Jumped the gun and ordered a 59 Custom/Hybrid

[jep1210]

I'm new here and could use some guidance or opinions, hell a sympathetic ear will suffice.

After an exhaustive back and forth (a harrowing 1/2 hour of my life :lmao between the Pearly Gates, JB and Duncan Custom, I decided to pull the trigger on a 59 Custom/Hybrid to replace the stock PUP on my 2013 Traditional LP. The stock Gibson 57 bridge just seems dull, and my fingers get fatigued when soloing more than with any of my other guitars (lack of sustain possibly?), compared specifically to my 1983 Ibanez Roadstar 1000 with stock Super 58s, so I figured a PUP swap in the LesPaul is called for. I read a lot of people poopoo (pardon my language :9 the Super 58s, but the Ibanez's tone is smooth and it plays effortlessly with them in. It's frustrating for me to try and explain what I'm looking for tone wise, so I hope this makes some sort of sense. I like a scooped mid sound for leads but as I've learned, that's not favorable in a band mix and boosting mids and highs loses something for me.

The stock neck PUP in the LesPaul seem too muddy also, so if the 59 C/H works I may give a 59 neck a shot. I went with the 59 C/H due to the mid boost to help with cutting through the mix issue I'm also having. Kind of wondering if the Custom Custom would have been a better choice for that. Oh well :dunno: what's done is done.

Of course after placing the order for the 59 C/H, I see posts touting the benefits of switching to 500k pots :34: :fingersx:

Thanks for indulging my ramblings.
John

 

[VinceT]

Re: Jumped the gun and ordered a 59 Custom/Hybrid

I love the 59/C but have it in a T-type rather than LP. It's a GREAT pickup - play it for a while and let us know what you think.


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[SJ318]

Re: Jumped the gun and ordered a 59 Custom/Hybrid

jep1210,
YOU MADE THE BEST CHOICE, in my humble opinion. I went back and forth, I hated the higher range p'up's like the exrtemely high wound JB. Many love it. I can see why when I had one, for solos it really cuts, but it will never ever get a clean sound, no group of scientists could fix this, so:
The 59/Hybrid claimed to do both things. I went for a week before deciding. I needed a strong p'up on stage but could clean up for my 3-4 minutes of blues glory I get on stage. It came down to Mincer and I going back and forth on a thread I think I started.
So, I was convinced it had a really good chance of working. I called for a custom made one as I wanted double white bobbins for my all white Strat. I can't check em out in person as I am disabled and not allowed to drive. When I took it to rehearsal the day I got it and just soldered it in, I was so happy, glad, I think I sent an I Love You box of heart shaped chocolates to Mincer.
It roared out of the gate, ( I do use 500K pots) and when turned down it sounded like BB KING! When I use it with only the mid position Duncan TwangBanger, it sounds like Hendrix Heaven toghether, so does my other one with a regular Fender '69 middle pickup. The Hybrid goes really well with any single coil type pick up.
Secret that only I seem to like. I wanted to lower the volume on my lower strings as they are massive in comparison with my top strings. But if I lowered the poles, the stronger wound coil, nearest the neck, with the slugs, would get more pole volume, farther away from the bridge. SO... I turned my open coil Hybrid so the slugs were closer to the bridge, (180 degrees- does not mess with phase) and the screws were closer to the neck. Then I lowered the poles and the stronger slugs picked up more high end and I could even out the volume from high to low while keeping the highs super strong and clean.
My low string poles are screwed pretty far down, giving me a tight and loud, brilliant low end. By the time you get to the high E string they are mostly adjusted level with the slugs. Both my Strats are like this, my other ones with Seth Lovers in them don't need this as both coils are the same strength. Again, I believe most folks think I nut's, maybe I am, but not on this.
Gotta go, very late in my time zone.
59/Custom Hybrid is the only one I take on stage as it is so versatile, by itself, and with pedals these days, you can go BB King to The loudest Death Metal sound you could dream up. I can use it at home or one of my Seth p'up's.
Congratulations,
Steve Buffington

 

[Perry go round]

Re: Jumped the gun and ordered a 59 Custom/Hybrid

I have one on an Epi LP and it sounds fantastic, paired with a WLHn. It sounded better than my 2013 Gibson with the 57+ and 57n. I then changed the pus in the Gbson for a set of WLHs that I get on a swapt. It sound awsome now as well. I am liking now the WLH even more than the 59/H but I think it is because the guitar they are in. They are very close, though.

Enviado desde mi HUAWEI SCL-L01 mediante Tapatalk

 

[Mincer]

Re: Jumped the gun and ordered a 59 Custom/Hybrid

You made the right choice. What you are describing (from what I can tell) is the Hybrid. I use mine with 500k pots, but pots are cheap, so it is worth experimenting to see what you like.

 

[jep1210]

Re: Jumped the gun and ordered a 59 Custom/Hybrid

Thanks guys, I'm really feeling good about my choice. Can't wait till it shows up....feels like forever since I ordered it, I have to keep reminding myself it's been 2 days. Hahahaha

 

[SJ318]

Re: Jumped the gun and ordered a 59 Custom/Hybrid

jep1210,
You have "GHIN" (or "Gotta Have It Now") syndrome, there is no cure, and it gets worse, regardless of how expensive or big the item is. You can try settling all you clocks and calendars back two days, but that is just a small bandage for huge cut.
But - better than no bandage.
Again, a great pickup.
Steve Buffington

 

[Mincer]

Re: Jumped the gun and ordered a 59 Custom/Hybrid

Let us know what it sounds like when it shows up and it is installed.

 

[jep1210]

Re: Jumped the gun and ordered a 59 Custom/Hybrid

Let us know what it sounds like when it shows up and it is installed.

Will do.

 

[jep1210]

Re: Jumped the gun and ordered a 59 Custom/Hybrid

So I popped the 59 C/H in the Les Paul on Saturday morning and played it at a gig Saturday night. I gotta say, I wasn't blown away. I think I need to spend more time with it. I played through my ME-70 which makes everything sound good, the real test is going to be putting through my pedal board. I'll give that a try at practice Wednesday.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Jumped the gun and ordered a 59 Custom/Hybrid

Let us know how it performs with your other rig. Also, Let us know what you are hearing and what you expected.

 

[jep1210]

Re: Jumped the gun and ordered a 59 Custom/Hybrid

Well since I'm not really sure how to verbalize it, the sound this Brazilian kid seen below gets is what I like in my sound. I like the chunky sound he gets from single notes right around the 0:42 mark and then again around the 1:29 mark and the various pinch harmonics (or maybe they're natural harmonics :scratchch). I'm close with the 59 C/H in the Les Paul, I could probably dial it in with amp/effects settings.

There's a couple of other pickups that piqued my interest, namely JB, Pearly Gates, Jason Becker Perpetual Burn and Full Shred but I'm sure I'll go broke with all these choices but it is fun to experiment.

In case I didn't mention it in my original post I' also considering a replacement Bridge for the RG470 I just got, so some of those choices above would also be for that. I have an Air Norton, from that other company, for it which I haven't installed yet mainly because I'm kind of liking the stock pickup in the RG now, Ibanez calls them "Quantum (Passive/Ceramic)". It's got a nice mid honk that seems to cut through nicely but everyone on the interwebs say the stock ones are garbage. So I HAVE to change them, lest I be ridiculed un-mercilessly right? :lmao: