Benedetto PU vs Classic 57

[mambosun]

What do you think ?
Are the Benedetto A6 worth the extra money, tone-wise, if compared with other humbuckers such as classic 57, SD etc...?

[Jazzman301]

I think so but then again I like the Bendetto tone. Also if you really want to buy one Michael over at djangobooks.com has the best prices I have found anywhere on Benedetto pickups.

As an alternative have you considered having Pete Biltoft at Vintage Vibe build you a humbucker? You tell Pete what you are looking for and he can make it happen and all for about $100ish

'Mike

[mambosun]

never liked the 57, too dark and muddy. So probably yeh!

OK, hence dark and muddy (though the last one would require more accurate description) tone from the Classic 57 might fit my need then, since I'm looking for a more electric than acoustic tone, fat & mellow??

[msr13]

I am a big fan of the DiMarzio 36th Anniversary. They really balance warmth and articulation. They sound wonderful.

I also, on the more expensive side, really like the Lollar Imperial Low Winds. And, my favorite right now is The handmade Kent Armstrong HB. Not sure which model it is, but it is in my Soloway Loon and really hits that warm, smooth, darker sound I like without losing any note articulation. Jim is making me another guitar with the same pickup, so we will see whether is was a fluke.

[mambosun]

Well there you go then.

Be careful I would imagine that at the end of this thread you will have enough people with a benedetto pick upi telling you it does everything you want including fly you to the moon. Dont forget people love their boutique gear. Plus im not really keen on the thin sound of Benedettos.

You could try seymour's i hear they do good jazz pups.

Thanks, I've shorlisted the Seymour Seth lover SH 55 as an alternative to the Gibson PU, the problem is, they are rather pricey (nearly 200 bucks).

BTW, the Benedetto are manufactured by SD

[jorgemg1984]

I really like these pickups

https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/main/howwemakethem.php

And since they're in the EU they should be cheaper than importing from the US.

[jorgemg1984]

I am almost 100% sure they are based in London (or nearby). I like their two PAFs (Stormy Monday and Mule), the first is great for jazz (in my X-500) and the second for more blues sounds (in my cheap 335). I also have their Half-Note 90 in my Godin Kingpin and like it a lot.

The three sound great to me and they are not that expensive considering Gibson, DiMarzio, Seymour Duncan european prices. Of course pickups are like speakers: expensive so I don't have exactly tried a lot of them. I can tell you I liked the Stormy Monday much more than the Classic 57 on my archtop.

My luthier has probably used most pickups available (including other boutiques like Fralin and Lolar) and says these are the best. Of course this is all subjective...

[mambosun]

I can tell you I liked the Stormy Monday much more than the Classic 57 on my archtop.

Could you detail a bit more the main tone differences between both?

[jorgemg1984]

I can try but talking about tone is hard for me and I did the swap some years ago so i don't remember everything exactly.

My X-500 had Guild mini-humbckers that I never enjoyed. I did several mods to the archtop and at one point I saw I needed an humbucker - and I put the Classic 57 (not an easy swap because it needed a bigger hole). I liked it mainly because I hated the other ones but I never got really amazed with them; it sounded nice but that's it.

I decided to go for the BK (and also upgrade the really old electronics) and liked it much better. The sound has more quality, hard to explain - the mids have very good definition, they are not as generic and artificial as the classic 57. The Classic 57 was sort of jazz in all circustances; the BK has more personality but when set right has a more rich and pleasent sound.

The price difference back then was 30€, well worth it to me. The bass could be a little tighter but Guilds are boomy, I use closed-backs and amps with lots of bass (henriksen and jazzmaster ultralight). Easily removed with a good eq pedal.

So it's up to you really... To me it was worth it but I have no idea if we aim for the same sound!

[mambosun]

I can try but talking about tone is hard for me and I did the swap some years ago so i don't remember everything exactly.

My X-500 had Guild mini-humbckers that I never enjoyed. I did several mods to the archtop and at one point I saw I needed an humbucker - and I put the Classic 57 (not an easy swap because it needed a bigger hole). I liked it mainly because I hated the other ones but I never got really amazed with them; it sounded nice but that's it.

I decided to go for the BK (and also upgrade the really old electronics) and liked it much better. The sound has more quality, hard to explain - the mids have very good definition, they are not as generic and artificial as the classic 57. The Classic 57 was sort of jazz in all circustances; the BK has more personality but when set right has a more rich and pleasent sound.

