57 Classics in an SG

T

The Usual

New member
I am think of trying one of these in the bridge of my SG. I know on paper I should go with the 57+, due to the inherent thin SG bridge, but I don't want to sacrifice high end. I actually like a brighter top in this particular guitar.

I have done some searching, and heard that the 57+ remains clear, but I'd like to hear from someone who has tried either, or preferably both. Anyone have these in an SG? I'll take feedback from anyone who has played them, SG or not.
 
Re: 57 Classics in an SG

I just put a '57 in the neck of an batwing SG, with an A5 magnet in it. Makes a very articulate PAF like that. I was going to use another '57 in the bridge, but decided on a Fred instead, which has worked out very well. Nice crunch. If I had gone with a bridge '57, I would have used an A4 or A8 magnet for the additional output.
 
Re: 57 Classics in an SG

blueman335 said:
I just put a '57 in the neck of an batwing SG, with an A5 magnet in it. Makes a very articulate PAF like that. I was going to use another '57 in the bridge, but decided on a Fred instead, which has worked out very well. Nice crunch. If I had gone with a bridge '57, I would have used an A4 or A8 magnet for the additional output.
Click to expand...

How do u like the A5 '57 v.s. the A2 '57? What difference do they have?
 
Re: 57 Classics in an SG

I had a '57 in the neck of my LP and just hated it! The tone was AMAZING! but, the speaker in my amp has a very loose response and I found the '57 in my LP was very warm and bassy. The warm and basyness of the '57, the warmth of the mahogany, and the loosness of my amp's speaker all turned into one big, muddy mess.
 
Re: 57 Classics in an SG

Christopher Caruana said:
How do u like the A5 '57 v.s. the A2 '57? What difference do they have?
Click to expand...

An A5 will give a '57 more clarity & definition, more sparkle. Since an A5 has scooped mids, it doesn't add them where they're not really needed. No problem with the A5 being bassy. Since Gibson used A2's, A3's, A4's, and A5's in their original PAF's, swapping these around to fit your guitar's wood seems like a natural thing to do. You've still got a legitimate PAF with any of those.

In a bridge '57 in a Dot, I've used a '57 with an A4 and then with an A8 (a little warmer and louder than the A4). Very nice rich tones. That's why I wanted to try one in the neck slot of something else, which turned out to be an SG.
 
Re: 57 Classics in an SG

I've just been able to compare a '57 Classic neck with an A5 magnet with a stock '59N in the same guitar, an Epi SG G-400 Custom with only two p'ups.

The '59N was chimier and more articulate. The A5 '57 ClassicN was good, but too bassy for that particular guitar.

The surprise (for me) was the '59B when I put an A8 in it... everything it was lacking suddenly came to the surface. The PERFECT P.A.F. bridge tone... even if it wasn't anywhere near being made like a P.A.F! Together had a "both-on" tone to die for! I didn't really expect this particular combination to be THAT good.

If I was Seymour, I'd make this p'up a production one, calling it "The 598", bridge only, classic and Trembucker.

HTH,
 
Last edited:
Re: 57 Classics in an SG

The Usual said:
No 57 bridge users out there?
Click to expand...

Larry Carlton seems to like'em...

I think they're... kinda wimpy in the bridge and not particulary well defined nor organic when played clean. Those A2 magnet Gibson uses don't do well with me.

You don't say what's your neck p'up. Without that information you just can't make any educated guess.
 
Re: 57 Classics in an SG

LtKojak said:
The surprise (for me) was the '59B when I put an A8 in it... everything it was lacking suddenly came to the surface. The PERFECT P.A.F. bridge tone... even if it wasn't anywhere near being made like a P.A.F! Together had a "both-on" tone to die for! I didn't really expect this particular combination to be THAT good.

If I was Seymour, I'd make this p'up a production one, calling it "The 598", bridge only, classic and Trembucker.

HTH,
Click to expand...

That actually sounds like a great idea. I may have to try that sometime. Toneful coils with a powerful mag.

As for the orignal question. I like 57's in my 335, but in an SG, which is dense in mids, I'd go with A5, such as a C-5/59, 59 set, or Jazz set.

Ideally, a potted Brobucker/59n.
 
Re: 57 Classics in an SG

So I ended up trying one today. I bought a 57+ off of a forum member here in Canada.

Stock, it's a nicely voiced pickup, but has that mid tubbiness, due to what I guess is a fully charged A2 in there. So I tried a couple of mag swaps.

