ES137 Pickup Swap

[tkingen]

I'm thinking of replacing the pickups in an ES137. The neck 490r is okay (although a little muddy, but the bridge 498t definitely needs to come out. Too hot and middy sounding.
Playing mostly jazz and blues, I'm looking for something solid but airey and articulate. I do have a Jazz neck and Mean90 in the parts drawer and one of those may go well in this guitar, but not sure of what to go for in the bridge. Any ideas?
Btw, Johnny A's and Robben Ford's bridge tones are intriguing.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: ES137 Pickup Swap

Why not begin by trying the SD Jazz as the neck PU and shift the 490R to the Treble/bridge position?

 

[blueman335]

Re: ES137 Pickup Swap

Why not begin by trying the SD Jazz as the neck PU and shift the 490R to the Treble/bridge position?

Good idea. Work with what you have. A lot of times it'll do what you want if you're patient and try a couple simple things. If the 490 doesn't excite you in the bridge, try the Mean 90. And you can change both their EQ's with mag swaps. I think you have the PU's to get some nice tones.

 

[tkingen]

Re: ES137 Pickup Swap

You guys may be on to something and it's worth a try. After a little research I'm thinking of leaving the 490r in the neck but putting the A5 mag from the 498t in it. Then, maybe the Jazz or Mean 90 in the bridge. Even though they're both neck pickups they are bright and might work. I do like brighter bridge pickups. Any opinions?
Btw, I haven't worked much with archtops. After going over it in my mind it's easy to see why people aren't excited about working on the electronics :eyecrazy:

 

[tkingen]

Re: ES137 Pickup Swap

Why not begin by trying the SD Jazz as the neck PU and shift the 490R to the Treble/bridge position?

I'll try that first. Thanks.

 

[tkingen]

Re: ES137 Pickup Swap

Good idea. Work with what you have. A lot of times it'll do what you want if you're patient and try a couple simple things. If the 490 doesn't excite you in the bridge, try the Mean 90. And you can change both their EQ's with mag swaps. I think you have the PU's to get some nice tones.

Being a Tele guy at heart I've never gotten along with bridge humbuckers. Probably has something to do with the slightly hotter winds producing less trebles. It's making sense to try a neck pickup in the bridge with it's lower wind. Shouldn't be too hard to match bridge position to neck as I tend to lower the neck hummer anyway to reduce the woofiness.

Thanks guys for the great idea!

 

[eggman]

Re: ES137 Pickup Swap

Howdy,

Your Jazz (neck) should be a viable candidate. As for the bridge, don't rule out the '59; it's an articulate P/U for sure. Good luck!

 

[LtKojak]

Re: ES137 Pickup Swap

I'm thinking of replacing the pickups in an ES137. The neck 490r is okay (although a little muddy, but the bridge 498t definitely needs to come out. Too hot and middy sounding.
Playing mostly jazz and blues, I'm looking for something solid but airey and articulate. I do have a Jazz neck and Mean90 in the parts drawer and one of those may go well in this guitar, but not sure of what to go for in the bridge. Any ideas?
Btw, Johnny A's and Robben Ford's bridge tones are intriguing.

I've just looked at the specs of that guitar; can you confirm the scale is 24" and not 24 3/4"? It seems an error to me, but hey, it's GIBSON we're talking 'bout; ANYTHING is possible with'em... :naughty:

The scale is an important part to consider in the decision of what p'up to use, specially in the neck position.

Well?

 

[FluffChop]

Re: ES137 Pickup Swap

I'm thinking of replacing the pickups in an ES137. The neck 490r is okay (although a little muddy, but the bridge 498t definitely needs to come out. Too hot and middy sounding.
Playing mostly jazz and blues, I'm looking for something solid but airey and articulate. I do have a Jazz neck and Mean90 in the parts drawer and one of those may go well in this guitar, but not sure of what to go for in the bridge. Any ideas?
Btw, Johnny A's and Robben Ford's bridge tones are intriguing.

Buy a pair of Seth Lovers and do the job once properly and move on.

