Gibson Wildwood Spec 59 Tribute Pickups - SD equivalent?

[nleavitt]

I recently played a Wildwood Select Gibson LP Standard with the WW Spec 59 Tribute pickups. I must say these pickups are among the best I've heard. They only come with the expensive WW Spec Gibsons and are not sold separately by Wildwood or Gibson. You might find them on the used market but they are very rare and very expensive. I was looking at the specs (below) trying to see what pickup out there might be very similar spec'd and voiced. I was thinking SD Seth Lovers are probably close, or maybe SD 59's. SD would be my go to first but would consider others that may be similar, like maybe the Bare Knuckle Mule?

From Wildwood on the Gibson WW spec 59: "These have alnico II magnets and are a tad underwound for more of a vintage style tone. The wire is standard 42 gauge, instead of the slug coil being hotter than the screw coil, the 59's screw coil is hotter than the slug coil. They are around 7.34 ohms. They are slightly potted like most Gibson vintage spec pickups."

Any thoughts or experience with trying to match the WW spec'd pickups?

Thanks!

 

[Mincer]

While no production SD pickups are exactly like that, you could specify a Custom Shop pickup to be made that way and it is bound to be cheaper. That being said, the neck Seth Lover is probably the closest from the SD line, which is one seriously wonderful PAF-type.

 

[beaubrummels]

If it were me, with Duncan I'd try the Eric Steckel Candy Set, or order that set with A2 mags if you think you need that to get closer, but I wouldn't worry about the mag as much as the resulting sound. Several A3 sets out there have the chime and lower output of low wind A2 PAFs, like MJ's Magicbucker and Gibson's Custombucker. But the mismatched coils is important - you'd have to do a custom order anyway to get that. I thought the Gibson '61-Bucker had the hotter screw coil? I don't recall what magnets were in it, but reviews weren't as complimentary as I would have expected.

The cheap route would be putting A2s in a 59 set, but those aren't the lowest wind. That was the original Jeff Beck Les Paul recipe.

A Pearly Gates set might work as-is, or order a Custom Shop version from MJ, which from several reports is even better than stock.

Seths have a prominent mid-honk that comes out with certain amps, gain levels and settings. They are great pickups, but might not be equivalent to WW spec.

 

[jeremy]

you could go seth lover neck or 59n (these take mag swaps really well) but those are symmetrically wound, as per seths design. if you want mismatched coils, then the custom shop can get you want you want. im sure the gibson pups are nice, but being in a $3k+ guitar doesnt hurt either

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Those sound like neck '61 Burstbuckers with the magnets swapped to A2.

 

[Aceman]

I'd say give a 59 set with A2's a try and just lower them in the rings a touch.

But I agree with Mincer. Sounds kinda like (but not exactly) Seth's