Old 59b vs new 59b w/RCA5 or something else.

TRex

TRex

New member
I'm looking around for something a bit more round, open, and even compared to the old JB that is in my Hamer Artist (24.75" Mahogany Semi Hollow)

Don't get me wrong, the JB is nice. Only problem is that it's not as versitile for the type of music I play a lot of (Classic Rock, Blues Rock, Black Keys/White Stripes, 90's stuff). It works well, but I think it could be better. Not to mention I have a Epi LP with a modern 59/JB set.

What should I try? Should I find a mate for my late 90's 59n in the neck? or should I buy a modern 59b and try a couple magnets?

Or the craziest thought, maybe order a custom wind from a smaller pickup maker?

Thinking out loud, but I'm interested what y'all think.


Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk
 
Re: Old 59b vs new 59b w/RCA5 or something else.

Well, anything based on a PAF-type sound would be worth exploring:

Seth Lover
Alnico II Pro (not very open, but round)
Custom
59/Custom Hybrid
Whole Lotta Humbuckers
Saturday Night Special
Pearly Gates
 
Re: Old 59b vs new 59b w/RCA5 or something else.

Mincer said:
Well, anything based on a PAF-type sound would be worth exploring:

Seth Lover
Alnico II Pro (not very open, but round)
Custom
59/Custom Hybrid
Whole Lotta Humbuckers
Saturday Night Special
Pearly Gates
Click to expand...
True. I guess I'll drive myself mad listening to demos.
gregory said:
What do "open" and "round" mean?
Click to expand...
What I'm trying to get at is I want something less agressive and compressed, which is the JB's whole stick.

Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk
 
Re: Old 59b vs new 59b w/RCA5 or something else.

A step down in output from the JB would be the Custom 5, Distortion neck, Black Winter neck, and Jason Becker.
 
Re: Old 59b vs new 59b w/RCA5 or something else.

Mincer hit them all on the head, IMHO.
The Hybrid is the most versatile, loud like a JB, but without all that crappy mud and fuzz, again, IMHO.
The Hybrid cleans up very nice, and I am very particular at that.
Second, I love Seth Lovers also, but with an A4 mag, or UOA5, or RCA5. Easy to look these up on this forum. There is a whole thread on magnets on the top of this Pickup Lounge page.
Good luck,
Steve Buffington
 
Re: Old 59b vs new 59b w/RCA5 or something else.

TRex said:
True. I guess I'll drive myself mad listening to demos.
Click to expand...


Don't forget that in demos they're almost always using a different guitar, amp, tubes, speakers, and effects than you, so there's a good chance you may not be able to sound like the demo. The same PU in a Strat thru a Fender amp is going to sound very different than the same PU in a Les Paul thru a Marshall.
 
Re: Old 59b vs new 59b w/RCA5 or something else.

Listen to your guitar. That will narrow down some of the choices- you should be able to tell if it is dark, bright, or pretty even.
 
Re: Old 59b vs new 59b w/RCA5 or something else.

SJ318 said:
Mincer hit them all on the head, IMHO.
The Hybrid is the most versatile, loud like a JB, but without all that crappy mud and fuzz, again, IMHO.
The Hybrid cleans up very nice, and I am very particular at that.
Second, I love Seth Lovers also, but with an A4 mag, or UOA5, or RCA5. Easy to look these up on this forum. There is a whole thread on magnets on the top of this Pickup Lounge page.
Good luck,
Steve Buffington
Click to expand...

The Hybrid does sound interesting. I like a pickup that can clean up well.

blueman335 said:
Don't forget that in demos they're almost always using a different guitar, amp, tubes, speakers, and effects than you, so there's a good chance you may not be able to sound like the demo. The same PU in a Strat thru a Fender amp is going to sound very different than the same PU in a Les Paul thru a Marshall.
Click to expand...

Exactly. At the end of the day it will always be a gamble weather it turns out perfect.

Mincer said:
Listen to your guitar. That will narrow down some of the choices- you should be able to tell if it is dark, bright, or pretty even.
Click to expand...

Mine is fairly even from what I can tell, maybe a tad mid-rangey.

Clint 55 said:
A step down in output from the JB would be the Custom 5, Distortion neck, Black Winter neck, and Jason Becker.
Click to expand...
Custom 5 would probably be the only one of those to be "paf" sounding enough to fit well with my style. I imagine the Distortion and Black Winter Necks are a tad more hot and suited to heavier stuff.
 
Last edited:
Re: Old 59b vs new 59b w/RCA5 or something else.

TRex said:
Custom 5 would probably be the only one of those to be "paf" sounding enough to fit well with my style. I imagine the Distortion and Black Winter Necks are a tad more hot and suited to heavier stuff.
Click to expand...



Custom SH-5 or Custom 5 SH-14? The way these PU's were named is confusing. As a PAF fan, I don't hear any of the Custom variants as being anything PAF-like, steroids or not. Just marketing verbiage. To my ears, the Custom variant that comes closest to a vintage sound is with an UOA5 magnet, but that's not a production model. For clarity and a bright tone, the '59/Custom is a good choice.
 
