Topic: Gibson 57 vs burstbucker.
What are the differences between these pickups? Which do you prefer? All opinions welcome. Thanks 
Re: Gibson 57 vs burstbucker.
HRJ wrote:
What are the differences between these pickups? Which do you prefer? All opinions welcome. Thanks
Think the main thing is the the 57s have matched coil windings.
The BBs are purposely mismatched windings, like they would have
been back in the day ....
The 57s are smoother, perhaps a little heavier
The BBs can have a slight microphonic ping to them, by desigin
I like the 57s for a little more meat
Like the BB bridge for nice bite
- stratpaulguy86
- BONAMETAL
- Offline
Re: Gibson 57 vs burstbucker.
Interesting...to my ears I found the '57 Classics to be a little brighter and aggressive sounding. The Burstbucker 1&2 set are a little more open, powerful, and fatter sounding. Could be my guitar though, it's the fattest sounding guitar that I've ever played. I read an article where Warren Haynes was talking about what pickups he uses in his guitars. He mentioned that he was currently favoring the Burstbuckers in his main axe but every time he picks up a guitar with the '57 Classics it sounded more "familiar" to him. They both sound great IMO and would be a great upgrade over most other pickups.
'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.
- AD3THREE
- BONAMETAL
- Offline
Re: Gibson 57 vs burstbucker.
My Les Paul Classic has 57' classics and maybe even a 57' Classic plus not sure because I pulled them out of another guitar I had that was already hot rodded when I got it. My dad's let me play his Les paul traditional Pro for the last 4 weeks and it has a 57' classic plus in the neck and a bb3 in the bridge. To me on the Traditional pro the neck has a very creamy sound very 60's Eric Clapton but just a hint too much power all up for a neck pickup, The bridge screams with that BB3 and makes it very easy to pull of Jimmy Page tones as bright and powerful as it is. The good thing is the volume and the tone controls work perfectly on this guitar and can really clean up and mellow the tones very well.
On my Classic I have an RS Guitarworks volume kit installed in it so I have all the volume tone adjustability you could ask for in a Les Paul. The neck pickup is much creamier then the Traditional Pro, and is dead on Beano or early Cream. The "woman tone" is beautiful on it and its my favorite pickup out of all my guitars the bass and mids just jumps out and kicks you right in the nuts! I think the bridge is a 57' Classic Plus because its out put was much much higher. You flip to it and its savage. The BB3 on the other guitar is very Raw while this pickup sounds like it was designed to tear your head off. I constantly keep the tone back off to around 5 on the guitar just to play it with others, if I'm soloing with someone else at the same time I'll turn it up more so it will cut though more. I think its more of a Billy Gibbons early ZZ Top sound. Whats best about my LP is I've flipped the pickup magnet around so its out of phase to the other pickup. So I flip to the in between settings and have a very balanced sound of both pickups, I have less power if all the pickups are turned wide open, meaning if I back one pick off the volume goes up just slightly its due to the out of phase I'm sure. I like it.
Burstbucker don't have wax potting except for the bb pros. 57' classics do. you basically get 4 options for burstbuckers as you only have 2 options for 57' Classics. I've played tons of Gibsons with both types of pickups and all I can say is its different in every guitar. You'll be happy with either or. My personal prefference is the 57' classics all I hear is early Eric Clapton every time I plug up a guitar with those. Burstbuckers seem to give me other guitar player that I like too, but honestly Eric Clapton is the tone I always have sought after and as great as Joe Bonamassa is his feel and tone to my ears doesn't come close to what EC has always brought to the table.
- RICjunkie
- BONAMETAL
- Offline
Re: Gibson 57 vs burstbucker.
Seems to me that the 57 classic has a smoother tone and the Burstbuckers have more bite.
I have the BB2 & BB3 in the JBLP and 57 classic and BB3 in my Trad. Pro. But again, much depends on the guitars themselves and the setups.
