ES-137

sebcat · Little Guppy Joined: 14 May 2005 Posts: 39

Been eyeing the 137 lately. Is the "custom" variety worth the extra $$$ for the 57 classics?

Mulby Brown · Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2007 8:37 am Post subject:

My 135LE has the '57s, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I doubt you'll be dissapointed with them.

M.Brown

JCP · Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2007 10:46 am Post subject:

I've got an ES 137 Classic, and love the 498's, but I play rock, so the hotter pickup is fine with me. I have the 57's in an ES 335, and they work fine too, just not as hot.

I've seen voodoo say here that his favorite Gibson pickup is the 498, and he's got over 30 guitars, so he might chime in here. I know he plays blues, primarily, and has LP's, 335's, etc. Dunno if he has a 137.

HTH

Jack Daniels · Growing Lion Joined: 29 May 2004 Posts: 883

Hmm...the pickups are the most "expendable" part of the guitar. I never (well seldom) buy a guitar based on the pickups. (except for vintage of course). A good set of WCR Wagners can be bought new for about $250. It will make more improvement to a guitar than any other upgrade. So at least in my case, I buy a guitar based on the feel (and sound to some point), the look and how drawn I am to the guitar as a whole....completely knowing that I will probably upgrade the pickups, caps, pots and sometimes tuners.

Seldom have I found a guitar that I would change nothing on. The Les Paul Supreme and my Gretsch Brian Setzer SSUGR are the only two I can think of, that are just right from the start. No mods needed.

SAguitar · Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2007 2:43 pm Post subject:

Ditto what JD said, with one tiny exception. I have heard of a guy who bought a guitar based on the pickups, and it was Voodoo! He bought an old Cort one time for a few hundred bucks because he thought the thing had original Gibson PAF pickups in it. It did. Cool

JCP · Posted: Tue Jun 05, 2007 3:44 pm Post subject:

I was curious, and looked on Musicians Friend to see the price difference. $600.00! Holy Cow!

The Custom is slightly more fancy with a bound headstock if that means anything to you, and you get that worthless (IMHO) Vari-Tone switch, but I'm with JD, if you like the way the Classic plays, but don't like the pickups, you can surely replace them for far less than $600!

Sound is a very subjective thing, and what you, JD, SA, or I like can be worlds apart. Have you plugged the Classic in? You may love it as is. I love mine..

BTW, I have a Blue Burst, and the flame is beautiful.

You'll have a great guitar either way... let us know what you buy

Voodoo Funk · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 10:11 am Post subject:

I HAD 137 CUSTOM as I LOVE the VARITONE SWITCH and it was when the ES-137 first came out and they had P-100's in them so that along with the VARITONE switch made it more like a BIG BLUESHAWK than anything else but BOTH GUITARS the CLASSIC with the 490 and 498 are GREAT WARM sounding BLUES MACHINES but I also think that if you;re into 57 classic's and the different tones offered by a VARITONE SWITCH then it is certainly worth the extra 500.00.

It's like buying a CADILLAC...you ain;t gonna spend all that cash and NOT get AC right so the same gores for me with the 137 but as I said BOTH are GREAT BLUES MACHINES !!!!

JUST MY OPINION
VOODOO Wink

JCP · Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 1:22 pm Post subject:

Well, I was afraid I might have stepped on somebody's toes with the "worthless Vari-Tone" comment. Sorry. I had an ES 345 in the late 70's/early-mid 80's, and for me, I found it without purpose, but I play mostly hard rock and it's subtlties were probably lost on me.

I personally liked the sound of the 498's in the Classic over the '57's in the Custom. I have a friend who owns a music store, got to bring both home and try them thru my rig. The 498's drive my amps harder.

Your choice of tools depends on the job you're trying to accomplish...

No offfense meant to the Vari-Tone lovers out there.

Jack Daniels · Growing Lion Joined: 29 May 2004 Posts: 883

Variatone.... #Mad

I think I just tasted a little vomit in my mouth!

I never like them either. To each thier own. That's what makes the world go around I guess. But if I had my choice, I would not buy a variatone guitar (unless it was priced right)

herb · Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2007 2:40 pm Post subject:

JD, you and I stand on the other side of the Varitone debate from James and Stan - they like 'em, we don't! Wink

To each his own...... Rolling Eyes

Voodoo Funk · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 9:27 am Post subject:

AND THAT MY FRIENDS IS WHAT GIVES ALL US OLDER GUYS OUR OWN STYLE AND SIGNATURE SOUND !!!!!!!

If we all played the same ax and used the same amp and played in the same manner....then the world would need only ONE GUITAR PLAYER.

Yes it's true I LOVE the use of the VARITONE I have it on my BLUESHAWK,MY LUCILLE. MY ES-345 and I even made up a VARITONE STOMP BOX so it can be used on any guitar........

Even the OLDER BLUESMEN had this conversation some liked it like BB KING and some hated it like BUDDY GUY !!!!...but I do like BOTH of there styles!!!!!!

LONG LIVE the GUITAR PLAYERS who practice to have there own style and sound !!!!!!!

But I refer back to my original STATEMENT that's what makes us all SPECIAL and DIFFERENT.

JCP I do agree with you about the 490 and 498 vs the 57 classic's on the Es-137....I eventually changed mine to 490 and 498.

IMO the 490 and 498 is GIBSON'S BEST HUMBUCKER aside from the P-100 !!!!!!! Very Happy

Voodoo

firedude · Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 5:38 pm Post subject:

I have a 137 Classic, tri-burst. I love it. I like jazz, blues, and hard/classic rock tones, it does it all. It's surely the one guitar I know I will keep forever. Laughing

SAguitar · Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2007 6:10 pm Post subject:

I likes me Varitone, but I don't use it for everything! There's lots of great colors to paint with! Cool

JCP · Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 9:07 am Post subject:

I've often wondered if the Varitone effects the tone of the guitar by just being wired into the circuit, even when off?

Jack Daniels · Growing Lion Joined: 29 May 2004 Posts: 883

I personnally think the variatone does effect the tone of the guitar. Tone is one thing that can not just be measured by numbers alone. It is the sum of all its collective parts. The variatone in general has resistance and capacitance that is not there in the original ciruit...even when being by-passed. This will change the frequency responce of a pickups output...but more importantly it changes the characteristics that are not always easy to measure in charts. That is to say, the tone changes even if the charts don't.

Just my two cents.