Thank you so much for this video because I have been looking for the right hollowbody and am going to put 57's in it as well. I've been looking at this guitar as the one of the best choices for the money.
I am so glad this video helped you make a decision. I made the vid because nobody had put these pickups in it, and I wanted others to be able to hear this magic - and affordable - pairing. Happy playing!
I have an AS73 that I swapped the pickups to 57 Classic and Classic+. It makes a huge difference for the better for sure. It's maybe not equal to a Gibby 335 but it gets awfully close for about $500. A great guitar that's a wonder to play and hear now.
WOW, Love da 57's in this.. fat, warm nice, creamy and round . This video convinced me to buy the 153 along with the 57's .. tks for posting.. great playing..
Im considering either this guitar or the yamaha sa2200,had a 335 gibson couldnt get on with the brand new one so in need now after a few years of another semi.Great tone.
My Les Paul Custom came to me with Bareknuckle Pickups. While they sounded good, comparing it side to side with my stock 77 SG, the Tarbacks blew the Bareknuckles away. So I found a used set of 57 Classics and put them in the custom. They are fantastic. They won't be leaving the guitar anytime soon.
I just bought this guitar about 4 weeks ago. It's a great guitar to play; feels great and fits comfortable. I didn't buy a 335 because it was a bit too big for me. Regarding the pups, I like them, but they're not MIJ Super 58s, which I have in my Ibanez LGB30 (I swapped out the MIC S58 Customs for a new set of MIJ S58 from Ibanez). The Japanese S58s are amazing pickups, and they're not very easy to find. I can tweak the S58 Customs, but they're still not the same. I have an ES-175 w/ USA Gibson Classic 57s and they are fantastic, but they are not the same as the S58s, even though they are always compared online. They are a different sound. The USA 57s are a bit grittier and crunchier, the MIJ S58s are super smooth, even the high notes - so creamy. Apples and Oranges, really. I will most likely buy a set of MIJ Super 58s from Ibanez (Hoshino-Gakki) and install them into the AS153. I've thought about the Seth Lovers - Now those really are so close, nearly identical in tone, as the MIJ S58, and sell for about $50 less per pickup. Hmm... But you do need the four-wire for the neck pup to activate the Tri-Switch. :)
I got an Ibanez ASV93 Artcore Expressionist. The Pickup sounds pretty decent to me; I am looking at Seymour Duncan Antiquity as a possible replacement though. Perhaps play it as it is for now... The electronics in Ibanez Artcores definitely suck though lol! :)
the ibanez super 58 Customs originaly deliverd into this AS 157 are just amazing pickups and in no way less expressif then Gibis classic 57...No need to change at all...
Hi, I finally purchased one and thinking doing the same modification. However, I am thinking of putting a set of 57 classic ( rather than 57 plus in the bridge) for lower output. Still not sure if it is correct desision. The next question is about the neck pickup. Due to mini toggle switch for this pickup, I think I have have to get a 4 conductor one for this position. But according to the Gibson websitethe output of 4 conductor is 8.3 (near to 57 plus) while I prefer the regular 7.9. Which pickup have you put for each position? Thanks.
Hi Jonathan,thanks a lot for your Video! Great playing! Could you please have a look onto the sustain block and tell me if ist is from one part or three. And if from three whether in your guitar is a visible split between the parts. I bought one, which I like very much but it has a split sutain block and I wonder whether I should return it or not.Thanks in advance! BW Joachim
Many thanks for the video. I am looking for a bluesy, warm, mellow and a bit muddy tone(as in gibson's). Through reviews I've noticed that the tone of this guitar is bright. I am not sure whether it is due to the construction (3 piece neck with maple in the middle and ebony fretboard) or the stock pickups (alnico 5) or both. According to your experience, to what extent changing pickups to 57 is helpful to achieve that bluesy tone I described?
Hi there, just bought the same guitar. Thinking of upgrading pickups to gibson classic 57s as well. Did you find it improved overall tone? In what way? Sounds lovely.
Great playing man! Revelation is such a fantastic tune! Are the Gibson pickups a little hotter than the ibanez ones or do they just have a better tone quality? I'm thinking about upgrading to the same guitar soon. I was so set on buying a fender jazzmaster but than this one caught my attention after I saw the video of Ben Monder playing it.
I know the video is a few years old , I just bought the same guitar in Jet Blue Burst and ordered Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro ( non Slash model ) . Did you use the same stock pickup covers or did the Gibson Classic 57's come with covers ? Thanks
Unbelievable! Very good! Can I ask you for advice? A similar 335 GIBSON among these: IBANEZ AS93 IBANEZAS153 EPIPHONE SHERATON II PRO TOKAI UES78 Thank you
I KNOW THIS IS OLD NOW, but im on the cusp of spending a large amount of money on a pickup upgrade. When you did this year ago did you contemplate any other pickups , or regretted not trying others. I have thought about Seth lovers again, but worry that the last time I found them too shrill. Can you also tell me if the neck is a Classic 57 or super 57
Benoit Mardon thank you for the comment! These pickups are the 57 Classics. Just the standard version. I’m sure the 57+ sound great too but I had no need for the extra output or splitting capability. Be well, and thank you.
Hey Dustin. Thanks for checking in. Unfortunately, I no longer own this guitar. Something I'm quite sad about but it's ok. :) I was playing through a Vox 4-watt amp.
What did you not like about the pickups that came with the guitar? Is it just because you really wanted the guitar to sound nearly identical to the Gibson ES 335? Did you give the Ibanez pickups a chance? I have an Ibanez Artcore AM73B (the wood-grain finish). That guitar has pickups just identified as 'OH1' and 'OH2', for the neck and bridge respectively. While I won't say that the neck pickup gives me a great tone, I can say that I love the sound of the bridge pickup. I've been in guitar center and played this guitar up against ES 335s, 339s (the smaller scale one that compares with the size of the Ibanez Artcore AM73B), Epiphone's version of these guitars. For rockin' tones, I actually liked my AM 73B with the stock bridge pickup better than all the other guitars I just mentioned. When playing the cleaner, jazzier tones, the Gibsons sounded better but I'm not sure if that's the pickup or just better tone of the wood and stuff. I just listened to this head-to-head comparison of the Super 58 pickups vs the Gibson Classic 57s. Tell me if you can hear a difference.: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Eh9O_R1oPwk.html
Hi. Thank you for the comment. Here's what I noticed: The original pickups sounded fine. I've got a lot of people commenting on my choice to change pickups because they think they sounded great. And they did. But I had a very specific sound in mind when I got this guitar, and the original pickups weren't giving it to me. I wanted a pickup that had a more complex upper harmonic frequencies with a more robust midrange, and these pickups were able to give that to me. I'm sure the Seth Lovers would be great as well!
Great thanks for the thought, I have AK 100 NT with super 58 pickup sound really good but i think SD Seth Lover has more vintage sound which is more I like. Thank you.
I used to overdrive pedals in this video. The Paisley Overdrive by Wampler, and the Zen Drive by Hermida. Both are remarkable pedals. The Paisley is a really great amp-like break up, and the Zen produces the creamiest lead tone! Thanks for watching.
Hi Jonathan. I have an Ibanez PM-2 (Path Metheny, but not the high-end, that is, the PM-200). Its only pickup is also the super 58 custom and I would like to make the same change that you have made towards the Gibson 57 Classic. Did you have any problems installing the Gibson in terms of dimensions and exact position of the holes? You know. Are the measurements totally standard? I await your response and send greetings from Spain.
jose aranda you shouldn’t have any problem changing the pickups as the dimensions are standard paf size. Just be sure to diagram where the wires are soldered and enjoy!
Gibson 57 pickups,normaly stays in a Les Poul custum,but easy fit in many guitars, i"ve put them in my LTD. In the end it"s a question of taste,and are you willing to pay serious money,for that little something extra,different.
