Help My Memory About 59N Magnets?

[STRATDELUXER97]

My 59N has the original A5 magnet in place....If I changed the A5 to A2 or A3,would it get rid of the woofiness in the lows,or would it make things worse?

I'm also wanting to swap to A2 for my 59B pickup...Or I'll stick my PG+ at the bridge with an A2 magnet...Either way,I seem to keep coming back to A2 bridge pickups because of the warmth or smoothness of tone..

This 59N bassy problem is a real pain,but I don't feel like shelling out money for another pickup,plus I have several pickups here at home...I even have a brand new Dimarzio Bridge Fred pickup I could stick in the neck but it's a 9 to 10k version and I know that's going the wrong way?

 

[Tony_H]

Re: Help My Memory About 59N Magnets?

My 59N has the original A5 magnet in place....If I changed the A5 to A2 or A3,would it get rid of the woofiness in the lows,or would it make things worse?

I'm also wanting to swap to A2 for my 59B pickup...Or I'll stick my PG+ at the bridge with an A2 magnet...Either way,I seem to keep coming back to A2 bridge pickups because of the warmth or smoothness of tone..

This 59N bassy problem is a real pain,but I don't feel like shelling out money for another pickup,plus I have several pickups here at home...I even have a brand new Dimarzio Bridge Fred pickup I could stick in the neck?

To my ears, the A2 magnet in a 59 really takes away some of the boomy bass. I have a 59 with an A2 magnet and I tried it with a JB, and didn't like it because the 59 suddenly didn't have body enough to match the JB. It was bright all right but, in a way, you need some bass in the neck pup because it's the nature of the beast (or nature of that pup position).
So yes, I think if you put an A2 mag in your 59, you'll carve away some of that phat bottom.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Help My Memory About 59N Magnets?

To my ears, the A2 magnet in a 59 really takes away some of the boomy bass. I have a 59 with an A2 magnet and I tried it with a JB, and didn't like it because the 59 suddenly didn't have body enough to match the JB. It was bright all right but, in a way, you need some bass in the neck pup because it's the nature of the beast (or nature of that pup position).
So yes, I think if you put an A2 mag in your 59, you'll carve away some of that phat bottom.

Hi Tony and thanks for posting so quick!
I'm really just trying to keep from having to buy another pickup,as I just bought a set of Vintage 30s...:smack:
I have A2,A3,A4,and A5(Small supply though) magnets,but I thought I'd try either an A2 or an A3 in the neck....Doc Barlo says he likes A3s in the neck and I always listen to what the Doc tells me!...Then I'd like to swap the 59Bs magnet over to A2 hoping it'll cop the vibe of a Seth bridge pickup,but potted? Listening to the sound clips,I Like the extra tone in the mids and low mids I hear with the Seth bridge compared to the 59...So we'll experiment and see what happens?

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Help My Memory About 59N Magnets?

Thanks Bro.

By all means try that 59n of yours with an a3 magnet. A4s are also quite different from a5s. They are like aged a5s in some way, don't have that extra push that a5 has in the bass and highs.

I'd say first try your 59n with an a3. I think you'd like it. It would not have that extra strong bass of an a5 59n. The bass would be more spongy but not as much as you'd hear with an a2 59n. But you might lose some clarity, be prepared for it. If the loss of clarity turns out to be a problem in your case, then go for an a4 in your 59n. That should be closer to an a5 59n, but with softer bass (but not that much) and highs. But the overall character I would say would be closer to an a5 but weaker in the points that a5 stands out. I mean it would have a similar eq separation, but the bass would not be as into-your-face as a5, the highs wouldn't be as cutting as a5. A3 would be quite similar to an a2 59n which I think lacks clarity due to strong lowermids of the a2 59n. I personally prefer either an a3 magnet or a dun-aged a2 magnet in a 59n.

The same goes for that PG+ bridge of yours. I expect you to like a2 or a3 PG+ in the bridge, and a3 59n. We'll see!

