Difference between '59 reissue and regular '59 ?

[JB6464]

Re: Difference between '59 reissue and regular '59 ?

I wonder how different an Antiquity 59 would be from a regular Antiquity? Not so much construction, but tone.

Well for starters there would be a big difference in an A2 verses an A5 degaussed magnet .
Then i'm sure the wind is different as well , so I bet it would offer a nice alternative to the Ant line .

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Difference between '59 reissue and regular '59 ?

I'm wondering if I should get one since the 59 is my favorite jazz pup. I'd probably end up liking it cuz I do like that aged sweetness. Just wondering if it's as fat or thinner than the new ones or if the difference would be worth it.

Just buy a set of new 59's and two roughcast A5 magnets. Might as well get two roughcast A2 magnets too.

I get mine from Addiction FX.

Magnet swapping is easy - especially on pickups that are not wax potted.

The 59 set is a great set for experimenting with magnets and finding out what YOU like.

It's well worth the effort.

 

[JB6464]

Re: Difference between '59 reissue and regular '59 ?

Just buy a set of new 59's and two roughcast A5 magnets. Might as well get two roughcast A2 magnets too.

I get mine from Addiction FX.

Magnet swapping is easy - especially on pickups that are not wax potted.

The 59 set is a great set for experimenting with magnets and finding out what YOU like.

It's well worth the effort.

That would be a good idea for the tone of the older production 59 model but wouldn't be close for a Ant 59 .
Unpotted is the way to go with a neck pickup , it opens up the pickup tone like the Unpotted Ant's do .

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Difference between '59 reissue and regular '59 ?

That would be a good idea for the tone of the older production 59 model but wouldn't be close for a Ant 59 .
Unpotted is the way to go with a neck pickup , it opens up the pickup tone like the Unpotted Ant's do .

You know what? I've put RCA5 magnets in Antiquitys and RCA5 magnets in new 59's.

It's surprising how similar the 59 sounds to the Antiquity when they have the same magnet.

And that's from actual experience. Not from reading something and accepting it as gospel.

Oh...the magnets in Antiquitys ARE ROUGHCAST.

I've read here on this forum that they are not.

But they are.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Difference between '59 reissue and regular '59 ?

Here's a photo of the magnet I just removed from a Seymour signed Antiquity Neck humbucker. I removed it to install a RCA3 magnet. As you can see, it's roughcast. BTW, it's sitting on the body of my '54 Esquire.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Difference between '59 reissue and regular '59 ?

not all antiquitys have rc magnets. i have two sets that have polished magnets from the factory. is there a signature on the magnet?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Difference between '59 reissue and regular '59 ?

not all antiquitys have rc magnets. i have two sets that have polished magnets from the factory. is there a signature on the magnet?

Every one I've taken apart has been roughcast.

This one has "MJ" written on it.

 

[JB6464]

Re: Difference between '59 reissue and regular '59 ?

You know what? I've put RCA5 magnets in Antiquitys and RCA5 magnets in new 59's.

It's surprising how similar the 59 sounds to the Antiquity when they have the same magnet.

And that's from actual experience. Not from reading something and accepting it as gospel.

Oh...the magnets in Antiquitys ARE ROUGHCAST.

I've read here on this forum that they are not.

But they are.

I once took my degaussed roughcast A5 out of my ANT and put it in a regular production Unpotted 59 and it did sound very close ., the big difference I noticed was it still ddi'nt have that openness to it like an ANT pickup has .
So there must be some other special mojo going on when they build the ANT pickups verses the production models .

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Difference between '59 reissue and regular '59 ?

I once took my degaussed roughcast A5 out of my ANT and put it in a regular production Unpotted 59 and it did sound very close ., the big difference I noticed was it still ddi'nt have that openness to it like an ANT pickup has .
So there must be some other special mojo going on when they build the ANT pickups verses the production models .

For even more "openness" try a RCA3 in the neck position. Leave RCA2 in the bridge Antiquity.

Maybe Duncan already offers that set...but if they don't they should!

Sounds killer in a set of 59's too.

BTW, did you mean "RCA5"? It's more typical for a degaussed RCA2 to be used in the Antiquity humbuckers.

 

[JB6464]

Re: Difference between '59 reissue and regular '59 ?

For even more "openness" try a RCA3 in the neck position. Leave RCA2 in the bridge Antiquity.

Maybe Duncan already offers that set...but if they don't they should!

Sounds killer in a set of 59's too.

BTW, did you mean "RCA5"? It's more typical for a degaussed RCA2 to be used in the Antiquity humbuckers.

