How are 57 Classic Pickups in an SG?

They have been a go-to for me for a while and I have them in my main player, an ES type. Lower pickups down in the ring, raise pole pieces to taste. Smooth top end, creamy, with decent clarity through a Twin. Blues isn't punk or hard rock so I can't tell you how well they will work for you and your rig. I usually go for a honking-biting tone on the bridge with the tone knob rolled back so I don't know how good it is for punk rock riffage like that.
 
romanianreaper said:
I might get a guitar that has these pickups and was wondering if they suck? Looking to do punk up to hard rock.
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It might depend on the amp. You really won’t know until you plug in and go. They definitely have enough output but whether the EQ on them works for you is anyone’s guess.
 
I'm just wondering if I should get an SG 61 Reissue with 61 pickups or even a modern SG for more money, especially if I'd end up changing the pickups.
 
I think they sound better in an SG, but not in a Les Paul.

I just got another '61 reissue, and love it. I had a red one one, loved it too, but wanted a different color. Got the Silver Mist! Just got done setting it up, and it plays like a dream. Nice and raunchy sounding through my Engl too.. I have an SH-5 I thought of trying in the bridge, but I don't really find it too necessary. The 61's have a nice growl, and of course you're going to have more midrange bite with an SG anyway.. I love SG's.. I keep going back to them...

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I didn’t care for the 61 pickups in my SG. I changed the bridge pickup to a Wolfetone Timbrewolf and it was a huge improvement. I’m not a fan of most Gibson pickups though.
 
designed by tom holmes for gibson. holmes knows what he's doing. I like them in my 335. They're not right for every guitar or all uses and music, but they're a solid paf style pickup.
 
PhilC said:
designed by tom holmes for gibson. holmes knows what he's doing. I like them in my 335. They're not right for every guitar or all uses and music, but they're a solid paf style pickup.
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If they were a small batch run they'd be $600 or 700 Gibson pickups but since they are common a lot of people turn their nose up at them and think of them as nothing special.
 
Great pickup service in an SG. If you want PAF type tone, you can spend a lot more money, but you won’t get much better sound, imho
 
Meanjoegreene said:
Like the 57 plus much more in the bridge than the standard
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Because of the extra winds they have a peakier midrange but not night and day output differences. I personally prefer the regular 57’s in something like a LP/SG. These could be problematic in an amp that already has a peaked midrange quality like 5150’s and Splawns can have.

I would throw in the ring searching out an 80’s or older Dimarzio Super Distortion. They’re more balanced sounding to me than newer ones and have a perfect amount of “more” than a regular PAF type. They are also not expensive when you find them. I have one in a 2000’s V and it’s just a perfect hard rock pickup for me.

I also can’t speak more highly of Wolfetone Marshallheads for a hot PAF that can literally do any style and also give you nice volume roll off to cleans.

All that being said, 57 Classics were my go to pickup for quite a few years in Gibson’s and you probably can’t go wrong.
 
For the heavier styles 498T works better, '57 Classic are little bit mid-heavy an weak. I got 2013 SG yesterday and there is Angus Young pickup and it works great, more bite than '57 and more clarity than 498T. Also Burstbucker 2 work in SG, little bit more push than usual PAF pickup.
 
bubucci said:
For the heavier styles 498T works better, '57 Classic are little bit mid-heavy an weak. I got 2013 SG yesterday and there is Angus Young pickup and it works great, more bite than '57 and more clarity than 498T. Also Burstbucker 2 work in SG, little bit more push than usual PAF pickup.
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I'm a fan of the 498T. The 490T sounds good in SG's as well.
 
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