lil 59 neck and middle

[philthis]

Hey has anybody had any experience with these before? I want to throw a couple in a Floyd Rose strat. Can they sound like a strat single or are they more of a humbucker type sound?

 

[gregory]

Re: lil 59 neck and middle

Humbucker type sound, but they do have a tiny bit of a single thing going on by virtue of the narrowed focus caused by the form factor.

 

[philthis]

Re: lil 59 neck and middle

i wonder if the Floyd Rose and stainless steel frets would thin that humbucker sound out just a little to sound more strat like of maybe if I changed the magnet out to a A2 or A3

 

[Clint 55]

Re: lil 59 neck and middle

Great pups. On full series, they have the humbucker gain to them, and with my spin a split, they do strat sounds very nicely.

 

[Mincer]

Re: lil 59 neck and middle

To me, they really don't have that single coil thing, but I don't think they were designed to have that, anyway. They can get closer wired in parallel, though. If you want a more single coil sound, check out some of the Stack pickups, which can do that really well.

 

[philthis]

Re: lil 59 neck and middle

I may have to do that, I liked the fact that they can thin out but sound fat too. I can thin them out I think if I use titanium saddles an 500k pots. It doesnt have to be perfect, but I need it to be in the same tone range of at least 8 but not much higher. I know the Floyd Rose and stainless steel frets will thin it out some.

 

[gregory]

Re: lil 59 neck and middle

The best way to thin them out is to follow Clint 55's advice: use a variable split. Ideally it would be something like a 50k no-load audio taper pot shunting the weaker of the two coils, though I'm perfectly happy finding the sweet spot with a pot and then wiring that fixed value into a push-pull or auto split.

 

[philthis]

Re: lil 59 neck and middle

thats a good idea gregory. as long as it doesn't suck the life out of the tone I am willing to try that. I will be using this with a bright Fender amp anyway. sometimes a fuller pickup sounds good with a bright Fender amp. Right now I have a Twin Reverb, Bassman, Blues Deville 4x10, and a little practice Champ. I am going to pick up a Fender 57 Pro Amp that is midrange punchy. I am hoping the lil 59 will give me that- slightly fuller then a thin ice picky single coil sound. I think it could plus give me a little thicker jazz tone and with no hum.

 

[jeremy]

Re: lil 59 neck and middle

i love the lil 59 in the middle but its not a thin single coil sound at all. you cant swap the magnet on these pups either, its not the same as a typical gibson style humbucker. they sound good for what they are and you can switch them to parallel or split the coil, or spin a split if you have room for the controls but youre not going to get a single coil sound.

 

[philthis]

Re: lil 59 neck and middle

hmm I am gunna have to take a second look at this then. I need a stacked pickup tone but not too big and fat unless I need to play it fat on purpose. thanx everyone for the input and ideas

 

[gregory]

Re: lil 59 neck and middle

If you put it that way, try a pair of STK-S4Bs or a pair of STK-S7s with a treble bleed.

Alternatively a pair of DiMarzio FT1s or Cruiser Bridges with a treble bleed.

What's in the bridge spot?

 

[philthis]

Re: lil 59 neck and middle

IM1 duncan

 

[gregory]

Re: lil 59 neck and middle

DiMarzio Virtual Vintage Heavy Blues 2 or a Satch Track with a treble bleed if you want fatter with the volume full-up compared to the others I listed. Check out some demos.

Treble bleed can be assigned depending on the pickups selected if that option sounds attractive at all.