Duane Allman's '57 LP and PRS 57/08 pickups...

[Lewguitar]

Duane Allman’s Three Beloved Les Pauls Are Reunited Onstage for the Allman Brothers’ Final Stand

Duane Allman had three primary Les Pauls during his time with the Allman Brothers Band. The 1957 goldtop that he played on the band’s first two albums as well as most of the Derek and the Dominos Layl

www.guitarworld.com

Duane owned three LP's: a gold top '57 that he recorded the first two Allman Brothers albums with, a '58 sunburst and his favorite, a '59 sunburst that he traded his gold top '57 for.

But his favorite pickups were the 1957 PAFs in his gold top '57.

When the original owner of the '59 offered to trade him the '59 for the '57 goldtop, Duane said he would do it as long as he could swap the pickups from the '57 into the '59, and put the pickups from the '59 in the '57.

And that's what happened.

What's all this got to do with PRS 57/08 pickups? Well they're designed to sound like the '57 PAFs that Duane loved!

I just got my first set yesterday.

They came in a Bernie Marsden that had been upgraded with locking tuners and an adjustable bridge/tailpiece with brass saddles from John Mann, and 57/08 pickups.

The 57/08's are the first "new" pickup I've owned that genuinely reminds me of the guitars with 50's PAF's I owned back in the day.

 

[Senor Verde]

Groovy Lew!

All this 57/08 talk lately has me wanting to try an older 57/08 bridge pickup I have in the drawer. I remember them generally sounding very full but clear. I can't swing a new set right now, but I can see one in my future.

 

[Lewguitar]

Groovy Lew!

All this 57/08 talk lately has me wanting to try an older 57/08 bridge pickup I have in the drawer. I remember them generally sounding very full but clear. I can't swing a new set right now, but I can see one in my future.

Duncan Antiquitys have been my "go to" paf replica for quite a while.

But the 57/08 bridge pickup is thicker and slightly hotter than the Antquity bridge pickup.

I like it better!

 

[László]

The 57/08's are the first "new" pickup I've owned that genuinely reminds me of the guitars with 50's PAF's I owned back in the day.

That's been my experience as well. You should hear 'em in my McCarty SC through the HXDA set in the D/A (Allman) mode.

It's like taking a trip in the Wayback Machine. Makes what's left of my hair stand on end.

I do have another PRS with pickups that remind me of ancient times. The Antiquity P-90s on my 594 Soapbar sound incredibly similar to the original P-90s on my 1965 SG Special. I think the only difference is that you can hear the maple on the 594 making the pick attack more articulate.

I've played them back-to-back. It's remarkable, though whether they're voiced for the 594 or not is anyone's guess. I was told PRS spec'd their order, but I know zero about the changes to the pickup, if any.

 

[JimPridx]

The 57/08s that came in my '09 Ted DC245 are still some of my favorite pickups.

 

[andy474x]

I’m not a major pickup aficionado, but I’ve definitely swapped my fair share of pickups, and the 57/08’s and subsequent PRS pickups are the most detailed and refined ones I’ve used.

 

[Senor Verde]

I dug out what I think is the last remaining 57/08 I have today. The cover somehow has a big dent in it, so I replaced it with a pristine nickel cover. I'm going to try it in my most recent McCarty, an '08 amber that could use some fattnening in the mids. This will be done tomorrow. If it doesn't work out as expected, you are all dead to me and I will never forgive you. Wish me luck!

 

[JasonE]

Best pickups ever!

 

[László]

I dug out what I think is the last remaining 57/08 I have today. The cover somehow has a big dent in it, so I replaced it with a pristine nickel cover. I'm going to try it in my most recent McCarty, an '08 amber that could use some fattnening in the mids. This will be done tomorrow. If it doesn't work out as expected, you are all dead to me and I will never forgive you. Wish me luck!

I think maybe I should wish US luck!

 

[Lewguitar]

Best pickups ever!

So far anyway!

The BKP Abraxas haven't landed yet.

Hard to imagine them being better tho.

I'd be happy if they're as good.

Otherwise....

 

[garrett]

Duane Allman’s Three Beloved Les Pauls Are Reunited Onstage for the Allman Brothers’ Final Stand

Duane Allman had three primary Les Pauls during his time with the Allman Brothers Band. The 1957 goldtop that he played on the band’s first two albums as well as most of the Derek and the Dominos Layl

www.guitarworld.com

Duane owned three LP's: a gold top '57 that he recorded the first two Allman Brothers albums with, a '58 sunburst and his favorite, a '59 sunburst that he traded his gold top '57 for.

