'59 vs Jazz

[tone seeker]

Will someone please enlighten me. After looking at the specs of these two pups- I don't see a huge difference between the two. I've got a semi-hollow body with a maple top and mahogany back ( PRS SE Custom) and am upgrading. Any answers/ thoughts would be great. Thanks!

 

[uOpt]

Re: '59 vs Jazz

The best bet is that the Jazz is scatter-wound and the 59 is not.

Listen to the sound sample, they point out the difference really well.

 

[hanumanlangur]

Re: '59 vs Jazz

The Jazz isn't scatter-wound to the best of my knowledge.

The Jazz has less bottom end and more high end for a very clear sound. It has a more modern voicing to it, and to my ears has a bit of that Strat-type sparkling, pure tone. The '59 is deeper, warmer, and has a more vintage blues/rock voicing. If it were me, I'd check out a '59 for this type of guitar. But it really depends on what you prefer tonally.

 

[eggman]

Re: '59 vs Jazz

Howdy,

A popular combination for vintage minded guitarists is for a Jazz in the neck and a '59 in the bridge. This yields a bit more clarity and a little less bass in the neck as opposed to a '59 set.
I have a '59 set in my ES-335. It's an absolute delight for natural power tube overdrive through my Vibro Champ or red knob Twin (using the 25% power switch). Think "Get yer Ya-Ya's Out" tone. The neck '59 is a tad boomy though. It's an imperfection I can live with. I figure that my guitar heroes weren't really after "perfect" tone in the days of stock guitars; they were more worried about playing with passion, and the '59s in my ES-335 allow my passion to come through-especially at volume.

Eggman

 

[LtKojak]

Re: '59 vs Jazz

I've got a semi-hollow body with a maple top and mahogany back ( PRS SE Custom)

Because it's a small semi-hollow body, I'd go with a Jazz bridge for the neck and a C 5 for the bridge. You can't beat this combination!

BTW, this very combination works wonders in my 1967 Emperador MIJ 335 copy which has the same wood as yours.

As 2.nd combination I'd go with a PG set. It works beatifully in my Epi SG-400.

HTH,

Pepe aka Lt. Kojak
Milano, Italy

 

[baritone]

Re: '59 vs Jazz

I've also wondered about the design differences between the 59 and the Jazz. To me, the Jazz seems to be a full-sized humbucker with a lot of single-coil-like tone with standard wiring. I have a Jazz-neck in my baritone, and it can get boomy, but it still has just the right amount of treble sparkle on top of it.

 

[hanumanlangur]

Re: '59 vs Jazz

To me, the Jazz seems to be a full-sized humbucker with a lot of single-coil-like tone with standard wiring. I have a Jazz-neck in my baritone, and it can get boomy, but it still has just the right amount of treble sparkle on top of it.

Yeah, it has a lot of that airy single coil tone to my ears too. It isn't just that it has more treble like some say either. It has nearly as much bass as the '59 -- it's the voicing that is the major difference. The '59, to me, has that classic blues rock tone in spades. The Jazz has a lighter, slightly clearer tone and can cover just about any single coil or humbucker sound.

 

[blueman335]

Re: '59 vs Jazz

If it were me, I'd check out a '59 for this type of guitar. But it really depends on what you prefer tonally.

I'd go with a JazzN paired with a JazzB or '59B. Then I'd put an A4 on the bridge PU for warmth. Great vintage sounds.

 

[Simon_F]

Re: '59 vs Jazz

I can only comment with regard to the neck position of a Les Paul. I like the top end of the '59 but find it too boomy on the bottom end - the bass is overwhelming in a Les Paul. The Jazz has most everything I like about the '59 but without the boomy bass. It's a bit brighter on the top end and less "PAF" sounding generally, but it's a very nice articulate pickup for all styles.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: '59 vs Jazz

I can only comment with regard to the neck position of a Les Paul. I like the top end of the '59 but find it too boomy on the bottom end - the bass is overwhelming in a Les Paul. The Jazz has most everything I like about the '59 but without the boomy bass. It's a bit brighter on the top end and less "PAF" sounding generally, but it's a very nice articulate pickup for all styles.

That's exactly how I hear the Jazz neck. Less boom to the bass...more of a springy sparkle to the highs.

