Gibson 57 classic plus pickups

[thebigz]

Not sure what category for this.... oh well.

My friend was over with his LP copy (Stellar is the brand, actually pretty good, not sure where its made or anything). Awhile back he put a Gibson 57 classic plus p/u in the bridge, and that thing blew me away! I don't know what wood the guitar was made of, but it just had a thicker, chunkier, bitier sound than my USA Dinky (EMG 81), RR5 (Duncan JB), or my custom double Rhoads (EMG 89). I want that tone! There is no way that some $200 guitar should sound that much beefier and better than all my Jacksons!

I'd go buy a 57 classic plus right now and throw it in, but they're 100+ and I don't have that kind of money just sitting around. So do any of the pickup aficionados here know of a Duncan that is pretty comparable to this? I've always wanted to try an invader, would that have a thick sound like this? I think it is the Duncan Custom that Sully is always mentioning....

Any ideas on what I should be looking for? I always thought the JB in the RR5 sounded so good, but I gotta find something meatier now!

[DonP]

Pickup questions usually end up in the amp or tech forum.

I've bought sets of 57s for $80 + shipping on ebay. Try doing some shopping and you will be rewarded.

If you want to go for some other pickup, look at the specs of the 57. Two matched coils average about 8K (8.5K for the plus). Alnico II magnets. A Pearly Gates, Alnico Pro 2 if you want lower output, Custom Custom if you want really high output.

The Duncan Custom has a ceramic magnet, so it wouldn't match what you are looking for. Sure it will sound good, but...

You can have custom pickups wound for $70, like HighOrder. Measure the DC resistance of your friends pickups, and tell the guy to wind you some pickups to the same DC Resistance in the 57 flavor. Or you might want them wound higher. Just remmeber when you start fucking with the recipe you might not get what you are looking for.

You might also want to try putting an Alnico II magnet in your JB.

Also, you have to remember a fixed bridge short scale guitar isn't going to sound the same as a long scale floating bridge guitar.

[straycat]

+1 Don is dead on.

[thebigz]

For correctness' sake, I talked to him last night after almost buying some of the Gibby pickups and the 57 classic is the neck p/u, its a PRS HFS that I loved so much.

Thanks for all the tips, though, I can modify that using the HFS specs.