Eagle Classic perfect pickups

[Guest mgoetting]

I'm looking at a '97 Eagle Classic in excellent shape. The seller offered to remove the Schallers and put in SDs at cost of pickups only.

 

Would that make a decent difference in tone?

 

Mark

[Jazzpunk]

Are the replacement pups Seth Lovers? I had a set of those in my 575 and they sounded fantastic!

[Steiner]

You use the plural when talking about the pickups. I'm guessing you're after a twin pickup guitar which kind of rules out the "strict" Jazz player. That's all I can infer about what you're looking to create. I'd use the ones in it. Heritage loads wonderful pickups in the Eagles. If you really can't get along and live near Kalamazoo, they'll throw a pair of HRWs in for a couple C notes.

[Patrick]

I'm looking at a '97 Eagle Classic in excellent shape. The seller offered to remove the Schallers and put in SDs at cost of pickups only.

 

Would that make a decent difference in tone?

 

Mark

 

Forgive me for asking the obvious question here . . but . . . have you played it . . extensively . . with the Schallers?? They're not "bad" sounding pups. My rule of thumb is always this;; if I am considering buying a guitar, and the very first note and response I feel from hearing the pick ups is "Oh my God . . these pick ups sound like shit" then the pups gotta go!! If, on the other hand my response is more like . . . "gee . . it's not what I was hoping for . . but it doesn't suck either" . . then I'll play it with the stock pups for a week or so. That time frame will cause me to either fall in love with the "new sound" or confirm that I hate it.

[smurph1]

Yes..Just give your ears a chance to decide..I personally really like the sound of Schaller Pickups..You might not, but at least give em a chance..My 2 cents..

[111518]

I'd agree. I like the schallers in my 550 --good quality, balanced, med. output buckers, fine for jazz, and you even have the double screw system to level the pickups with the strings despite the slope on the archtop. And, if you do decide to swap them out, its not like getting pickups out of a big archtop is the chore of a semi-hollow.

[Guest mgoetting]

Thanks.

 

I bought the Classic with the standard Schaller pups. If I ever get my technique to the point where I'm better than the Schallers, and their quite good, I'll worry about upgrading.

 

The Classic is a great guitar.

 

 

Mark

[Steiner]

Thanks.

 

I bought the Classic with the standard Schaller pups. If I ever get my technique to the point where I'm better than the Schallers, and their quite good, I'll worry about upgrading.

 

The Classic is a great guitar.

 

 

Mark

 

Yes, it is!

 

Pictures? I'd love to see it!

[Guest mgoetting]

Here's a picture.

 

It plays beautifully. There is a superficial scratch by the toggle. The glare from the picture makes it look much worse- it really is negligible.

 

It's set up with heavier strings than I'm used to- 13's. Put it is not at all difficult to get used to them.

 

Mark

[FredZepp]

Here's a picture.

 

It plays beautifully. There is a superficial scratch by the toggle. The glare from the picture makes it look much worse- it really is negligible.

 

It's set up with heavier strings than I'm used to- 13's. Put it is not at all difficult to get used to them.

 

Mark

That is a nice one. And a nice board on it.

 

That finish just says Heritage to me, quite nice.

[Jazzpunk]

Very nice, congrats!

[smurph1]

Very nice, congrats!

Yeah Buddy Congratulations!!

[FredZepp]

I'm looking at a '97 Eagle Classic in excellent shape. The seller offered to remove the Schallers and put in SDs at cost of pickups only.

 

Would that make a decent difference in tone?

 

Mark

I love the Seths... but hard to say what you'll hear. I would bet that either will have a great tone.... different, but both great.

 

And I would bet that the small scratch will buff out easily..

[harf]

I just traded my eagle classic for a new H-575. The reason I traded had nothing to do with being unhappy with the Eagle Classic - in fact, I loved that guitar. A shoulder and wrist injury made it a bit uncomfortable to play and I needed something a bit smaller and thinner and with the shorter scale length. The 575 is a complete success from that standpoint. I got a 575 with a spruce top hoping that it would sound very close to identical to the Eagle Classic. I believe the main reason why there is a big difference is that the Eagle classic had the stock Schaller pickups and the 575 has Seth Lovers. Here is the comparison: The Eagle classic had an extremely well balance and smooth tone to my ears. The upper register was sweet and almost flute-like in tone. The 575 sounds more electric if you will. There is a more pronounced high frequency component that sounds a bit like when you have both pickups selected - almost a phasey/pingy sound. I think this is characteristic of the Gibson style pickups. I have fooled around and determined that the difference is at about 2500-2600 kHz. I suppose the Schallers have a somewhat narrower frequency response that cuts in this region. Incidentally, while shopping for my new guitar I tried an H-575 with the HRW pickups. I would say they sounded similar to the Schallers but louder and with more clarity. The sweet tone was there. The Seth Lover tone is good - clear and with a bit more zing. But I personally liked the round sweet tone of the Eagle classic with the Schaller pickups. I have been playing jazz type music lately and maybe that is where my preference comes from. Stick with the Schallers for awhile and try to audition some other guitars to help you decide. You may end up fully happy with what you have got.

