Phat Cat vs 59 for tele neck
- Thread starter DavidP
- Start date
Re: Phat Cat vs 59 for tele neck
welcome to the board. I happen to be very parital to the Phat Cats. It's plenty fat for sure.
Do you like the P90 sound or more of a traditional humbucker tone?
The PC's use an A2 magnet, the 59 uses an A5 magnet.
Besides the fact that they are two completely different tones by design, the PC is fatter and the 59 has a tighter bottom end if that's what you're going for.
If it was me, I'd go PC all the way.
welcome to the board. I happen to be very parital to the Phat Cats. It's plenty fat for sure.
Do you like the P90 sound or more of a traditional humbucker tone?
The PC's use an A2 magnet, the 59 uses an A5 magnet.
Besides the fact that they are two completely different tones by design, the PC is fatter and the 59 has a tighter bottom end if that's what you're going for.
If it was me, I'd go PC all the way.
Wattage
High Voltologist
Re: Phat Cat vs 59 for tele neck
I had a 59n in my old G&L and it was the best part of the guitar. I ran it split alot and it was very convincing for a traditional Tele neck and of course it sounded great full. I've never used the Phat Cats but I love SD P-90's the vintage neck is fantastic.
I had a 59n in my old G&L and it was the best part of the guitar. I ran it split alot and it was very convincing for a traditional Tele neck and of course it sounded great full. I've never used the Phat Cats but I love SD P-90's the vintage neck is fantastic.
theboatcandream
dreamonologist
Re: Phat Cat vs 59 for tele neck
P90 vs 59 for helmet and black sabath?
P90 vs 59 for helmet and black sabath?
Wattage
High Voltologist
Re: Phat Cat vs 59 for tele neck
How much gain are you going to be running? At the volume levels of most bands playing Helmet or Sabbath stuff if you start running a lot of gain you're going to wish you had a humbucker. I run a Hush II with my P-90's and QP's to help control some of the noise and it helps but it is a little intrusive.
theboatcandream said:
How much gain are you going to be running? At the volume levels of most bands playing Helmet or Sabbath stuff if you start running a lot of gain you're going to wish you had a humbucker. I run a Hush II with my P-90's and QP's to help control some of the noise and it helps but it is a little intrusive.
Re: Phat Cat vs 59 for tele neck
I put a Phat Cat and a JD Tele lead in an ash American Series Telecaster, and they sound great separately and combined. They are hum-canceling in the middle position. The Phat Cat seems a bit quieter than the typical P90, but it's no humbucker. It is definitely fat and has good lows and highs, but some people might prefer a bigger, tighter low end. I'm not sure how it would match with a Broadcaster in the bridge, but I would still prefer the Phat Cat over a standard HB. You might consider an SM-3n Seymourized mini-HB for the neck slot -- it has more bottom end than the Phat Cat and combines the compressed sound of a humbucker with some nice single coil clarity. It should probably match well with the Broadcaster lead. I have one paired with a Fender Nocaster lead in another Tele, and it's a real nice combo.
I put a Phat Cat and a JD Tele lead in an ash American Series Telecaster, and they sound great separately and combined. They are hum-canceling in the middle position. The Phat Cat seems a bit quieter than the typical P90, but it's no humbucker. It is definitely fat and has good lows and highs, but some people might prefer a bigger, tighter low end. I'm not sure how it would match with a Broadcaster in the bridge, but I would still prefer the Phat Cat over a standard HB. You might consider an SM-3n Seymourized mini-HB for the neck slot -- it has more bottom end than the Phat Cat and combines the compressed sound of a humbucker with some nice single coil clarity. It should probably match well with the Broadcaster lead. I have one paired with a Fender Nocaster lead in another Tele, and it's a real nice combo.
Re: Phat Cat vs 59 for tele neck
Thanks for the feedback! Got a '59 in the neck right now but find it too overpowering with the Broadcaster. I want fatter than a std tele neck but a little more mids/highs than a humbucker. This will not be used in high gain situations; I'm running a FD2 and a '69 through a Vibrolux Reverb--mainly classic rock/blues stuff at clubs.
Thanks for the feedback! Got a '59 in the neck right now but find it too overpowering with the Broadcaster. I want fatter than a std tele neck but a little more mids/highs than a humbucker. This will not be used in high gain situations; I'm running a FD2 and a '69 through a Vibrolux Reverb--mainly classic rock/blues stuff at clubs.
