HOW TO: Make a 59/Custom Hybrid

Re: HOW TO: Make a 59/Custom Hybrid

The Stag Mag only has one model but it is one that can be used either in the bridge or neck? http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/humbucker/progressive/sh3_stag_mag/ It would be much more convenient if they had a separate neck and bridge model.

So you suggest only combining a bridge pickup with a bridge pickup or a neck pickup with a neck pickup? I was under the impression--and probably erroneously so--that the difference between a neck and bridge pickup is that the neck is wound less hot so the output balances. That a lot of the tonal differences comes from the position where the pickups are mounted.

If there is a significant difference between neck and bridge pickups, I guess this is why people make extra and sell them. Don't want to let the leftover parts go to waste.

Any ideas for a good ceramic alnico II hybrid? I like both the Duncan Custom and the Custom Custom.
 
Re: HOW TO: Make a 59/Custom Hybrid

You're right about the winding for neck pickups. The strings vibrate more so they make the neck pickups output less. However, changing the number of winds will inherently change the sound. If I understand correctly, this tends to make the neck pickups brighter, which is offset by the position of the pickup.

I took a 59 neck and put it in the bridge - eww. Harsh. An exception for me was the Invader neck, which sounded great in the bridge of my Epi LP Ultra II. It was a little clearer sounding than the bridge pickup and still had plenty of volume.

I have taken many bridge pickups and put them in the neck with great results. For instance, the Custom 5 is the best neck pickup for shredding I have ever used, and I went through almost all of SD's offerings (and many Dimarzios) in the past year. Turning the volume down makes it usable in different scenarios, but turning it up all the way gives an excellent compressed sound that begs for shredding. At least in my guitar it sounded like that.

For the JB/59:
I'd assume that the coils are too mismatched - - but you could do it.
Click to expand...
The Custom and JB are similar in winds/output, so are you referring to the tuning? Wouldn't that be good? Possibly an interesting combo - JB has that mid hump, while the 59 is scooped.

I just got a hold of the last pickup in a set I'm going to combine. TB-4/TB-59/TB-14 and SH-4(neck)/SH-1(neck)/SH-14.

I'm a little unsure about 2 things:

1. Combining the neck pickups with the SH-14, in terms of polarity/wiring. The SH-4 neck is a full-on JB (~16k) with the poles switched. I bought it used - I think they came stock in a Randy Rhoads V, but I don't recall exactly which.

2. What combo of the 3, since there are 2 ways to do the sets. TB-4 screw side with TB-59 slug side or TB-14 slug side? Etc.

Any advice would be very much appreciated.
 
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Re: HOW TO: Make a 59/Custom Hybrid

YellowJacket said:
Ok, this thread is really inspirational. I've had a few interesting ideas.

1) I have a Godin LG with an Alnico II Pro in the Neck and a Custom Custom in the bridge. My idea was to get a Stag Mag and replace one of the coils from each of the formerly mentioned pickups with the coils from the Stag Mag so that I can coil tap the Godin and get a proper single coil tone.

Which coils would have to be replaced? The top or bottom ones. I'm not sure how the coil tap wiring works although I suppose I should check that out.

2) If I do this mod, I will have two coils left over, one from an Alnico II Pro and one from a Custom Custom. I want to get another pickup and make hybrids for neck (combined with alnico II pro) and bridge (custom custom) for my Les Paul. (Standard Premium Plus)

Currently, I have Burstbucker Pros in it and my complaint is that the tone is uneven. Basically, the bass from the neck pickup greatly outbalances the lack of the bass from the bridge one. The guitar is really equipped to do everything from blues and jazz to very heavy uber gain saturated rock and the result is that the low to mid gain tones sound thin, brittle, and terrible with the bridge pickup. Contrarily, I'm looking for something that sounds much more even with a mid emphasized classic crunch. I want pickups that are better balanced so that I can choose more than one pickup for clean and gain tones.

For tone, I'm kind of torn. My absolute favourite Seymour Duncans have to be the Alnico II Pro and Custom Custom. The '59 is a close second. Still, I'm thinking combining the coils left over from the Godin mod with something more high output like an invader could be interesting. (I hear PRS combines Alnico II bars with ceramic ones for warmth and higher output) About the Gibson, it really is my main axe so I want it to haul but at the same time, it would be fun to take a risk and try something slightly unique. In my experience, pickups either work or they don't work with any given guitar so this could be the best thing ever or it could be terrible.

Thoughts on this?
Click to expand...

Hey there... unfortunately you can't combine a Stag Mag coil with a traditional humbucker as the stag mag's polepieces are magnets like a traditional single coil... they can't be used in conjunction with the bar magnet that is underneath the coils of a traditional humbuckrer.

BTW... the Stag Mag's coils are very similar to the JB & Distortion... I have always wanted to swap one of the Mag's coils with a Custom... a Custom/Stag Mag Hybrid!
 