The price difference back then was 30€, well worth it to me. The bass could be a little tighter but Guilds are boomy, I use closed-backs and amps with lots of bass (henriksen and jazzmaster ultralight). Easily removed with a good eq pedal.

So it's up to you really... To me it was worth it but I have no idea if we aim for the same sound!

Thanks for your extensive reply.
In fact our tone quest might be rather similar; I experimented different floating PUs, the last one being the excellent Bartolini (sort of mini HB) before realizing the tone I'm after is definitively a routed-in HB, not a floater.
Hence rather than performance, I think, my decision is mostly based on purely subjective parameter, which doesn't necessarily means the best & qualitative performer around, rather, the one which would better match the sound in my head...

[jorgemg1984]

You can hear it here from 4:30.

[Pierrot]

Mambosun when I bought my hand made archtop (a Jaen Jamaica), which is a thin carved fully hollow solid woods guitar, it came with a Seymour Duncan SH2 Jazz. After some months, I decided to change it, because I wasn't completeley satisfied with my sound. To me, it sounded to bright, sort of fender'ish...
I then bought a Benedetto A6 and had it installed by a luthier. The result was much more pleasant to my ears, with a rounder, mellower, jazzier sound. But, though, I wanted to try a classic 57, which is the PU that I'm presently using. To tell the truth, both (the A6 and the C57) are quite similar in frequency response and in overall tone. Maybe the 57 is a bit clearer, but I'm not sure, since I've tried many combinations of amps/PU height/EQ/picks/etc...with both.
The main difference, perhaps, is that the A6 has 4 wires (as well as the SD SH2) so you can use it in series/parallel while the C57 is 2 wires so...only in series.
If it was to be done again, I think I'd stay indistinctly with the Benedetto or the Gibson.

[Jazzman301]

Honestly I don't think you can beat a pickup from Pete Biltoft in terms of price or quality. You tell the man what you want and he makes it. Pete has a lot of respect around the various forums and certainly has a fair share of love around here.

I think between a Benedetto A6, Gibson 57 Classic, and something from Pete I would Go Pete Biltoft, Gibson(given its cheaper than Benedetto) and the A6. Pete makes a superior product for sure and his customer service is top tier.

'Mike

[jorgemg1984]

4 to the floor!!!

Shame that guy didnt tune his sax properly lol.

Really hard to tell the sound becuase obviously its in one of those special reverb rooms lol.

Still sounded pretty good from what I could tell
Nice one.

Thanks Hex. I played 2 tunes with a trio but never saw the videos.

Here's some more. "Time Forgotten" and "É Preciso Dizer Adeus" are with a conservatory ensemble, my archtop with the Stormy Mondays trough a Cube 80 I think. I have only put my solos because I don't to share other guy's works. Recorded with a Zoom in WAV, quality is not brilliant.

Time Forgotten Solo by Jorge Goncalves on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Same archtop trough a Blues Junior with the Classic 57 still (recorded several years ago)

Take 2 - All of me by Jorge Goncalves on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Take 2 - Garota de ipanema by Jorge Goncalves on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Take 2 - I fall in love too easily by Jorge Goncalves on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Cort Source (335 clone) with Sormy Mondays trough Polytone with Jensen speaker (guitar duo so it's hard to tell but I play the heads)

Duo com Virxílio da Silva - Relaxin at camarillo by Jorge Goncalves on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Duo com Virxílio da Silva - When sunny gets blue by Jorge Goncalves on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Duo com Virxílio da Silva - All the things you are by Jorge Goncalves on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Hope it helps!

[mambosun]

Thanks Hex. I played 2 tunes with a trio but never saw the videos.

Here's some more. "Time Forgotten" and "É Preciso Dizer Adeus" are with a conservatory ensemble, my archtop with the Stormy Mondays trough a Cube 80 I think. I have only put my solos because I don't to share other guy's works. Recorded with a Zoom in WAV, quality is not brilliant.

Time Forgotten Solo by Jorge Goncalves on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Same archtop trough a Blues Junior with the Classic 57 still (recorded several years ago)

Take 2 - All of me by Jorge Goncalves on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Take 2 - Garota de ipanema by Jorge Goncalves on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Take 2 - I fall in love too easily by Jorge Goncalves on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Cort Source (335 clone) with Sormy Mondays trough Polytone with Jensen speaker (guitar duo so it's hard to tell but I play the heads)

Duo com Virxílio da Silva - Relaxin at camarillo by Jorge Goncalves on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Duo com Virxílio da Silva - When sunny gets blue by Jorge Goncalves on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Duo com Virxílio da Silva - All the things you are by Jorge Goncalves on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Hope it helps!