Re: Phat Cat vs 59 for tele neck
ive got had a lil59' in the neck of my tele and really liked it it was great for down and dirty stuff I've since moved it to the bridge and don't like it as much there its kind of shrill and ice picky lacking lows I've got it wired to a split and it doesn't really make any difference in the tone or volume I replaced the neck with an older emg passive i had lying around that ohm'd at about 10 and it was pretty mushy so if you want my opinion the lil59" is one hell of a neck pickup for hard rock and beyond great even in dropped tunings great growl and massive lows in really stuck on what to put in the neck of tele now ive got the original chrome one back in there for the time being might get a phat cat might get another lil59' and run two with push pull parallel/series and a 5 way superswitch for coil tapping
ive got had a lil59' in the neck of my tele and really liked it it was great for down and dirty stuff I've since moved it to the bridge and don't like it as much there its kind of shrill and ice picky lacking lows I've got it wired to a split and it doesn't really make any difference in the tone or volume I replaced the neck with an older emg passive i had lying around that ohm'd at about 10 and it was pretty mushy so if you want my opinion the lil59" is one hell of a neck pickup for hard rock and beyond great even in dropped tunings great growl and massive lows in really stuck on what to put in the neck of tele now ive got the original chrome one back in there for the time being might get a phat cat might get another lil59' and run two with push pull parallel/series and a 5 way superswitch for coil tapping
jimijames
New member
Re: Phat Cat vs 59 for tele neck
Just fwiw, a2, a3, and a4 all work much better (for me at least) than a5 in the neck position. If you have the 59 laying around, and don't want to swap magnets, then sure - but otherwise I would recommend the following based upon my own ears and experience:
- PGn doesn't have the tight(er) bottom end of the 59, but come on man - this is the neck position we're talking about. You aren't doing chug-chug rhythms on a neck pickup usually.
- Seth lover is seriously good uncovered. I mean, really great definition and with all of the sing-y a2 qualities we love in a neck pickup.
I've also tried custom winds and for the neck position, the very best sound I've ever gotten is from low-wind (~7.3k and below) neck pickups. A3 is best for single coil sounds in split and series, and a4 is like dancing in a creme brûlée - sweet and smooth and it just feels good no matter what you play. For a humbucker I don't know why a4 isn't used more often in the neck. A2 has a lot of the same characteristics as a4 except the bass is less piano-like but the treble is much sweeter/compressed in this unique way - whereas a4 is like creme brûlée a2 is more like a good port, if that makes any sense lol.
I really want to recommend a 59/jazz with a4 but the closest I've tried is a 7.0k neck pickup unpotted and wound by some guy in Canada with a4 and a moderate coil mismatch. At any rate a5 in the neck has never worked for me as well as any of the above mentioned magnets
Just fwiw, a2, a3, and a4 all work much better (for me at least) than a5 in the neck position. If you have the 59 laying around, and don't want to swap magnets, then sure - but otherwise I would recommend the following based upon my own ears and experience:
- PGn doesn't have the tight(er) bottom end of the 59, but come on man - this is the neck position we're talking about. You aren't doing chug-chug rhythms on a neck pickup usually.
- Seth lover is seriously good uncovered. I mean, really great definition and with all of the sing-y a2 qualities we love in a neck pickup.
I've also tried custom winds and for the neck position, the very best sound I've ever gotten is from low-wind (~7.3k and below) neck pickups. A3 is best for single coil sounds in split and series, and a4 is like dancing in a creme brûlée - sweet and smooth and it just feels good no matter what you play. For a humbucker I don't know why a4 isn't used more often in the neck. A2 has a lot of the same characteristics as a4 except the bass is less piano-like but the treble is much sweeter/compressed in this unique way - whereas a4 is like creme brûlée a2 is more like a good port, if that makes any sense lol.
I really want to recommend a 59/jazz with a4 but the closest I've tried is a 7.0k neck pickup unpotted and wound by some guy in Canada with a4 and a moderate coil mismatch. At any rate a5 in the neck has never worked for me as well as any of the above mentioned magnets
Hecubus
New member
Re: Phat Cat vs 59 for tele neck
Give the guy a break, it's his first post! Welcome to the forum oldcrow.
Give the guy a break, it's his first post! Welcome to the forum oldcrow.
