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Upgraded ES137 pickups and pots

LeonC

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2002
Messages
799
I just replaced the original pickups and pots in my ES137 and man...it's a really big improvement. Upon inspecting/testing the original equipment, it's easy to see why. I believe the pickups are the 490R and 498T...but whatever they are...they were a bit too hot for me. Turns out the neck measures at 13.1K (!!!) and the bridge at 8.3K. And I always hated the taper on the pots...I'd have to turn down to 3 or 4 to really clean things up...PITA! The original pots were 300K (vol) and 500K tone. Yucccch!!!

I much prefer the sound of lower output, more vintage PAF style humbuckers. I had a pair of Brandon Wound PAF clones and a harness made with old 500K Centralab C2 taper elements (and newer CTS shells and pop-in shafts) by a friend of mine. The BrandonWounds measure 7.6 (neck) and 8.4 (bridge) and the pots are all 500K. So the pickups sound great! Huge improvement and I really dig the clarity and taper in the pots as well. Now it'll clean up notably better by 8 or so. Huge improvements, IMO! The guitar always played great and I really dig the neck, but it always sounded to aggressive and was too much work to control with those nasty pots. Now it's really got everything working for it.
 

Señor Verde

Active member
Joined
Jan 13, 2005
Messages
621
Very nice. Sometimes I think I just need an ES-137 with these same types of upgrades and I'll be done. I had an ES 135, which I routed for humbuckers but I think an ES-137 with the stoptail would be better.
 

LeonC

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2002
Messages
799
I think there is one notable difference in the construction -- the 137 has a hard wood center block and the 135 has a soft wood block. How much difference does it make? I've never a/bed 'em so I can't claim to really know....but I imagine there is a tonal/performance impact. And the stop-tail is definitely my preference. I think the 137 is an amazingly under-valued guitar. But those pots and pickups had to go...
 

Señor Verde

Active member
Joined
Jan 13, 2005
Messages
621
I agree. My 135 sounded like a completely different guitar when I swapped out the pots and caps.

The centerblock on the 135 is, I believe balsa. Is the center on the 137 Mahogany? I'm sure that difference alone would make a huge difference.

People really should be required to post pictures of their guitars in these threads. :)
 

LeonC

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2002
Messages
799
I agree. My 135 sounded like a completely different guitar when I swapped out the pots and caps.

The centerblock on the 135 is, I believe balsa. Is the center on the 137 Mahogany? I'm sure that difference alone would make a huge difference.

People really should be required to post pictures of their guitars in these threads. :)

Yep, solid mahogany center block on the 137. I imagine it does make a difference. I really like the way they stop the center block at the stop tail piece too. I think it results in a more resonant guitar. I've got an old ES-335 too and the 137 is way more resonant.

Okay...I can take a hint :)

20201102_082829.jpg

20201102_082735.jpg
 

tiller2

New member
Joined
Sep 1, 2017
Messages
22
I have an ES-137 that looks just like the one above--triburst--and I changed the pickups to Gibson 57/57+, and "50's wiring," though I didn't change the pots or capacitors. It sounds great, though I don't play it that much, having become more of a Fender guy; I think it's more the form factor, a Strat just conforms to the body better than a big Gibson. Plus the vibrato bar. In Gibsons, I've also taken to my SG Classic due to the body huggability. Hmm.
 

LeonC

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 30, 2002
Messages
799
I have an ES-137 that looks just like the one above--triburst--and I changed the pickups to Gibson 57/57+, and "50's wiring," though I didn't change the pots or capacitors. It sounds great, though I don't play it that much, having become more of a Fender guy; I think it's more the form factor, a Strat just conforms to the body better than a big Gibson. Plus the vibrato bar. In Gibsons, I've also taken to my SG Classic due to the body huggability. Hmm.

Yeah, Strats sure do have the form factor going for sure. And great sounds for many musical settings. But it all boils down to personal needs and taste. Even though I started out on Fenders, I evolved into much more of a Gibson player in later years, traditional Les Pauls in particular, once I discovered models with lower output humbuckers that I really dig. The ES137 is a bit large and not as comfortable, but with a soft, 3" buffalo-hide strap, it's not been an issue for me. Moreover, the basic tone, sustain and harmonic feedback capabilities have always had a huge appeal to me. With the improved, lower-output pickups, proper 500k pots with a great taper and 50s wiring, the guitar has become sooo much more useful to me.
 
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