There was a web page I found a couple of years ago that listed all of Gibson's pickups with their "hotness" (heat?) ratings from 0-10. I can't find it anymore. Anybody have that link?
It might have been on Guitar Center's site.
Major Tom to ground control...
Re: Gibson 57 vs burstbucker.
RICjunkie wrote:
Seems to me that the 57 classic has a smoother tone and the Burstbuckers have more bite.
There was a web page I found a couple of years ago that listed all of Gibson's pickups with their "hotness" (heat?) ratings from 0-10. I can't find it anymore. Anybody have that link?
It might have been on Guitar Center's site.
Below is one such link ... if I didn't botch up the cut and paste
http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Divisions/G … 20%281%29/
I recently had a 335 Fat Neck with 57s, that was THEE most rockin guitar I owned
Got the amps cooking, great tone
- AD3THREE
- BONAMETAL
- Offline
Re: Gibson 57 vs burstbucker.
Again 57' Classics are FAT and that is why I dig them. Fat = classic beano... nuff said.
Re: Gibson 57 vs burstbucker.
AD3THREE wrote:
Again 57' Classics are FAT and that is why I dig them. Fat = classic beano... nuff said.
I have sheptones in my JBLP(pulled the BBs), as well as in my 339(pulled the 57s). (as well as my R9) I have to say, I dislike them equally!
Seriously, neither is bad and since I didnt have them in the same guitar, I really can't give you a fair comparison. I've heard a lot of good things about the 57s-and heck I bought the 339 because is sounded good, so there ya go. I've never really like the BBs.. had them in every other gibson I bought, and have sold them off since. I don't have any groundbreaking buzzwords to throw at the sound of them, I just don't like them. That blanket description gets overused, but it sort of fits here.
Shep is the man. WCR, WB are also some of my favs. Have some Tom Holmes on the way, probably throw those in the 339 which I am just diggin lately.
- DaveWammbarro
- BONAMETAL
- Offline
Re: Gibson 57 vs burstbucker.
Okay, I'm not sure about everyone else - but I've tried many L.Ps with various pups.
I acquired a L.P standard a few years back (95 as I remember) which had Bare Knuckle Mules installed (the PAF copies - along those lines).
Well, apart from one custom shop, a few 70s and an R8 once in Manchester - I haven't heard much of a better guitar.
I don't think you can beat a heavy L.P (not a fan of chambered) - but only when I experienced these did I realise the jump.
It's far different from say....stock ones in an Epiphone > some 57s etc - the jump from 57s to Mules is greater (I'm honestly not imagining that).
I have changed all four of my guitars into BK machines and am extremely happy with the results (all bought off ebay for a fraction of the RRP price too).
However, I would like to try these boutique American makes (no go for UK) just to see if they awaken my ears further.
Re: Gibson 57 vs burstbucker.
Does anyone know for sure why Joe prefers the BBs? And does he use them in all his LPs?
Re: Gibson 57 vs burstbucker.
WoodyTone wrote:
Does anyone know for sure why Joe prefers the BBs? And does he use them in all his LPs?
I know Joe mentioned he has Real PAFs in some of his guitars
and BBs are suppsosed to be clones more or less
- AD3THREE
- BONAMETAL
- Offline
Re: Gibson 57 vs burstbucker.
Yeah the cherry burst les paul 59' reissue is one of the guitars with pafs in it. They came from a hollow body guitar like a 335 or something.
Re: Gibson 57 vs burstbucker.
AD3THREE wrote:
Yeah the cherry burst les paul 59' reissue is one of the guitars with pafs in it. They came from a hollow body guitar like a 335 or something.
That's right and he should play that more often.
- AD3THREE
- BONAMETAL
- Offline
Re: Gibson 57 vs burstbucker.
Does he? I haven't seen him in a year but it seems to me like almost every song or 2 he brought out a different guitar. When I last saw him I would say 50% of the show was a gold top signature model. And various other lp's after that. One Ernie ball, and that skylark gibson he has and a yamaha acoustic. nothing else.