'57 Classic vs. SH-1 '59

[CesarM13]

Hi, I would like someone to establish the difference and pros and cons of each one, if you like

thanks guys.

[Jessie Sammler]

I'm all ears on this one!

[CesarM13]

any help?

[Jessie Sammler]

Have patience; there are plenty of knowledgeable people who come through here.

[saladin]

I'll start off by saying that if someone gave me a set of my choice, it would be the "57 Classics.

[ErikH]

'57 Classics:

Alnico 2 mag, plenty o' mids, good treble, tighter bass than other A2 pickups.


'59 Model:

Alnico 5 mag, more bass and treble than the '57's, but also less mids.


The two are really different. The '57 Classics have the characteristics of both an A2 and an A5 pickup. Some say the '57 Classics have a grainy sound but I don't mind that myself. To me it's more of a sizzle. The '59 has a smoother sound to it to my ears.

Both are really great pickups, just depends on what you are looking for. For me personally, I'm a '57 Classics guy. I have a set in a Strat and have had them in a HH Tele and have played them in a Les Paul. Spectacular in all 3. They do need 500k pots though, 300k minimum but I prefer them with 500k.

[cheezemaster]

'57 Classics:

Alnico 2 mag, plenty o' mids, good treble, tighter bass than other A2 pickups.


'59 Model:

Alnico 5 mag, more bass and treble than the '57's, but also less mids.


The two are really different. The '57 Classics have the characteristics of both an A2 and an A5 pickup. Some say the '57 Classics have a grainy sound but I don't mind that myself. To me it's more of a sizzle. The '59 has a smoother sound to it to my ears.

Both are really great pickups, just depends on what you are looking for. For me personally, I'm a '57 Classics guy. I have a set in a Strat and have had them in a HH Tele and have played them in a Les Paul. Spectacular in all 3. They do need 500k pots though, 300k minimum but I prefer them with 500k.

Yeah, what he said! I've used both and love both but lean towards the 57 Classic (and 57 Classic Plus) - they're a bit more balanced and the grittyness and grind is nice.. almost P90-ish at times.

The 59 is one of my favorite Duncans, very versatile and they nail that classic humbucker sound.. they have a nice bite, but the mids can be a little lacking depending on the setup..

Interesting about the pots.. I'm using whatever came with my Les Paul, which I think are 300k.. what would changing it to 500ks do?

[DonP]

Interesting about the pots.. I'm using whatever came with my Les Paul, which I think are 300k.. what would changing it to 500ks do?

It would give them a little more power and a little more top end. It will be subtle.

[tab]

I have a 57 classic plus in the neck on my SG, and the 59 in the neck on my Schecter. The classic plus is extremely hot when compared to the 59.

A lot of people run the 57 classic plus in the bridge but it sounds great in the neck. You might find it tricky to match it up with a neck pickup though... I ended up with a Rio Grande Crunchbox that fits the bill though - minor tweaking still in progress.

I really like both pickups & have no plans on changing out either.
The 59 is closer to a PAF pickup, but both are full and really nice to play.

I would buy another 59 before I picked up another Classic Plus - mostly because I think you get a great pickup for less out of pocket with the Duncan...

I tried a 57 classic in the neck on my SG before moving to the Classic Plus - I just didn't think it was the right pickup for that guitar. Output was noticeably lower and it wasn't as clear and articulate.

[blueman335]

Lots of fans of the '59N on this forum. Great clarity, and works for any style. To me, the problem with '57's is the A2 magnet which can make them dark & muffled. I don't like mud. I have a few neck '57, 490R, and Burstbucker PU's, and have put A5's in all of them to get better definition and clarity. They're wound too hot for A2's. PGN's are a much better PU if you want a neck A2 HB.

[eggman]

Howdy,


I can only add that I'm a satisfied '59 owner. They're an excellent mate with my old ES-335. They're a good choice for my rootsy style. Good luck!

Eggman

[cheezemaster]

BTW - anyone know the DC resistance of the 57 Classic Plus offhand?

I wish Gibson had that info up on their site.. they just have a "comparative output" chart.

[jeremy]

i think its about 9k

[LtKojak]

BTW - anyone know the DC resistance of the 57 Classic Plus offhand?.

Mine is 8.7K.

[ErikH]

BTW - anyone know the DC resistance of the 57 Classic Plus offhand?

I wish Gibson had that info up on their site.. they just have a "comparative output" chart.

i think its about 9k

Mine is 8.7K.

Out of circuit (meaning not wired to the switch and pots) mine is around 9.1k. In circuit (wired to the rest of the circuit) it is 8.88k. That's pretty much a normal change when you add pots in to the mix. 500k volume pot too.

[inhuman]

A 59n with a 57+ on the bridge sounds like a good mixture. Anyoen agree??

[Stratman]

A 59n with a 57+ on the bridge sounds like a good mixture. Anyoen agree??

Is 'Anyoen' a SD forum member???

[blueman335]

a 59n with a 57+ on the bridge sounds like a good mixture. Anyone agree??

+1.

[CesarM13]

A 59n with a 57+ on the bridge sounds like a good mixture. Anyoen agree??

Yes, i have an Angus Young Signature Humbucker in the bridge, it is classified as a hotter PAF, a bit hotter than the 57+ i think. It is a REALLY good combination.

The Angus Humbucker is great for heavy, punchy distortions and for nice crunches. The '59 is AWESOME for cleans and light overdrives, not so powerful for distortion, but this set is very cersatile.

ps; thanks for the help everybody.

[TattooedCarrot]

I prefer the regular 57 to the plus version. The 57+ is slightly hotter, but also has more treble bite (which is why a lot of people prefer it in the neck). IMO the regular 57 has a certain flavor that just works great as is, and even though its not a hot pickup, it is aggressively voiced and sounds hotter than it is. I love the 57 in the bridge, the neck depends on the guitar. I had a 57 split in a Les Paul and it was AWESOME!!!