They weren't the traditional Super 58s, rather the newer Super 58 Custom pickups. After reading reviews, I learned they were not the famous pickups Ibanez had made famous and after playing I confirmed they were nothing special.
Too right..!! I have a AS93 fitted with it's stock pickups and they sound perfect. In my experience a guitars tone is more about the woods is made from than the pickups...
Thanks for the continued viewing and comments! I sold this guitar in order to get into a better amp. I'll be on the hunt for a 335 style guitar again in the near future.
57 classics are nice, but to my ear they are a little flat compared to the SD seth lovers. the seth lovers seem to have more of a sweeter tone, and more dynamics to them. But everyones ear seems to like something different
DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS MAN, THE SUPER 58 CUSTOM PICKUPS ARE PHENOMENAL. YOU DO NOT NEED TO SPEND ANY MONEY TO REPLACE ANYTHING ON THIS GUITAR. IT IS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT JUST THE WAY IT IS, STOCK.
I made a choice based on my personal preferences, was excited about it and decided to share. If people like the way the guitar sounds then great! I did not and needed the added harmonic complexity the upgraded pickups provided.
I don't think Jonathan mentioned anything about the stock pickups being "bad" in any way. He simply likes the sound of the Classic '57 pickups and wanted to share the sound with us. Which I appreciate, as I just had a pair of Classic '57 pickups, pots, caps, wires, and switches (taken from a busted Gibson SG custom) installed in my Ibanez AS83-VLS semi-hollowbody.
I just bought this guitar about 4 weeks ago. It's a great guitar to play; feels great and fits comfortable. I didn't buy a 335 because it was a bit too big for me. Regarding the pups, I like them, but they're not MIJ Super 58s, which I have in my Ibanez LGB30 (I swapped out the MIC S58 Customs for a new set of MIJ S58 from Ibanez). The Japanese S58s are amazing pickups, and they're not very easy to find. I can tweak the S58 Customs, but they're still not the same. I have an ES-175 w/ USA Gibson Classic 57s and they are fantastic, but they are not the same as the S58s, even though they are always compared online. They are a different sound. The USA 57s are a bit grittier and crunchier, the MIJ S58s are super smooth, even the high notes - so creamy. Apples and Oranges, really. I will most likely buy a set of MIJ Super 58s from Ibanez (Hoshino-Gakki) and install them into the AS153. I've thought about the Seth Lovers - Now those really are so close, nearly identical in tone, as the MIJ S58, and sell for about $50 less per pickup. Hmm... But you do need the four-wire for the neck pup to activate the Tri-Switch. :)
WHY WOULD ANYONE CHANGE THE SUPER 58 CUSTOM PUPS...THEY ARE GLORIOUS SOUNDING, VERY ARTICULATE TONALLY AND SUITABLE FOR MULTI-GENRES OF MUSIC. MY EAR HEARS CRAPPY 57 CLASSICS AND THAT'S MY OPINION
Sure. It’s a taste thing. I get it. The pickups I had in this guitar were lacking. I knew what I wanted and they didn’t have it. The Gibsons gave me more midrange and more harmonic complexity in the upper harmonics. It’s what I heard and I wanted to celebrate them. If it’s not your thing, that’s cool too.
and I totally respect your choice/preference brother...I'm on the same page as you simply because i have modded three of my guitars Dimarzio fs 1, Seymore Duncan Pearly Gates and SD JB/Jazz.
I am so surprised by people who change from super58 custom to anything else. The super58 custom sound superb but Ibanez for marketing reasons put alnico 5 in them and all what you have to do is buy 2 alnico 3 magnets and change them. Then you get super 58 as they are on the AS 200, etc. Those alnico 3 super 58 are the only pickups that Scofield, Pat Metheny, Benson and I for that matter play. They are derived from Maxon pickups before 1982 which copied EXACTLY the good old 1500 USD PAFs. Ahahaha. I love stupidity. Gisbons 57 are just alright but they are better for idiots... Like this guy here. Two alnico 3 magnets cost about 4 bucks.
