jazz clean tone.

If I want a big fat jazzy tone on the 535 or 575 I use the neck pickup with the tone rolled fully off.

The "best" jazz tone on the Millie is the neck pickup with the tone rolled slightly off.

I can't comment on the Seths as I have never tried them, as for P-90s or P-92s I am hoping to get a Heritage semi , in lefty  ???,equipped with either of those in the next few months and any discussion here is most informative.

[skydog]

I never really liked the SD 59s much.

 

[Thundersteel]

Yes, skydog--sad, but true. I've always found them to be somewhat muddy sounding.

[ingeneri]

Anyone ever try swapping in Benedetto pickups for their Heritage archtop? I'm thinking of getting either the PAF or the A6 (non-epoxy) for my Super Eagle.  I'd be curious whether any one has any insight into choosing one or the other of these.

 

I have a hand wound Kent Armstrong Johny Smith on my D'angelico NYL2 and the Korean made floating HB on my old Epiphone Emperor (see the Mypsace page below for samples).  I've been really happy with both. Anyone ever change to a KA on their Heritage?

[squawken]

I have a 150 that has the 59's in it.  Awesome!  I find them to be extremely versatile, from screaming metal to beautiful "acoustic" sounds.  I have a 140 that has Schallers in it, and don't really care for it, at least compared to the 59's.  They are very gritty, but lack articulation, and even fullness compared to the 59's.  So I plan on replacing them, with what I don't know yet.

[jamison162]

My H-150 is about 9lb -2oz.  I like the WCR Darkbursts/Crossroads much, much better than Duncans Seth Lovers and AII Pros.  The Seth's were too bright and thin sounding to me.  The WCR's have this fullness to them but are still articulate, clear and just bloom so much better.

 

But...I have these Sheptones that will be going in sometime this week.  Rehearsal Thursday night.

[Gitfiddler]

The stock Schalers sound fantastic in my H-575 Custom.  Jay Wolfe discouraged me from dropping expensive (must ship back to Heritage) HRW's in that beauty.  He said to first try the Schalers.  In THAT guitar, they just work...and he was right!  I am always tempted to drop in a Seth Lover...just to hear any difference. 

 

The same pickup in my Sweet 16 sounded dull and lifeless.  I swaped it out for a Gibson Classic 57 and later to a custom wound Kent Armstrong PAF.  WOW, now that's a pickup for a fine archtop!!! 

 

Kent Armstrong won over my Golden Eagle.  I think I tossed the original Schaler floating p'up it came with afterwards.

 

Different guitars (particularly full hollow archtops) tend to respond very differently to different pickups.  I would guess it has to do with the solid wood, bracing, etc., etc. that makes an archtop such an interesting and sweet beast.

[Thundersteel]

I am always tempted to drop in a Seth Lover...just to hear any difference. 

 

I'm tempted to do the same on my H575. I bet getting to the pots would be a b!tch, though!

[High Flying Bird]

I'm tempted to do the same on my H575. I bet getting to the pots would be a b!tch, though!

 

I was thinking all of this through and realized that the job would really be tough on a 535.  I guess you could cut the wires off of the pick up you were removing........

[cosmikdebriis]

I was thinking all of this through and realized that the job would really be tough on a 535.  I guess you could cut the wires off of the pick up you were removing........

 

I've not had to work on a 535 but have some experience on hollow bodies electrics.

 

The problem here can be getting all the pots and wiring back through the mounting holes after whatever work you have done.

 

I use this method. On dis assembly, pull the control knobs off the pots and then, using electrical tape, or similar, attach a 2ft long piece of string to the knurled end of the pot (the bit the knob was attached to).

 

Don't wrap to much tape round here though because in the next step you will need to undo the nuts and washers holding the pots in place and slide them past the tape and up the string.

 

You can now push the pots into the body of the guitar, making sure you keep the free end of the string from falling into the cavity.

 

When your work is complete you can (fairly) simply pull the assembly back through the body.

 

If you're replacing a pot then simply put the string from the removed pot back on the new pot.

 

This method can also be applied to the switch tip and jack socket. It should help you swap out a pickup.

 

Hope this helps???

[jazzbo]

INGENERI

 

I swapped out the old stock floater on my Sweet 16 for the KA handwound humbuck floater ..make sure that you get the one with adjustable pole pieces as you will need to adjust poles for balanced dynamics

 

With flat wounds (d'add chrome 12) the Sweet 16 sounds wonderful

 

Anyone ever try swapping in Benedetto pickups for their Heritage archtop? I'm thinking of getting either the PAF or the A6 (non-epoxy) for my Super Eagle.  I'd be curious whether any one has any insight into choosing one or the other of these.

 

I have a hand wound Kent Armstrong Johny Smith on my D'angelico NYL2 and the Korean made floating HB on my old Epiphone Emperor (see the Mypsace page below for samples).  I've been really happy with both. Anyone ever change to a KA on their Heritage?

[plexirocker 68]

I see there's been some hesitation about swapping pickups in your 535. No biggie, there's enough slack from the caps and wires to pull the pots thru the f-hole,no problem. ;D I swapped both my schallers out for Dr.V's and it was about a 20 minute job. Just go slow and It'll be fine.

 

plexi