59 vs Alnico II vs ?

[rom661]

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Hi. I have some experience with Duncan pickups as well as some more boutique stuff. I'm trying to figure out what to do with a guitar I bought. It's one of the Elitist Epiphone Les Pauls from about 20 years ago. A great value, especially with Gibson's issues at the time. I actually rather like the pickups it shipped with but these had been replaced. I play clean a fair amount, some moderate OD and occasionally higher distortion. I've had Seth Lovers in a couple of guitars I bought and am not a huge fan although I know many are. They seemed to be kind of wiry. Had Anitquities in one that were good but I seem to prefer potted.

The 59 neck seems to have a reputation for being both bright and "woofie". I had one in a Heritage 575 archtop in the neck and I really liked it. Neck on it was always clean and I'm usually clean on the neck. I was thinking perhaps of a 59 in the neck and the Alnico II in the bridge to give me a little more push. I hate bright bridge pickups but want to hear the harmonics. Hope that makes sense. I'm pretty visually impaired these days so I'm hoping to get something I'm happy with the first time. Thanks

[Golem]

Re: 59 vs Alnico II vs ?

Well some people find there pearly gates bright as a bridge pickup even though it’s A2. So it seems like if you want an A2 you’ve got the A2 pro and the antiquity left as choices for Duncan PAFs.

[beaubrummels]

Re: 59 vs Alnico II vs ?

Slash bridge, Peary Gates neck (or possibly Jazz neck).
or Whole Lotta Humbucker bridge, 59 neck (if you're really set on 59 neck)

Choose by the sound, not the magnets.

[Mincer]

Re: 59 vs Alnico II vs ?

Keep in mind that with higher distortion, the Alnico II Pro won't have tight bass, if that is a thing you like. What it has is wonderfully buttery mids, especially with a classic overdrive. I am not sure how well it blends with a 59, unless you like your pickups to be EQ'd exactly opposite (some people like this). I think a 59 set is probably the best bet here. I think they tend to do the most stuff well, and sound great clean as well as distorted. I don't get the boomy lows that others hear, though.

[rom661]

Re: 59 vs Alnico II vs ?

I guess I missed the part where I said I was going by the magnets. I don't like the Jazz pickup at all. Thanks for your reply

[rom661]

Re: 59 vs Alnico II vs ?

Thanks. That was helpful. I have a set of Wofetones (Dr. Vintage and Marshallhead II) and a pair of Lollar Imperials (Low Wind neck, regular bridge) on hand but I hate to put a PU that expensive in this guitar. I never thought of them not blending but... I don't know how much I care. I do use the middle position some but I actually WANT a very different sound on clean neck vs. OD bridge. Thanks again.

[beaubrummels]

Re: 59 vs Alnico II vs ?

I guess I missed the part where I said I was going by the magnets. I don't like the Jazz pickup at all. Thanks for your reply

Alnico II is a magnet
Alnico II Pro is a pickup

[rom661]

Re: 59 vs Alnico II vs ?

Spare me. Sorry you couldn't figure out the context.

[J. Burns]

Re: 59 vs Alnico II vs ?

I don’t know how you feel about swapping mags but I think a Pearly Gates with an A8 might be a good choice. Slightly hotter than vintage output and the A8 magnet adds push and focus to the lows to balance out the PG wind’s slight upper-mid emphasis. It’s a good, balanced setup that sounds great overdriven without getting into “distortion pickup” territory. WLH or SNS might be good choices as well.

I currently have one paired with a Jazz neck in a Mockingbird.

[BRHGM]

Re: 59 vs Alnico II vs ?

The Wolfish 59 neck is supposed to happen Les Paul guitars and other mahogany bodied guitars. I’ve never experienced it. If anything the Alnico II Pro neck is more likely to mud up. I had a Phat Cat that sounded muddy in the neck of my SG. So did a Seth Lover. Both were Alnico II. I put the Phat Cat in the bridge of a Hammer Standard, an Explorer clone and it was a really cool lead pickup matched up with a 59N that was sweet and smooth but not muddy. This guitar was a heavy maple/Korina wood body.

[GuitarDoc]

Re: 59 vs Alnico II vs ?

Thanks. That was helpful. I have a set of Wofetones (Dr. Vintage and Marshallhead II) and a pair of Lollar Imperials (Low Wind neck, regular bridge) on hand but I hate to put a PU that expensive in this guitar. I never thought of them not blending but... I don't know how much I care. I do use the middle position some but I actually WANT a very different sound on clean neck vs. OD bridge. Thanks again.

You've got a really good guitar and you give the impression that you want to make that guitar sound as good as possible with the particular sound that you have in mind. What's price got to do with it?! Especially if you ALREADY have the pups and don't need to buy anything! If you're concerned about price only, why don't you just put in the cheapest Asian-made pups you can find?

I can understand your logic if you need to buy new pups and want good quality and the tone you're looking for for as little $$ as possible. I get THAT. Most of us are the same. But if you have pups on hand, no matter how much they cost, it's cheaper to use those than to buy new pups (at any price) and to keep those expensive ones just sitting around in your drawer unused.