What my 150 did on summer vacation...

[fxdx99]

Have had a 150 for a few months now, long enough to be able to play it in various situations - home, small/medium clubs, outdoor gigs, coffee houses.  It's a fine guitar, drop dead gorgeous in sunset sunburst, fairly light at 9 lbs with a neck profile similar to the '59 Gibby LP shape and was purchased from a fellow HOC member.  The benchmark of the 150 guitar is my '83 Goldtop LP (a NAMM guit that year built reportedly at Parson's St to a 59 LP design) and my 535 w/seth lovers.  All are played thru an Allen Accomplish Jr (fender DR like) or 50s Gibson GA6 (tweed).

 

While I liked the 150, I thought it could be better.  Came w/SD59s in it which seems to be a popular selection for this model.  But the 'last straw' was at an outdoor gig where I just was struggling to get a really good tone.  Kept adjusting the amp settings looking for 'it'. 

 

So "Sunny" says to me (editor note: inanimate objects beginning conversations are early warning signs of the insanity that chasing exceptional tone will bring)... Sunny says, 'ya know, I bet I'd sound a whole lot better with some different pickups'.  So I nod my head and consider what to swap to.  The 535 had come w/schaller pickups and while they did a real nice clean/country sound they, too, had left a bit wanting.  Flipping to seth lovers in that guitar really opened up the sound and it's an exceptional tone machine now.

 

After reading thru the net forums and getting some counsel from the fellow HOC member whom I bought the guitar from (I'll not mention your handle, golferwave, to protect the innocent), had narrowed down the pickup choice to a few selections.  Was looking for a vintage, low output pickup for more clarity, more openess in sound.  The 59s were a little hot and a little 'constricted' (or as my guitar tech described 'constipated') - at least in this particular 150.  Was looking for more clean tone, especially from the neck pickup.

 

Came close to getting another set of seth lovers, but thought would try something different.  Looked hard at both Sheptone and Bare Knuckles, both of who offer hand wound vintage PAF style hums.  Went w/the bare knuckle stormy mondays, which is a fav and highly recommeded by gw in 150s. 

 

Put them in the night they arrived and played just a bit - initial impression was favorable, that they were more warm, clearer, and open sounding than the 59s.  As one reference, they measure ~.4K lower ohms.  But the real test is playing out w/them - and they provided just what I'd hoped.  The warm/clearer/open sounds carried over to playing in a variety of places - and the acid test of being outside where sound just dissapates so fast.  Was able to get a great sound right away. 

 

This pickup swap was not as large a change as on the 535.  The seth lovers in the 535 was quite a large change in sound as compared to the schallers... they added much more 'character' to the sound.  For the 150, the same basic tone of the guitar was there, but just more open and clearer sounding.  Contrasting the LP to the 150 is somewhat like comparing amp sounds.  The 150 is fender blackface chimey sweet where the les paul is 5e3 tweed 'fuzzy' sweet.  Both nice tones, just different.  The 150 is a brighter sounding guitar, both played acoustically or thru an amp.  The LP is darker both acoustically and amp'd.

 

These pickup changes would seem to support the 'all in the wood' contention - basic tone of the guitar is still there, with pickups altering the clarity and subtle attack characteristics.

[Thundersteel]

Excellent tone report!  I think my instruments have been talking to me too, because they say, "Please don't sell me! I'll provide you with years of enjoyment!" 

 

The 59s were a little hot and a little 'constricted' (or as my guitar tech described 'constipated')

 

I've always found the '59s to be somewhat muddy sounding. But constipated sounds more accurate! I prefer the Seths and HRWs.

[Kuz]

Man, I'm telling you if you want a true PAF pup and one that will open up a 150 (or LP) I love my new 150 with Lollar Imperials- low output, warm yet bright, zero mud.

 

Just magnifies the wood!

 

They are pricey though. Luckily mine came with the guitar!

[guitarjump]

Thanks for the report Swapping out pickups is fun, though can be an expensive exercise. I've swapped out pickups on my g-word guitars out of curiosity for years. My new H-150 is so pristine - no electronic mods, SD pickups - I am thinking I may just keep it that way.

