59s vs Seth Lovers

[LittleLeroy]

I got my first Heritage on March 1, a 2014 H535 with Seth Lover pups. I've been playing Gibsons since 1964 and finally decided, after reading and researching the Heritage stuff, to try one. It's totally awesome and I'm totally in love with the feel and the tone. I was never a fan of the Duncan pups - used mostly Gibson or Dimarzio, but the Seth Lovers with this guitar are fantastic and I feel like I've found a tone I've only found in a 1959 ES-335 with PAFs.

I could rave on, but the point of this post is now I'm looking for another, in a Cherry finish. But all I've seen for sale are newer ones that have a Duncan 59 in the Neck, with a SL in the bridge, or two 59s. So I would appreciate hearing from people with first-hand experience who can comment on the samenesses or differences between the Duncan 59s and Seth Lovers.

 

What I love about the SL in the neck on my guitar is the clarity and top end presence. It comes so close to a great P-90 or an honest PAF; just a wonderful, sweet tone in the neck and middle positions. Am I gonna get that from a 59 in the neck?

 

Thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts and experiences.

 

~ Little Leroy ~

 

[Polo]

I've had H535's with pretty much every pick up configuration that you've mentioned here......all they all sounded great!

 

One of the benefits of the SD 59 is that it's potted so playing at higher stages of gain and volume can be done without any feedback.

 

Whatever the case.....you can't go wrong.

 

Welcome to the Heritage party!

[pressure]

Fab H535.

[AP515]

I've also had both but in solid bodies. In fact they are still in my two 150's. One has Seth's and one has 59's. I love both for different reasons. For me the SL is sweeter and the 59 is a little more aggressive though not rude. Just a little more punch. Having 535's with each seems a great spread of tones.

[ElNumero]

Which is why I regret letting my cherry 535 go. It had 57 Classics and that gave me a different tonal palette than my other two semis (HRW's and Seths).

[CJTopes]

Which is why I regret letting my cherry 535 go. It had 57 Classics and that gave me a different tonal palette than my other two semis (HRW's and Seths).

 

That guitar sounded great!! (too bad about the neck )

[Gitfiddler]

 

 

 

I'm sorry, but what was the question?? I couldn't stop ogling your amazing H535 photograph! Well done, sir.

 

Seths or 59's really is a matter of taste and personal preference. My 535 came with SD Phat Cats which sounded cool. But I've also had 59's in it, and quickly removed them. Too aggressive for my style of playing (jazz/funk/RnB). After installing a set of Seths in it (neck and bridge), I've found tonal bliss!! Same 535...three Seymour Duncan p'ups. For me, the Seths are hard to beat.

 

Welcome to the HOC.

[Yooper]

LL,

You're in on the secret to great semi-hollow tone. "clarity and top end presence...wonderful, sweet tone in the neck and middle positions."

 

I like '59s too, but they are better suited for the hard rocking guys. I have Seths in my semi-hollow, and in my full hollow Eagle Classic.

 

Perfection. Any flaws are of my own doing now.

[DetroitBlues]

I've gone back and forth with many pickups over the years. I found my inner peace using Seth Lovers. Weaker magnets (A2's) versus the 59's (A5's). Makes a big difference. Allows a mellow, clean tone into the amp and you can turn down the premp/gain to keep it clean or crank it up to get gritty. Now if you're looking for tones like that, I understand completely why you like them. The 59's are a staple pickup now for Heritage; sort of like the Gibson 490R/498T arrangement they have on many of their guitars.

[Stringman]

Nice guitar, by the way.

 

I consider myself to be a Seymour Duncan kinda guy. I put a pair of '59's in my H-576 and recently put a '59 in the neck of my CS-336 and a JB in the bridge. I'll never go back.

 

SL's are great pickups and lots of guys swear by them.

 

I just don't think you can go wrong with either choice. Good luck.

[Kuz]

SL neck = perfect neck pickup

SL bridge = is way too bright and bitey for me

 

That's why I like Throbaks, the neck is like a SL neck and bridge is not as bright or ear piercing.

 

I was talking to Terry McInturff about pickups and he said the SL neck pup was perfect but he can't dig the brightness of SL bridge pup either so he doesn't use them.

 

I owned a '63 335 with PAFs and the neck pickup sounded like the SL neck pup, but the bridge PAF was no where near as bright as the SL bridge pup. (like a dam a$$, I sold the 335)

 

YMMV

[Gianluca]

great H535 congrats

 

mine is equipped with SD 59's with coil tap(Custom order: 1.75" nut, ebony fretboard and golden hw)

 

it's a fantastic guitar but I couldn't tell difference...maybe I should start looking for a different PUs equipped H535...? :-D

[LittleLeroy]

Thanks for all the replies! The detailed info is very helpful.

 

A question for you guys that swap pups: Do you splice them in or remove the harness and install like at the factory? Does one method affect resale value more than the other?

[AP515]

Thanks for all the replies! The detailed info is very helpful.

