59/Custom Hybrid?
- Thread starter Ricey
- Start date
gregory
New member
Re: 59/Custom Hybrid?
The screw coil is the '59. Traditional Seymour Duncan split wiring splits to the slug coil. However, with four conductors and separate ground, there is no reason you can't split to either coil. There is no reason you can't flip a magnet, turn the pickup around or do both, depending on what you want. However, if you want the slug coil to be a '59 then you'll have to make your own or have one made for you.
Anyway, the 59/Custom thread is a long read but it seems Seymour Duncan did the opposite of what was initially done here:
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?22538-HOW-TO-Make-a-59-Custom-Hybrid
The screw coil is the '59. Traditional Seymour Duncan split wiring splits to the slug coil. However, with four conductors and separate ground, there is no reason you can't split to either coil. There is no reason you can't flip a magnet, turn the pickup around or do both, depending on what you want. However, if you want the slug coil to be a '59 then you'll have to make your own or have one made for you.
Anyway, the 59/Custom thread is a long read but it seems Seymour Duncan did the opposite of what was initially done here:
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?22538-HOW-TO-Make-a-59-Custom-Hybrid
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ItsaBass
New member
Re: 59/Custom Hybrid?
You can wire it to split to whatever coil you'd like, and IMO splitting to the Custom coil is the only way to go.
I don't know why Duncan would publish such a statement. Not only do splits usually go to the stud coil (which is the Custom coil IIRC), but it seems like this statement would actually discourage more purchases than it would encourage. IMO, one of the best features of the '59/C is that it splits so incredibly well when you wire it to split to the Custom coil. You not only get a seemingly "magical" humbucker that is thick yet has clarity, but you also get to lean out the pickup via splitting, without completely gutting your output and tone (as you would when splitting to the '59 coil). This feature should be used to market the pickup – not telling people that they can split to a gutless '59 screw coil.
You can wire it to split to whatever coil you'd like, and IMO splitting to the Custom coil is the only way to go.
I don't know why Duncan would publish such a statement. Not only do splits usually go to the stud coil (which is the Custom coil IIRC), but it seems like this statement would actually discourage more purchases than it would encourage. IMO, one of the best features of the '59/C is that it splits so incredibly well when you wire it to split to the Custom coil. You not only get a seemingly "magical" humbucker that is thick yet has clarity, but you also get to lean out the pickup via splitting, without completely gutting your output and tone (as you would when splitting to the '59 coil). This feature should be used to market the pickup – not telling people that they can split to a gutless '59 screw coil.
gregory
New member
Re: 59/Custom Hybrid?
Well they may come with red and white connected together, but this doesn't mean they come with the slug coil being the split coil.
It's almost as if there is only one approved way to split a Seymour Duncan humbucker and that is to tie the red and white wires to ground. The pair can just as easily be brought to the black wire.
With my HSS guitar with an RWRP middle, I connect black to ground and take the input from the green wire for series and take input from the red and white pair leaving the green floating in order to split to the slug coil. No additional wires get tied to ground nor are any coils shorted...I did flip the magnet, though. Had the neck been RWRP instead of the middle then things would have been different.
/rant
Well they may come with red and white connected together, but this doesn't mean they come with the slug coil being the split coil.
It's almost as if there is only one approved way to split a Seymour Duncan humbucker and that is to tie the red and white wires to ground. The pair can just as easily be brought to the black wire.
With my HSS guitar with an RWRP middle, I connect black to ground and take the input from the green wire for series and take input from the red and white pair leaving the green floating in order to split to the slug coil. No additional wires get tied to ground nor are any coils shorted...I did flip the magnet, though. Had the neck been RWRP instead of the middle then things would have been different.
/rant
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GilmourD
Burritotoneologist
Re: 59/Custom Hybrid?
I was just about to let you know I got a PM about this but looks like you beat me to it. If it's wrong we'll have to let the correct person at corporate know.
Re: 59/Custom Hybrid?
Itsabass hit the nail on the head when he wrote that the info on the Duncan website might actually discourage some purchases. If I had not posted this question and received clarification from you guys, I would have discounted the 59/Custom because I am looking for a PUP that has a decent sound when split and I know from experience that I do NOT like the sound of a vintage output ALNICO HB PUP in split mode. Thanks for all your help! It will be interesting to see if Duncan updates the product description on their site.
Itsabass hit the nail on the head when he wrote that the info on the Duncan website might actually discourage some purchases. If I had not posted this question and received clarification from you guys, I would have discounted the 59/Custom because I am looking for a PUP that has a decent sound when split and I know from experience that I do NOT like the sound of a vintage output ALNICO HB PUP in split mode. Thanks for all your help! It will be interesting to see if Duncan updates the product description on their site.
Daver11111
New member
Re: 59/Custom Hybrid?
Measure them - you could split to either one. the 59 coil won't have the high number.
I love my 59 custom/hybrid bridge pup.
Mine measures 7.02k Custom slug coil and 4.26k for the 59 screw coil.
I wired mine for series/parallel and coil shunt/coil cut option. Parallel has coil cut slug coil active option, and series has coil shunt option.
Worked out great for me in my 2012 LPSTD.
If the red and white wires are connected together it would be wired in series with a coil shunt option.
Daver
Measure them - you could split to either one. the 59 coil won't have the high number.
I love my 59 custom/hybrid bridge pup.
Mine measures 7.02k Custom slug coil and 4.26k for the 59 screw coil.
I wired mine for series/parallel and coil shunt/coil cut option. Parallel has coil cut slug coil active option, and series has coil shunt option.
