Full-size HB to go with a Lil '59 Tele?

[Tony_H]

Hi all!

I'm looking for a full-sized neck humbucker that sounds good when split, is clear and warm and not too hot. And one that will work well with the Little '59 Tele bridge pup.

The guitar is an alder (hopefully) body, maple neck, maple fretboard Tele-style.

I have this Tele-style guitar that I want to wire in the Big Apple Strat fashion. The Big Apple uses a five-way multipole switch that lets me use these selections, neck to bridge: neck HB in series; neck front coil; both HBs, each in series; inner two coils of both pups; bridge HB in series. It's a pretty versatile, tried-and-true setup for me (I have a Strat-style wired this way and it rocks).

Now I'm using the same wiring on the Tele-style with a Lil '59 Tele Lead pickup in the bridge slot. What do you think would be a good match for the Lil 59? I'm looking for a full-sized humbucker. Currently the guitar is fitted with a local brand rail-style bridge pup (too distorted, hopefully the Lil '59 will be cleaner) and a Gibby 496R in the neck. I actually like the Gibby but want to use it in an other guitar, so the neck pup should be similar to it. I like its articulartion.

I'm looking for clarity and warmth, and output a tad stronger than "vintage". My first idea is the Jazz - can you comment on this and/or suggest anything else?

Thanks
Tony

 

[Tony_H]

Re: Full-size HB to go with a Lil '59 Tele?

Bump

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Full-size HB to go with a Lil '59 Tele?

Stronger than Vintage output would discount the Jazz, as it's a bit lower than vintage. For what you describe, I would go with a Pearly Gates bridge unit. It'll be wound to around 8k, but with it's alnico II magnet and unbalanced coils, it will have plenty of bit and clarity. :burnout:

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Full-size HB to go with a Lil '59 Tele?

I can't think of many humbuckers (other than the Distortion Neck model) that Duncan makes that are hotter than vintage and truthfully, I think such a humbucker would be so much louder than your bridge Little 59 that you wouldn't be happy with it.

I'd recommend a Jazz neck, 59 neck, Pearly Gates neck or Alnico 2 Pro neck.

Probably the 59 neck would have the most satisfying single coil tones when split. You'd need a 4 conductor version...the standard 59N model is not splittable.

 

[Tony_H]

Re: Full-size HB to go with a Lil '59 Tele?

Thanks for the suggestions. I was thinking the Jazz, maybe the 4-conductor 59 but that's about it. I have both a PG and A2Pro that I can try out, but I have tried them split and I'm not crazy about their split sounds.

Thanks anyway!
Tony

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Full-size HB to go with a Lil '59 Tele?

Thanks for the suggestions. I was thinking the Jazz, maybe the 4-conductor 59 but that's about it. I have both a PG and A2Pro that I can try out, but I have tried them split and I'm not crazy about their split sounds.

Thanks anyway!
Tony

Go for the Jazz if you were thinking along those lines anyway. It has a little less bass and more shimmer and sparkle to the highs than the 59N. And it comes stock with 4 conductor cable. It splits beautifully and gets a great single coil tone, IMO.

 

[Tony_H]

Re: Full-size HB to go with a Lil '59 Tele?

Go for the Jazz if you were thinking along those lines anyway. It has a little less bass and more shimmer and sparkle to the highs than the 59N. And it comes stock with 4 conductor cable. It splits beautifully and gets a great single coil tone, IMO.

Yes, that's what I'll do. Maybe I'll get a covered one just for kicks BTW as much as I like the Gibby 496R, it doesn't sound exactly sweet when split either. If the stud coil is active, it's too harsh; if the screw coil is active, it sounds very hollow.

Thanks. And you have a PM.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Full-size HB to go with a Lil '59 Tele?

Have you tried the hot coil on the PG? That's the way I have them set up in my LP.

 

[Tony_H]

Re: Full-size HB to go with a Lil '59 Tele?

Hi all,
I'm reviving this old post because my Jazz Neck w/ Nickel Cover just arrived today. I put it in the guitar and it definitely is better than the Pearly Gates in this specific guitar. It sounds fuller and balances better with the bridge pup. I didn't bother taking the cover off, flipping the magnet and so on - I just wired it the easiest possible way. So now the 5-way selector works as this (1 to 5 = neck to bridge):

1 - neck pup, full humbucker mode
2 - stud coil of neck pup
3 - both pups, full humbucker mode each
4 - screw coil of neck pup + 'neck' coil of bridge pup, hum-cancelling, in phase
5 - bridge pup, full HB mode.

The split tones are still dramatically thinner than the full-on HB tones, but I like the contrasts. And the covered neck humbucker really looks like a Fat Tele should! I'll try to take and post some pictures tomorrow - it's too dark now.

Cheers
Tony