New Gibson pickup - ’57 Classic Underwound

[Herbie]

I just saw these. Apparently released two weeks ago. Interesting.

Has anybody tested yet? Nothing in the YouTube.

The Gibson Pickup Shop Launches 22 New Electric Guitar and Bass Pickups

Gibson | ’57 Classic Underwound (Double black, Nickel cover, Underwound, 2-conductor, Potted, 7.2k, Alnico 2)

[chris32895]

Pretty cool, might pick up a '57 and P90 underwound now, wouldn't have known about it otherwise. Thanks!

[DougB]

I just saw these. Apparently released two weeks ago. Interesting.

Has anybody tested yet? Nothing in the YouTube.

The Gibson Pickup Shop Launches 22 New Electric Guitar and Bass Pickups

Gibson | ’57 Classic Underwound (Double black, Nickel cover, Underwound, 2-conductor, Potted, 7.2k, Alnico 2)

Looks like it's a lot like the Lindy Fralin Pure PAF

[Herbie]

Looks like it's a lot like the Lindy Fralin Pure PAF

Or SD Seth Lovers or SD Antiquities or ReWind Creme Brule or Sheptone Tribute 2 or BKP Stormy Monday or… Burstbucker 1!

[lesyeuxnoirs]

If anybody still has a line to Dutchbopper, it might be nice to let him know

He was looking for - and struggling to find - some Classic 57s a while back

[lesyeuxnoirs]

I bet the P90s with A3s are nice. I wish that I had a need for some

[Herbie]

I bet the P90s with A3s are nice. I wish that I had a need for some

In fact I have a CS Les Paul ’54 from 2020 that has A3 P90s. And I changed the magnets!

I love the standard Gibson A5 P90s so I thought that the pickups needed more bite. Neck was a bit boomy so I swapped an A4 in it.

But are they now better than in the beginning? Hmm…Maybe I should go back to A3s and try…

[Sydex]

I've been waiting for these to come back in stock. I want to get one for the neck position of my Joe Pass Emperor II Pro. (Unsure what to use in the bridge--maybe another but a T-Type is the second choice right now).

Any reason not to upgrade to these on a laminate-top Epiphone?

[wintermoon]

Classic Unwound?
Isn't she the country singer that does the Sunday Night Football intro?

[DawgBone]

It's cool they are offering it but I'm not really interested.

The standard 57 classic is a flat out amazing pickup. This is a Tom Holmes design and now it is being altered to please a few people who would like an underwound 57. I guess there must be more than a few hoping to get their hands on it for Gibson to actually oblige them? Maybe they are losing sales to the Seth Lovers?

I've been head to head testing 57's and Seth Lovers for quite some time now and I can speak with authority, and end all the discussion forever; the 57 is the better pickup. Ok slight exaggeration but I do think the '57 is a creamier, sweeter sounding pickup. The Seth has better detail and clarity if you have a dark guitar. It's more forward and biting in the top end while the 57 just sings. Both are good but the '57 does it for me.

[garybaldy]

I bet the P90s with A3s are nice. I wish that I had a need for some

I have an A3 P90 made by Fletcher pickups in the UK but I've yet to use it. I intend to, eventually, put it in a 125 'copy/look-a-like'.

[garybaldy]

Probably will not make much difference.

Gibson 57 Classic versus a stock Epiphone Humbucker | GuitarNutz 2

I would first do the cheaper things. Adjust the tone controls, adjust the pickup heights, and adjust the tone controls on the amplifier. Also I would try different picks. They make a great difference to the tone.

Also I would record the guitar. Either with a microphone right up against the speaker, or via a direct box. And then sit back and listen to the recording.

Hope this helps

Great in depth comparison.
FWIW I think the later EEJP II Pro has different pickups to the early EEJPs. Here's a pic of the underside of a pickup in my '92. Looks pretty cheap and nasty!

[supersoul]

Great in depth comparison.
FWIW I think the later EEJP II Pro has different pickups to the early EEJPs. Here's a pic of the underside of a pickup in my '92. Looks pretty cheap and nasty!

I have an Epiphone humbucker that looks exactly like that, also from an early 90s Epiphone archtop (I think it was a Joe Pass but I can't remember). It's easily one of the best humbuckers I own. It sounds really good in the neck position of a strat.

[supersoul]

Great in depth comparison.
FWIW I think the later EEJP II Pro has different pickups to the early EEJPs. Here's a pic of the underside of a pickup in my '92. Looks pretty cheap and nasty!

mine, looks exactly the same, down to the epoxy along the back edge.

[garybaldy]

I have an Epiphone humbucker that looks exactly like that, also from an early 90s Epiphone archtop (I think it was a Joe Pass but I can't remember). It's easily one of the best humbuckers I own. It sounds really good in the neck position of a strat.

Thanks. I also have similar looking pickups in my two Korean made Vester MOD700, 335 lookalikes. The covers were loose so I used silicone sanitary sealant to secure them. The pickups are very nice in those centre block guitars.

[jads57]

So the Classic 57 while a fine pickup differs that both coils are wound the same. I’ve found P.A.F. Under wound pickups usually have different amount of windings on each coil. This produces a more open type of sound akin to a bigger single coil tone.

This is really great in the neck position of shorter scale 24&3/4” scale guitars. Since it isn’t muddy or too dark sounding for many people’s tastes.
Again both are totally valid, just depends on tastes and musical applications.