Ooops , I should of said my degaussed RCA5 from an ANT / JB and put it in my unpotted 59 .
I was looking for the Ant sound with an A5 instead of the normal A2's they use .
I tell ya what though , it still sounded badass and much better than the production polished A5 magnet .
That's why I'm on the fence of having SD making me a set of Antiquity 59's , it's a much better sounding 59 by a mile .
And again , I say SD should just make a Antiquity 59 set , they will sell like hotcakes .

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Difference between '59 reissue and regular '59 ?

My Ant mag. Smooth and beat up. Seymour signature.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Difference between '59 reissue and regular '59 ?

Just buy a set of new 59's and two roughcast A5 magnets. Might as well get two roughcast A2 magnets too.

I get mine from Addiction FX.

Magnet swapping is easy - especially on pickups that are not wax potted.

The 59 set is a great set for experimenting with magnets and finding out what YOU like.

It's well worth the effort.

My 59 I have in use right now is a production 59n with a brass baseplate and A2 spacers. I'm focusing on jazz right now and I'm going to be experimenting more with 59s, either in the neck or the middle. I have a 59b and an 80s 59b incoming. The next magnets I'm going to try is I'm gonna bond an A2 and A3 and remagnetize them to make a double thick magnet and also an A2 and A5. I prefer smooth mags. I tried RC and I guess I don't care for them. Also interesting that your Ants came with RC mags while mine didn't.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Difference between '59 reissue and regular '59 ?

My 59 I have in use right now is a production 59n with a brass baseplate and A2 spacers. I'm focusing on jazz right now and I'm going to be experimenting more with 59s, either in the neck or the middle. I have a 59b and an 80s 59b incoming. The next magnets I'm going to try is I'm gonna bond an A2 and A3 and remagnetize them to make a double thick magnet and also an A2 and A5. I prefer smooth mags. I tried RC and I guess I don't care for them. Also interesting that your Ants came with RC mags while mine didn't.

I've opened up three Antiquity humbuckers and removed the magnets. All three had roughcast magnets like the one in the photo I posted. And they were all initialed by MJ, so they were original.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Difference between '59 reissue and regular '59 ?

Yeah I don't doubt you. I shouldn't have presumed that you hadn't checked back when the disagreement first happened. Duncan obviously has some variation in their production. Like how you'll get different color bobbins under the covers.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Difference between '59 reissue and regular '59 ?

There are a few new Antiquites available. Read about them here.

 

[gsammo79]

Re: Difference between '59 reissue and regular '59 ?

My 59 I have in use right now is a production 59n with a brass baseplate and A2 spacers. I'm focusing on jazz right now and I'm going to be experimenting more with 59s, either in the neck or the middle. I have a 59b and an 80s 59b incoming. The next magnets I'm going to try is I'm gonna bond an A2 and A3 and remagnetize them to make a double thick magnet and also an A2 and A5. I prefer smooth mags. I tried RC and I guess I don't care for them. Also interesting that your Ants came with RC mags while mine didn't.

Do you hear any reduction in output swapping the '59s A5 for an A2 or A4 (or the other A5 variants)? I've got an mj wound, older, uncovered '59b that I'm wanting to tame the brightness of, without sacrificing the low end or output

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Difference between '59 reissue and regular '59 ?

Do you hear any reduction in output swapping the '59s A5 for an A2 or A4 (or the other A5 variants)? I've got an mj wound, older, uncovered '59b that I'm wanting to tame the brightness of, without sacrificing the low end or output

The roughcast A5 will help a lot with that.

RCA2 will help even more but the feel of the bass will change and become looser.

I like that in a bridge pickup but you may not.

Yes, when changing from A5 to A2, A3 or A4 there is a change in perceived output.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Difference between '59 reissue and regular '59 ?

Do you hear any reduction in output swapping the '59s A5 for an A2 or A4 (or the other A5 variants)? I've got an mj wound, older, uncovered '59b that I'm wanting to tame the brightness of, without sacrificing the low end or output

Yes, I do notice a drop in output from A5 to A2.

If you want to tame the brightness but maintain output, use A6.

My go to mag for vintage output bridge hums is double thick A2. Maintains all the vintageness but actually boosts output and fills it out. Really epic but more hassle to obtain and install.

 

[gsammo79]

Re: Difference between '59 reissue and regular '59 ?

Yes, I do notice a drop in output from A5 to A2.

If you want to tame the brightness but maintain output, use A6.

My go to mag for vintage output bridge hums is double thick A2. Maintains all the vintageness but actually boosts output and fills it out. Really epic but more hassle to obtain and install.

Appreciate the response, Lew & Clint.

What are the dimensions on double thick A2s? Is there a place you've had much luck finding them?

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Difference between '59 reissue and regular '59 ?

You're welcome. Here's the page. The dims are on there. You'll need a pack of spacers as well from ebay or what have you.

https://www.cermagmagnets.co.uk/alnico-bars-for-hb-double-width---62mm-x-65mm-x-125mm-39-p.asp