funkapus Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 I don't own a Heritage yet; I've been looking at 555s and 575s, but I haven't spent enough time trying guitars out yet to really know for sure what I want to do. I've been surfing listings here, on gBase, the local Craigslist, on ebay, etc., for guitars to check out. Occasionally I've seen 555s or 575s for sale on ebay or Craigslist where the seller has no idea what pickups are installed -- SL's, 59's, Schallers, HRWs, no idea. Is there anything on the exterior of the pickup that makes it easy to tell? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 it usually is labelled on the bottom of the pickup sometimes Heritage will also write what came in the gtr on the back of the wiring cover...but that's no guarantee as people often swap pups; best to read the actual pickups Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Ron Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 For a full hollow body like a 575 you can use a dental mirror through the f-hole to view the back of the pickups. Othewise you need to pull the pickups. If you see two screws per side on the pickup ring it usually means stock Schallers; exception being the mystical HRWs, which will have a special label on the back and usually a dot on the end of the switch tip. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbp810 Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Best way to tell is to play the guitar: If they sound awesome, then they are awesome pickups; if they don't sound awesome, then they are not awesome pickups. If they sound great, it just doesn't matter! Of course it is still nice to know, so I suggest following one of the aforementioned posts instead of mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthpawGuy Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Quick and dirty method ..... 2 mounting screws per pickup = Duncans, usually 59s or Seth Lovers e.g. 535 with Duncan 59s ======================================== 4 mounting screws per pickup = Schallers e.g. 157 with Schallers ========================================================== 4 mounting screws per pickup and a dot on the switch tip = HRWs e.g. Millie with HRWs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HRB853370 Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Quick and dirty method ..... 2 mounting screws per pickup = Duncans, usually 59s or Seth Lovers e.g. 535 with Duncan 59s ======================================== 4 mounting screws per pickup = Schallers e.g. 157 with Schallers ========================================================== 4 mounting screws per pickup and a dot on the switch tip = HRWs e.g. Millie with HRWs I hope you bring the above with you to PSP. I am waiting patiently in Kalamazoo.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernCanuck Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Quick and dirty method ..... 2 mounting screws per pickup = Duncans, usually 59s or Seth Lovers e.g. 535 with Duncan 59s ======================================== 4 mounting screws per pickup = Schallers e.g. 157 with Schallers ========================================================== 4 mounting screws per pickup and a dot on the switch tip = HRWs e.g. Millie with HRWs That's very informative for left-handed pickups - but what about for right-handed? S_C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbp810 Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 That's very informative for left-handed pickups - but what about for right-handed? S_C It can get fairly complex... I've heard horror stories of people buying right handed guitars just to find out later that they had left handed pickups installed in them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthpawGuy Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Ha ! Looks like you guys are missing one of your buddies .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthpawGuy Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 It can get fairly complex... I've heard horror stories of people buying right handed guitars just to find out later that they had left handed pickups installed in them. Ooops, spoke too soon, the third guy showed up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkapus Posted August 3, 2012 Author Share Posted August 3, 2012 Thanks for your posts everyone -- all of this was *very* helpful. Especial thanks to SouthpawGuy for the effort to upload and annotate the pics! kbp810 -- I agree with what you're saying re: the important thing being how it sounds to you. But in addition to situations where that's hard to execute (long-distance purchases), it's useful to be able to develop an opinion of what you've heard that you liked/didn't like, and know what that is . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 The final method is to just to pull the mounting rings and look at the backs in between restringings... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundersteel Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 2 mounting screws per pickup = Duncans, usually 59s or Seth Lovers If there is wax showing around the pole height adjustment screws, then they are '59s. Otherwise, they're Seth Lovers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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