SD '59s versus Seth Lover, in older H150

[nuke]

Anyone have direct experience swapping out a pair of Seymour Duncan 59's for a pair of Seth Lovers SH-55 pickups? 

I have a '98 H150 that was a special run with SD59's and standard tune-o-matic bridge/tail from the factory.  It's also a lighter one, about 8-3/4 lbs. I've owned it for over 20 years now. Use it as a work-horse. 

The 59's are ok-ish, but I find them a bit aggressive and in general, I find they have in this, and many other guitars, a treble peak that's a bit harsh. It isn't overly bright, but it just has a peak in the wrong place to my ears.

The original pots from Heritage were like the Norlin era-Gibson, 100k tone and 300k volumes, which darkened it up quite a bit. When a couple of the pots showed wear, I changed them to the more typical 500k and "50's wiring" since I like to roll the volumes up and down a lot while playing. 

I like the low-output PAF sound a lot, clear, articulate, bright but not harsh. A friend put throBaks in his Gibson R9 and that's the direction I'd like to go, but not $900 in that direction.

 

 

[rwinking]

I have the Seth Lovers in my H-535 and I think you are right as far as them being smoother (If that is what you are saying?) especially on the top end. I have  Dimarzio Anniversary PAFs in a couple of other guitars and they seem to have the same great tone and an identical high end. I am not sure that I could tell the difference btw the Seth Lovers and the Dimarzios. I love them both.

[tsp17]

To my ear, Seths are much better, but that’s just me.  I haven’t done a direct swap, but when I’ve played similar guitars with Seths, i notice the musical and textural difference.  Seths are more articulate, organic, smoother and just sound better for what i am looking for.  You may have a different experience.  I’ve had 59s in multiple guitars and only found them to sound great in one.  Even in that one i swapped for a Benedetto B-6 and it was better for my use.  That said, 59s sounded VERY good in that specific guitar (H575).