That's probably what the guys who say the Jazz sounds a bit like a Strat single coil are hearing...but, IMO, the Jazz doesn't sound at all like a Strat pickup.

Lew

 

[veryhungrycaterpilla]

Re: '59 vs Jazz

That's exactly how I hear the Jazz neck. Less boom to the bass...more of a springy sparkle to the highs.

That's probably what the guys who say the Jazz sounds a bit like a Strat single coil are hearing...but, IMO, the Jazz doesn't sound at all like a Strat pickup.

Lew

I can get sounds that are loosely suggestive of a strat pup out of the Jazz. At least much more stratty than all but a handful of full-sized HBs. The condition that seems to sound closest to a strat for me is with a lightly driven Marshall model on the Tonelab-using my Parker PM20 Pro. (The Pod XT does not cut it).

 

[hanumanlangur]

Re: '59 vs Jazz

At least much more stratty than all but a handful of full-sized HBs.

What I was trying to say, I guess. It's an extremely clean pickup, and also fairly light with top end sparkle. But it obviously isn't going to respond the same way that a single coil will, so it's a loose comparison.

When I play on a Hamer Studio or something similar with a set of '59's, the tone is instantly familiar to me as the classic PAF blues rock sound in my head. I don't get that at all with the Jazz. It's a great pickup, and it's in my #1, but I don't think it's very similar to the '59.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: '59 vs Jazz

For that SE, I'd suggest the 59B/Jazz N if you want vintage output. If you want it hotter, go for a C-5/Jazz B. If you want pure metal, Custom/Jazz B.

 

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: '59 vs Jazz

Well the Jazz is better than the 59, objectively.

And that's all I have to say about that.

 

[aloha]

Re: '59 vs Jazz

Aloha Everyone,

I've been busy, but I saw you commenting about one of my favorite all time pickups and wanted to join in...

The Jazz is yummy. I have it in a couple of different guitars and I keep coming back to it as the one neck pickup (humbucker) I just cannot get enough of. I've compared to Gibson Burstbuckers, 57's, SD59's...etc...

I know this is all very subjective, but I think everyone here agrees that you cannot really go wrong with this pickup.

Have fun trying it out...

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: '59 vs Jazz

Buy a Jazz Bridge. It's not only great as a neck pickup, it can be used as a great sounding bridge as well. It's one of those rare pickups that works good anywhere, so your money is never wasted on that pickup. From a Strat bridge, strat neck, to LP neck or bridge, it works like a charm. It's just a tight and clear sounding A5 humbucker.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: '59 vs Jazz

I don't care for the Jazz neck model. It doesn't have enough grunt for me. I much preffer the PGn.

I do have to try the Jazz bridge in the neck though.

 

[autumnchorus]

Re: '59 vs Jazz

Hi all,

I'm looking at the same choice (plus the Pearly Gates) as I face my very first customization mission! I'm in a post rock band in the UK, and things are going well, but I'm fed up with trying to compensate for the muddiness of my guitar. I've got an Epiphone Les Paul Black Beauty (the one with 3 pickups, if anyone has mid pickup suggestions!). I don't use distortion, but I use LOTS of reverb and delay to get a large yet clean sound. The stock pickups are fine when I hit the strings hard, but when I fingerpick the strings or use a cello bow I just don't get the clarity I'd like. I've been using a multi-effects pedal's preamp setting to give me some brightness but I'd much rather have good pickups in the first place. I love the clean neck sound of both the Jazz and '59 pickups on the audio samples but, seeing as the riff played therein is quite laid back, I'm wondering how well they both cope with more aggressive playing/tremolo picking? I want a beautiful quiet tone but I don't want to sacrifice energy..Am I still looking at the right options?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: '59 vs Jazz

I much prefer the PGn.

I do have to try the Jazz bridge in the neck though.

And I agree with that too. The PGN is my favorite neck humbucker of all time.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: '59 vs Jazz

Buy a Jazz Bridge. It's not only great as a neck pickup, it can be used as a great sounding bridge as well. It's one of those rare pickups that works good anywhere, so your money is never wasted on that pickup. From a Strat bridge, strat neck, to LP neck or bridge, it works like a charm. It's just a tight and clear sounding A5 humbucker.

I concur.