In reverence: 57/08

These are PRS' coveted 57/08 humbuckers. They were revered by countless players who tried & admired them thereafter. They are not new, first released in 2008 (the 08 in the model's numerical reference) as default units & made available as independent, off the shelf items in 2017. Naturally, I'm not attracted to these pickups as they are not my thing; vintage inspired (mirrored after the '57 humbuckers, no surprise there), a whole load of clean propulsion & not much stead in the aggressive realm. 

But they made their way into my PRS S2 Singlecut Standard, not by choice but by designation. My plan was to turn this guitar into a formidable tone machine, sporting an unlikely pair of pickups but equally able to deliver death & destruction with whatever amp & effects at my behest. Not a simple feat but I somehow know the 57/08 is worth its salt.

Currently, the reviews & tone checks available out there, uphold the 57/08 as the refined manifestation of the Gibson 57 pickups. You'd hear & see the golden generation of players putting them through vintage amps & farting out excessive fuzz-laden tones which seems to delight guitardom. I'm of the opinion that such interpretations sound like cheap set ups, unworthy of being deemed as 'good'. I make no apologies in putting the 57/08 through high gain settings & grind a thousand notes per second just to prove that it's actually more than competent in handling intense music. We often pigeon hole a certain implement of a certain nature to be proficient in a certain assignment because they were proven worthy by a certain pool of consumers. It's only when a paradigm shift occurs that we discover an alternative prospect. 

Let me tell you where I'm coming from- I dislike the Gibson 57 tone. If your life depends on affectionate cleans & maybe an occasional dirty segue, then you are most probably a 57 fan. I can't stand how the 57 fails to hold a tight bottom end under intense distortion. There's a simple reason for this- it wasn't made to kill but to mesmerize. I'm definitely not a fan of that but secretly admire the 57's glassy treble; first class smoothness without being too piercing. When Paul Reed Smith dabbled in his electronic alchemy to re-interprete the 57, I somehow knew something awesome would manifest. He's a fan of the tone to begin with, a determined individual bent on making something great sounding a little more usable to a wider pool of players, not just the vintage worshippers. My enthusiasm died when I read that the 57/08 was not an open market product but were strict inclusions for selected PRS guitars. A good 8 years or so later, due to pressing demands & sheer admiration of the 57/08 tones, the pickup was made available to public but they are not cheap, mind you (USD210 each, damn!).

My sublime attraction to the 57/08 was inspired by how the late Jon Nodtveidt delivered crushing heavy tones through his LP Custom sporting default pickups (Reinkaos era). The message there was, the guitar & its default features were already good for the job, it's the duty of the user to make it sound potent. Similarly, the 57/08 was already churning out awesome tones, it's my job to make it sound killer through my set up. I see its potential in delivering good distorted tones & I'm not obliged to limit it to its coveted turf. There are other people doing just that & I do not wish to follow suit. I hope this is not seen as an excessive praise for the product per se. Personally, I feel that it's a pleasant surprise & the unlikely reference for heavy music. Thank you, Davis GMC, for bringing them in.