[Patrick]

I just traded my eagle classic for a new H-575. The reason I traded had nothing to do with being unhappy with the Eagle Classic - in fact, I loved that guitar. A shoulder and wrist injury made it a bit uncomfortable to play and I needed something a bit smaller and thinner and with the shorter scale length. The 575 is a complete success from that standpoint. I got a 575 with a spruce top hoping that it would sound very close to identical to the Eagle Classic. I believe the main reason why there is a big difference is that the Eagle classic had the stock Schaller pickups and the 575 has Seth Lovers. Here is the comparison: The Eagle classic had an extremely well balance and smooth tone to my ears. The upper register was sweet and almost flute-like in tone. The 575 sounds more electric if you will. There is a more pronounced high frequency component that sounds a bit like when you have both pickups selected - almost a phasey/pingy sound. I think this is characteristic of the Gibson style pickups. I have fooled around and determined that the difference is at about 2500-2600 kHz. I suppose the Schallers have a somewhat narrower frequency response that cuts in this region. Incidentally, while shopping for my new guitar I tried an H-575 with the HRW pickups. I would say they sounded similar to the Schallers but louder and with more clarity. The sweet tone was there. The Seth Lover tone is good - clear and with a bit more zing. But I personally liked the round sweet tone of the Eagle classic with the Schaller pickups. I have been playing jazz type music lately and maybe that is where my preference comes from. Stick with the Schallers for awhile and try to audition some other guitars to help you decide. You may end up fully happy with what you have got.

 

Spruce top vs maple top . . . ebony finger board vs rosewood . . . and a hose of other variables. Chances are that those pick ups that you like so much in your Eagle Classic would have given you a different voice in the 575 as well

[barrymclark]

If I ever get my technique to the point where I'm better than the Schallers, and their quite good, I'll worry about upgrading.

For what it is worth, you will never be 'better' than the Schallers. Neither will anyone else. What I am saying is, you either like them or you don't. I am not so much advocating Schallers here... although I do like them.

 

The only time I can see someone making the 'better' argument is in terms of quality of build... but not with Schaller. They are quality in terms of build. You either like the sound of the Schallers... or you don't and that has nothing to do with the quality or your ability. That is my take on it.

 

I agree totally that you should spend time with these pickups and see if you like them. If they just never give you that warm and cuddly feeling, try something else. For all the great talk of the Seths, you may find you don't care for those either.

 

If it is quality you are looking for, you have it. If it is something in the sound... well, that is up to you.

 

[barrymclark]

My experience with the Schallers went like this:

 

I had them. They sounded fine. I thought I could make it even more fine by getting pickups I always installed in guitars. My mistake. I instantly didn't like the guitar as much. It was missing something. I put the Schallers back in and I swore that is the last time I ever make something I already think is plenty good.... be 'more better'. I fell back in love with the 140 and stock it will stay. Sure... I am sure there are other pickups out there that may actually accomplish getting more of the sound I want but the Schallers do such a good job... why bother? It isn't as though the average listener is gonna know when I am playing. They aren't gonna hear what I am doing... like it... and then say, "but it would sound soooo much better if he had (brand + model) pickups and (brand + model) bridge and (brand + model) tuners." They really, really don't care. If it sounds good... it sounds good.

[Guest mgoetting]

The Schallers do sound fine to me.

 

I concluded that if I want to sound better I should spend the money on lessons, not pickups.

[Gitfiddler]

The Schallers do sound fine to me.

 

I concluded that if I want to sound better I should spend the money on lessons, not pickups.

 

 

That is great advice! I know I could use more formal training.

[barrymclark]

The Schallers do sound fine to me.

 

I concluded that if I want to sound better I should spend the money on lessons, not pickups.

Yes sir! As much as pickups can play with your sound, it all starts with your playing!

[barrymclark]

That is great advice! I know I could use more formal training.

Couldn't we all?