If you haven't tried it already, a fully-charged set of A2 magnets for the Antiquitys would likely push them into 57/08 territory.
What's as good as the 57/08 set? What pickups should I try next?
- Thread starter Lewguitar
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Senor Verde
New Member
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I do like Black Dogs too. Mules sound thin to me, much thinner than 57/08. Black Dogs got me closer, but still different.
I tried alnico 2 in my Marshallheads and kinda liked them, but wanted more lows, so went back to the stock alnico 5 mag. With alnico 2 though, they sounded similar to 57/08.
Lewguitar
Old Know It All
That's the set I almost ordered before seeing a great video of the Abraxas. I'm glad i bought them too!
So does the Mule set lean to the 57/08 or 59/09?
Lewguitar
Old Know It All
Don't want thin. That's for sure.
I'm really having a hard time liking my Antiquitys now. Because the 57/08's and Abraxas sound so full and strong.
VHTStark
New Member
Some very good recommendations here! Mine would be in order:
59/09 - As these are really just slightly hotter 57/08's, I can't see you not digging them. The covered 59/09 I have is very similar to my covered 57/08's.
BK Black Dog: Another one of my favorite PAF pickups period and has alot of the 57/08 vibe. A bit tighter and brighter.
58/15: If you ever come across any for sale, grab them. Similar output to the 57/08's and where they give up some kerrang, they make up with a bit more clarity and attack.
59/09 - As these are really just slightly hotter 57/08's, I can't see you not digging them. The covered 59/09 I have is very similar to my covered 57/08's.
BK Black Dog: Another one of my favorite PAF pickups period and has alot of the 57/08 vibe. A bit tighter and brighter.
58/15: If you ever come across any for sale, grab them. Similar output to the 57/08's and where they give up some kerrang, they make up with a bit more clarity and attack.
Peacemaker is still my fav bare knuckles. Some meatiness to a PAF flavor. I liked them better than mule and Abraxas. Output level is similar to Abraxas, so they split/tap very well.
A pair is on reverb for half their normal price. Worth it at the price. You could wax pot them and toss covers on them if that’s how you prefer they look
A pair is on reverb for half their normal price. Worth it at the price. You could wax pot them and toss covers on them if that’s how you prefer they look
Lewguitar
Old Know It All
Those are alnico 5. I tend to like A2 or A4 better. The set I saw on Reverb was $280.
dmatthews
Dave's not here
Yup, just watch for what they came out of.
The ones from a HB are 2 wire only (non splittable).
nac
New Member
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I have Mules in a LP and love them. Not thin at all. I also have a set of Wolfetone Dr. Vintage in a LP and love those as well. I'd like to try a set of his Legends one day as well.
On the other side of the spectrum I have some BK Rebel Yell's in a S2 Single Cut and they rock. I have 59/09's in a CU 22 and they are great but on the PAF side of things. Seth Lovers in a Heritage 535 that are great as well.
Love the 58/15 LT's in my 594 but those things are expensive and/or hard to find.
Good luck, there are a lot of great pickups out there.
What is it about the 57/08's that you like so much?
On the other side of the spectrum I have some BK Rebel Yell's in a S2 Single Cut and they rock. I have 59/09's in a CU 22 and they are great but on the PAF side of things. Seth Lovers in a Heritage 535 that are great as well.
Love the 58/15 LT's in my 594 but those things are expensive and/or hard to find.
Good luck, there are a lot of great pickups out there.
What is it about the 57/08's that you like so much?
Not with offers. I got him down to half of what it would cost directly from BKP
Lewguitar
Old Know It All
They take me back to the sound of the 50's Les pauls and 335's I owned in the 60's and 70's.
The tone is thick and kind of chewy. Responds to my pick really nice and compresses when i dig in and cleans up and opens up again when I back off and play lightly or strum chords.
The neck pickup isn't as underwound as they are in most PAF replica sets. In real PAF sets both pickups were usually about equal in output...which meant that the neck pickup overpowered the bridge pickup because of it's location next to the neck where the string vibrates more.
The bridge 57/08 is about 9K I think. rare in a PAF to find one that "hot". It's stronger than my Antiquity bridge pickup and beefier sounding too.
I like it better than the Antiquity.
You do know that the Antiquity pickups come stock with degaussed magnets, right? As I said above, putting a fully-charged set of A2 magnets in those pickups really puts them at another level. I'm not a huge fan of Antiquitys, but I'm not sure that I'd give up on them too quickly, either.
Lewguitar
Old Know It All
I haven't heard that improvement.
I've put fully charged rough A2, A4 and even A5 in them.
They sound best to me with the roughcast A2 magnets that MJ signs.
Lewguitar
Old Know It All
Think I'll try some 58/15 LT's. Found an affordable used set.
dmatthews
Dave's not here
Make sure you check if they are splittable or not (if that's required).
WEDGE
Zombie five, DFZ
plus one for the Marshallhead, does the job!
WEDGE
Zombie five, DFZ
I wouldn’t say it leans either way, but does the feel of them both without sacrificing either
