Neck pickup to pair with the Gibson 498T (bridge)

[waltschwarzkopf]

Hello, World!

It's been a while since I've been here...

I have a strat project, that I basically built myself which I "thought" it was finished. To keep it short, it's a basswood body with a single-piece maple neck, a 1H-1V configuration with a Gibson 498T in the bridge and a 500k master volume. I love the way it plays, and I like the way it sounds but...

Sometimes I feel that the sound is a bit too much on the high end, so I'll install a master tone with 60's wiring. This should give me a lot of other sound combination from the single pickup. Nevertheless...

Sometimes I feel like I could use a neck pickup to have even more sounds at the flick of a switch. I like using the neck pickup for the high notes and the bridge pickup for the low ones.

So my question is: Which pickup would you recommend?

While experimenting on this guitar I had a Jazz/JB combo in it, which I liked, but for whatever reason I took them out to try other pickups and sold them. The 498T does a great job where it is, I don't like the 490R as a pair, so I'm looking for something with an AlNiCo V magnet. Maybe the SD 59 neck could be a good option? (link).

As far as aetherics go, the pickup MUST be available in double-black (very common).

As far a wiring goes, I would prefer if the pickup has a single connector (ala 498T).

Any ideas would be great appreciated!

Cheers,
Walt

 

[Mincer]

Well, a 59n is a great option...it is a fairly scooped sound like many PAF-types. For something a little hotter, look at the Whole Lotta Humbucker, which sounds amazing with any gain level.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

You can buy a '59 with four conductors. It's called Custom Floor or Floor Shop or something like that. They're slightly more expensive than regular models, but you can have them however you'd like.

I would also consider the WHL neck or the '59B for your application, personally.

 

[jeremy]

i like the wlh neck suggestion, its a great pup

 

[nienturi]

'59 is phenomenal neck pickup but on some guitars 59 turns everything into a mud hole. So if you already have muddy neck issues, be mindful and search for something clearer.

 

[waltschwarzkopf]

Well, a 59n is a great option...it is a fairly scooped sound like many PAF-types. For something a little hotter, look at the Whole Lotta Humbucker, which sounds amazing with any gain level.

I hadn't thought of that. Would that also work on a strat? Or is it more LP oriented?

 

[waltschwarzkopf]

'59 is phenomenal neck pickup but on some guitars 59 turns everything into a mud hole. So if you already have muddy neck issues, be mindful and search for something clearer.

The only neck issues that I have is not having a pickup there...

Any conditions in which the 59n becomes muddy?

I had the Jazz/Custom5 and it was very muddy on that guitar, however the Jazz/JB were great.

The 59 sounds promising so far.

 

[waltschwarzkopf]

I know we are in the Seymour Duncan forum, but feel free to recommend pickups from other brands too, I guess this should not be a problem.

 

[waltschwarzkopf]

As I was doing my daily search through the local classifieds, I found this:

"Tokai 57 PAF Model Humbucker
Comes from a Tokai Love Rock from 1983.​"

The owner doesn't know the resistance value of the pickups, which I guess is normal if you don't have a multimeter, he says is from the neck position.

Do any of you have any information about this pickup? I cannot find if this is an AlNiCo II or V. In any case, could this be a good complement to the 498T?