Lil59 in a full size humbucker?

[BowerR64]

I got an american standard strat on a trade a few years back but ive been a les paul guy so i never played it much. After some time i was on the fence about selling it so before i did i thought i try a few things before i let it go.

I knew i didnt like the sound of it with the SSS config but didnt want to butcher it up. I ordered a lil59 because i wanted a "les paul sound" in the bridge and thats what the lil59 description sounds. none the les before i got the pickup in i sold the guitar

I had this pickup laying around and finally decided t try it so i put it in a squier in the bridge and i was blow away the pickup sounded fantastic so much that i bought a new pickguard in the S/H pickup config with the intent on getting a 59 full size humbucker

Once i got everything all wired up and put back together i was not really happy with the sound. The lil59 sounds nothing like the full size 59, the lil59 sounds fat with a nice midrange where the full size 59 sounds very twangy and thin

So my question is, is there a full size duncan pickup that has a tone like the lil59 in a full size humbucker package?

I thought about getting a humbucker cover and just mount the lil59 in that just to hide that its a mini humbucker just for looks.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Lil59 in a full size humbucker?

You actually might try the Alnico II Pro. It certainly has the 'fat with nice midrange' thing down, and has the PAF-type output.

 

[shupe13]

Re: Lil59 in a full size humbucker?

If your full size Duncan '59 sounds twangy and thin, something is wrong. It was wired incorrectly, wrong pot size or maybe the pickup itself is bad. I've had many '59s. Never weak, never twangy.

Sent from my REVVLPLUS C3701A using Tapatalk

 

[jeremy]

Re: Lil59 in a full size humbucker?

the 59 and lil 59 dont sound all that similar to me. the lil version has a thicker mid range and rounder highs than the full size version. not sure what sounds like the lil 59 in full size, but something with more wire than a 59b

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Lil59 in a full size humbucker?

This is also an option.

https://www.guitarfetish.com/Humbuc...treg-pickup-Straight-THREE-COLORS_p_4348.html

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Lil59 in a full size humbucker?

If your full size Duncan '59 sounds twangy and thin, something is wrong. It was wired incorrectly, wrong pot size or maybe the pickup itself is bad. I've had many '59s. Never weak, never twangy.

Sent from my REVVLPLUS C3701A using Tapatalk

No, the OP's description of the Lil 59 compared to the full sized 59 is totally accurate.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Lil59 in a full size humbucker?

The lil59 sounds nothing like the full size 59, the lil59 sounds fat with a nice midrange where the full size 59 sounds very twangy and thin.

I thought about getting a humbucker cover and just mount the lil59 in that just to hide that its a mini humbucker just for looks.

Your description is pretty accurate. I wish you would have asked us before purchasing the 59, we could have saved you some time, money, and frustration.

At this point I'd recommend putting the lil 59 back in with an adapter ring, or go with the A2Pro as Mincer suggested.

 

[BowerR64]

Re: Lil59 in a full size humbucker?

well heck i had no idea they wouldnt be anywhere near the same, why would they even call em the same thing?

Why would you order a race bike if you were going to get a moped?

 

[jmcorey]

Re: Lil59 in a full size humbucker?

If your full size Duncan '59 sounds twangy and thin, something is wrong. It was wired incorrectly, wrong pot size or maybe the pickup itself is bad. I've had many '59s. Never weak, never twangy.

Sent from my REVVLPLUS C3701A using Tapatalk

I have a very bright LP where the 59 bridge was really thin sounding.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Lil59 in a full size humbucker?

Yeah, if you want the same power level, the Alnico II Pro will solve it.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Lil59 in a full size humbucker?

well heck i had no idea they wouldnt be anywhere near the same, why would they even call em the same thing?

Why would you order a race bike if you were going to get a moped?

The Lil’ series is targeted at Strat type guitars (bright woods) while the full size 59 Humbuckers are targeted at LP type (dark woods), mostly (with exceptions). When you put them in the same guitar, differences become more stark.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: Lil59 in a full size humbucker?

You actually might try the Alnico II Pro. It certainly has the 'fat with nice midrange' thing down, and has the PAF-type output.

I deff 2nd the A2P set

 

[BowerR64]

Re: Lil59 in a full size humbucker?

I got the lil 59 for an ash Fender and i tried a bunch of pickups before i decided to just ditch it. Funny, i sold it just before i got the lil59 in. shame it was a darn pretty guitar to but i decided to just sell my whole collection of guitars and now im collecting nothing but Mahogany body guitars.

The guitar i put the lil59 in is a modern player china made Fender strat with a Mahogany body. This lil59 sounds killer in the bridge, i just wanted a more normal SH look so i got the full size 59 and it sounded horrible compared. I also thought it was wired wrong and i about sent the seller a dirty note. I even tried reversing the hot and ground (green and black) thinking it was having magnet phase issues or something still didnt help.

In my mind a 59 should sound something like a 57 with more middle or something. Thats what i figured the whole "59" is based on. Didnt Gibson make a 59' pickup or something in the past? I like the 57 alot i was looking for something like it but open coil. I want a vintage sort of output as i play more clean/crunch classic rock sound AC/DC kinda thing

Its kinda shocking the lil59 sounds good and its a higher DC resistance then i normally think of a vintage output.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Lil59 in a full size humbucker?

small ceramic magnet, smaller wire, smaller form factor... lots of reasons its a different pup. the 59 is a much more accurate sounding paf pup than the lil 59 but the lil has its own thing going on that some people love. the mids are more dense, the highs are more rounded, it compresses a little different. its a cool pup

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Lil59 in a full size humbucker?

small ceramic magnet, smaller wire, smaller form factor... lots of reasons its a different pup. the 59 is a much more accurate sounding paf pup than the lil 59 but the lil has its own thing going on that some people love. the mids are more dense, the highs are more rounded, it compresses a little different. its a cool pup

How would you say the Lil 59 compares to the PATB-3?

 

[Demanic]

Re: Lil59 in a full size humbucker?

small ceramic magnet, smaller wire, smaller form factor... lots of reasons its a different pup. the 59 is a much more accurate sounding paf pup than the lil 59 but the lil has its own thing going on that some people love. the mids are more dense, the highs are more rounded, it compresses a little different. its a cool pup

Sounds like what a full size 59b with a UOA5 magnet might sound like.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

 

[jeremy]

Re: Lil59 in a full size humbucker?

How would you say the Lil 59 compares to the PATB-3?

the patb3 is more open than the lil 59 but probably closer than the 59b

Sounds like what a full size 59b with a UOA5 magnet might sound like.

again, closer than the stock 59b for sure but the small form factor changes things in ways that i think its hard for a fullsize bucker to emulate

 

[SweetClyde99]

Re: Lil59 in a full size humbucker?

Swapping the stock magnet for an alnico 8 magnet should beef up the mids and round off the highs. That’s where I’d start.

 

[BowerR64]

Re: Lil59 in a full size humbucker?

So i can modify the full size 59 to sound better?

Ide like to do that, i have some pickups that i dont like the sound of but i hate to get rid of em you hardly ever get anything back for em.

Where can i get the magnets?

Can i rob the magnets from a different humbucker? what other pickups have Alnico 8 magnets?

 

[jeremy]

Re: Lil59 in a full size humbucker?

magnets are cheap, like $5