Identifying Gibson pickups

[MDS]

Hey guys,

I've got this Gibby and I don't know what pups are in it. It is a recent model(1995) ES-175. The pickups are unmarked except for a Patent Applied For sticker on them. The current models have 57 Classics in them, but earlier ones may have had 490s....any way to tell by looking? I'm sure measuring the resistance would give some insight, but I'd rather not unsolder the pickups in a hollowbody unless I'm going to replace them...

Thanks!

Mike

[JOLLY]

Good luck man!! They're terrible when it comes to labeling pickups.

[DI_IORIO]

They should put an sticker or any kind of mark to identify the pick ups..

[Zhangliqun]

If they are 57 Classics, they should have the "PAF" sticker on the bottom.

[greco]

I hope that someone will have some decent info. on this topic.

I have the same problem. My pickups have the PAF serial number on them but that is no real help at all.

Thanks for starting this thread Mike.

I'd like also like to know the comprison of the sound/tone of the Gibson pups to the SD pups (to the extent that is possible).
I'm considering changing my Gibsons to SD's. The existing Gibson neck pup sounds somewhat like a Seth Lover (IMHO) but seems more 'distant', less musical, and possibly less powerful or something.

This comparison was done with two 335 copies of a similar quality, A-B'd using a selection a switch through the same amp ( '76 Princeton reverb), same string guage and about same age of strings. Obviously, not all variables can be matched probably beyond 75% or so, I would estimate..maybe more.

I hope someone has tried something similar, in more detail, and can post their comments/results.

Maybe Lew and the other gurus will read this and throw in their 10 cents worth.

Let's hope this stays on the front page of the forum for a while!

Bump-de-bump suggested if essential? Oui ?

[JeffB]

If it's got a "PAF" sticker it's a 57 or 57 plus.

As for tonal diff between Gibson and Duncan...

hmmm..in a nutshell...

Gibsons are a little murkier : a little less string definition. and articulation.

Gibsons tend to have a more raw or crunchy vs. "sweet" tone of a Duncan (apples to apples)

Gibsons tend to have a less compressed or round top end.

Whether those are good or bad things, depends on individual tastes. For ME, I prefer Gibson PAF pups (BurstBuckers, 57s) to Duncan PAFs for all those reasons.

Higher output territory tho.. Duncan and DiMarzio rule the roost.

[ColdHit]

According to the Gibson website the ES-175 comes with two 57' Classics.

[MDS]

Thanks guys, I thought this thread was dead!

The 175s now ship with 57 Classics, but I heard older ones had 490s in them. Mine definitely have a PAF sticker, so maybe thats the indicator I need to know they're 57s...

If they are 57s then I have 4 of them now because my LP came with them as well...

[JeffB]

older ones had 490s in them. Mine definitely have a PAF sticker, so maybe thats the indicator I need to know they're 57s......

AFAIK, 490s never had a PAF sticker...ever..the 57s have them as they are meant to be reissues/dupications of the original PAFs.

[greco]

JeffB

Thanks for the comparison between SD and Gibson pups.

This is only comparison I have read anywhere and none of my (guitar playing) friends have been able to describe the tonal diffs.

I am hopeful that others will try to express their thoughts on this comparison...even if they disagree with you to some extent. The more descriptions the easier it is to begin to compare...and discuss.

The thread will naturally burn out soon, but a few more comparisons/comments would be interesting.

Thanks again for descriptions of the respective tones.

Sometimes I wish that tone could be quantified, but most often I'm glad that it can't be. It would be so much less fun if it could, and much too easy to find the tone that you are always searching for.

Dave

[theodie]

Thanks guys, I thought this thread was dead!

The 175s now ship with 57 Classics, but I heard older ones had 490s in them. Mine definitely have a PAF sticker, so maybe thats the indicator I need to know they're 57s...

If they are 57s then I have 4 of them now because my LP came with them as well...

Every 57 classic or plus I have seen has had a PAF applied for sticker on them, if it hasnt came off yet! If it has came off you an see where the sticker was though. I have never seen a 490, 498, 500, 496, with a Paf sticker on them! This means they are 57's!

[JeffB]

JeffB

Thanks for the comparison between SD and Gibson pups.

This is only comparison I have read anywhere and none of my (guitar playing) friends have been able to describe the tonal diffs.

I am hopeful that others will try to express their thoughts on this comparison...even if they disagree with you to some extent. The more descriptions the easier it is to begin to compare...and discuss.

The thread will naturally burn out soon, but a few more comparisons/comments would be interesting.

Thanks again for descriptions of the respective tones.

Sometimes I wish that tone could be quantified, but most often I'm glad that it can't be. It would be so much less fun if it could, and much too easy to find the tone that you are always searching for.

Dave

You are certanly welcome Dave.

Everyone's ears are diff. So opinions will vary as you well know.

I guess it boils down to I hear Gibson pups as more "authentic" sounding...Duncans have the more "idealized" sound that people hear in their heads. Most of my "heros" used stock Gibson pups from the late 60s and early to mid 70s...not Duncans. A few used DiMarzio's. So my tone tastes gravitate towards whatever gives me those sounds. But I'm the oddball around here

[greco]

Shamelss bump...only once...promise