'buckers for Cream

[3 cent hero]

I need some good 'buckers for a hollow mahogany guitar. Classic rock is the sound I'm after, but I want them to sound bright, snappy, and stratty when split. Is this too much to ask?


Recommend away,
William

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: 'buckers for Cream

yes it is too much to ask...but as for a Cream sound...try 59's toi start with...I've never split them,, but some folks say it's good!

 

[3 cent hero]

Re: 'buckers for Cream

yes it is too much to ask...but as for a Cream sound...try 59's toi start with...I've never split them,, but some folks say it's good!

I figured it was too much. I was planning on trying some 59's, but I hear they can be "woofy"

 

[Robert S.]

Re: 'buckers for Cream

Definately the 59s. I had a set in a LP and use the 59n in several guitars and I've never known them to be "woofy". They sound very nice split, especially using opposite coils so they are hum cancelling. They should be spot on to your description of what you are looking for.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: 'buckers for Cream

Clapton used alnico 5 Gibson humbuckers like the Duncan 59 in his SG and I always thought his neck pickup tone was a little woofy or muddy when I saw him live...at least compared to his awesome bridge pickup tone. But in those days pickups were not calibrated so both pickups in Clapton's guitar were identical. Just go for a set of 59N and 59B pickups....you'll be fine. If you need more clarity, go for a Jazz N and 59B. Those or a set of Antiquity neck and bridge pickups would be my recommendation. Lew

 

[Mr. Loud]

Re: 'buckers for Cream

Dunno much about 59 buckers. Mine -see my sig- deliver that tone. Love that band.

 

[3 cent hero]

Re: 'buckers for Cream

Clapton used alnico 5 Gibson humbuckers like the Duncan 59 in his SG and I always thought his neck pickup tone was a little woofy or muddy when I saw him live...at least compared to his awesome bridge pickup tone. But in those days pickups were not calibrated so both pickups in Clapton's guitar were identical. Just go for a set of 59N and 59B pickups....you'll be fine. If you need more clarity, go for a Jazz N and 59B. Those or a set of Antiquity neck and bridge pickups would be my recommendation. Lew

What's the difference between the 59's and the Ants? And do you have either sets in stock?

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: 'buckers for Cream

Anything can become woofy with anough gain...but keep this in mind...Claptons tone in Cream was not real distorted, and he was a big fan uf using the tone control at that time...either the bridge with the tone rolled almost all the way down ot the neck with the tone rolled about half way doen...he called it the "woman tone" and with the right guitar and amp 59's would do this quite well. i think that ANT's or Seths would be a little to dark to do this...but maybe thats just me...If I were gonna do a Clapto tone circa Bluesbreakers...I would do the ANT's of the Seths...

 

[Simon_F]

Re: 'buckers for Cream

What's the difference between the 59's and the Ants?

'59s have alnico 5 magnets and are wax potted.

Ants have alnico 2 magnets and are not wax potted. They are also aged to look and sound 40 years old. I believe they have unbalanced coils to replicate the inconsistencies in the original Gibson winding process.

The '59s will have the Cream tone. They're great for classic rock.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: 'buckers for Cream

The Ants also have more mids and softer bass and highs.

Plugged into a Marshall plexi any good 50's/60's style humbucker will get a great Clapton/Cream tone if the player has the chops.

But after talent and chops, a Marshall amp w/Celestion speakers is at least 1/2 of that tonal recipe.

Lew

 

[Bludave]

Re: 'buckers for Cream

I have a Custom Tele. It is a thinline Mahogony body with a Flame maple Cap. I have a Jazz in the neck, and a 59 in the bridge. Both are tapped using push pull pots. The sound is comparable to a 335. When you speak of Cream are you speaking of the Studio ALA Disrali Gears or the Live stuff ALA Wheels of Fire? The difference is quite extensive. As Lew stated the studio stuff was recorded with a 61 LP SG. The Live stuff on Wheels of Fire was recorded with a 335 ( I think a 65). The picups were quite a bit different. Any way what Lew said about Antiquities or the 59's will get you pretty close. I am very happy with the configuration I mentioned above.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: 'buckers for Cream

I have a Custom Tele. It is a thinline Mahogony body with a Flame maple Cap. I have a Jazz in the neck, and a 59 in the bridge. Both are tapped using push pull pots. The sound is comparable to a 335. When you speak of Cream are you speaking of the Studio ALA Disrali Gears or the Live stuff ALA Wheels of Fire? The difference is quite extensive. As Lew stated the studio stuff was recorded with a 61 LP SG. The Live stuff on Wheels of Fire was recorded with a 335 ( I think a 65). The picups were quite a bit different. Any way what Lew said about Antiquities or the 59's will get you pretty close. I am very happy with the configuration I mentioned above.

Thanks Bludave. Clapton's tones with Cream are my favorite humbucker tones. Personally, I prefer the 59B or 59TB to get the Clapton tones I like best: those he got when I saw him playing his SG at the Grande Ballroom in Detroit in 1967. Lew

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: 'buckers for Cream

I agree. The'59's will do it. For a bit more output, but staying within the Clapton/Sg range, try the C-5. I have one in my '61 Reissue and it gets that tone pretty well. For early Clapton, go with Antiquities (maybe even an Antiq with alnico-5 mags).

Jeff

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: 'buckers for Cream

Off topic but cool:

Put on the CD with Sleepy Time Time on it and pan hard left or right until you get only the guitar...no bass, drums or vocals. Astonishing tone and style! Lew

 

[3 cent hero]

Re: 'buckers for Cream

When you speak of Cream are you speaking of the Studio ALA Disrali Gears or the Live stuff ALA Wheels of Fire?

Disraeli Gears is the exact album I'm talking about.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: 'buckers for Cream

Disraeli Gears is the exact album I'm talking about.

That's the SG. At least that's the guitar he's pictured with during that time and that's the guitar he played the night I saw him in '67 or maybe '68 performing all those songs off of Disraeli Gears. They started off the set with Tales of Brave Ullysses and Clapton sounded so good...great wah wah work, I thought. I hadn't heard the album yet...I don't think it'd been released yet. I saw Cream one more time after that and Clapton was playing a Firebird I with one mini-humbucker...no neck pickup. Sounded just as good! Lew

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: 'buckers for Cream

Off topic but cool:

Put on the CD with Sleepy Time Time on it and pan hard left or right until you get only the guitar...no bass, drums or vocals. Astonishing tone and style! Lew

Lew,

You're absolutely right. I've been listenting to it that way for years. That's one killer vibrato!

Jeff

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: 'buckers for Cream

Disraeli Gears is the exact album I'm talking about.

Lew's right. That album was done with the SG primarily, but I think he used the LP Custom on some of it. I'm pretty sure he used the LP Custom on the "Lawdy Mama" cut that's on the Live Cream CD, but was cut during the Disreali Gears sessions.