First, my rough cast, incredibly weak, vintage A5 mag from a Shaw pickup. I suspect it's unoriented, but I don't want to get into a whole thing here, so... This sounds every bit as good, as every boutique PAF clone out there. Of course I base this on my calibrated ears from hours of comparing Youtube clips to the real things. There's a video on Youtube of a 57 vs a Bareknucle, and those clips are quite accurate. Of course, in the clip, the 57 is stock with an A2. With my old A5, there is no need to spend any more money on one of these PAFs. This nails it. I suppose any very degaussed A5 will do the trick.

Next, a slightly degaussed A4. See above, but add some depth to the tone. Very, very nice. Again, I am not seeing any reason to spend more for a PAF vibe. I should also mention that I took the cover off the 57, because I don't like covered bridge pups. Also, I suspect that if this was unpotted, it would impress some more people. I really wish they'd learn to lightly pot pickups. Do they need to be able to withstand an H-bomb blast?

Now here's the kicker. As good as the 57+ is, it could not beat the champ, which in this SG, is a 490R with that slightly degaused A4 I mentioned. This continues to be my #1. The sound may not be fore everyone. It's a little weak, loose, and APHy in a Gibson way, but for my needs, it just smokes. Oozes mojo. And this is one a lot of people gack at.

In summary the 57+ is one of the best pickups I have played in the bridge. For an all around PAF vibe, I'd say it's the best I have played, and no offense to SD, I have played all but the Antiquities in that range.

57+ is a great pickup, and totally see why people love this wind. It kind of makes me smile, because while I am not biased, it always makes me laugh how quick we can be to dump the "crappy" stock pickups in a new axe. Gibson really can be quite good at making pickups. Choosing mags, maybe not, but making winds, very good.

Thanks for all the input

For anyone else who is interested in a 57+ in an SG, I'd definately say give it a go. Excellent pickup.
 
Last edited:
Re: 57 Classics in an SG

I picked up a used 57+, too, and put it in one of my LPs about couple weeks ago. Great pup, maybe not as articulate as a Duncan PAF, but has the fuller mids & fatness that are so often missing from Duncan's PAFs.

It's voicing and overall vibe reminds me a lot of the Wolfetone Marshallhead bridge bucker with an A2, although the MH has the advantage of being unpotted. Your mag swaps sound very interesting; I may play around with that a bit, although the LP it's currently in feels like an A2 LP, if you know what I mean. I could definitely imagine an A4 or A5 57+ fitting an SG quite well!
 
Re: 57 Classics in an SG

Gearjoneser said:
That actually sounds like a great idea. I may have to try that sometime. Toneful coils with a powerful mag.
Click to expand...

Hi Joe!

What was in the begining just playing around with some magnets I got from our beloved Wymore, it became a tone discovery journey.

If you were used to and liked that biting sound of the stock '59B, putting an A8 in it just opens new horizons with the changing in tone. It gets a whole new "singing" quality that wasn't there before, and the "both-on" setting changes for the best. If it was good before, now it becomes EXCELLENT. All this without changing your EQ at all!

I think I, as Bloodrose, am becoming kind of an A8 addict.

I've tried with excellent results in the following p'ups:

HB103B (Korean-made Duncan Distortion)
HB102B (Korean-made Duncan JB)
SD '59B
SD JazzB
SD Custom 5
Gibson '57 Classic +

At the moment all my guitars with humbucking p'ups have an A8 magnet in the bridge.

To my surprise, the best sounding bridge p'up I have is the Gibson '57 Classic +. I have it in my Mayones Maestro guitar with a stock 1990 '59N wound by the Mojo Queen, Maricela. This is by far the best combo I've ever had in my 30+ years as a pro musician.

This is the "missing link" in the SD production line: an 8.7-9.1K bridge p'up wound with AWG42 PE wire and an A8 magnet.

Frank and Evan, are you listening?
 
Re: 57 Classics in an SG

The Usual said:
It kind of makes me smile, because while I am not biased, it always makes me laugh how quick we can be to dump the "crappy" stock pickups in a new axe. Gibson really can be quite good at making pickups. Choosing mags, maybe not, but making winds, very good.
Click to expand...

+1. I like Gibson PU's, but have swapped mags in every one of them. I wish they had a bigger selection.
 
Re: 57 Classics in an SG

57s in an SG? Makes me think of Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally. Yes! Yes! Yes!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top