Gibson ES-120 T best replacement pup

[Frank3845]

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I have a 1967 Gibson ES-120T. If you played this guitar you know how lovely it is, but it was cursed with a inferior pickup. I don't know how it sounded when it was new, but after 40 plus years the pup is dull and noisy. I've replaced stock pickups with Seymour Duncans on other solid body guitars and am happy with the sound and quality. I am hoping to get a warm jazz sound out of a replacement pickup, but it has to be the size of a single coil and fit the unique pick-guard of the ES-120T. Does anybody know if this is possible?

[BRHGM]

It's a Melody Maker pickup. SD makes a custom shop replacement or you could alter it to fit strat style pickups. A cool rail or a classic stack would be nice. You could also try a single coil like a 5-2 for Strat. I wouldn't hack up the pickguard to a P-90, a mini humbucker or a full sized humbucker. Being that close to the neck you want a fairly bright and open pickup to avoid mud.

[Funkfingers]

A friend of mine has a totally stock mid Sixties ES-125CD. The P90 nearer the neck is all that it really needs to produce THAT sound.

I reckon that a Telecaster neck/rhythm pickup would fit under the original Gibson cover.

A Custom Shop MM pickup could be interesting. http://www.seymourduncan.com/product...lody_maker_si/

I am intrigued by the last line of the web page product description. "Also available in HB and P90..." Presumably, this means a Melody Maker type pickup under a HB or P90 cover NOT a HB- or P90-sounding pickup crammed under a MM pickup cover.

[gibson175]

http://curtisnovak.com/pickups/repai...20/index.shtml

[Funkfingers]

^
King brilliant idea!

[Frank3845]

Thanks for the response. I'm doing the research now to make sure the suggestions will fit the pick guard without doing a hack job in the guitar. I'm not sure I want to replace it with another Melody Maker pickup. The ones I've heard sound too thin and nasel for my taste. I'm leaning toward a stacked humbucker. The neck tele style is intriguing.

[Frank3845]

Thanks for the link. I just checked it out and it gives me another possibility. I'm not sure my skills are up to that level of workmanship. I know I can drop in a stacked humbucker. I've done that on other guitars. Hopefully there are a few that will fit.

[Frank3845]

Just read the link for the custom Seymour Duncan custom Melody Maker. This may be the answer. It's available in a humbucker design and it looks identical to the original. Thanks all for the help.

[Boogie Bill]

One of my friends likes to collect Melody Makers, and he swaps in Lil' 59s. Sound great to me!

Bill

[Funkfingers]

I'm not sure my skills are up to that level of workmanship.

Round objects!

The Novak replacement pickup job involves nothing more than screwdrivers and four touches of the soldering iron. (Yes, this will kill the originality/collector value of your guitar BUT it will also give it the sound that it always deserved.)

The pickup cut-out illustrated in Novak's photographs is already in the Gibson.

If this forum awarded kudos points, I would be nominating Mr.175 for a shedload. IMO, his suggestion is the perfect solution.

[formula73]

Give one of these little guys a shot. Bryan Gunsher is no slouch!

http://www.bg-pups.com/mm90.html

[Funkfingers]

The BG MM90 .mp3 demos (made on a solidbody guitar) are roughly what I would expect a Seymour Duncan STK-T1n to sound like in the ES-120.

The Duncan Antiquity Melody Maker is certain to have fabulous build quality but, unfortunately, it will faithfully reproduce the "underpowered" vibe of the stock original.

The big, warm, chewy, dynamic jazzy/blues tone that we associate with hollowbody Gibsons comes from big strings and a P90 in the neck/rhythm position.

I have now posted three times in this thread. IMO, gibson175 said everything that needed to be said in one line.

[Frank3845]

Thanks all. It looks like I'm going to try the Novak replacement. Tone is more important to me than resale value. If I ever sell it I'll provide the new owner with the original pickup.

This is a great forum with knowledgeable members.

Thanks.

[JSM65]

I have a ES 120 that I picked up a few years ago. There were two problems, one I needed to replace the tuners and the other was the pick up had no umph. Honestly the guitar sounded better unplugged. One day I was at Music Go Round talking to a buddy of mine and a guy brought in a guitar that had a quarter pounder in it. He didn't like it because he wanted a fatter sound. I myself have a Tele that I put a quarter pounder in and love it. Light bulb went on I bought the pick up and "WOW" what a sound. Probably your best choice for a replacement.