SD Custom in my 140

[squawken]

Currently I have SChallers in my 140.  It sounds dead and lifeless compared to my 150 that has 59's in it.  I'm toying with putting in a SD Custom 5 in the bridge and either a 59 or SD Jazz in the neck.  I'm looking for a little different sound than my 150. I love my 150, but why would I need the same sound right?  I know, I know,, I keep hearing about the HRW's but I don't want to send my guitar out to Kalamazoo for a couple of months.  Otherwise I would try them.  Just curious if anyone else had experience with a similar set up and if they liked it?

[slider313]

I've had my 140 for 20 years now. It came with Schallers, which I changed to Duncan '59's after about a year after I received it. I recently installed a set of Lollar Imperials in my R8 and on a whim took the '57 classics, that were in the R8, and installed them in my 140. Well I am quite surprised as to how much more I like them over the '59's. The '57 classics seem to let the guitar breathe more and have a little more clarity and top end than the Duncans.

[squawken]

How is the low end (I love bass)?  And can they get gritty?  I play a lot of rock and metal.

[slider313]

The low end is good and they have that nice crunch when you push them. I've had Duncan '59's in this guitar for 19 years and I've tried more than a few different types of pickups; always going back to the'59's. These '57 Classics are staying !

[squawken]

The low end is good and they have that nice crunch when you push them. I've had Duncan '59's in this guitar for 19 years and I've tried more than a few different types of pickups; always going back to the'59's. These '57 Classics are staying !

 

Thanks!

[Kazwell]

ve had my 140 for 20 years now. It came with Schallers, which I changed to Duncan '59's after about a year after I received it. I recently installed a set of Lollar Imperials in my R8 and on a whim took the '57 classics, that were in the R8, and installed them in my 140. Well I am quite surprised as to how much more I like them over the '59's. The '57 classics seem to let the guitar breathe more and have a little more clarity and top end than the Duncans.

 

How do the Imperials sound?

[SouthpawGuy]

I had a SD Jazz II in the neck position of a Godin LGX-SA .... it was the guitars only saving grace.

That pickup had a nice big toneful sound, not as bright as HRW's and very useable for rock, blues, jazz (obviously) and was very "touch sensitive".

The bridge pickup in the LGX-SA was a Duncan Custom Custom which might have sounded good in an Ibanez or a Super Strat but in a LP style guitar was in stark contrast to the Jazz II. It had a very thin and toneless sound, at least to my ears anyway.

At the moment I have '59s in a 535 and a 575 and they are bang on the money, they can rock out in the 535 and go nice and smooth in the 575. They are also great for clean tones which to me is more difficult to find in a humbucker, most of the guitar brands come equipped with high gain or ultra high gain pu's which are to my ears toneless on clean settings. I play a lot of fingerstyle jazz, blues and even latin styles and only use a pick if I have to for high gain rock sounds

About 12 -14 years ago now I had a Gbrand 335 and '70s SG both with '57 Classics and they were extremely good for high gain rock and metal, in fact the 335 had a very Parisienne Walkways tone even more so than the similarly equipped SG and my LP with the 490-R and 490-T which I hated.

Hope this helps

[slider313]

How do the Imperials sound?

 

The Imperials sound very clear and balanced. They may even sound a little bit bright in the R8, but I believe it to be the guitar. It's 8.4 lbs and it sounds almost like a hollowbody and brighter than my 140.  It had the '57 classics in it and they, (the 57's), actually sound warmer in the 140.

[squawken]

Starting to sound like the 57's are the way to go.