Replacement pickups for a Gibson ES137?

[spook777]

I have a 2005 Gibson ES137 and I'm not liking the sound I'm getting out of it with the stock 490R and 498T humbuckers. I also have a 2006 Epiphone Casino that I rigged a set of standard Duncan P90-stack pickups under the chrome dog ears, and by far it's my favorite hollow body between the two. I put the same Duncan P90-stack pickups in Tele and Strat clones and I loved them.

I want to upgrade the pickups in the ES137 to something useable for clear, acoustic type notes, bluesy neck pickups and spanky bridge. Ideally I'd love to see if the Duncan P90 stack can be squished into a humbucker size, but I'm open to something else such as a low output humbucker. I did my tenure with JB's and 59's years ago and they aren't my thing anymore. Phat Cats come with the 60 cycle hum so no-go there. Need chrome cover to complete the look as well, so P-Rails won't do it either. Seth Lover demos sound awesome but I do run low to mid-gain overdrives, and with the hollowbody in addition to the non-wax potting & chrome covers, I'm hesitant to spend $200 for the set, rewire it through the F-holes (there's no control plate), and find out I have to battle noise/feedback.

What are your recommendations for a replacement? I have Seymour Duncan pickups in 9 of my 14 electrics, but I'm open to other companies.
--chrome cover/classic look
--passive pickup
--P90-like punch/power, lower output
--humcancelling and/or quiet with overdrives (Wampler Euphoria/Mad Professor Sweet Honey or Simble)
--humbucker size
--neck and bridge needed
--I seem to gravitate to pickups with Alnico V magnets
--once found, I probably will put the same pickups in a Gibson Les Paul Standard for use with heavier overdrives

Also...I sent this same question to the Duncan Custom Shop email address in June and reforwarded the email again last week - any ideas how long it takes for them to reply?

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Replacement pickups for a Gibson ES137?

Welcome to the forum.

Last question first. Company e-mail responses are rarely speedy. In the run up to a major trade show, they are virtually non-existent. Use the telephone.

The Gibson 490R is, essentially, a slightly overwound PAF with an Alnico 2 magnet. It might be persuaded to sound more to you liking with a change to either an A5 or an A4 bar magnet.

A pair of Seth Lover 'buckers would be a good choice. So might a pair of Antiquity 'buckers.


EDIT - I have an old Guild X-170 hollow body. With round wound Medium gauge strings, those Guild pickups can deal out Jazz, Blues and overdriven filth à la George Thoroughgood.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Replacement pickups for a Gibson ES137?

I'll just make this comment - spend some quality time doing your research.

And consider a potential mag swap for whatever you get. Way easier if the pup choice is not quite right…

 

[AlexR]

Re: Replacement pickups for a Gibson ES137?

I'd go Seths.

They have a 'not-too-dissimilar' tone to p90's. They are honky and lively. When designing the first PAF the goal tone was the existing p90, but without hum. I think you'll find that Seths will sound more alive too than all of the stacked p90's.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Replacement pickups for a Gibson ES137?

I'd go Seth's.

+1. Seth's would be an excellent choice. They're well-known here for being feedback-resistant. I was also a big A5 fan, until I tried Seth's. With the right wind, A2's can do great things. A lot more character and texture. You said 'your thing' isn't JB's, '59's, and 498T's, all of which have A5's. You need to expand your horizons and hear what a good A2 HB can do.

Why would Gibson put a 498T in a hollow body? This is as bizarre as pairing it with a 490R.

 

[spook777]

Re: Replacement pickups for a Gibson ES137?

Thanks for the welcome - I've been a casual reader mostly since 2010-2011 but this is my first post here. Oh right...totally forgot about Summer NAMM. I will definitely give them a ring instead.

Thanks Aceman - I tend to research first, then when I reach my wtf moment I go forum posting. I considered Phat Cats and the Bareknuckle HS-P90's (Stockholm, Supermassive), and even looked into the humcancelling P90 builders like Kinman and Fralin to see if they made a humbucker sized one, but they don't make one to my liking (Fralin comes close with the P92). I've been playing Duncans easily for the last 15yrs if not 20yrs, so they're my go-to pickup before i look elsewhere. They also don't break the bank usually---even the custom shop prices.

Funkfingers and AlexR -- sounds like the Seth is pretty much the way to go if I go humbuckers, but I do agree with you three that a magnet swap might be in order. I know I don't like Ceramic magnets and have played on A5's in all my guitars.

I appreciate all of your input.
Thanks!

Welcome to the forum.

Last question first. Company e-mail responses are rarely speedy. In the run up to a major trade show, they are virtually non-existent. Use the telephone.

The Gibson 490R is, essentially, a slightly overwound PAF with an Alnico 2 magnet. It might be persuaded to sound more to you liking with a change to either an A5 or an A4 bar magnet.

A pair of Seth Lover 'buckers would be a good choice. So might a pair of Antiquity 'buckers.


EDIT - I have an old Guild X-170 hollow body. With round wound Medium gauge strings, those Guild pickups can deal out Jazz, Blues and overdriven filth à la George Thoroughgood.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Replacement pickups for a Gibson ES137?

My first recommendation for a 137 (which has a pretty fat low end compared to other semis like a 335) would be the APH set. However you said you like A5's....so consider a jazz set. The thing is....the jazz and the APH are the same pickup....just different magnets, so you can't go wrong with either, then you can experiment with a mag swap if you feel the need.
FWIW i have a jazz in my 175, then swapped its to a2, turning it into an APH (ibe also had phat cats in there but i guess i like the buttery humbucker sound better). I really like 137s because they naturally have the fat bottom end of full hollows but with less feedback. Jazz and/or APH have a nice balanced frequency response and suit the big, dark sounding hollowbody sound without letting things get all bassy and out of control. In a semi i prefer bassier pickups, but in a 137 the leaner jazz or APH would be a good match. Make sure you put in some 500k pots while you are swapping things around if the guitar (like many gibsons) has the darker sounding stock 300k pots.

I should mention that Seths are super popular around here, but as i have not tried them yet it would be misleading to recommend them.
Re: Casinos, i know they are full hollowbody, but having owned a real 1966 Casino i found they have much less low end acoustically and simultaneously for some reason seem to be more prone to low end feedback- perhaps it is due to the thinline design. I reckon 137s are just about the perfect blend of feedback resistance and the full deep bollowbody jazz tone where 330s and casinos are much more light and jangly.

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Replacement pickups for a Gibson ES137?

I'd heartly recommend an APH-1 set with an A3 in the neck position.

I have the same p'up combo in my L-5 CES copy and it just kills. No hearsay here.

Clarity and articulation are given in spades by this set and the middle position is simple to die for, so to speak.

HTH,