 

A question for you guys that swap pups: Do you splice them in or remove the harness and install like at the factory? Does one method affect resale value more than the other?

Not sure what you mean my splicing. I would de-solder the existing lead wires and solder in the new leads in the same place.

[LittleLeroy]

Not sure what you mean my splicing. I would de-solder the existing lead wires and solder in the new leads in the same place.

splicing as in cutting the braid. Much easier to do on a semi-hollow or hollow with no control cavity cover than pulling out the entire harness.

[HANGAR18]

Welcome LittleLeroy !

 

 

One of the benefits of the SD 59 is that it's potted so playing at higher stages of gain and volume can be done without any feedback.

 

You beat me to it. 59's are wax potted versus the Seth Lovers and that is what my 535 has in it.

 

However... because it is still a semi hollow body, I can assure you with absolute certainty that if you plug in a 535 with 59's in it and run it through a cranked up 100 watt half stack, you certainly CAN get feedback. Been there, done that. hahaha

[AP515]

splicing as in cutting the braid. Much easier to do on a semi-hollow or hollow with no control cavity cover than pulling out the entire harness.

This is true, but what are you going to do with the old pups? Sell them? I, like most, really don't like short leads.

[TalismanRich]

Take the time to pull the harness. Yeah, it's a pain in the butt, but its the right thing to do.

[LittleLeroy]

Take the time to pull the harness. Yeah, it's a pain in the butt, but its the right thing to do.

Agreed.

[kidsmoke]

And it's not THAT big a deal. I too have unpotted PAF's, although they're A5 magnets (Sheptone Tribute). I've not done much messing with wiring and I did the harness swap to a Joneseyblues 50's style harness. Got it right the first time. Worth the trouble.

 

Love to hear of new, informed, truly objective converts to Heritage. Glad to hear you're enjoying it.

[LittleLeroy]

And it's not THAT big a deal. I too have unpotted PAF's, although they're A5 magnets (Sheptone Tribute). I've not done much messing with wiring and I did the harness swap to a Joneseyblues 50's style harness. Got it right the first time. Worth the trouble.

 

Love to hear of new, informed, truly objective converts to Heritage. Glad to hear you're enjoying it.

Thanks kidsmoke. I'm head-over-heels for this guitar. I'll be putting my 2010 Custom Shop ES-335 "59 Reissue" up for sale so I can get another! The Heritage is wonderfully alive.

 

But I'm really not keen on the potted 59's and one would think, if you *had* to pair a '59 with a Seth Lover, that the 59 would be in the bridge.

 

I've tightened down the cover on unpotted pups and eliminated or drastically reduced the howl. Sometimes it's just too much space between the bobbins and cover that produces the microphonic feedback. On other guitars I've inserted shims between the pup and the mounting ring and that does the trick, too.

[JeffGuitar]

That guitar is gorgeous!!! Wow! You've got a great one there! Welcome to the HOC!

 

I echo every single word of the OP. I'm a new 535 owner and ended up going with SL's and I couldn't be happier. The guitar is amazing. The SL's are the humbucker I've always wanted - so tonally versatile and they sound great in any number of settings/configurations. There is nothing I'd change about this guitar, nothing at all.

[MichYank]

Both the Duncan '59 and Seth Lover are wound on the Leesona that was in the Kalamazoo factory - so that's a big plus having that historical connection.

 

I removed the A5 magnets from the '59s in my 575 and replaced them with an A2 in the neck and an un-oriented A5 in the bridge. I really like the tone. And, I believe the wax potting controls any feedback in the hollow body although I've not experienced it yet.

 

You can't go wrong with either of those two in my opinion.

[CJTopes]

SL neck = perfect neck pickup

SL bridge = is way too bright and bitey for me

 

That's why I like Throbaks, the neck is like a SL neck and bridge is not as bright or ear piercing.

 

I was talking to Terry McInturff about pickups and he said the SL neck pup was perfect but he can't dig the brightness of SL bridge pup either so he doesn't use them.

 

I owned a '63 335 with PAFs and the neck pickup sounded like the SL neck pup, but the bridge PAF was no where near as bright as the SL bridge pup. (like a dam a$$, I sold the 335)

 

YMMV

 

 

With my new prospect (w/seths) I'm finding just the opposite.The bridge sounds good but the neck pup is muddy. Maybe it has to do with the amp settings. If it was set to make the neck pup brighter then the bridge would be to bright. What a dilemma. lol

[Gitfiddler]

Both the Duncan '59 and Seth Lover are wound on the Leesona that was in the Kalamazoo factory - so that's a big plus having that historical connection.

 

I removed the A5 magnets from the '59s in my 575 and replaced them with an A2 in the neck and an un-oriented A5 in the bridge. I really like the tone. And, I believe the wax potting controls any feedback in the hollow body although I've not experienced it yet.

 

You can't go wrong with either of those two in my opinion.

 

I did not know that!