Re: HOW TO: Make a 59/Custom Hybrid

^ orpheo claims to have done it successfully, although i wonder as to the effect on the bar magnet on the slug poles.

i believe it could be done by using a small spacer magnet on the outside of the screw/slug coil, so as to keep it away from the stag mag coil's poles; what you think?
 
Re: HOW TO: Make a 59/Custom Hybrid

I think magnetic fields extend far beyond small spacers... however, if you try it and achieve a magical tone... then you prevail!
I would have concern about the competing magnetic fields deteriorating each other over time...
That concern aside... this experiment would coincide with the entire hybrid concept... it may not make engineering sense on paper... but it works!
dr. ad said:
^ orpheo claims to have done it successfully, although i wonder as to the effect on the bar magnet on the slug poles.

i believe it could be done by using a small spacer magnet on the outside of the screw/slug coil, so as to keep it away from the stag mag coil's poles; what you think?
Click to expand...
 
Re: HOW TO: Make a 59/Custom Hybrid

I tried a 59/Custom Hybrid today and I can tell why so many people here like it, it sounds like a higher output '59. Although it sounds good it wasn't what I was after and liked the regular '59 better so I changed it back.
 
Re: HOW TO: Make a 59/Custom Hybrid

yes, I made a stagmag-hybrid. not really that difficult to make, ofcourse. you just need to tape of the base of the stagmag coil, for the magnets not to touch eachother.

and yes, it does give for me a magical tone :)

I can also highly, highly recommend a jb/jazz HYBRID, with an alnico8 bar in the neck and an anlico5 in the bridge. yes, they do match up when it comes to volume (but that might be due to the fact that I always put my super-high-output pickup rather low at the neck position, I like it that way, it gives you more air and more dynamics).

I'm going to build a stagmag-patb2 hybrid. the patb2 does have the same width (give or take a millimeter on each side. boy what a difference...). Cant wait to hear that pickup :D
 
Re: HOW TO: Make a 59/Custom Hybrid

^^ You didn't have any problems with the difference in gauge wires? I'm thinking about putting my superstrat back together and an A8 PG/DD sounds damn good on paper. :scratchch
 
Re: HOW TO: Make a 59/Custom Hybrid

^ bear in mind that other manufacturers who will remain nameless currently make humbuckers where the wire on each coil is more different than that; the number of turns remains the same for hum-cancellation but the wire used on each coil is more than 1 AWG apart in some cases.

i don't think the number of turns on those coils would be different enough to make it super-noisy either, and it's nothing a cover wouldn't fix; i think that's definitely worth trying, GT.

just an opinion.
 
Re: HOW TO: Make a 59/Custom Hybrid

dr. ad said:
i think that's definitely worth trying, GT.
Click to expand...

I also think it's worth trying. If the PG/DD doesn't happen, I might try a PGP/C8 hybrid with allen screws on the custom coil. I've read a post that said it helps get rid of the mud on the low E and you'll get "piano like bass". It should be awesome in the superstrat. :naughty:
 
Re: HOW TO: Make a 59/Custom Hybrid

BTR, will a alnico II Loaded hybrid be like a CC lite? I love the CC but am looking for more P.A.F. twang and sparkle? in other words the a CC without the compression and much lower output?.
 
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Re: HOW TO: Make a 59/Custom Hybrid

GoDrex said:
It's not going to have "much lower output."
Click to expand...
ok how does it clean up when u roll back the guitars vol knob? I dont expect it to clean up like a 59 but am lookin for that EVH "bottoms up" intro kind of tone and cleaness?
 
Re: HOW TO: Make a 59/Custom Hybrid

Ed Hunter said:
BTR, will a alnico II Loaded hybrid be like a CC lite? I love the CC but am looking for more P.A.F. twang and sparkle? in other words the a CC without the compression and much lower output?.
Click to expand...
That's exactly what it sounds like... but the output is very similar to the Brobucker... as well as the tone!
The Brobucker is the closest sounding pickup to the Hybrid, but it tends to sound a bit garbled... the highs are not as sweet... it is definitely at the limits of the "good tone" sweet spot for a 42ga wire...
 
Re: HOW TO: Make a 59/Custom Hybrid

BachToRock said:
That's exactly what it sounds like... but the output is very similar to the Brobucker... as well as the tone!
The Brobucker is the closest sounding pickup to the Hybrid, but it tends to sound a bit garbled... the highs are not as sweet... it is definitely at the limits of the "good tone" sweet spot for a 42ga wire...
Click to expand...
how much for a zebra hybrid with the 7k coil towards neck for a good split tone?
 
Re: HOW TO: Make a 59/Custom Hybrid

I tried half-airing my 498t in my Gibson Les Paul Custom and it has that unbalanced coil thing happening. One coil has less magnetic pull reducing the output and changing the tone. Although the coils are the same it gets in the ballpark.

Is this kinda the same as doing a hybrid?

Thx!
 
Re: HOW TO: Make a 59/Custom Hybrid

I just stole a "EVH/'78" set on ebay! Assuming these are legit, I'm going to do something that might be considered as Seymour Duncan blasphemy.

'78/Custom Hybrid :cool2:
 
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