Thanks a lot for sharing and advices.
These last recordings samples give a far better insight of your tone and your talent!
Really nice tone, I like it a lot, sounds a bit Metheny from time to time...
But I have to say I too like the tone you get from your Classic 57, especially the one you get in "I fall in love..." intro with your Blues junior is so sweet !!

[mambosun]

Mambosun when I bought my hand made archtop (a Jaen Jamaica), which is a thin carved fully hollow solid woods guitar, it came with a Seymour Duncan SH2 Jazz. After some months, I decided to change it, because I wasn't completeley satisfied with my sound. To me, it sounded to bright, sort of fender'ish...
I then bought a Benedetto A6 and had it installed by a luthier. The result was much more pleasant to my ears, with a rounder, mellower, jazzier sound. But, though, I wanted to try a classic 57, which is the PU that I'm presently using. To tell the truth, both (the A6 and the C57) are quite similar in frequency response and in overall tone. Maybe the 57 is a bit clearer, but I'm not sure, since I've tried many combinations of amps/PU height/EQ/picks/etc...with both.
The main difference, perhaps, is that the A6 has 4 wires (as well as the SD SH2) so you can use it in series/parallel while the C57 is 2 wires so...only in series.
If it was to be done again, I think I'd stay indistinctly with the Benedetto or the Gibson.

Muchas gracias amigo por compartir tu experiencia!
Then, just to sum it up, the cheaper Classic 57 remains a valid option...

BTW, What did you do with your A6?

[Pierrot]

Muchas gracias amigo por compartir tu experiencia!
Then, just tu sum it up, the cheaper Classic 57 remains a valid option...

BTW, What did you do with your A6?

De rien, c'est avec plaisir.

And I'd say definitely yes, the classic 57 is indeed a very good (and rather cheap) option.

Si tu veux, je peux t'enregistrer une petite démo du son de ma gratte, avec le C57.

Quant au A6, je l'ai dans un tiroir;-)

[jorgemg1984]

Thanks a lot for sharing and advices.
These last recordings samples give a far better insight of your tone and your talent!
Really nice tone, I like it a lot, sounds a bit Metheny from time to time...
But I have to say I too like the tone you get from your Classic 57, especially the one you get in "I fall in love..." intro with your Blues junior is so sweet !!

Thanks for the kind words!

Funny thing I use different stuff these days - traded Thomastik flats for John Pearse Rounds, Dunlop medium picks for Pro Plecs and the Classic 57 for the Stormy Monday. Oh and sold the Blues Junior (does not get this tone at high volumes)

The "I Fall" was recorded in a really small studio owned by a friend of mine - just a mic on the amp and a little bit of reverb from the amp (no mods on the ampa t this point). I like the sound but it's a little generic, I think I have a more personal sound these days

The Classic 57 is a nice pickup, no doubt. I don't think you can wrong with any of these pickups... The Classic and the SM are Alnico II while Benedetto is Alnico V - maybe you can check out the differences between those two magnets.

[mambosun]

Thanks for the kind words!

Funny thing I use different stuff these days - traded Thomastik flats for John Pearse Rounds, Dunlop medium picks for Pro Plecs and the Classic 57 for the Stormy Monday. Oh and sold the Blues Junior (does not get this tone at high volumes)

The "I Fall" was recorded in a really small studio owned by a friend of mine - just a mic on the amp and a little bit of reverb from the amp (no mods on the ampa t this point). I like the sound but it's a little generic, I think I have a more personal sound these days

The Classic 57 is a nice pickup, no doubt. I don't think you can wrong with any of these pickups... The Classic and the SM are Alnico II while Benedetto is Alnico V - maybe you can check out the differences between those two magnets.

Yes in terms of tone benefits, this alnico thing ( eg: II vs V) is a bit hard to catch for me. If any scientist whish to throw light on this topic for me...
And regarding the tone you have with the Classic 57, le'ts be generic then... ;-)

[jorgemg1984]

PTChristopher is usually a good source for that kind of info. If he does not come here send him a PM.

[jorgemg1984]

He he thanks Hex. Some things are no longer representative of my current sound / solos but I am not ashamed of them The first two are quite recent but I am not using my effects / amp. I have to make some trio recordings one of these days!