57 Classic in the Bridge

[OdgeUK]

I've got a 57 Classic in the bridge of an all- Mahoghany Les Paul Custom.

Wasn't this pickup designed to be a PAF clone?

It's just not working for me. The 70's rock crunch that I'm looking for just isn't there. No articulation to big chords and just no HUGENESS ala Malcolm Young or Pete Townshend. There is a steel brittleness on the high end and no mid-range warmth. It's much better clean than dirty. The obvious thing is to try another pickup, but I'm thinking that if the Classic 57 is a PAF clone, then I've already got the right pickup for the sounds I want (Page, Kossoff, Slash).

I must say, in the Neck position of this guitar, the Classic sounds amazing. Really bell-like, chimey and fantastic for clean stuff. Reminds me of the SD'59n that I had in a Washburn.

Perhaps it's just the guitar? None of the pickup positions are giving me that infinate Les Paul sustain, despite playing with pickup height, I really have to wring the notes from this guitar, it has only marginally more sustain than my homebuild Ash-Strat with bolt on neck.

I use a medium-gain classic rock crunch. Marshall and Orange amps

 

[Diocletian]

Re: 57 Classic in the Bridge

Try adding a Boss DS1 pedal to boost your sustain. Does it for me. So does the Metal Zone.
Maybe a Custom 5 in your bridge would be more to your tastes - gives me an awesome Back In Black tone in my Epi SG.

 

[OdgeUK]

Re: 57 Classic in the Bridge

Is it possible to just slip in an A5 magnet, in place of the A2 in the 57 Classic?

 

[Captain Tightpants]

Re: 57 Classic in the Bridge

Definatley possible. I did the same thing with a Burstbucker 2, it's no problem. The 57 and the BB are fairly similar, the a5 should tighten it up

 

[Rorschach]

Re: 57 Classic in the Bridge

If your LP does not sustain the way you want it to, it probably never will, no matter how many pickups you try with it. Every guitar sounds different. And I think it's important to find the one that resonates right with you first, before starting to change electronics and stuff

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: 57 Classic in the Bridge

My first answer is it's all in the amp. Plug into something badass and almost all pickups sound good, especially the Classic57. I've been rehearsing a new band and using my 335 with Classic 57's into the Bogner Ecstasy. Once you sink into the tone, it's all good.

However, I've also got a ton of guitars with great Duncan sets, and all of them kick butt.

Brobucker/PGn Les Paul
Custom/Jazz B Les Paul
Custom 5/59 in LP's and PRS Mcartys.

For humbuckers, the Custom, Custom 5, Brobucker, 59b, and Seths all sound great, but all different in a good way. Time to buy some pickups! That's the only answer.....buy some pickups and figure it out. One of my current favorites is the C5/59 hybid with mismatched coils from each pickup. It has great texture and growl.

 

[OdgeUK]

Re: 57 Classic in the Bridge

Thank you for the replies.

Would removing the pickup covers help much?

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: 57 Classic in the Bridge

Amp tubes.

Bridge saddles.

Nut.

Fretwear.

Strings.

Start there. Classic '57s should be rocking through a Marshall.

Bill

 

[ErikH]

Re: 57 Classic in the Bridge

I was just running a '57 Classic in the bridge of one of my Strats with incredible results. It's slated for the neck position since I have '57 Classic Plus on the way for the bridge.

My gut says it's the guitar, then the amp, and possibly even the setup on the guitar. A badly cut nut can rob sustain. I had a Strat that just wasn't sounding right until I sat with it and took my time really dialing in the setup.

 

[Stratfan]

Re: 57 Classic in the Bridge

I was just running a '57 Classic in the bridge of one of my Strats with incredible results.

Mmmmm.... I now have a PG+ in the bridge of my Strat, and although it's decent with distortion I find it to be a bit thin sounding with a terrible (as compared to single coils) clean tone. I've been thinking about changing it for something that sounds "fatter" with nice cleans. BTW, I have Area 58s in the neck and middle.

VHPAF? VPAF? I've also thought of using a Gibson pup.

 

[hamerfan]

Re: 57 Classic in the Bridge

Hi Stratfan, i'm working on that PG+ in a strat problem too. Some of the Forum bros say that the PG+ is a gas in a LP and others say that gibson pup work better in strats. So my next project is to swap bridge pup with my '99 Les Paul Classic.

 

[OdgeUK]

Re: 57 Classic in the Bridge

Variables variables variables!

Deep down, I think it's the guitar. I think I've ended up with one of those Les Pauls that more mellow and suited for Jazz than Rock. The All-mahogany construction might be contributing to that. It's a MUCH better guitar clean than it is dirty. In fact it's a beauty when played clean but it just doesn't have that attack and singing sustain when overdriven.

I want to try a few things first though, before the guitar goes up for sale!

That'll teach me to buy a guitar without playing it first.....:disappoin

I did take it to a tech to give it a once over. He said it sounded like a typical Les Paul and that is was set up well, albeit with a low action. He said he could only make the guitar maximum 5% better by a fret polish, other than that he said it was a "good one". It also has a very loud acoustic resonance. But the notes just decay too early compared to other Les Pauls that I've liked. The obvious thing seems to be to go for higher output pickups, but that seems like 'bodging' the issue and I'm not sure that high output pickups are going to get that Page and Kossoff and Malcolm Young tone, all those guys used low output PAF style pickups.

Thanks all for the suggestions