 

A real nice pickup that I have in a g-word standard is the WB Vintage-Tuned PAF (set, neck and bridge). I think that is the nicest PAF type I've ever tried. It made a mediocre guitar sound like a jewel. Also really really nice is the WCR Darkburst set I have in another g-word standard. I could talk about this stuff for hours....

[chico]

Thanks for the report Swapping out pickups is fun, though can be an expensive exercise. I've swapped out pickups on my g-word guitars out of curiosity for years. My new H-150 is so pristine - no electronic mods, SD pickups - I am thinking I may just keep it that way.

 

A real nice pickup that I have in a g-word standard is the WB Vintage-Tuned PAF (set, neck and bridge). I think that is the nicest PAF type I've ever tried. It made a mediocre guitar sound like a jewel. Also really really nice is the WCR Darkburst set I have in another g-word standard. I could talk about this stuff for hours....

 

I don't understand why people alter things like the pickups.  No offense. But if you want a different set of pickups order one with the type you want.  Leave perfection alone.  Or at least as close to perfection as you can get..

 

But, its the same reason people like to customize their ride.

 

No right or wrong here.  Leave it pristine.

[brentrocks]

i was never one to swap pups/hardware.  not untill i joined this group, i found that it pays to experiment sometimes.  like w/ the gary moore...i hated the way the EMGs sounded....5 yrs ago, i would have just left it alone.

 

and the P-rails...how many guys here have p-rails now? 5 or 6?  we feed off of each others desire to tweek our Heritages and make them better (for our own needs) ;D 

 

i think that is a good thing

[fxdx99]

Yeh, know what you mean, Chico... if it is perfect leave it be, but if it's not...

 

I was never really one to swap out parts, either, but have had such good experiences w/swapping pickups that I'm on board w/that now.  The net-buys really kinda drove that for me.  Buying a guit in a store you can get a pretty good idea if it's 'right', although even there it's not as telling as playing with it for a while.  And w/buying site unseen used guitars can either flip them or try to get them to that perfect state.

 

I really really liked this 150 and having listened to some different humbuckers figured it was worth a shot at swapping pickups.  I coulda flipped it and watche on line for a 150 w/a set of pickups I wanted, but it would've taken a while since I was looking at some 'non-standard' selections.

 

2 for 2 on the pu swap, so I'm sold.  ('and as far as the bike goes... well, I haven't done anything drastic like rake the frame or widen the swing arm, but it's got quite a bit of alterations to it...    it's just fun to tinker with things and get them the way that YOU want).

 

Guitarjump, looked at WB and WCRs after reading about them - they sound like nice choices, too.

[guitarjump]

Oh, I swap/replace/upgrade parts mostly out of boredom and curiosity - and a byproduct of hanging around a lot of guitar-related forums and learning stuff from other guitar addicts! I have the $ and the time, and I am an endless tweaker. I enjoy doing the work.

 

I started out modding cheap Squier guitars a few years back, and actually made them gig-worthy with the upgrades. In the process, I got hooked. It's really not that the guitar in question - at least the ones I buy these days - really needs it, just that I like to mess with stuff. I don't watch much TV, so this is probably my substitute home entertainment 

[GuitArtMan]

I've got Bareknuckle Mules in my Gword Les Paaul and love 'em.  I'm sure the Stormy Mondays are equally as sweet a pickup.

[golferwave]

  Bare Knuckles makes a great line of pickups.  The Stormy Mondays are my favorite followed by the PG Blues and Mules. There's so many great pickups to be had from all of these "hand wound" manufacturers.

[seizethedave]

I don't understand why people alter things like the pickups.  No offense. But if you want a different set of pickups order one with the type you want.  Leave perfection alone.  Or at least as close to perfection as you can get..

 

But, its the same reason people like to customize their ride.

 

No right or wrong here.  Leave it pristine.

