is the '59 a good all-round humbucker?

[Reee]

I just got a JB in my charvel strat, I don't like it at all, way too "choked" and too much mids, I'm thinking of trying a '59 instead, are they a versatile pickup? can they scream or be sweet when you want them to?

EDIT: i'm gonna pair the '59 bridge with a Hot Rails in the neck (i find the lil '59 neck lacks some output), can the hot rails still be sweet on the cleans?

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: is the '59 a good all-round humbucker?

First time I put a JB in a guitar I didn’t like it either. After a few weeks went by unliked it more and more. Still don’t love it though.

I have a Little 59 I a tele. I know it’s different from the full size bucker but it’s a great rock pickup imo.

 

[Reee]

Re: is the '59 a good all-round humbucker?

First time I put a JB in a guitar I didn’t like it either. After a few weeks went by unliked it more and more. Still don’t love it though.

I have a Little 59 I a tele. I know it’s different from the full size bucker but it’s a great rock pickup imo.

I don't think i'll ever bond with the JB and since i can still return it to the shop i'll just do that

 

[David Garner]

Re: is the '59 a good all-round humbucker?

I've never owned a 59 set, and I feel like I tell this story too much, but it's just too on the mark here.

I was at a gig at Buckhead Theater in Atlanta a while back. One of the bands on the bill had a guitar player who played a Tele and a 61 RI SG through a Twin Reverb with a Fulldrive 2. That was it. Side note: that started my quest to eliminate pedals and I too now gig with just a Fulldrive 2, after having sold mine years ago and going through the gamut of drive pedals. But that's not pertinent to your question.

Anyway, his tone was incredible. With both guitars. Just insanely perfect guitar tone. Great player, which didn't hurt. I asked him was was in the SG because he was nailing Allman Brothers tones with it.

He said "a pair of Duncan 59s."

I had expected him to say some boutique offering that cost half what the guitar did. No. A pair of 59s, a Fulldrive and a Twin Reverb were all this dude needed to get the tone of the gods. That and a ton of talent.

I still don't own a set. I prefer unpotted lower wind PAF style pickups. But if you can't do it with a pair of 59s, I'll suggest it probably doesn't need doing.

 

[Reee]

Re: is the '59 a good all-round humbucker?

I've never owned a 59 set, and I feel like I tell this story too much, but it's just too on the mark here.

I was at a gig at Buckhead Theater in Atlanta a while back. One of the bands on the bill had a guitar player who played a Tele and a 61 RI SG through a Twin Reverb with a Fulldrive 2. That was it. Side note: that started my quest to eliminate pedals and I too now gig with just a Fulldrive 2, after having sold mine years ago and going through the gamut of drive pedals. But that's not pertinent to your question.

Anyway, his tone was incredible. With both guitars. Just insanely perfect guitar tone. Great player, which didn't hurt. I asked him was was in the SG because he was nailing Allman Brothers tones with it.

He said "a pair of Duncan 59s."

I had expected him to say some boutique offering that cost half what the guitar did. No. A pair of 59s, a Fulldrive and a Twin Reverb were all this dude needed to get the tone of the gods. That and a ton of talent.

I still don't own a set. I prefer unpotted lower wind PAF style pickups. But if you can't do it with a pair of 59s, I'll suggest it probably doesn't need doing.

great story

do you know wether the hot rails (neck) would be a good match for a '59 (bridge)?

 

[David Garner]

Re: is the '59 a good all-round humbucker?

great story

do you know wether the hot rails (neck) would be a good match for a '59 (bridge)?

I don't see why not. It's a hair hotter than the 59, and it has a ceramic magnet, so you might consider the cool rails (also ceramic, less hot) or even a little 59 neck (ditto, even less hot). But I imagine it would work fine.

 

[Reee]

Re: is the '59 a good all-round humbucker?

I don't see why not. It's a hair hotter than the 59, and it has a ceramic magnet, so you might consider the cool rails (also ceramic, less hot) or even a little 59 neck (ditto, even less hot). But I imagine it would work fine.

I had a lil'59 neck once but i found it lacked output, if the hot rails is just a bit hotter i guess that would be perfect

 

[dystrust]

Re: is the '59 a good all-round humbucker?

I just got a JB in my charvel strat, I don't like it at all, way too "choked" and too much mids, I'm thinking of trying a '59 instead, are they a versatile pickup? can they scream or be sweet when you want them to?

EDIT: i'm gonna pair the '59 bridge with a Hot Rails in the neck (i find the lil '59 neck lacks some output), can the hot rails still be sweet on the cleans?

I would expect the Hot Rails to have significantly more output than the '59, though you may be able to compensate by setting the HR lower. If you opt for a '59B, I would recommend changing the volume pot to 250K; I tried a '59B in my Charvel Model 4 with a 500K volume and it was painfully bright and thin.

If your problem with the JB is its upper-mid spike rather than mids in general, I can offer a few suggestions. A Custom (SH-5) is similar in output to the JB, but no upper-mid spike and a generally fatter tone overall. I used one in the Model 4 for years before I decided that it was a little too fat. I'm using a Custom Custom (SH-11) in there now and it's the perfect balance IMO. While not as hot as the JB or Custom, it has plenty of output and is just full enough with a really sweet, smooth high end. If you want something in the lower end of the output range, a '78 is amazing in a Strat.

 

[BluesIsBlood12]

Re: is the '59 a good all-round humbucker?

59s are very versatile, and it helps that they take magnet swaps very well.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: is the '59 a good all-round humbucker?

The Perpetual Burn can also help. It was designed to be a JB without the nasally midspike.

 

[ErikH]

Re: is the '59 a good all-round humbucker?

The Perpetual Burn can also help. It was designed to be a JB without the nasally midspike.

