Let's Talk About Hybrid Pickups

[LazNovak]

Hey guys. I'm very interested in knowing more about hybrid pickups and know some of you have made your own.

How do you decide which coils to use for a bridge and for a neck pickup? What effect does this choice have on the outcome?

Also, for example, would using a slug coil from an Alt 8 and a screw coil from a Duncan Distortion (using whatever magnet) be pointless since both are high output?

Now, about the 59/Custom Hybrid. The 59 is a neck coil and the Custom is, obviously, a bridge coil. Is this the best formula? Is having one coil with more/less winds than the other the "best" way to go?

Thanks!

 

[Demanic]

Re: Let's Talk About Hybrid Pickups

An Alternative 8/Distortion would make sense because there would be enough mismatch between the coils. Same goes for a Distortion/Custom.

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[Natman]

Re: Let's Talk About Hybrid Pickups

I don't have as much experience as some other forumites here, but I can tell you that the "spread" you get from mismatched coils is the bomb. I find regular humbuckers to sound pretty bad in comparison (I know that's a bold statement). I have a SH16 in my Hamer Newport Pro with a PGn in the neck and dearly wish it had the same cool 3D effect as the SH16. Duncan really should market a matching neck pickup IMHO. I plan to make a Seth/Jazz hybrid eventually. The SH16 is quite literally the best humbucker I've tried for blending vintage tone with more power. I ordered mine unpotted and dropped A2 in it like BachToRock did originally.

I also did a few of my own hybrids before the SH16 came out and each time got a big improvement in terms of airyness and dynamics. Same principle as a Dimarzio Megadrive I had.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Let's Talk About Hybrid Pickups

the 59/custom hybrid uses a 59 neck coil?

 

[LazNovak]

Re: Let's Talk About Hybrid Pickups

the 59/custom hybrid uses a 59 neck coil?

Harmonically rich hybrid humbucker that uses one coil from the 59 Model neck and one coil from the higher output Duncan Custom model.

 

[LazNovak]

Re: Let's Talk About Hybrid Pickups

An Alternative 8/Distortion would make sense because there would be enough mismatch between the coils. Same goes for a Distortion/Custom.

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Awesome.

Now, how would you choose which coil to use? Why the slug of one and the screws of another? What comes into play here?

 

[Demanic]

Re: Let's Talk About Hybrid Pickups

Not sure on that one, I'll have to defer to someone a bit more knowledgeable.

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[LtKojak]

Re: Let's Talk About Hybrid Pickups

the 59/custom hybrid uses a 59 neck coil?

No, a '59b screw coil.

HTH,

 

[jeremy]

Re: Let's Talk About Hybrid Pickups

Harmonically rich hybrid humbucker that uses one coil from the 59 Model neck and one coil from the higher output Duncan Custom model.

right but it also says "When split, you get the 59s 7k coil for a more distinct single coil sound." which is obviously wrong. i just always assumed it was a bridge coil for whatever reason

 

[LazNovak]

Re: Let's Talk About Hybrid Pickups

No, a '59b screw coil.

HTH,

It's says neck here.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/pickup/59custom-hybrid

 

[LazNovak]

Re: Let's Talk About Hybrid Pickups

right but it also says "When split, you get the 59s 7k coil for a more distinct single coil sound." which is obviously wrong. i just always assumed it was a bridge coil for whatever reason

Yeah, I hear you. I thought it was bridge too.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Let's Talk About Hybrid Pickups

Well, going by this info, I would use the screw coil from the pickup with the lesser amount of winds, if that makes sense. I.e. Distortion screw coil with Alt8 slug coil.

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[LazNovak]

Re: Let's Talk About Hybrid Pickups

Well, going by this info, I would use the screw coil from the pickup with the lesser amount of winds, if that makes sense. I.e. Distortion screw coil with Alt8 slug coil.

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Cool. I was thinking that too.

