'59 too bright...help!

[TCW]

I installed a '59 neck humbucker in my mahogany carvin DC127 and its very bright! I'ts also more sensitive to hum (computer monitor, etc) than the bridge Carvin PU. I have to lean further back from the computer to avoid hum. Could I have done something wrong during installation?

Are the '59s supposed to be super bright? If I roll back the tone a little, it sounds good, but I already have a nice Am strat, so I don't need any more spank. Looking for a fuller tone. What do you suggest?

Thanks,
TCW

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: '59 too bright...help!

It really all comes down to personal taste, but I have always found the 59' to be a tad too bright for my tastes. The A5 mag really gives it some bite and high end clarity. If you want smoohter, and fuller, try something with an A2 mag, a PG or an APHII.

 

[Breogan]

Re: '59 too bright...help!

Does it have 4-condutors or just the single braided one?

 

[TCW]

Re: '59 too bright...help!

Has four, which was confusing. The Carvin PU has only three. Yes, it has coil tap switch (I think that's what it's called). One switch for each PU. Everything works right now...just a spanky, bright tone. Not terrible, just bright.

 

[Artie]

Re: '59 too bright...help!

The fact that its bright and hums tells me that you may have wired it up split. You want to make sure that you have green and bare grounded, black to the selector switch, and red & white connected together and insulated. (Not touching anything.)

Try that first.

 

[TCW]

Re: '59 too bright...help!

Hmmmmm.... But the split switch works on it (makes it even brighter)

 

[Artie]

Re: '59 too bright...help!

Hmmmmm.... But the split switch works on it (makes it even brighter)

Ok . . . scratch that idea. :laugh2:

The only other thing I can offer, is just to point out that the Patriot and the Predator in my sig are the exact same guitar, except for the bridge. The 59's in the Patriot were too bright and I had to roll the tone control down, just like you have. Switched them over to the Predator, and they're the perfect bluesy, jazzy, smooth combo for that guitar.

Its amazing the difference a bridge can make. (Kahler Flyer.)

 

[TheArchitect]

Re: '59 too bright...help!

Ok . . . scratch that idea. :laugh2:

The only other thing I can offer, is just to point out that the Patriot and the Predator in my sig are the exact same guitar, except for the bridge. The 59's in the Patriot were too bright and I had to roll the tone control down, just like you have. Switched them over to the Predator, and they're the perfect bluesy, jazzy, smooth combo for that guitar.

Its amazing the difference a bridge can make. (Kahler Flyer.)

Again, I think the coils could be wired out of phase with each other. Does the bridge pickup hum too?

 

[skynyrdlover1]

Re: '59 too bright...help!

put a aII magnet in the 59 or switch to a seth lover

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: '59 too bright...help!

put a aII magnet in the 59 or switch to a seth lover

+1

B

 

[TCW]

Re: '59 too bright...help!

Neither of them hum if I turn off all dimmer switches in the house, turn off the computer monitor, and turn sideways..lol. It's just the the '59 hum is louder and more noticeable in general.

 

[chcjunior]

Re: '59 too bright...help!

I thought the '59 was too bright in my SG. I much prefered the APII.

 

[Breogan]

Re: '59 too bright...help!

Neither of them hum if I turn off all dimmer switches in the house, turn off the computer monitor, and turn sideways..lol. It's just the the '59 hum is louder and more noticeable in general.

Another posibility is that you wired it in series "in phase". That would be something like.

Green - ground
Red and Black - togheter
White - Hot

I other words this is reversing the conectors of one of the coils of the humbucker.

That will give you a thin tone that it isn't humcalling.

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: '59 too bright...help!

TCW, the 59 is a bright pup to my ears too. I'd suggest an Alnico 2 Pro, it is still PAF styled but with an A2 mag and has an even sound with great response.

Luke

 

[TheArchitect]

Re: '59 too bright...help!

Neither of them hum if I turn off all dimmer switches in the house, turn off the computer monitor, and turn sideways..lol. It's just the the '59 hum is louder and more noticeable in general.

Which is exactly what leads some of us to believe there is a wiring issue. Could you please confirm what is wired where? A pic perhaps?

 

[TCW]

Re: '59 too bright...help!

I'll see if I can post a pic of the wiring tonight...