This thread got me wondering what my 57/08's measured. Through the patch cable I got 10.41 and 11.39. I thought that couldn't be right so I took the back cover off and measured at the leads and got 8.09 and 9.26. What could make the readings so different? I had the volume and tone maxed when I took the readings through the cable.
My Stripped 58 has 57/08 pickups that are weaker than I'd like...
- Thread starter Lewguitar
- Start date
Lewguitar
Old Know It All
Always dicey when you're taking readings through a cord...even a super short one. Factor in your volume and tone controls and it's just not the best way to get an accurate reading.
Your bridge pickup is right up there with the readings I get for my favorite sounding bridge 57/08's.
Your neck pickup is a little lower DCR than any of mine. My lowest is the neck 57/08 reads 8.15K, and that came out of my 2012 SC58. Very close to your reading tho.
The bridge pickup from that 2012 set of 57/08's has the lowest reading of any of my bridge 57/08's: 8.92K.
My favorite 57/08 bridge pickup is also the loudest with the thickest lower mids, and it reads 9.03K.
My next favorite is also excellent tho not quite as hot, and it actually reads higher: 9.18K.
Even tho the DC readings are similar and well within spec, the 57/08's seem to vary in tone as much as 65 year old Gibson PAFs!
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I could be wrong, but I think the recent TCI process was created to make the new pickups meet certain criteria.
Seems like that's a good idea.
Lewguitar
Old Know It All
Meaning less variation? More predictability? Getting it down to a repeatable science.
I think that's part of it. I think there are also certain resonant peaks that are taken into the spec (all pickups have a resonant peak that affect the tone), it's not just the DCR.
JasonE
New Member
Don't use a cable. The cable has resistance all on it's own. I use a jack that hasn't been attached to cable yet. I measure at the points where you would solder the wires to the plug.
I am of the same belief. I think don't have a guitar that has had this process done or I would pop the backplate and have a look. I am thinking they may be adding resistors or something that makes the pickups measure a more exact amount when factored in with the pots and the rest of the circuit.
Lewguitar
Old Know It All
There's also a move to using volume pots with a higher value than 250K or 500K.
The Silver Sky uses a higher than 250K volume pot and has a resistor on it. Even the SE version.
When the volume pot for the bridge pickup in my favorite Bernie Marsden gave up the ghost I replaced with CTS with a reading of well over 500K and it seemed to "improve" the tone and output.
The Silver Sky uses a higher than 250K volume pot and has a resistor on it. Even the SE version.
When the volume pot for the bridge pickup in my favorite Bernie Marsden gave up the ghost I replaced with CTS with a reading of well over 500K and it seemed to "improve" the tone and output.
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JasonE
New Member
I am betting it opened up the high end a bit.
Rod/
Vibrato & String Bender
Higher resistance using a cable
Lewguitar
Old Know It All
It did. Changing to a 550K volume pot seemed to increase the clarity and output from that pickup.
It's a good mod if that's what you're looking for.
A little like taking a very thin blanket off of the sound.
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Lewguitar
Old Know It All
I'm glad you're liking the Hot Cake. My Klons get a cleaner tone but the Hot Cake gets more grind and a thicker tone with more "gristle" that is just a blast to rock out with.
But I like the lighter settings too.
I have mine set up similarly to yours. Maybe a little less treble. Been trying to back off on the sizzle in favor of more steak...and a little more ear friendly tone.
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Lewguitar
Old Know It All
And that’s why I think guitars made with old woods like many PRS Core guitars are, will become “vintage”guitars in the next 10 - 20 years and increase in value. What’s the value of Unobtainium?
SinSir
Mad Scientist
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2020
- Messages
- 5,049
To add to this mix.. I picked up a set of 5708 TCI and the readings are similar to my older 5708. Not of the hotter variety like my 5708 from the PRS accessory store. Interesting.
5708 TCI
Neck 7.72
Bridge 8.58
Older 5708
Neck 7.7
Bridge 8.4
Neck 7.93
Bridge 8.56
Accessory store listed
Neck 8.5
Bridge 9.4
5708 TCI
Neck 7.72
Bridge 8.58
Older 5708
Neck 7.7
Bridge 8.4
Neck 7.93
Bridge 8.56
Accessory store listed
Neck 8.5
Bridge 9.4
Prina
Avoiding imperial entanglements
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2023
- Messages
- 1,231
Interesting. The old-ish stock 57/08s on my '11 Stripped 58 are 8.91k bridge and 8.16k neck, midway between the old ones and new ones.
Have always felt the bridge needed a little boost but the neck is among the best I've ever heard.
SinSir
Mad Scientist
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2020
- Messages
- 5,049
Agree, the neck is amazing and the bridge is awesome, but just hair more would be welcomed. Throwing a lil dirt amd /or boost on it opens up some killer classic rock tones I've always been searching for.
As much as I dig my new 5708 bridge it really is more in the realm of 5909 to my ears. It's got more in spades, like I aleays described the 5909, 5708 but moaaar.
Lewguitar
Old Know It All
Maybe Paul wanted the 57/08 sets to vary a little, the way actual Gibson pafs from the 50's do?
Often the neck pickup would overpower the bridge pickup in a real paf set because they were not calibrated for one position or the other.
They were supposed to be the same pickup with the same number of turns of wire around the coils.
JasonE
New Member
That is how the 58/15 LT pickups are made. The ones I took out of my 594 are not marked bass and treble. They are marked the same and measure the same. Since I did the pickup swap, I put them in the corresponding 57/08 box as I swapped them so I know which was in which position if I ever put them back in they will go in the same hole they came out of.
Bowtiefanatc
Confirmed Bird Snob
“Weaker” but the OG ones are better 
Rod/
Vibrato & String Bender
I found that raising the bridge pick up on my 57/08 gets a fatter and livelier tone by having it much closer to the strings And also having more output that balances better with the neck pick up.
This is a newer covered set with 57/08 engraved on the cover. They measure 9.3k bridge and 8.4K neck on the pickup wires, not on the guitar Jack…
My ‘11 Stripped 58’s 57/08’s measure 8.8K bridge and 8.2k neck, again covered and engraved. In that guitar the stock pickups sound pretty amazing, but I think the wood and build of that instrument are definitely a big part of their tone…. They sound and feel like hotter pickups…
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