And Alt8/Distortion Bridge sounds like a winner. Now for neck to go with it.

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Let's Talk About Hybrid Pickups

right but it also says "When split, you get the 59s 7k coil for a more distinct single coil sound." which is obviously wrong.

Of course it is.

It's says neck here.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/pickup/59custom-hybrid

Of course it does.

It also says "11.2K" so, assuming the forementioned slug coil is 7K, the screw coil should measure 4.2K, which clearly indicates a '59b coil.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/pickup/59-neck
Here, the '59n states 7.6K (which BTW it's also wrong: the original readings were 7.48K for the neck and 8.13K for the bridge. You can check for yourself using the wayback machine), so half of it is 3.8K, so it doesn't add up to the forementioned 11.2K.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/pickup/59-bridge

Here, the '59b says 8.2K, so half of it should be 4.1K; pretty close to the 4.2K indicated in the '59/Custom Hybrid

Bottom line: after the site debacle, you just can't trust anything stated on their site, as it seems that the people in charge of the contents have no knowledge of the products contained in the site.

Man, do I sound like a broken record; I can't even stand listening to my own thoughts on the matter...



That's a picture taken at the last meeting of Santa Barbara's top-management.

 

[John Beef]

Re: Let's Talk About Hybrid Pickups

Do you get the same effect with the 59 slug coil and the Custom screw coil?

 

[Demanic]

Re: Let's Talk About Hybrid Pickups

I would think that it wouldn't be quite as bright having the hotter coil as the screw coil.

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[LtKojak]

Re: Let's Talk About Hybrid Pickups

I would think that it wouldn't be quite as bright having the hotter coil as the screw coil.

Think about it... the louder coil is reading the highest harmonic nodes. What do you think the outcome would be?

The "unwritten rules" for "successful" hybrid-making p'ups are the following:

* Neck position: dominant coil is the one located closer to the neck.
* Bridge position: dominant coil is the one located farther from the bridge.

This is just a rule-of-thumb, not intended as "written on stone", mind you.

HTH,

 

[blueman335]

Re: Let's Talk About Hybrid Pickups

I've made some hybrids, most of them for the neck slot, to add high end and clarity, & thin out some of the mids. I combine a PAF neck coil with a PAF bridge coil, like a '59N/'59B, '59N/SethB, etc. A 5% difference in resistance gives what I'm looking for if the magnet is bright (A5), and a 10% difference (or about .4K) gives that effect with a warm magnet (A2 and UOA5). I prefer the 10% difference and warm magnet approach, as it has a more complex sound. Even though the hybrid's resistance is higher than the stock PAF's neck model, it's brighter because of the mismatched coils. The 'humbucker effect' reduces treble and adds midrange, so when the coils are unbalanced, that effect is reduced so more singe coil sound comes thru from the hotter coil.

Some people have made neck hybrids from two neck coils that are about the same resistance, and the effect of the mismatch is much more subtle, to the point that I don't bother with it. Any imbalance comes from the wind, not the resistance, and since we have no idea what the wind patterns and tensions actually are, I look at resistance to select coils to pair up.

With bridge hybrids, the '59/Custom hybrid is too bright with the stock A5 for me. Both parent PU's are bright and scooped, and with a huge imbalance in resistance, even more treble is added and more mids reduced. Treble city. You don't need that big of an imbalance to get the benefits of mismatched coils. That's going in the wrong direction so I put warm magnets in bridge hybrids too. I like the idea of a 9 to 10K bridge hybrid with a warm magnet; you get a lot of good things going on. A resistance difference of 1K between coils is plenty in the bridge slot (compare that to the '59/Custom hybrid with a 7.5 coil and a 4.1 coil).

