Best and Worst of Pickups in a Heritage

[LPSlinger]

WCR Darkburst sounds killer in my goldtop; I'll post a comparison once I get my new C150CM (with SD '59's) on Friday! ;D

[slider313]

I put a set of Lollar Imperials in my R8 and installed the '57 classics from the R8 into my H140CM; which had Duncan '59's in it for yearrrrrrrrs. I have to say I like the '57's in the H140 and now that I have heard the tone of the Lollars, I may get a set for my H555. I'm debating between Lollars and Seth Lovers for the 555. I have a set of Seth's in my Hamer Special FM and they sound great also.

[Kazwell]

I put a set of Lollar Imperials in my R8 and installed the '57 classics from the R8 into my H140CM; which had Duncan '59's in it for yearrrrrrrrs. I have to say I like the '57's in the H140 and now that I have heard the tone of the Lollars, I may get a set for my H555. I'm debating between Lollars and Seth Lovers for the 555. I have a set of Seth's in my Hamer Special FM and they sound great also.

 

Interesting, was contemplating at one time going for the Imperials, but they are a bit too pricey. Hell, I could by a nice little guitar for the price of a set. I already have Seth Lovers, I was under the impression they were the next step up, but I would hate to be diappointed that they weren't and out over 300 bucks!!!

[slider313]

Interesting, was contemplating at one time going for the Imperials, but they are a bit too pricey. Hell, I could by a nice little guitar for the price of a set. I already have Seth Lovers, I was under the impression they were the next step up, but I would hate to be diappointed that they weren't and out over 300 bucks!!!

 

Yes, they are a step up. More clarity and sweetness and very well balanced. I believe he uses very little potting unlike the Seth's, which are not potted at all. Hell, you'll just spend the $300. on something else anyway. The Seth's are $240. for the pair. What's another $60.? Also, the Lollars will have great resale if need be.

[unikh550]

Any pickup that doesn't have a bark and bite is worthless to me. Need something that doesn't sound like there's sound trapped trying to come out of the box, yet must be extremely clean, even woody. Have a CC pickup from an ES-175CC on my H-550. Keeps low notes from being muddy and allows higher notes to whine even better than a P-90. If the sound of a Christian could be captured in a humbucker, that would be a dream worth paying even $300 for. Like the strident sound of 70's-90's Kessel much more than a cool, mellow, rolled off sound. Makes the audience hear your nuances of playing more and gives them the feeling that you're more part of the action, that you're bouncing notes off their tables, especially rattling their glasses in the front row like Kessel at Rick's cafe Americain in Chicago in the '70's. 

[SouthpawGuy]

Any pickup that doesn't have a bark and bite is worthless to me. Need something that doesn't sound like there's sound trapped trying to come out of the box, yet must be extremely clean, even woody. Have a CC pickup from an ES-175CC on my H-550. Keeps low notes from being muddy and allows higher notes to whine even better than a P-90. If the sound of a Christian could be captured in a humbucker, that would be a dream worth paying even $300 for. Like the strident sound of 70's-90's Kessel much more than a cool, mellow, rolled off sound. Makes the audience hear your nuances of playing more and gives them the feeling that you're more part of the action, that you're bouncing notes off their tables, especially rattling their glasses in the front row like Kessel at Rick's cafe Americain in Chicago in the '70's. 

 

Hi unik ... I like your tone !

I understand where you're coming from, I like guitars tones and players with attitude.

I saw Irish jazz guitarist Louis Stewart a few times in very small intimate venues and as great as he is I found my thoughts wandering after 15 minutes or so.

I later put that down to his tone, a very muted mellow sound with not much attack, that did nothing for me personally.

If none of the guys around here have heard of Louis here are a couple of YouTube links.

 

 

Scrapple from the Apple

 

BTW I actually like Louis' playing a lot, it's just the delivery that sometimes loses me.

p.s. sorry for wandering off topic but I just had to rant.  :-

[cosmikdebriis]

Bit of an update here...

 

I now have a 150 with HRW's and and a 157 with SD59's. Guitars are near as makes no difference identical, same strings/setup... Time for a comparison... 8)

 

Both are great and although different, the difference isn't enormous.

 

On the Bridge pup... The HRW's are brighter, possibly cleaner, more treble... However they lack the Bite of the 59's which somehow sound more "driven" if that makes sense ???