Re: Old 59b vs new 59b w/RCA5 or something else.

SH-1b w/stock magnet or Rough A5
SH-6n w/Rough UOA5 (or w/Rough A5 and Series/Parallel switching)
SH-14

...all good choices.
 
Last edited:
Re: Old 59b vs new 59b w/RCA5 or something else.

gregory said:
SH-1b w/stock magnet or Rough A5
SH-6n w/Rough UOA5 (or w/Rough A5 and Series/Parallel switching)
SH-14

...all good choices.
Click to expand...
Or SH-6n with RCA4.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk
 
Re: Old 59b vs new 59b w/RCA5 or something else.

blueman335 said:
Custom SH-5 or Custom 5 SH-14? The way these PU's were named is confusing. As a PAF fan, I don't hear any of the Custom variants as being anything PAF-like, steroids or not. Just marketing verbiage. To my ears, the Custom variant that comes closest to a vintage sound is with an UOA5 magnet, but that's not a production model. For clarity and a bright tone, the '59/Custom is a good choice.
Click to expand...

The Custom 5 SH-14, not the SH-5.

gregory said:
SH-1b w/stock magnet or Rough A5
SH-6n w/Rough UOA5 (or w/Rough A5 and Series/Parallel switching)
SH-14

...all good choices.
Click to expand...

All of those options sound interesting.

Sent from my ZTE A2017U using Tapatalk
 
Re: Old 59b vs new 59b w/RCA5 or something else.

I've got a couple of giutars that I put A4's into the neck pickups. One is a 59n that I put a polished one into, the other is an SH-6n that I put a roughcast into. In both cases they helped get a more balanced sound, daresay even vintagey.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk
 
Re: Old 59b vs new 59b w/RCA5 or something else.

My SH-6n went into the bridge spot of 1986 Floyded basswood Ibanez RS II almost straight away. I tried the stock double ceramic then a single ceramic as there was a honk that needed taming which I completely owe to the guitar. Ultimately it ended up with an A5 and short hex screws with the slug coil closest to the bridge. It had a very powerful and tight bottom end with a killer chong. In parallel it sounded vintage-y, much like a PAF, perhaps along the lines of a PG. There was some brittleness in parallel which I tamed with an RC, but I attribute that to the Floyd and the fact that the inserts are a bit loose in the studs.

With the full disclosure and caveats blah, blah bloviation out of the way, my point is that the SH-6n began life as the SH-7 Seymourizer II bridge pickup and was marketed as for being run in series and parallel.
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/sho...story-Thread&p=4111946&viewfull=1#post4111946
 
Re: Old 59b vs new 59b w/RCA5 or something else.

I have an SH-6n in the neck of an Ibanez RG, maple neck, rosewood board, screwed onto a mahogany body, fixed bridge. It's paired with an Alternative 8 in the bridge.
I swapped an RCA4 into it, along with standard length hex screws. Both pickups are in Triple Shots. Usually, I leave the neck set to parallel. Split to the hex coil closest to the fingerboard, it gives a very Strat like tone. In series, it is dark and thick, but clear, even with sick amounts of gain.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk
 
Re: Old 59b vs new 59b w/RCA5 or something else.

May I recommend an A4 set of 59n and Custom bridge? In a 24.75" hollowbody, an A4 59 is perfect in the neck slot, very similar to the standard production model, but without the excessive bass. The A4 Custom is a darn near perfect match for it tonally. An A4 Custom essentially sounds like a louder 59b with a bit less high end. People say that a Custom 5 and 59n are a perfect pair, this is that same pair, but without extra bass bogging down the tone.

IMO that would be just the ticket for your Mahogany semi-hollow. An A4 pickup can be a bit of a risky move to put in a accoustically even guitar (they tend to let the pickup's wind and the wood's tone shine through), because they tend to create a flat eq themselves, but I've never had an issue with A4 pickups in a semi-hollow.
 
Re: Old 59b vs new 59b w/RCA5 or something else.

Demanic said:
I have an SH-6n in the neck of an Ibanez RG, maple neck, rosewood board, screwed onto a mahogany body, fixed bridge. It's paired with an Alternative 8 in the bridge.
I swapped an RCA4 into it, along with standard length hex screws. Both pickups are in Triple Shots. Usually, I leave the neck set to parallel. Split to the hex coil closest to the fingerboard, it gives a very Strat like tone. In series, it is dark and thick, but clear, even with sick amounts of gain.
Click to expand...

Neat, I have a parallel A4 DDn with a Crazy 8 (originally had an Alternate 8) bridge myself. Very versatile setup.

As a side note, it's interesting how you can hardly throw a stick around a '59 on this forum without mentioning A4's.
 
Re: Old 59b vs new 59b w/RCA5 or something else.

I think that a stock 59n would be perfect in a bolt on super strat with a hot bridge. Maybe even in a brighter LP. But in a guitar with a lot of natural bass, it can be a bit much. Until you put an A4 in it. Then it's back to sounding like a 59n in the other guitars just mentioned.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top