Chime in SH-1 '59 Model Users

[Securb]

'57 Classics are A2
'59s are A5

Until I get the '59s installed and play the guitar for a bit, that's all I can say.

Edit: What I can say is that the '57 Classics have some characteristics of both A2 and A5. How that compares to the '59s, I'll have an idea later. My Trad Pro has a '57 Classic in the neck.

I found the 57 to be way too bright for me and installed a WLH bridge. Though the neck never bothered me it didn't gel with the WLH so now there is a WLH set in there. I put the 57s on Fleabay and they were gone in a couple of days. They are fantastic pickups just not me.

 

[Securb]

dont listen to acebob

Can we remove the Pickup Installation 101 banner and put this at the top of the forum?

 

[Artie]

I'll always have at least one guitar with 59's. Depending on the wood, I might, (probably), have the de-mud mod on the neck.

 

[beaubrummels]

I found the 57 to be way too bright for me and installed a WLH bridge. Though the neck never bothered me it didn't gel with the WLH so now there is a WLH set in there. I put the 57s on Fleabay and they were gone in a couple of days. They are fantastic pickups just not me.

WLH is like an improved 59 set. Louder, more even, smoother top end.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

WLH is like an improved 59 set. Louder, more even, smoother top end.

They're different. I wouldn't call them "improved". They're just like overwound '59's. They have less high-end, but they also have some high-mid grit that '59's don't have so much of, so I wouldn't call them "smooth", personally.

I personally liked '59's better when I had my phase of using vintage output pickups. At least the bridge position seemed to do the broad detailed tone "better" to my ears. I was personally slightly underwhelmed with WLH's when I tried them, if I must be honest. Not that they're bad. They're fantastic. But They're also more expensive than '59's, and I didn't find them to be objectively better, really. Just different. Might suit some people better, but not me.

I do tend to prefer brighter bridge pickups, though. And '59's sounded more aggressive for the style of music I play, I felt.

 

[beaubrummels]

They're different. I wouldn't call them "improved". They're just like overwound '59's. They have less high-end, but they also have some high-mid grit that '59's don't have so much of, so I wouldn't call them "smooth", personally.

I personally liked '59's better when I had my phase of using vintage output pickups. At least the bridge position seemed to do the broad detailed tone "better" to my ears. I was personally slightly underwhelmed with WLH's when I tried them, if I must be honest. Not that they're bad. They're fantastic. But They're also more expensive than '59's, and I didn't find them to be objectively better, really. Just different. Might suit some people better, but not me.

I do tend to prefer brighter bridge pickups, though. And '59's sounded more aggressive for the style of music I play, I felt.

Might depend on what music you are doing with them and what amp/speaker set up you are using. Different strokes, different experiences.

 

[ErikH]

Update, as requested by Mincer

Last night I installed the '59s in the Goldtop. I much prefer them over the Suhrs they replaced (SSH+ bridge, SSV neck). I love that open airy sound of the bridge. Just enough bite on the top without going overboard. A nice full sound. The neck is sweet. Got the height adjusted to where I like it. The lows are there but not crazy boomy (EQ on the amp helps too with that). The low E will boom some if I really hit it hard but eh, I call it authoritive display of power. Otherwise it's fine. The middle position is really usable with these. Really good response. Yup, these make this guitar sound how it's supposed to.

 

[ErikH]

And a pic.

 

[Artie]

And a pic.

Sweet!

 

[Securb]

And a pic.

Classy and classic

 

[Mincer]

That black looks great!

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Hawt. Glad you like them. If I ever go vintage output again, I'l probably go for '59's too.

 

[beaubrummels]

Update, as requested by Mincer

Last night I installed the '59s in the Goldtop. I much prefer them over the Suhrs they replaced (SSH+ bridge, SSV neck). I love that open airy sound of the bridge. Just enough bite on the top without going overboard. A nice full sound. The neck is sweet. Got the height adjusted to where I like it. The lows are there but not crazy boomy (EQ on the amp helps too with that). The low E will boom some if I really hit it hard but eh, I call it authoritive display of power. Otherwise it's fine. The middle position is really usable with these. Really good response. Yup, these make this guitar sound how it's supposed to.

THAT's why the first time I tried 59s I thought they should be the stock pickups in all Gibsons.

 

[scottish]

Update, as requested by Mincer

Last night I installed the '59s in the Goldtop. I much prefer them over the Suhrs they replaced (SSH+ bridge, SSV neck). I love that open airy sound of the bridge. Just enough bite on the top without going overboard. A nice full sound. The neck is sweet. Got the height adjusted to where I like it. The lows are there but not crazy boomy (EQ on the amp helps too with that). The low E will boom some if I really hit it hard but eh, I call it authoritive display of power. Otherwise it's fine. The middle position is really usable with these. Really good response. Yup, these make this guitar sound how it's supposed to.

Love it. For all the pickups out there, 59s and SSL5s are my go-to every time. They just work so so well.

 

[Mincer]

Yeah, I figured you'd like it. The 59s have this reputation of being plain vanilla, but really, they can be remarkable pickups if you are playing more traditional music up to about hard rock.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Glad they're everything you'd hoped. It's really a great set IMO.
I feel their slight scoop is exactly right for the natural voicing of most LPs.

I gigged Les Pauls loaded with '59s for thousands of shows through the 80s & 90s.
For my taste, the 59N gives a beautiful neck lead tone when set fairly low in the ring.

IMO neck-pickup boominess is really only a problem in certain LPs with unusually big and deep low end, which some do. But IME most don't.
I've owned close to 50 LPs over the decades and only two of them had a sound that I'd consider boomy. (I left the stock T-tops in those.)
I could also see the 59N being muddy for high gain players - it isn't surprising that would call for something with more restrained low-lows.
But overall I feel the SH-1N's reputation for being boomy in LPs is undeserved, and due only to a few unusual cases.

As mentioned, both 59s take mag swaps famously well. A4 in a 59N tightens it up nicely and still sounds/feels/behaves pretty vintagey.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Yeah, I figured you'd like it. The 59s have this reputation of being plain vanilla, but really, they can be remarkable pickups if you are playing more traditional music up to about hard rock.

That's the thing. They're more versatile like that. I got mine because Bill Steer from Carcass was using them at the time. They pull off Death Metal perfectly.

 

[ErikH]

The more I play with them in this guitar, the more I like them. I lowered the neck pickup a turn and half and it's still plenty responsive, a little clearer. Works for me.
The Suhr SSH+ is just too hot for what I like. I really tried to make it work for what I need but in the end, it's not the right one. The SSV is nice but could use a little more on the top end. A great sounding pickup though.
Seymour Duncans are like home to me.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

The more I play with the in this guitar, the more I like them. I lowered the neck pickup a turn and half and it's still plenty response, a little clearer. Works for me.
The Suhr SSH+ is just too hot for what I like. I really tried to make it work for what I need but in the end, it's not the right one. The SSV is nice but could use a little more on the top end. A great sounding pickup though.
Seymour Duncans are like home to me.

I always wondered about the SSH+. What is it like? I've always wanted to find a JB that has a less rolled off top-end and less laid-back attack. Is the SSH+ like that?

 

[jeremy]

i always end up setting my lp neck pups about level with the ring these days. i used to crank things up much closer to the strings but i find the tone better with it lower, especially on the neck pup