 

On the neck pup... Similar effect though I'd say the 59's are the closest yet to my Gibbon and that special ... erm... "creamy" sound (some might say muffled )

 

So I'd say the HRW's are more "clinical" I think someone referred to them as "Hi-Fi" and, to me, that just about sums it up. The 59's are more "gibbon" which I suppose is no real surprise :-X

 

For me... IMHO... The SD 59's win... Not by much... But enough 8)

 

Finally... Compared to the Schallers in my 150-P (which has a poplar body and is slimmer and lighter so perhaps it's a little unfair)... no contest... Loose by a mile... Sound "thin" :'(

[fxdx99]

Ah, Cosmic proves it with a sic-sigma scientific experiment!  What those with impeccable taste knew all along... which is that:

 

- for 535-style it's seth lovers,

- for 150-style it's SD59s

 

contest over, slam dunk, we have lovely parting gifts for the also rans.

 

:D :D

[davesultra]

The '59s that were in an H150CM I used to own were not hapening. My Ultra has the HRW's, I woudn't swap those out for anything!! They just "work" for that particular git.  8)

[freshmattyp]

I can only relate my very limited experience with the 535.  I played one with Seth Lovers and one with '59s.  I bought the one with the SL's.  I'm primarily a rhythym player, and the chord definition was better than on the 59's.  I think they would suit a lead player better.

[MacDoggie]

#1--HRWs

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

 

 

Thundersteel,

 

I felt that way when I first got my 535.  The 59s seems too hot, especially on the bass side.  I was looking to replace them when I started monkeying around with the pups height and I changed to pure nickel strings.  I was amazed at the result.  I lowered the pickups probably 1/16th in on the high side, maybe 1/8 inch on the bass and put the new pure nickel strings on and I love the tone of the guitar now.  It smoothed the response on chords and really mellowed things where it needed to be.  It can still be pumped up to growl on a solo, but now I control it, not the pickup.

 

Not sure what guitar you may still have the SD 59s in or what style you are going for, but if you still have them in a guitar and aren't happy with it, try using pure nickel strings and lowering the pup a bit.  It was a lot cheaper than new pickups.

[cmr415]

I have one of Kent Armstrongs custom made humbuckers in mine.  Its an awesome pick up.  I think the stock pick up sounded ok, but it wasnt nearly as well rounded.  I dont need to roll the tone knob back to 3 to get a decent tone.  I roll it back to about 6 or 7 and it is warm and articulate.  Perfect pick up for a carved wood arch top in my opinion

[ramseybella]

Jeff at High Order pickups has a sweet wind for PAF Alnico 2 and a fantast price and well made.

I have a set in my H-150CM

I am ordering a 535 and will be installing them in that as well.

 

 

http://www.highorderpickups.com/

[Peter Cl]

I've never noticed any lack of clarity / definition / articulation / character in the stock Schallers of my '91 H150. Neither is there anything thin about their sound, IMO / TME (= To My Ears).

 

As far as I can remember, nobody who heard the clip I posted a while ago found fault with them, either.

 

However, I'm very interested in anything which could further help me to "bring out the true sound" (ie, the wood) of my instrument. I've already found out (for my style of playing) the importance of string type and gauge, so would a Seth Lover or a HRW or a maybe Jazz SH-2 really make a difference? How so?

[Bombassa]

I wonder if I might be the reason for this thread.  ;D I have been changing pickups once. I replaced superhumbuckers on a Gibson SG (1974) with a Seymour Duncan JB and a Gibson PAF(neck). That was a great success.

Next time I ordered a guitar - 140 goldtop - I was told that the pickups were some junk from Scaller ( and Bill Lawrence). When I collected the guitar I wanted some Seymour Duncan too, but my friend, the importer of Heritage, refused. He was surprised by the sound of that guitar. And so became I. No change has been made. The sound of this guitar is unique.

Some years later the story repeated. I wanted to put together my own strat. The cheapest and most easy solution was to strip a guitar of "OK quality" (Mex-strat) and replace everything on it.....with quality parts. We where both surprised by that guitar too. No change has been made to that guitar.

Yesterday the story repeated (again) with the H-150 and the P90's. Now I am forced to buy a Gibson Goldtop Deluxe since I still one with minihumbudkers - sometime. ???

 

Finding the right pickup for a guitar must be the most easy thing in the whole world. Just go to the website of a manufacturer. Select a pickup that might be of interest, them click on the link next to it "Listen to this pickup"

;D ;D ;D ;D

[Axman]

Finally... Compared to the Schallers in my 150-P (which has a poplar body and is slimmer and lighter so perhaps it's a little unfair)... no contest... Loose by a mile... Sound "thin" :'(

 

  :'(

I was gonna ask, as a fellow 150-P owner... So far the Schallers are doing it for me but I know once the honeymoon ends I'm going to get

a seven year/week itch for something with a bit more fullness.  Has anyone done alot of pickup experimenting with the thinner poplar body and what have you found?  I believe I already have a 59 at home, still in the box from a scrapped project.