Let me know.

B

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Help My Memory About 59N Magnets?

Thanks Bro.

By all means try that 59n of yours with an a3 magnet. A4s are also quite different from a5s. They are like aged a5s in some way, don't have that extra push that a5 has in the bass and highs.

I'd say first try your 59n with an a3. I think you'd like it. It would not have that extra strong bass of an a5 59n. The bass would be more spongy but not as much as you'd hear with an a2 59n. But you might lose some clarity, be prepared for it. If the loss of clarity turns out to be a problem in your case, then go for an a4 in your 59n. That should be closer to an a5 59n, but with softer bass (but not that much) and highs. But the overall character I would say would be closer to an a5 but weaker in the points that a5 stands out. I mean it would have a similar eq separation, but the bass would not be as into-your-face as a5, the highs wouldn't be as cutting as a5. A3 would be quite similar to an a2 59n which I think lacks clarity due to strong lowermids of the a2 59n. I personally prefer either an a3 magnet or a dun-aged a2 magnet in a 59n.

The same goes for that PG+ bridge of yours. I expect you to like a2 or a3 PG+ in the bridge, and a3 59n. We'll see!

Let me know.

B

Thanks Doc....You know how much I appreciate your very informative posts! Sounds like the A4 is the way I need to go so we don't lose any clarity or lose some tightness up there at the neck...Lew sent me an A4 and I've been holding onto it...

Do you think the mids might bother me with the PG+ and the A2 or A3 magnet compared to the 59B? What I Loved,was the tone of the Seth bridge on the Duncan clips! The Seth sounds ballsier in the low mids and just a tad smoother in the highs...The crunch of the Seth seemed like it had more overall fullness to it...The 59b by comparison sounds a bit thinner and brighter,though I can't say I hear a tightness difference over my computer speakers between the 2....I thought it would be cool to try the A2 or A3 in the 59 before buying a Seth for $100.....Ya know Doc? I have magnets,so I should see what my ears tell me...Thanks again for the help."As always"it's great to hear from you...You're one of my favs on the forums(Still)...:beerchug:

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Help My Memory About 59N Magnets?

Thanks Bro. Coming from you it means a lot to me.

:beerchug:

I think PG's and 59's are different. 59s are more flat (eq wise). I wish I had more to offer on seths but I have sold the guitar (01R8) they were in like 2 years ago. I remember liking them quite a lot but not as much as mag modded antiquities .

As I was saying I think 59b's are flatter, and they don't have that uppermid push that PGb's have. Of course some find that uppermid push to be too much with an a5 magnet. Tastes! And I have to say that even with the same magnet I think they sound quite different. Depending on my perception of your preferences (i.e. how much highs you want and how spongy you want your bass and lowermids) I think you'd like an a2 magnet in your PG+. After all that is the pickup modelled after a very important PAF pickup that also Warren Hayes has used on many occasions.

In the neck an a2 59 would sound real good. It would not have that into-your-face kinda bass it has with a5 magnet, it would have more lowermids, less uppermids and smoother highs. But the problem could be (depending on the guitar) the lower mids being smooth and round could make the overall neck tone a little less defined than what you are accustomed to with a standard 59. It happened to me. Don't get me wrong, I am talking about finetuning kinda arrangements and I know you know what I mean. There changing the magnet to an a3 would have some effect. Sometimes it is noticable sometimes not that noticable. That depends on the wood. But generally, I found it to my liking and that a3 thing worked. What it does is to decrease the lowermids a bit, make them a little less round, bass becomes (sometimes not noticable at all) a little more defined, and uppermids a little more pronounced. I did not perceive much of a change in the highs. But the important change I think (due to the change in the lowermids) has been in the eq separation. It opens up a little.

After reading what I have written I felt that I have to say that I forgot one important thing. A3 59 (with screw pieces adjusted quite low) would sound like an a2 59 with them screw pieces quite high! And if you were to use an a3 59 with quite high screwpieces VOILA! That's what I do!

