Best Humbucker to go with a Lil 59

[Butch Snyder]

I have a Lil 59 in the bridge position of my Telecaster. I have it wired in normal series mode but I'm using 500k pots. If you haven't tried yours like this, do it. The Lil 59 with 500k pots is brighter but still full and smooth. Add some gain and it does sound like a nice sweet PAF. It overdrives really well too.

I'm looking to match it with either a Lil 59 for Strat or a full-size humbucker in the neck position. There is a Strat pickup in the middle, so we'll factor that in as well. I really don't want to split the pickups or anything. I just want to nice warm tome that is full and round but not mellow or mushy.

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: Best Humbucker to go with a Lil 59

The SH-2n is full, round, and warm. I don't know exactly where it falls on the "mellow" scale.

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Best Humbucker to go with a Lil 59

I am using a Duncan antiquity (didn't touch its magnet) neck HB in my tele. Very open, has a soft hollow deep tone... Am very happy. Yet it has braided cable, so splitting is not a possibility.

In my hardtail strat, am using a 59 with an alnico 4 magnet (the bridge is a PATB-3). Mine doesn't have 4c cables, yet you could find one that does. The reason I changed its magnet was its excessive bass. Now with an a4 magnet I could not be happier. It has quite an open tone, is balanced, not overly bright yet has punchy highs. I sincerely think that an a4 59 is one of the best pickups out there, including very pricey ones.

Hope this helps.

B

 

[Butch Snyder]

Re: Best Humbucker to go with a Lil 59

Here are some designs with some various options.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: Best Humbucker to go with a Lil 59

call me boring, but id just go full on 59n.