You are going to have to take out all the pots and work through the f-holes. You can't just undo the volumes as the tone controls won't let you move the volume pot over towards the hole enough. I've owned a couple of ES137's and just last week I swapped out some P90's in my ES135 which is the same proceedure. That's the way things will go for you, so if you want to chop and change just be aware of what a total pain it's going to be. As I say, get some Seth Lovers into that big boy.:naughty:

EDIT: Of course the Seth's are just my opinion for what you are looking for. I don't think keeping the 490R in the neck will ultimately satisfy you. Anyway I am a Seth Lover lover so take it all with a grain of salt.

 

[FluffChop]

Re: ES137 Pickup Swap

I've just looked at the specs of that guitar; can you confirm the scale is 24" and not 24 3/4"? It seems an error to me, but hey, it's GIBSON we're talking 'bout; ANYTHING is possible with'em... :naughty:

The scale is an important part to consider in the decision of what p'up to use, specially in the neck position.

Well?

They are 24.75" LtKojak. They all have the 50's rounded neck profile, with the exception of the ES137P which had the 60's slim taper.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: ES137 Pickup Swap

I think the 490R/498T combo for that guitar is just so inappropriate. The Classic '57s or even the Burstbucker 1 & 2 set would have been so much better in that guitar.

And the pickups are the biggest reason I held out, and eventually got a 335.

Blueman335's suggestion of swapping the magnets with each other might be the best solution in this guitar.

Bill

 

[blueman335]

Re: ES137 Pickup Swap

I think the 490R/498T combo for that guitar is just so inappropriate. The Classic '57s or even the Burstbucker 1 & 2 set would have been so much better in that guitar.

+1. A 498T for a guitar like that? The guys that buy 137's usually aren't looking to play hard rock on them. What was Gibson thinking?

 

[tkingen]

Re: ES137 Pickup Swap

They are 24.75" LtKojak. They all have the 50's rounded neck profile, with the exception of the ES137P which had the 60's slim taper.

Confirmed on the 24.75

 

[tkingen]

Re: ES137 Pickup Swap

Why not begin by trying the SD Jazz as the neck PU and shift the 490R to the Treble/bridge position?

Tried this and it's close. However, now I'm thinking the biggst drawback is the 300k pots. I just can't get an airy, vocal tone. Maybe 500k's would open it up a bit?

 

[LtKojak]

Re: ES137 Pickup Swap

Tried this and it's close. However, now I'm thinking the biggst drawback is the 300k pots. I just can't get an airy, vocal tone. Maybe 500k's would open it up a bit?

Ok. So it's confirmed that the Gibson's site's got the wrong info. Swell! :naughty:

Anyway... so that's what I'd do if I was you:

1. That 300K harness in that guitar just gotta go. No ifs, no buts. Good CTS 500K pots, 400V .022 Sprague Orange Drop caps.

2. Get a sortiment of A4, UnOriented A5 (UOA5) and A8 magnets here: http://stores.ebay.it/Addiction-FX-Guitar-and-Sound

3. Swap the magnets in those Gibson p'ups. Put the A4 into that 490R (neck p'up). Then try the A8 into that 498T. My favorite magnet for the bridge position is the A8. All six of my HB guitars have an A8 magnet in the bridge p'up. However, if it's too much of a good thing, just swap the A8 with the UOA5. That'll do the trick.

Or, if you don't bother to go all this trouble, a Pearly Gates set would work wonderfully in that guitar, considering the kind of music you play.

HTH,

 

[LtKojak]

Re: ES137 Pickup Swap

+1. A 498T for a guitar like that? The guys that buy 137's usually aren't looking to play hard rock on them. What was Gibson thinking?

Well... this guitar is made like an ES335, just with a Florentine cutaway. And you and I both have one 335 with the '59/Custom5 pair, so putting the "dread couple" (490R/498T) in is not that far fetched (for Gibson:eyecrazy.

This guitar should've come with the '57Classic/'57Classic Plus set.

 

[blueman335]

Re: ES137 Pickup Swap

This guitar should've come with the '57Classic/'57Classic Plus set.

+1, or a pair of Burstbuckers. The guitar is similar to a 335, but the guys who want to rock with a semi-hollowbody aren't buying 137's, they're getting 335's. The guys that 137's appeal to are probably more into jazz and softer rock.