A4 would not be that much different than a5. But I feel that it would be like an "aged" a5. The magnet for sure does not have anything to do with an aged a5 because the composition of aluminuum cobalt nickel and iron is different. But still in its effects I think you basically get all them a5 properties but less pronounced. Eq is almost the same, bass is again defined but not that upfront, the same for other eq fqs. I think the best use of them is for somebody who loves a5 PAF clones in the bridge, but happens to have a alive and bright LP. In my case it worked beautifully. On a LP of mine I have a set of antiquities (8.75K / 7.75K) with a4 in the bridge and a3 in the neck.

Good luck man.

Let me know of the results.

B

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Help My Memory About 59N Magnets?

I support the A4 in the neck, the dimarzio Paf had a boomy bass and the a4 cured it greatly, but i still has solid highs like a A5 - i love that. I like the overwound A5 Paf, which has for me right amount of beef and cut. My setup is now a 8.0k A4 in the neck and 9.0k A5 in bridge. I'm fine with that now. Maybe my 2nd guitar will have a more vintage setup in the future with a3 and a4 like dr. barlo has!

 

[gripweed]

Re: Help My Memory About 59N Magnets?

I agree with hamer and doc. I have a Fralin 7.5 in the neck of my "V", and as far as I'm concerned its the perfect neck pickup. It is a4. The bass is not woofy in the least, and the mids are *unreal*. Beautiful mids without being overbearing. It has clarity like the Jazz. I also think it makes a *great*match with my Seth. Obviously you aren't using a Fralin, so ymmv.

So try it. The worst that can happen is that you put the a5 back in the '59.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Help My Memory About 59N Magnets?

:
I have A2,A3,A4,and A5(Small supply though) magnets,but I thought I'd try either an A2 or an A3 in the neck....Doc Barlo says he likes A3s in the neck and I always listen to what the Doc tells me!...Then I'd like to swap the 59Bs magnet over to A2 hoping it'll cop the vibe of a Seth bridge pickup,but potted? Listening to the sound clips,I Like the extra tone in the mids and low mids I hear with the Seth bridge compared to the 59...So we'll experiment and see what happens?

Hey, you've got the magnets -- try 'em ALL. I'm with the Doc, though. Alnico 3 or 4 should do the trick for you.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Help My Memory About 59N Magnets?

I agree about the alnico 4 7.5K Fralin. I think it's the most articulate neck humbucker I've ever used, although I don't currently have it in any of my guitars...I'm using Seth Lovers and Pearly Gates neck humbuckers because they feel more familiar to me and have a certain warmth that I appreciate....even though the alnico 4 7.5K Fralin is more articulate and the bass response tighter. Alnico 2 neck HB's like the Seth seem clearer to me than alnico 5 59's or Jazz's mostly because the Seth Lover seems to have LESS BASS to get muddy in the first place, although it's still a fat sounding neck humbucker because it seems to have more mids.

I hear most alnico 2 HB's as having less bass, less treble and more mids than most alnico 5 HB's.

I hear the Fralin alnico 4 HB's as having more bass and more treble than alnico 2 and more mids than alncio 5 but as also having a tighter and more articulate tone than alnico 5. I also find alnico 3 and 4 lacking in a certain familiar "vintage" warmth compared to alnico 2 and alnico 5.

I do not really like the alnico 3 single coils I've tried (ultimately, to steely of a tone for me :smack: ) but I have not tried any alnico 3 HB's.

Lew

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Help My Memory About 59N Magnets?

Lew howdy.

I, too, hated them a3 strat pickups, particularly fralin's real 54s. Think that the tone from a3 magnet bars don't have much to do with the one from a3 magnet rods. Dunno why?

BTW there are a lot of people loving hamel's a3 tele pickups. Did not try them (my favorite is a JD and I do not see a reason to change it), but would appreciate if somebody could chime in here and give some details.

Best,

B