Would a StewMac Parson Street bridge pickup be okay with a 57 neck?

[Boze]

I'm replacing the electronics on my new 89 Emperor and was initially just going to upgrade the neck pickup. Now that I'm replacing the pots/harness/jack it seems a shame to put the original bridge pickup back in there with just a matching cover. I've never used a bridge pickup so I'm not excited about the price of another 57 in that spot but wondered if it made sense to put a Parsons Street or some other, more affordable humbucker back there?

[garybaldy]

I'm replacing the electronics on my new 89 Emperor and was initially just going to upgrade the neck pickup. Now that I'm replacing the pots/harness/jack it seems a shame to put the original bridge pickup back in there with just a matching cover. I've never used a bridge pickup so I'm not excited about the price of another 57 in that spot but wondered if it made sense to put a Parsons Street or some other, more affordable humbucker back there?

Those pickups look very similar to those in my 92 EEJP. I wasn't sure if mine were originals but I think they must be. They're worth changing but I've yet to do mine. I'm contemplating either 2 x 57s or 2 x 490s.

[Boze]

Yeah, I dislike them as much as the one in my MIK Zephyr, I'm just being frugal since I seldom/never use a bridge or both pickups. I'm sure either of your pairs would be terrific, hmm.

The only pickup installs I've done are a Seth Lover on the Zephyr and a Bill Lawrence neck on a squier tele, which I recall making the stock bridge pickup sound both worse and mismatched.

[garybaldy]

Yeah, I dislike them as much as the one in my MIK Zephyr, I'm just being frugal since I seldom/never use a bridge or both pickups. I'm sure either of your pairs would be terrific, hmm.

The only pickup installs I've done are a Seth Lover on the Zephyr and a Bill Lawrence neck on a squier tele, which I recall making the stock bridge pickup sound both worse and mismatched.

One is always delving into the unknown with replacement pickups. I have changed quite a few over the years. My very first was in the early 70s butchering a 60s Harmony Meteor and adding a T Top in the bridge position. The Meteor's restoration is long over due!
Currently I have EMGs in an old HM Strat - that needs to be returned to stock!
Also several LP (and an SG) copies of mine have got DiMarzios, SDs, Korean KAs, Irongears, Toneriders etc.
My Am. Std. Tele has an SD A2 pro which is lovely with the stock bridge. That and my Gibby LPS with BB Pros, my SG with 490s and my '97 Am. Std Strat (all stock) are still my favourite solid bodies.
The ones waiting for upgrades are the archies! A japanese 70s175 for which I have 2 early Maxons (the lesser early version) to put in. A 125 copy for which I have a Fletcher (UK) A3 p90. And the EEJP into which I may first try the spare T Top in the neck.
I plan to gut the archtops and add some new lead wires to the pickup routs such that if I want to experiment with other pickups I dont have to pull out the new harness again.
My real 175 and L5 won't get touched obviously!
Hope your upgrade goes well.

[John A.]

I'm replacing the electronics on my new 89 Emperor and was initially just going to upgrade the neck pickup. Now that I'm replacing the pots/harness/jack it seems a shame to put the original bridge pickup back in there with just a matching cover. I've never used a bridge pickup so I'm not excited about the price of another 57 in that spot but wondered if it made sense to put a Parsons Street or some other, more affordable humbucker back there?

The Parsons Streets are very nice sounding pickups (I recently put a set into my D'Angelico semi-hollow in place of the original Kent Armstrong's). It's very similar in spec and output to a Classic 57 and would complement a Classic 57 just fine. That said, if you never use the bridge pickup I don't see the point of going to the extra expense of buying a new one.

[Boze]

The Parsons Streets are very nice sounding pickups (I recently put a set into my D'Angelico semi-hollow in place of the original Kent Armstrong's). It's very similar in spec and output to a Classic 57 and would complement a Classic 57 just fine. That said, if you never use the bridge pickup I don't see the point of going to the extra expense of buying a new one.

Thanks, yeah I agree it's a waste of money and I'll likely wait for now. I have stuff arriving this week to redo the Emperor's electronics and it just felt a bit odd to reinstall the cheap original pickup that I know I dislike so I wondered if folks successfully used mismatched humbuckers like that. If I had a $60-80 bridge option I'd be down to try it, $120-180 is too dear.