 

I have to take the opposite point of view.  I often don't understand why people leave stock pups in their guitars.  I have found most stock pups to be weak, boring and flat out bland.  I'm not a fan of SDs or DiMarzios b/c each pup is geared towards a specific sound.  I think that's the wrong approach.  A pickup should expose the tonal characteristics of the guitar and leave the rest to the signal chain.  You should be able to alter the sound by the pedals, amp settings and your pick/finger attack.  That's where the sound really comes from.  Also, I can't always buy the perfect guitar with the right pickups in it.  I just recently purchased a 150 off of a fellow board member.  The guitar is extremely well built but I find the SD 59s unbalanced and muddy.  The bridge pickup is sterile and weak and the neck gets too muffled.  I'm in the process of replacing them with Bill Lawrence pickups.  I have those pickups in several guitars and can attest to their quality.  Those pickups are so clear and transparent that I don't enjoy going to the guitar store anymore b/c the pickups in the guitars are sub-standard.  I also recently found a prestige Ibanez for 1/2 price in perfect condition.  I bought that one up quickly.  However, the pups were just plain bad.  I replaced them quickly.  However, the guitar itself is a fine piece of art.  Very well built with very good wood.  I wasn't going to let something as simple as the pickups stop me from buying it.

 

In short, I think the right pups bring out the best of a guitar.  If the guitar is built perfectly but the pups aren't then you buy the guitar and replace the pups.  It's a pretty simple choice.

[Mikenov]

i was never one to swap pups/hardware.  not untill i joined this group, i found that it pays to experiment sometimes.  like w/ the gary moore...i hated the way the EMGs sounded....5 yrs ago, i would have just left it alone.

 

and the P-rails...how many guys here have p-rails now? 5 or 6?  we feed off of each others desire to tweek our Heritages and make them better (for our own needs) ;D 

 

i think that is a good thing

I have swapped pickups in 2 guitars, my Ibanez Artcore AS73 ($200 guitar)  and my Heritage H140. I actually like the cheap china pickups in the Artcore better than the schallers. I hated the way the H140 sounded. I put Alnico pro 2s in the Artcore and P-Rails in the H140. In both cases it took a decent guitar and made it a real player! The Ibanez plays great and actually sounds very good with the SD AP2s in it and the H140 is deffinately a workhose now with the P-rails. Before the pickup change on the H140 honestly I would have called that guitar a disapointment. Now I can't vouch that the Schaller pickups that were in that guitar were the stock ones but I know they really sounded bad so that was money well spent.

[les paulverizer]

As soon as I got my H150 I realised straitgh away what a great guitar it was; the ultimate Les Paul! 8)

So, after a coupla days, I got some Seymour Duncan Antiquity's and slapped 'em on; I just though, "since this's as close as ya can get to a '59 might as well go the same way with the pup's", right?

Right!

Frankly I don't know the difference between the Antiquity's and the Seth Lover's as, at least on paper, they should be one and the same(!); they both claim to be the best/closest  PAF clone on the market, and they're from the same manufacturer!

There might be some marketin' strategies at work there, I dunno; all I know is that the Antiquity's are the p-e-r-f-e-c-t pup's for my H150, and I'm never gonna swap 'em!

All my favourite players seem to live inside that guitar now, every single one of them(!) from old to contemporary ones; rather than waste time by tryin' different pup's I spend some time enjoyin' the guitar as it is now! ;D 8) ;D 8)

[golferwave]

As soon as I got my H150 I realised straitgh away what a great guitar it was; the ultimate Les Paul! 8)

So, after a coupla days, I got some Seymour Duncan Antiquity's and slapped 'em on; I just though, "since this's as close as ya can get to a '59 might as well go the same way with the pup's", right?

Right!

Frankly I don't know the difference between the Antiquity's and the Seth Lover's as, at least on paper, they should be one and the same(!); they both claim to be the best/closest  PAF clone on the market, and they're from the same manufacturer!

There might be some marketin' strategies at work there, I dunno; all I know is that the Antiquity's are the p-e-r-f-e-c-t pup's for my H150, and I'm never gonna swap 'em!

All my favourite players seem to live inside that guitar now, every single one of them(!) from old to contemporary ones; rather than waste time by tryin' different pup's I spend some time enjoyin' the guitar as it is now! ;D 8) ;D 8)

 

 

  Way to go!  You found the pups that give the tone that you're looking for.  That's were all trying to do with these pickup swaps.