59's vs AII Pro's

Artie

Peaveyologist
Can someone describe how a set of APH-1's would compare to a set of SH-1's?

I'm familiar with the 59's. The tone chart makes it appear as though they'ld be similar, but with lower output.

Thanks all.
 
Re: 59's vs AII Pro's

Hey Artie!

As far as output I can't tell any difference at all. The mids are much much more prominent on the A2P. Also it seems to my ears as if it is a more subtle pup. There is less bass and MUCH less high end. The 59 has always seemed very bright on the high end to me. Hope that helps man.

Luke
 
Re: 59's vs AII Pro's

ArtieToo said:
Yup . . . thats exactly what I was wondering. :)

Thanks Luke.

No problem man!

ohhh and it also doesn't seem so Quacky (to use a Vintage Guitar mag word)
The compression is different as well...more compression on the low end and less on the mids, which is what I hear in a 59. I guess that's the best way to describe it ....in either case the D&G strings. Great string to string definition.

Luke
 
Re: 59's vs AII Pro's

I've just replaced a '59 set with an APH-1 set in my LP Classic. Haven't played it enough yet to form an opinion, but I'll post a review after next band practice.
 
Re: 59's vs AII Pro's

I find the APH to be more smooth and buttery than the 59.
 
Re: 59's vs AII Pro's

Difference between the APH and 59?

In a word: balance.

The APH in the neck seems to me to be much more balanced across the frequency spectrm than the 59. Where the 59 has a big low end wallop with glassy highs and almost scooped mids, the APH seems to be pretty balanced across the board.

I think this is a good thing. :burnout:
 
Re: 59's vs AII Pro's

On a modern to vintage scale for the neck pickups I've tried, I would place them as follows:

1. Jazz

2. Dimarzio PAF

3. 59

4. APH

5. Pearly Gates

5. Seth Lover

This is all according to my ears, so don't take any of this as gospel. :burnout:
 
Re: 59's vs AII Pro's

Simon_F said:
I've just replaced a '59 set with an APH-1 set in my LP Classic. Haven't played it enough yet to form an opinion, but I'll post a review after next band practice.

So Simon, How do they sound? Especially the bridge pup? Be detailed, please! :)
 
Re: 59's vs AII Pro's

So wld a Ap-1 be a better option than a 59 to match the JB? I know the jazz works well with the JB . Just kind a wondering cause seen many axes with 59s and JBs
 
Re: 59's vs AII Pro's

Jocelyn said:
So wld a Ap-1 be a better option than a 59 to match the JB? I know the jazz works well with the JB . Just kind a wondering cause seen many axes with 59s and JBs

The APH-1 will have less bass and treble, IMO, and more mids than the 59N or Jazz. That can be a good thing if you're looking to get a clean tone for rythym from your neck pickup at higher rock volumes.
 
Re: 59's vs AII Pro's

Luke Duke said:
Hey Artie!

As far as output I can't tell any difference at all. The mids are much much more prominent on the A2P. Also it seems to my ears as if it is a more subtle pup. There is less bass and MUCH less high end. The 59 has always seemed very bright on the high end to me. Hope that helps man.

Luke


I'd say you're right on. I use an A2P in the bridge and a 59 neck to exploit both of those tendencies. I have never used the A2P neck in anything I own so nor have I used a 59 bridge in my guitars, I guess I'll try sooner or later but for now that is my perfect set.
 
Re: 59's vs AII Pro's

Hi. Sorry I didn't get back into this thread sooner. :smack:

I've been playing the A2Ps in the Classic for nearly two weeks now (replaced the '59s), and I absolutely LOVE them. They are definite keepers - that guitar is done! Next please! :D

The main difference compared to the '59s is that the A2Ps have (as others have said) more pronounced mids, and/or softer bass and treble. That's not to see they aren't bright. The bridge pickup has plenty of top end cut and will go quite twangy with a clean sound, but that top end is SMOOTH and not at all piercing. The word BALANCED describes them for me. They seem to have just the right amount of everything.

On paper they look pretty low output, but I don't notice any drop in output from the '59s or Seths that I am familiar with. I like vintage output pups for versatility and my amps have more than enough gain for me to get all the rock tones I require.

I haven't spent a lot of time doing direct comparisons, but the A2Ps seem broadly very similar to the Seths in my Standard - the same amp settings work for both and they both have the characteristic smooth top end and soft bass that I like so much.

I played a set of '59s several years ago before I tried any other Duncans, and I loved them. They were a step up from the stock Gibsons I was playing before. But once I got used to the A2 Seths, I found the '59s a little harsh by comparison. Not bashing '59s, but it looks like I was an A2 guy all along. :)

Wattage - You and Stevo have both reported great results with a '59 neck and an A2P (or Seth) bridge. I find this interesting, as when I was first playing Seths, I seriously thought about doing it the other way round - putting a '59 back in the bridge. I straight away loved the way an A2 pup reduces the bassiness in the neck position, but it took me a while to get used to it at the bridge - some of that tight low-end chunk had gone. I found when I did try a '59 in the bridge again that it was too bright unless I took the tone control down to about 3. Bit of a ramble here, but I think you'd like the A2P neck! :)

OK, to summarise:

'59s - Punchy and aggressive, tight chunky bottom end, bright.

A2Ps - Smoother, more prominent mids, softer bottom end, still bright but less aggressively so.

Difference in output seems negligible to me. And I do find A2 pups (Seth and A2P) are more responsive tonally to variations in picking strength.
 
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Re: 59's vs AII Pro's

I just replaced my custom custom bridge with a APH bridge in my strat.

At first I thought it was too bright. I didn't change the wiring in my strat and had it stock when I had the custom custom in (no bridge tone control). This was fine for the custom custom since it was such a dark pickup. The APH, however had waaay too much treble to leave it like this, so I rewired my guitar to have a tone control for the bridge.

In my setup, the APH bridge played through my marshall with the tone rolled down to about 5 sounds hauntingly similar to the custom custom. Just slightly less aggressive but tighter. The mids are more even (les emphasis on low mids) prominent bass thump and presence and smoother than the custom custom. It was basically a more "open" custom custom sound without the narrow and tight compressed tone that custom custom can be notorious for. With the tone wide open, it's very 59ish, but with more meat. The clean tones chime and has the PAF jangly sound in my strat.

If you're used to the custom custom, this pickup may seem thin at first. You just have to tweak it around and you can get it to sound almost exactly like a custom custom if thats what you want. Open the tone controls and now you have a warm and meaty 59 type sound. With a nice clean boost or tubescreamer type pedal, this pickup absolutely sings. If you want a very even sounding pickup with an A2 magnet type grind. This is your pickup.
 
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