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Let's Talk About Hybrid Pickups

I've made some hybrids, most of them for the neck slot, to add high end and clarity, & thin out some of the mids. I combine a PAF neck coil with a PAF bridge coil, like a '59N/'59B, '59N/SethB, etc. A 5% difference in resistance gives what I'm looking for if the magnet is bright (A5), and a 10% difference (or about .4K) gives that effect with a warm magnet (A2 and UOA5). I prefer the 10% difference and warm magnet approach, as it has a more complex sound. Even though the hybrid's resistance is higher than the stock PAF's neck model, it's brighter because of the mismatched coils. The 'humbucker effect' reduces treble and adds midrange, so when the coils are unbalanced, that effect is reduced so more singe coil sound comes thru from the hotter coil.

Some people have made neck hybrids from two neck coils that are about the same resistance, and the effect of the mismatch is much more subtle, to the point that I don't bother with it. Any imbalance comes from the wind, not the resistance, and since we have no idea what the wind patterns and tensions actually are, I look at resistance to select coils to pair up.

With bridge hybrids, the '59/Custom hybrid is too bright with the stock A5 for me. Both parent PU's are bright and scooped, and with a huge imbalance in resistance, even more treble is added and more mids reduced. Treble city. You don't need that big of an imbalance to get the benefits of mismatched coils. That's going in the wrong direction so I put warm magnets in bridge hybrids too. I like the idea of a 9 to 10K bridge hybrid with a warm magnet; you get a lot of good things going on. A resistance difference of 1K between coils is plenty in the bridge slot (compare that to the '59/Custom hybrid with a 7.5 coil and a 4.1 coil).

By combining the screw coil of the '59b and the slug coil of the '59n and putting it in the neck position, the remaining coil put together make a good bridge hybrid; making a repeatable "magic-filled" PAF of the "golden era", meaning late '50s. Putting an A3 in the neck and an A2 in the bridge, this creates a "set", if your ask me. And a good one to boot, specially for Jazz and other styles where harmonic richness is desireable.

Or, you take a Full Shred neck coil with short filister screws and a PG slug coil together, using an A4 mag and change the A5 mag from the stock '59/Custom Hybrid with an A8 and voilà! A set that can play any style of music, including all but the most extreme sub-genres of Modern Metal.

Have fun chasing tone! :wave:

 

[LazNovak]

Re: Let's Talk About Hybrid Pickups

I've made some hybrids, most of them for the neck slot, to add high end and clarity, & thin out some of the mids. I combine a PAF neck coil with a PAF bridge coil, like a '59N/'59B, '59N/SethB, etc. A 5% difference in resistance gives what I'm looking for if the magnet is bright (A5), and a 10% difference (or about .4K) gives that effect with a warm magnet (A2 and UOA5). I prefer the 10% difference and warm magnet approach, as it has a more complex sound. Even though the hybrid's resistance is higher than the stock PAF's neck model, it's brighter because of the mismatched coils. The 'humbucker effect' reduces treble and adds midrange, so when the coils are unbalanced, that effect is reduced so more singe coil sound comes thru from the hotter coil.

Some people have made neck hybrids from two neck coils that are about the same resistance, and the effect of the mismatch is much more subtle, to the point that I don't bother with it. Any imbalance comes from the wind, not the resistance, and since we have no idea what the wind patterns and tensions actually are, I look at resistance to select coils to pair up.

With bridge hybrids, the '59/Custom hybrid is too bright with the stock A5 for me. Both parent PU's are bright and scooped, and with a huge imbalance in resistance, even more treble is added and more mids reduced. Treble city. You don't need that big of an imbalance to get the benefits of mismatched coils. That's going in the wrong direction so I put warm magnets in bridge hybrids too. I like the idea of a 9 to 10K bridge hybrid with a warm magnet; you get a lot of good things going on. A resistance difference of 1K between coils is plenty in the bridge slot (compare that to the '59/Custom hybrid with a 7.5 coil and a 4.1 coil).

With the '59N/SethB, (for the neck slot) which coil did you use from each and did you use an A2? If so, this sounds pretty good.