Worked out great for me in my 2012 LPSTD.
If the red and white wires are connected together it would be wired in series with a coil shunt option.
Daver
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GilmourD
Burritotoneologist
Re: 59/Custom Hybrid?
Good thing the office is in Cali. If it were here in NJ it would be closed tomorrow due to snow. They can work on it, then.
Re: 59/Custom Hybrid?
I just started reading the 59/Custom thread. It discusses combining an A5 59 coil with an A2 Custom/Custom coil. The Duncan website indicates a 59 coil combined with a "Duncan Custom" coil. Doesn't the DC use a ceramic magnet? Did Duncan go in a different direction from what the forum members were doing or is that simply another mistake on the website?
I just started reading the 59/Custom thread. It discusses combining an A5 59 coil with an A2 Custom/Custom coil. The Duncan website indicates a 59 coil combined with a "Duncan Custom" coil. Doesn't the DC use a ceramic magnet? Did Duncan go in a different direction from what the forum members were doing or is that simply another mistake on the website?
Johnny the Kid
Shaunofthedeadologist
Re: 59/Custom Hybrid?
Well it doesn't really matter which Custom coil you use. They're all the same wind, but with different magnets. If you built one yourself, you'd take the Custom apart (which ever one of the Custom line), take the 59 apart, and then use the slug coil from the Custom and the screw coil from the 59. For a magnet, you'd just use the A5 from the 59.
Well it doesn't really matter which Custom coil you use. They're all the same wind, but with different magnets. If you built one yourself, you'd take the Custom apart (which ever one of the Custom line), take the 59 apart, and then use the slug coil from the Custom and the screw coil from the 59. For a magnet, you'd just use the A5 from the 59.
Johnny the Kid
Shaunofthedeadologist
Re: 59/Custom Hybrid?
You could and I'm sure that a 59/C Ceramic would sound just fine, but I was just going by how the 59/C is built as is.
You could and I'm sure that a 59/C Ceramic would sound just fine, but I was just going by how the 59/C is built as is.
Johnny the Kid
Shaunofthedeadologist
Daver11111
New member
Re: 59/Custom Hybrid?
I was confused also when I bought mine and then saw this on this website -
http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/Seymour_Duncan_SH_16_59Custom_Hybrid_Humbucker_Review
It helped me decide and is correct info as far as I know.
"The SH-16 is a true hybrid of the '59 and the Custom—,
it mates a '59’s screws-side coil with a Custom's slug-side coil,
and powers them with an alnico 5 magnet.
It’s designed specifically for the bridge position (Duncan
recommends pairing it with a full-size '59 or Alnico II Pro in the neck position),
and has a DC resistance of 11.5k ohm.
The pickup also uses four-conductor wire for coil tapping and out-of-phase switching,
if that’s your fancy.
Interestingly, individual coils are wound using different gauges of pickup wire,
which is responsible for much of the pickup’s unique character.
The ’59 coil uses thicker, 42-gauge wire, which is commonly used for
PAF-style pickups for its clarity and openness at lower resistance (7k-9k).
The Custom coil uses thinner, 43-gauge wire, which yields a crisper,
more immediate attack, tighter lows, and additional compression when wound
for higher output (14.1k Ω in a standard Custom). The coil mismatch can feel and
sound strange at first—especially if you’re used to contemporary humbucking tones.
It’s a great setup if you need single-coil tones, however. Coil-tapping knocks
the ’59 coil out, leaving only the hotter Custom coil, which rates at a healthy 7.1k Ω
for spanky, Strat-like tones."
I was confused also when I bought mine and then saw this on this website -
http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/Seymour_Duncan_SH_16_59Custom_Hybrid_Humbucker_Review
It helped me decide and is correct info as far as I know.
"The SH-16 is a true hybrid of the '59 and the Custom—,
it mates a '59’s screws-side coil with a Custom's slug-side coil,
and powers them with an alnico 5 magnet.
It’s designed specifically for the bridge position (Duncan
recommends pairing it with a full-size '59 or Alnico II Pro in the neck position),
and has a DC resistance of 11.5k ohm.
The pickup also uses four-conductor wire for coil tapping and out-of-phase switching,
if that’s your fancy.
Interestingly, individual coils are wound using different gauges of pickup wire,
which is responsible for much of the pickup’s unique character.
The ’59 coil uses thicker, 42-gauge wire, which is commonly used for
PAF-style pickups for its clarity and openness at lower resistance (7k-9k).
The Custom coil uses thinner, 43-gauge wire, which yields a crisper,
more immediate attack, tighter lows, and additional compression when wound
for higher output (14.1k Ω in a standard Custom). The coil mismatch can feel and
sound strange at first—especially if you’re used to contemporary humbucking tones.
It’s a great setup if you need single-coil tones, however. Coil-tapping knocks
the ’59 coil out, leaving only the hotter Custom coil, which rates at a healthy 7.1k Ω
for spanky, Strat-like tones."
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Re: 59/Custom Hybrid?
OK, I think I get it now! Since the Custom, Custom/Custom and Custom 5 all use the same coil wind, the 59/Custom is more like a cross between a 59 and a Custom 5, since all three (59, Custom 5 and 59/Custom) use an A5; whereas, the Custom uses ceramic and the Custom/Custom uses A2.
OK, I think I get it now! Since the Custom, Custom/Custom and Custom 5 all use the same coil wind, the 59/Custom is more like a cross between a 59 and a Custom 5, since all three (59, Custom 5 and 59/Custom) use an A5; whereas, the Custom uses ceramic and the Custom/Custom uses A2.