But his favorite pickups were the 1957 PAFs in his gold top '57.

When the original owner of the '59 offered to trade him the '59 for the '57 goldtop, Duane said he would do it as long as he could swap the pickups from the '57 into the '59, and put the pickups from the '59 in the '57.

And that's what happened.

What's all this got to do with PRS 57/08 pickups? Well they're designed to sound like the '57 PAFs that Duane loved!

I just got my first set yesterday.

They came in a Bernie Marsden that had been upgraded with locking tuners and an adjustable bridge/tailpiece with brass saddles from John Mann, and 57/08 pickups.

The 57/08's are the first "new" pickup I've owned that genuinely reminds me of the guitars with 50's PAF's I owned back in the day.

I have on very good authority Duane used the goldtop on all of the Derek & the Dominos Layla album, except for the coda to "Layla", which was with the '59 (with the '57 pickups in it).

Oh yeah, and 57/08 pickups are pretty darn good.

 

[RonHal]

I read somewhere on the 'net that his 57 pick-ups had different screws. You decide.

 

[Senor Verde]

The BKP Abraxas haven't landed yet.

I'm sitting here getting impatient...

 

[Longneck Tenon]

I dug out what I think is the last remaining 57/08 I have today. The cover somehow has a big dent in it, so I replaced it with a pristine nickel cover. I'm going to try it in my most recent McCarty, an '08 amber that could use some fattnening in the mids. This will be done tomorrow. If it doesn't work out as expected, you are all dead to me and I will never forgive you. Wish me luck!

So how did it work out?

 

[Lewguitar]

I'm sitting here getting impatient...

They're great! Love 'em.

The 57/08's have a warmer, fuller tone and the bridge 57/08 has lower output than the Abraxas bridge pickup but has a warmer, fatter tone.

The Abraxas neck pickup is as nice as the 57/08 neck pickup. I can get the soloing tones and the clear transparent tones for chords I need from the neck 57/08 or Abraxas.

The Abraxas bridge pickup is pretty hot. 14K. That's getting into Duncan Custom and JB territory. But it's warm organic and it sings.

The 57/08 bridge pickup seems to have more bass or deeper bass. I like its tone best even if the output of the Abraxas is a little higher and perhaps better for rock tones. Either sounds killer through a good overdrive pedal like a Klon or Hot Cake or both.

My Antiquitys took third place I'm sorry to say. They're facing some stiff competion here and I prefer the 57/08's now for my PAF pickups.

 

[Senor Verde]

Thanks for the report. I'm surprised you say the 57/08 has more or deeper bass and is fatter sounding. The 57/07 I have is fat in the mids, but doesn't have a lot of bass. Mine is a pretty early version though. I guess when I can, a new set of 57/08 will need to be bought and compared to the old.

 

[Senor Verde]

So how did it work out?

As I mentioned above, they seem a little light in the bass. I do like the mids and highs though. For now, the Wolfetone Marshallheads will remain in this particular guitar. The 57/08 should go into something, but I'm not sure what right now.

To follow-up on post #7. You all are not dead to me and there is nothing to forgive.

 

[Lewguitar]

Thanks for the report. I'm surprised you say the 57/08 has more or deeper bass and is fatter sounding. The 57/07 I have is fat in the mids, but doesn't have a lot of bass. Mine is a pretty early version though. I guess when I can, a new set of 57/08 will need to be bought and compared to the old.

It does though. I have a set of 57/08's in a Bernie and in a Stripped 58.

The bridge 57/08 isn't as "loud" as the bridge Abraxas. It's a little lower in output compared to the Abraxas but the 57/08 has a deeper tone with a little more bass.

They're both great bridge pickups.

The magnets are different tho.

Alnico 4 in the Abraxas and Alnico 2 in the 57/08.

According to PRS, they're using the original dye that made the copper wire in the 50's PAF's and the original coil winder that Gibson used when they make the 57/08. All they're missing is the original roughcast a2 magnets but whatever Paul is using sounds very authentic to me.

 

[JasonE]

Thanks for the report. I'm surprised you say the 57/08 has more or deeper bass and is fatter sounding. The 57/07 I have is fat in the mids, but doesn't have a lot of bass. Mine is a pretty early version though. I guess when I can, a new set of 57/08 will need to be bought and compared to the old.

There was some variation in the very early 57/08s. I have a set that I put in my SAS that seem a good bit hotter than all of my other guitars with them in them. I have a number of PRS guitars with 57/08s in them, mostly stock and a few (3)I swapped them into.