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Adjusting Pole Pieces in a Lil 59

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  • Adjusting Pole Pieces in a Lil 59

    Any advice on adjusting the pole pieces on the Lil Series Buckers? I tried, but the screws were tight, and I don't want to mess anything up. so I have a bunch of questions.

    I assume I start with counterclockwise?

    The pickup has two rows of screws. Do I adjust them both equally for the respective string, or just one?

    Also, how far can I screw them? Is there a chance of going too far and ruining anything?

    Also, does anyone have any suggestions of what's worked for them personally?

    I have a MIA Strat, and a Mesa F-30 that I mosly play clean, and I want to approximate the vintage Gibson sound as best as possible, particularly the neck position.

  • #2
    Re: Adjusting Pole Pieces in a Lil 59

    You can screw them down flush to the bobbin, or you can have them sticking out a little. I try to set them up with a little bit of radius, similar to the strings, but I also listen for an even response. Actually, I have the top few poles sticking out a little more, since the poles don't perfectly line up with the strings on my guitar. As far as which row of screws to adjust, you can try either or both. Both rows of poles detect the strings.
    Turn me on, Dead Man.

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    • #3
      Re: Adjusting Pole Pieces in a Lil 59

      Originally posted by baritone View Post
      You can screw them down flush to the bobbin, or you can have them sticking out a little. I try to set them up with a little bit of radius, similar to the strings, but I also listen for an even response. Actually, I have the top few poles sticking out a little more, since the poles don't perfectly line up with the strings on my guitar. As far as which row of screws to adjust, you can try either or both. Both rows of poles detect the strings.
      Thanks!

      Should they be hard to turn? Or maybe just to get started? I tried but it was hard enough to turn that I worried I was going to break them.

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      • #4
        Re: Adjusting Pole Pieces in a Lil 59

        The first time, they are kind of difficult to turn. On my Duckbucker, I can't turn one of them, and I didn't want to try too hard, so I just adjusted the others in relation to that one.
        Turn me on, Dead Man.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Adjusting Pole Pieces in a Lil 59

          The best Tele pickups I've used had flat magnets. I'm not sure why you'd need to adjust the Lil '59s polepieces.

          How do those sound? I've been thinking about trying one of those. Do they sound about like a full sized '59 humbucker, or do the close coils give them more bite?

          Pete

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          • #6
            Re: Adjusting Pole Pieces in a Lil 59

            Originally posted by Pete Galati View Post
            The best Tele pickups I've used had flat magnets. I'm not sure why you'd need to adjust the Lil '59s polepieces.

            How do those sound? I've been thinking about trying one of those. Do they sound about like a full sized '59 humbucker, or do the close coils give them more bite?

            Pete
            I haven't heard the full-size 59, but these don't sound much like a Gibson to me. The tone is thinner, almost like a single coil, and they even deliver some quack.

            Not that they sound bad, and they do buck hum, but I was hoping for a bigger change. Even my Epiphone sounds 1000 times bigger & warmer. This still sounds like a Strat (which is kind of cool, knowing that it's more than just pickups that determine a guitar's sound)

            I'm hoping adjusting pole pieces may give me a fuller sound, but I'm starting to realize that a Strat is not a Gibson, for better or worse

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            • #7
              Re: Adjusting Pole Pieces in a Lil 59

              Originally posted by NDRU View Post
              I haven't heard the full-size 59, but these don't sound much like a Gibson to me. The tone is thinner, almost like a single coil, and they even deliver some quack.

              Not that they sound bad, and they do buck hum, but I was hoping for a bigger change. Even my Epiphone sounds 1000 times bigger & warmer. This still sounds like a Strat (which is kind of cool, knowing that it's more than just pickups that determine a guitar's sound)

              I'm hoping adjusting pole pieces may give me a fuller sound, but I'm starting to realize that a Strat is not a Gibson, for better or worse
              Thanks. I might just take my old HotRails Tele PU out of retirement. Haven't heard it in a few years, but that had a relatively thick sound. I don't really want a thin sounding pickup.

              I have a potted '59 set in one HB Tele, and an unpotted '59 set in another HB Tele. They're far from the fattest humbuckers I've used, but they aren't exactly thin.

              You might want to try backing the Lil '59 away from your strings by a bit. That should help thicken it's sound.

              I was sort of looking for a bridge PU to match up with a regular '59 in the neck position. I suppose I should check the Harm Central reviews too.

              Pete

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              • #8
                Re: Adjusting Pole Pieces in a Lil 59

                Originally posted by Pete Galati View Post
                You might want to try backing the Lil '59 away from your strings by a bit. That should help thicken it's sound.

                I was sort of looking for a bridge PU to match up with a regular '59 in the neck position. I suppose I should check the Harm Central reviews too.

                Pete
                ah, interesting, i figured the opposite would be true. I'll give it a shot.

                It's tough reading these reviews. People will say everything and it's opposite! I'm thinking that the only way to buy gear is to try it out yourself. Not that I'll take that advice, I read all these reviews!

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Adjusting Pole Pieces in a Lil 59

                  Originally posted by NDRU View Post
                  ah, interesting, i figured the opposite would be true. I'll give it a shot.
                  You'll lose some balls by moving the pickup away from the strings, but it should become a little mellower. Try to find the sweet spot.

                  It's tough reading these reviews. People will say everything and it's opposite! I'm thinking that the only way to buy gear is to try it out yourself. Not that I'll take that advice, I read all these reviews!
                  Yeah, I'm very cynical about reviews, no matter who does them. And people tend to do reviews right away, before they've given the gear a chance, or before they know it's weaknesses. Sometimes the best you can do is figure out whether the reviewer bought what was best for him or not.

                  Pete

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Adjusting Pole Pieces in a Lil 59

                    Originally posted by Pete Galati View Post
                    You'll lose some balls by moving the pickup away from the strings, but it should become a little mellower. Try to find the sweet spot.



                    Yeah, I'm very cynical about reviews, no matter who does them. And people tend to do reviews right away, before they've given the gear a chance, or before they know it's weaknesses. Sometimes the best you can do is figure out whether the reviewer bought what was best for him or not.

                    Pete
                    Yes, I'd like to read reviews from people who've owned the stuff for at least a year or so. The reviews are helpful, better than no information at all, but you have to figure out where they're coming from. MOre often than not, people have spent money on something and they really want to like it, even if they don't.

                    NOt to mention that with a dozen links in the tone chain, one box/guitar/pickup/amp may not work the same in every combination.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Adjusting Pole Pieces in a Lil 59

                      What is the difference between raising the pole pieces vs raising the entire pickup?

                      Is it the same, except that the pole pieces affect only one string each?

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                      • #12
                        Re: Adjusting Pole Pieces in a Lil 59

                        The Lil 59 sounds really Gibsonish to me, but you can hear that ceramic sound a lot. It's not exactly like a Gibson, but I still find it to be perfect for playing older music by Clapton, Johnson, and Santana type of stuff.
                        Turn me on, Dead Man.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Adjusting Pole Pieces in a Lil 59

                          My new 2018 Lil '59 poles barely turn. They are real tight.

                          They sound like a cross between a medium bodied Humbucker with a bit of P90 thrown in. No quaking in mine.
                          2 Antiquity P-90 pickups in Epiphone Casino Coupe. MIM Tele Standard (Vintage Stack neck, Fender '62 reissue bridge) Vintage Modified Strat (Lil '59 x 3). Chinese "Champ" Stage Right amp clone with Genalex Gold Lion tubes and Weber 8S speaker.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Adjusting Pole Pieces in a Lil 59

                            This might just be the record.....11 year zombie thread.

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