'59 vs. Alnico II Pro bridge for southern rock?

G

Ghwar

New member
I have a Gibson SG Diablo (thick maple top) I wanna use for a classic rock project. The main influence as far as guitar tones will be Lynyrd Skynyrd. The guitar already has an Alnico II Pro Neck, which I like, but the custom custom in the bridge is way too hot for this project. I have it narrowed down to 59 and AIIP, and I love both those neck pickups but I've never used either of the bridge versions.

Influences -
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Gov't Mule
Guns n Roses (their more dynamic/bluesy stuff)

Just kinda wondering, I know they're actually pretty similar pickups and I'd probably be happy with either one, but what are the pros and cons of each in this kinda context ? I'm also considering a Burstbucker Pro because they were original to the guitar and I remember them sounding dynamite .


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Re: '59 vs. Alnico II Pro bridge for southern rock?

Southern rock has pronounced mids, so not the 59s. The A2P could work and also gives you the GnR sound. I assume you've seen the Saturday night special set, which as its namesake suggests, is voiced for southern rock.
 
Re: '59 vs. Alnico II Pro bridge for southern rock?

AniML said:
Southern rock has pronounced mids, so not the 59s. The A2P could work and also gives you the GnR sound. I assume you've seen the Saturday night special set, which as its namesake suggests, is voiced for southern rock.
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If by pronounced mids, do you mean that chimey bell like sound a lot of the Skynyrd solos have? Like when they hit it just hard enough to distort a little and it has that bell chime that's exactly what I'm looking for !

And no I hadn't heard about that set I am going to give that a fair look as well!

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Re: '59 vs. Alnico II Pro bridge for southern rock?

AniML said:
Southern rock has pronounced mids, so not the 59s.
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Unless the 59 is an early one from the late 70's / early 80's with a dark blueish rough cast mag, butyrate bobbins and unpotted coils. Those are thick sounding... and my favorite by far among SH1's (albeit to treat gently because their coils are fragile).
 
Re: '59 vs. Alnico II Pro bridge for southern rock?

I looked into those sets. The Saturday night specials sound good, I like the sound clips but I worry it's just a little bit too hot and compressed at almost 10k. my other problem is these new "premiere" sets are just too expensive, it's hard to justify paying $160 CDN plus shipping when there are plenty of used APH-1's and 59's out there for far less. I think for now I'm going to settle on the alnico 2 pro, and then someday in the future I'll get an explorer with the Saturday nights for heavier , 80's Blackfoot type of stuff . Thanks for all the suggestions !

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Re: '59 vs. Alnico II Pro bridge for southern rock?

The SNS set doesn't sound or feel compressed. If you use one side by side with a 59, you can hear the output difference, but I don't hear or feel the compression.
 
Re: '59 vs. Alnico II Pro bridge for southern rock?

I didn't really dig those SNS's for much of anything, the A4's just have an odd sound to my ears. They seemed very nasally in my SG.

I'd really look into the Slash bridge vs the A2P, the Slash is a great pickup!
 
Re: '59 vs. Alnico II Pro bridge for southern rock?

Wattage said:
I didn't really dig those SNS's for much of anything, the A4's just have an odd sound to my ears. They seemed very nasally in my SG.

I'd really look into the Slash bridge vs the A2P, the Slash is a great pickup!
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I wasn't a fan of the SNS either, they just sounded flat/dead to my ears.
 
Re: '59 vs. Alnico II Pro bridge for southern rock?

Wattage said:
I didn't really dig those SNS's for much of anything, the A4's just have an odd sound to my ears. They seemed very nasally in my SG.

I'd really look into the Slash bridge vs the A2P, the Slash is a great pickup!
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bridge and neck? a4 usually doesnt sound nasal to me but who knows. i have a set in a prs se but havent done much with it other that check to make sure they work. too many toys, not enough time
 
Re: '59 vs. Alnico II Pro bridge for southern rock?

I like the Gibson alnico Burstbucker 1 & 2 sets in my Historic Les Pauls for Southern Rock...also Antiquitys.

And you MUST have a cranked 160-watt Peavey Mace to play through...that'll give you the mids...

...until you go deaf!

Bill
 
Re: '59 vs. Alnico II Pro bridge for southern rock?

Boogie Bill said:
And you MUST have a cranked 160-watt Peavey Mace to play through...that'll give you the mids...

...until you go deaf!

Bill
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THIS!! HAD ONE BOUGHT NEW MID 70'S WITH BLACK WIDOWS IT WAS EXTREME!!!
The sound of Skynyard!!
 
Re: '59 vs. Alnico II Pro bridge for southern rock?

Boogie Bill said:
I like the Gibson alnico Burstbucker 1 & 2 sets in my Historic Les Pauls for Southern Rock...also Antiquitys.

And you MUST have a cranked 160-watt Peavey Mace to play through...that'll give you the mids...

...until you go deaf!

Bill
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Tell me more about this amp!

Also antiquities are now under my radar. They seem like the ultimate pickup for what I'm looking for but I worry about the non-pottedness. Am I gonna run into squeeling ?

I had a set of 79' non potted Tokai PAFs aboit 10 years ago but I was a gain-head back then and they squeeled like crazy .

However these seem like the ultimate pickup what I'm looking for, if I can tame the squeel.

Whatcha think? I absolutely loooove my antiquity surfers set in my Stratocaster.

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Re: '59 vs. Alnico II Pro bridge for southern rock?

Ghwar said:
Tell me more about this amp!

Also antiquities are now under my radar. They seem like the ultimate pickup for what I'm looking for but I worry about the non-pottedness. Am I gonna run into squeeling ?
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Not for Southern rock. You have to really get a lot of gain going for these to start microphonic squealing. I've played mine loud at home and at a particularly loud rehearsal with no feedback issues whatsoever. They can be coaxed into controlled feedback, but then, so can potted pickups like 57 Classics.

For me, the Antiquities are a really good choice for that sound. A lot of those guys used PAFs to begin with, and the Antiquities sound like the "PAF tone in my head." I have a set of Custom Shop Pearly Gates on the way for my other LP, and those might be an improvement -- I'll report back this weekend after I get them and get them installed. Rehearsal Sunday night, so maybe I can give a full tone report by then.
 
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