Any tips on how to coax more kids out of a set of 59s?

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Re: Any tips on how to coax more kids out of a set of 59s?

bloomfieldriffs said:
Can't transmits WLH covers to gold and found another home for them anyhow. So want make the 59s work. Have had them in my Gibson Lee Paul for years but the latest project requires more mids.
Apologize as this must be redundant but search failed.
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Roll back on the tone knob just a tad. If that makes it too dark, turn the amp's treble up as necessary. You should end up with more mids.
 
Re: Any tips on how to coax more kids out of a set of 59s?

I say, just go buy some different magnets and experiment. It is cheap, and for less than $20, you can have every magnet type. An A2 should give you the most mids...throw that in, and work backwards from there.
 
Re: Any tips on how to coax more kids out of a set of 59s?

I picked up a couple of older, mid 90's 59's the other day. They do use Roughcast A5 magnets as opposed to the newer 59's which now use polished A5 magnets.

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The 59's with Roughcast magnets do give me the early 60's Gibson sound I was looking for. Better in a way because they are a calibrated set with an underwound neck (relative to the bridge pickup) which removes some of the excess bass and balances volume wise with the bridge pickup.

In the early 60's Gibsons I've owned the neck pickup is always too loud. But the calibrated 59's have a better balance.

They do still have more bass from the neck pickup than some people may want. But they also have more mids which makes it sound like the bass is more manageable and treble less bright. But it's the early 60's sound I was looking for.

A2 in the neck and Roughcast A5 or UOA5 in the bridge will produce a vintage sounding set with less "woof" to the neck pickup. But the neck will also lose some treble.

So yes: buy an assortment of magnets and try them all.
 
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Re: Any tips on how to coax more kids out of a set of 59s?

I just got a set of six rough cast alnico five magnets to try out.
 
Re: Any tips on how to coax more kids out of a set of 59s?

Lewguitar said:
I picked up a couple of older, mid 90's 59's the other day. They do use Roughcast A5 magnets as opposed to the newer 59's which now use polished A5 magnets.
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Either the luck of the draw or they're not original, as my mid-90s MJ-made ones came with polished mags.

HTH,
 
Re: Any tips on how to coax more kids out of a set of 59s?

LtKojak said:
Either the luck of the draw or they're not original, as my mid-90s MJ-made ones came with polished mags.

HTH,
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my 59BJ and 59NJ set are also polished.

and sound better than any of the newer production floor 59 models I've tried.
 
Re: Any tips on how to coax more kids out of a set of 59s?

Well that's interesting.

I've now seen two sets of Duncan 59's said to have been made in the 90's (four pickups total) with roughcast A5 magnets.

Mine and a set a friend has.

I'm inspecting my set right now and they are without a doubt roughcast.

Mine also use a wood spacer. Probably maple I would guess.
 
Re: Any tips on how to coax more kids out of a set of 59s?

Mincer said:
I say, just go buy some different magnets and experiment. It is cheap, and for less than $20, you can have every magnet type. An A2 should give you the most mids...throw that in, and work backwards from there.
Click to expand...

+1 on the A2.
Very nice upper mid range.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Re: Any tips on how to coax more kids out of a set of 59s?

dystrust said:
If you're looking for more mids, I hear that swapping the polished A5 for roughcast helps. If you're after more kids, I'm not sure how to help...
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Actually, I know exactly how to get more kids.
 
Re: Any tips on how to coax more kids out of a set of 59s?

Swap it's contraceptive pills for tic tacs, get it tipsy & watch titanic, or ghost with it
 
Re: Any tips on how to coax more kids out of a set of 59s?

Forgot to mention in my orig reply.. This wont BOOST mids, but helps the perception.. The 59b I have in the neck of my explorer was alil boomy in the lows and much in the highs.. An A4 mag tamed it down. And by bringing the highs and lows down a tad, makes the mids sound alil more pronounced
 
Re: Any tips on how to coax more kids out of a set of 59s?

There be kids in my Les Paul! Ended up with rough A5 in the neck and an A8 (thank you "LtKojak")in the bridge. Got more then I ever expected, for me this magnet change has turned the 59s into an awesome tone set!
The boom is gone from the neck and has been replaced by a beautiful range of kids(or mids if you will). The Bridge has a lot more spunk and blends elegantly with the neck in the middle switch position.
Thanks to all and to all a good night.

If this is a post it fix as someone said then it should be a 59 option in the Carter-Duncan product listing. Maybe the 59sDUGF.

Between you all setting me straight on the 81 85s and the 59 magnet swap it has been tremendously rewarding week.
Been wasting the last few months here talking carp when the real treasure is the tremendous amount of knowledge that is available.
 
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Re: Any tips on how to coax more kids out of a set of 59s?

I do tend to like rough A5s more than polished ones in every pickup I've tried them in.
 
Re: Any tips on how to coax more kids out of a set of 59s?

dystrust said:
If you're looking for more mids, I hear that swapping the polished A5 for roughcast helps. If you're after more kids, I'm not sure how to help...
Click to expand...

Alright Dystrust...It's like this:

When a boy meets a girl, and he likes her, they start to kiss. Then, the boy might start to feel tingly in special places.


Maybe I best take this to a PM.
 
Re: Any tips on how to coax more kids out of a set of 59s?

Mincer said:
I do tend to like rough A5s more than polished ones in every pickup I've tried them in.
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Well then, why not have a talk with Cathy and ask her to go back to using rough A5's in the '59? :naughty:

The original 59 was a great pickup. The current 59? Not so great.
 
Re: Any tips on how to coax more kids out of a set of 59s?

It just seems that old gear = best gear, with few exceptions. Oldness seems to be the only common denominator.
 
Re: Any tips on how to coax more kids out of a set of 59s?

Mmm, I think that's just tripe.

Let's say for the sake argument that the magnet has nothing to do with why the vintage '59 sounds better, and that it's all psychological. That would mean that the incorrect answer is 'on topic', and worthy of being entertained in these page, while the correct answer is 'off topic', and precluded by forum edict. Can truth really be determined in such an environment?
 
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