Butch Snyder
ObsoleteChickenPickingologist
My Tele's Lil 59 bridge pickup is way cool. It's smooth, warm, and fat. Has anyone wired one to go from series to parallel? If you have, what were the tone differences between series vs. parallel?
Anyone wire their Lil 59 in Series/Parallel?
- Thread starter Butch Snyder
- Start date
Low_fidelity2100
New member
Re: Anyone wire their Lil 59 in Series/Parallel?
I had mine wired series/parallel for a long time before I finally swapped it out. I actually preferred the parallel sound, and used that most of the time. I thought the series sound was alright, and worked fine for some stuff. But the parallel sound is just so much clearer, cleaner, more articulate sounding, cuts better, sets better in a mix, and just plain better. Its not quite a single coil sound, though close. Closer to a cross between a strat pickup, and an under wound Mini-bucker really. Honestly, the lil'59 is the only pickup I've ever used that actually sounded BETTER in parallel.
They're both definitely a great sounds to have at your disposal.
The only issue is, the difference in output between series and parallel is so huge, that theres really no way to have both sounds balanced with the other pickups in the guitar. You sorta either have to try and balance out the series sound with the other pickups, or the parallel sound.
The other problem is, I found that in series the lil'59 sounds its best pretty far from the strings (like 1/4"-1/3" from the strings), where as in parallel you get the best sound if the pickup is real close to the strings. If ya set it up to sound best in series, then parallel is gonna sound thin, plinky, and lifeless. If ya set up parallel to sound its best, then series is gonna sound muddy, muffled, and loose, and somehow way to bright at the same time. (although dirty, series still sounds alright even that close to the strings...clean its just totally unbearable though)
So again, you sorta have to pick which sound you want to sound best. Cause as much as I tried, there was no real way to get both to sound great.
Being as I preferred the parallel sound I set everything up to get the best sound outta the parallel sound. An then would flip it to series for a lead/gain boost when needed. It worked out just fine for me, but I know you play way different music than I do (from what little I've heard your a **** good guitarist too btw). So I dunno.
Basically, I think if you dig the standard Tele sound, you'll prefer the parallel sound like I did. Someone who's more into bucker sounds will prefer to series sound. Both are good sounds, but they're very very different.
Honestly If I ever re-install my lil'59, I'll be wiring it up parallel with no series option. I prefer it that much. haha.
I had mine wired series/parallel for a long time before I finally swapped it out. I actually preferred the parallel sound, and used that most of the time. I thought the series sound was alright, and worked fine for some stuff. But the parallel sound is just so much clearer, cleaner, more articulate sounding, cuts better, sets better in a mix, and just plain better. Its not quite a single coil sound, though close. Closer to a cross between a strat pickup, and an under wound Mini-bucker really. Honestly, the lil'59 is the only pickup I've ever used that actually sounded BETTER in parallel.
They're both definitely a great sounds to have at your disposal.
The only issue is, the difference in output between series and parallel is so huge, that theres really no way to have both sounds balanced with the other pickups in the guitar. You sorta either have to try and balance out the series sound with the other pickups, or the parallel sound.
The other problem is, I found that in series the lil'59 sounds its best pretty far from the strings (like 1/4"-1/3" from the strings), where as in parallel you get the best sound if the pickup is real close to the strings. If ya set it up to sound best in series, then parallel is gonna sound thin, plinky, and lifeless. If ya set up parallel to sound its best, then series is gonna sound muddy, muffled, and loose, and somehow way to bright at the same time. (although dirty, series still sounds alright even that close to the strings...clean its just totally unbearable though)
So again, you sorta have to pick which sound you want to sound best. Cause as much as I tried, there was no real way to get both to sound great.
Being as I preferred the parallel sound I set everything up to get the best sound outta the parallel sound. An then would flip it to series for a lead/gain boost when needed. It worked out just fine for me, but I know you play way different music than I do (from what little I've heard your a **** good guitarist too btw). So I dunno.
Basically, I think if you dig the standard Tele sound, you'll prefer the parallel sound like I did. Someone who's more into bucker sounds will prefer to series sound. Both are good sounds, but they're very very different.
Honestly If I ever re-install my lil'59, I'll be wiring it up parallel with no series option. I prefer it that much. haha.
Butch Snyder
ObsoleteChickenPickingologist
Re: Anyone wire their Lil 59 in Series/Parallel?
After looking at the Series/Parallel diagram, I decided the variety wasn't worth the trouble. Wiring up these push/pull pots is an absolute pain in the drain. I'll just keep it series. I really like it anyway....
After looking at the Series/Parallel diagram, I decided the variety wasn't worth the trouble. Wiring up these push/pull pots is an absolute pain in the drain. I'll just keep it series. I really like it anyway....
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