And lower output. The PB still has plenty of oomph but man, what a fun pickup. I have it in a Strat as the only pickup on a push/push pot to split. I get everything I need out of it. I used to like the JB but that was long ago. So many other options trump it for me.

And to answer the question, if you can't do it with a '59, your probably doing it wrong.

For the neck, a Hot Rails neck might be a tick hot but lowering it from the strings can help OR, try it wired in parallel. The Hot Rails sound really good that way. Or maybe even a 'Lil Screamin' Demon. That one sounds crazy close to it's big brother (speaking from experience) and would match up pretty well with the 59B.

 

[CaptainWhizz]

Re: is the '59 a good all-round humbucker?

What about a WLH bridge pickup?

 

[Reee]

Re: is the '59 a good all-round humbucker?

I would expect the Hot Rails to have significantly more output than the '59, though you may be able to compensate by setting the HR lower. If you opt for a '59B, I would recommend changing the volume pot to 250K; I tried a '59B in my Charvel Model 4 with a 500K volume and it was painfully bright and thin.

If your problem with the JB is its upper-mid spike rather than mids in general, I can offer a few suggestions. A Custom (SH-5) is similar in output to the JB, but no upper-mid spike and a generally fatter tone overall. I used one in the Model 4 for years before I decided that it was a little too fat. I'm using a Custom Custom (SH-11) in there now and it's the perfect balance IMO. While not as hot as the JB or Custom, it has plenty of output and is just full enough with a really sweet, smooth high end. If you want something in the lower end of the output range, a '78 is amazing in a Strat.

What about a WLH bridge pickup?

Too late, already ordered a '59B!!!

the perpetual burn sounds great on youtube but i'm worried it might be a one trick pony, one of my problems with the JB was also it's output and lack of dynamics

 

[ErikH]

Re: is the '59 a good all-round humbucker?

Too late, already ordered a '59B!!!

the perpetual burn sounds great on youtube but i'm worried it might be a one trick pony, one of my problems with the JB was also it's output and lack of dynamics

The PB is not a one trick pony. The output is lower than the JB. I play in a cover band and we play anything from Bruno Mars to Gary Moore to Evanescence to Alice in Chains. And a lot on between and/similar. With having it wired to the push/pull volume to split and simply working the volume control, it blows my mind that I can do with it. My amp setting is a JCM800 type tone with moderate breakup, a good crunchy rhythm sound, that I kick over the edge with a Boss OD-3. With the OD-3 off, split and rolling the volume back a notch or two, it's really nice. Even with it the only pickup in the guitar, the Sweet Home Alabama intro sounds pretty dang good (we don't do that one but I sometimes have to with that tone to make sure I'm not hearing things). If you feel the 59B is lacking after you get it, try the PB.

 

[Reee]

Re: is the '59 a good all-round humbucker?

The PB is not a one trick pony. The output is lower than the JB. I play in a cover band and we play anything from Bruno Mars to Gary Moore to Evanescence to Alice in Chains. And a lot on between and/similar. With having it wired to the push/pull volume to split and simply working the volume control, it blows my mind that I can do with it. My amp setting is a JCM800 type tone with moderate breakup, a good crunchy rhythm sound, that I kick over the edge with a Boss OD-3. With the OD-3 off, split and rolling the volume back a notch or two, it's really nice. Even with it the only pickup in the guitar, the Sweet Home Alabama intro sounds pretty dang good (we don't do that one but I sometimes have to with that tone to make sure I'm not hearing things). If you feel the 59B is lacking after you get it, try the PB.

thx for the tip! it's just that what i've heard from the PB pickup is that it always has that signature Jason Becker tone to it, which is great but not really my thing

 

[ErikH]

Re: is the '59 a good all-round humbucker?

thx for the tip! it's just that what i've heard from the PB pickup is that it always has that signature Jason Becker tone to it, which is great but not really my thing

Understandable. I assure you, I sound nothing like Jason Becker...LOL. All the demos I saw for it where of screaming overdrive and not much else. It took me actually using it to fully grasp what it can do, or really what it can allow me to do. It's silly good in low gain situations which I like a lot. Articulation, nice low end, plenty of mids, detailed highs. Yup. It's a winner.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: is the '59 a good all-round humbucker?

I generally prefer A2 P.A.F. variants, myself, but I can't deny that the '59 is a great do-it-all P.A.F. style pickup. It is on the hotter end of the P.A.F. spectrum, but not "hot hot." It can get too compressed and lose dynamics in amps that don't have a lot of headroom, but if you are plying things in the 30+ watt range, it's great.

 

[devastone]

Re: is the '59 a good all-round humbucker?

I would go with a Cool Rails in the neck, especially if you don't like a lot of mids, the HR has a ton. The CR will be lower output which will match with the 59 better and it is more tonally balanced for the neck.

My <$0.02 anyway

 

[Reee]

Re: is the '59 a good all-round humbucker?

I would go with a Cool Rails in the neck, especially if you don't like a lot of mids, the HR has a ton. The CR will be lower output which will match with the 59 better and it is more tonally balanced for the neck.

My <$0.02 anyway

according to the SD graphs the cool rails has the same EQ as the hot rails tho :/ it even has a bit more mids according to the website, and less output than the lil59 (which i find is already too low in output)

 

[dystrust]

Re: is the '59 a good all-round humbucker?

according to the SD graphs the cool rails has the same EQ as the hot rails tho :/ it even has a bit more mids according to the website, and less output than the lil59 (which i find is already too low in output)

Devastone has it right; I'd take any of the graphics on the site with a rather large grain of salt. I actually have a Cool Rails in the neck position of my Model 4 and it worked quite well with the 59B.