Pickup advise - '59 set in mind

[waltschwarzkopf]

Hi guys,

I recently acquired a Gibson Les Paul Studio Faded with Burstbucker Pro pickups and I absolutely love the versatility and sound of them. This one is a keeper as it is! I also have an Epiphone Traditional Pro that I use as a backup and for studio practice. I want to change the pickups on this one to have something like the Gibson, but not the same. Hear me out:

I was considering a combination of Tonerider Alnico Classics II on the neck and a TR Generator on the bridge, to somehow get close to the Gibson 490R-498T combo, this would cost me about 80CHF from amazon (for simplicity let’s assume that 1CHF=1USD)

HOWEVER, I also saw on amazon that the Seymour Duncan ’59 set goes for 125CHF, which seemed like a good price to me, considering that they are Duncans! I see the other SDs for 80-100 each, so it made me wonder why these pickups are cheaper.

Moving on, I saw that the ‘59s are Alnico V like the BB Pros, and that the DCR and output is quite similar. MOREOVER, on other reviews and threads they claim sound quite similar.

What do you think? Any experience with any (hopefully all) of the aforementioned pickups? I’m using 500k LOG pots for tone and volume on both guitars, so the pickups are ready to be installed. I've heard good reviews about the Toneriders, but I can't look away from the Duncans and definitely not run away at that price. But what's more important is the sound, right?

Cheers,
Walter

P.S. If you live in Zürich and want to get together and jam, send me a PM.
P.P.S. Yes, this is another "pickup advice" thread, but I know that we all like to talk about this thinks, so please don't tell me to search the forum for the answer. I have already done that.


EDIT - 08.Jan.2018

I do not expect the '59 to sound like the Burstbuckers, I want a good Les Paul sound that would give me some versatility for this other guitar. Either a sound like 490R/498T combo o something P.A.F.-like.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Pickup advise - '59 set in mind

I don't have experience with Toneriders, but from the Duncan side, Seths sound more like BB Pros, but clearer. 59s don't sound like BB Pros IME. But I would consider them a kind of improved 498/490 set. That was my first impression when I installed 59s the first time - I thought they should be the stock Gibson pickups.

 

[waltschwarzkopf]

Re: Pickup advise - '59 set in mind

I don't have experience with Toneriders, but from the Duncan side, Seths sound more like BB Pros, but clearer. 59s don't sound like BB Pros IME. But I would consider them a kind of improved 498/490 set. That was my first impression when I installed 59s the first time - I thought they should be the stock Gibson pickups.

That’s good news! I’m looking for a good les paul sound, no to replicate what I already have. So the fact that in your experience the 59 sound more like 490/498 instead of BB Pros is positive for me. I like the fact the their DCR is not so far apart from the neck to the bridge. I’ve heard some demos and they sound really good.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[PierceOkken]

Re: Pickup advise - '59 set in mind

59's are harsher and geared towards heavy music, not much of an underwound PAF thing. I have two les pauls, one with a Seth lover ser and the other with JB/59. The Seth lover set is really good in my EP Les paul Tad II, they are way better than the stock pickups. I'm sure the 59's would work great in a LP, but they would not be on par with burstbuckers.

 

[waltschwarzkopf]

Re: Pickup advise - '59 set in mind

59's are harsher and geared towards heavy music, not much of an underwound PAF thing. I have two les pauls, one with a Seth lover ser and the other with JB/59. The Seth lover set is really good in my EP Les paul Tad II, they are way better than the stock pickups. I'm sure the 59's would work great in a LP, but they would not be on par with burstbuckers.

It's quite surprising what you said, as the '59s are advertised on the website as a VINTAGE BLUES SET and quoting them "Humbucker set consisting of our 59 Model neck & bridge delivers warm, full, P.A.F. style tone to any dual humbucker instrument."

I'm not considering any other SD model, because they are too expensive for me. I was going to buy the Toneriders and make my own 490R/498T poor-man's combo. It's just that the SD '59 showed up at that price and made me think about getting them. By the way, are they always much cheaper than the other models, or is it just a good offer that I'm seeing?

 

[PierceOkken]

Re: Pickup advise - '59 set in mind

It's quite surprising what you said, as the '59s are advertised on the website as a VINTAGE BLUES SET and quoting them "Humbucker set consisting of our 59 Model neck & bridge delivers warm, full, P.A.F. style tone to any dual humbucker instrument."

I'm not considering any other SD model, because they are too expensive for me. I was going to buy the Toneriders and make my own 490R/498T poor-man's combo. It's just that the SD '59 showed up at that price and made me think about getting them. By the way, are they always much cheaper than the other models, or is it just a good offer that I'm seeing?

Well its what I use em for, they sound pretty fantastic to, almost like early slash tone or jimmy page. I think you should pull the trigger on the 59's, I wasn't disappointed by them

 

[waltschwarzkopf]

Re: Pickup advise - '59 set in mind

Well its what I use em for, they sound pretty fantastic to, almost like early slash tone or jimmy page. I think you should pull the trigger on the 59's, I wasn't disappointed by them

Amazing, those are two of my favourite guitar players! I like the sustain on the neck pickup for Slash like slow/smooth solos and the trebble I get on the bridge pickup powerchords and Led Zeppelin riffs.

 

[Nostalgic Distortion]

Re: Pickup advise - '59 set in mind

I've got a 59 set in one of my L.P.'s & I absolutely love them!!! I did have them in a couple of them but I've since changed the pickups around for verity's sake...

They are wax potted but not congested, they handle gain well, & they're warm woody tone makes them sound great clean IMO. LOL, I'd certainly take them over any Burstbucker set out there, or any modern Gibson pickup set for that matter! Some people think they are a little boomy in L.P.'s (especially the neck pickup) but it's nothing a magnet swap couldn't dial out...

 

[PierceOkken]

Re: Pickup advise - '59 set in mind

I think the 59's make a les paul what it should be, a top-notch machine for playing all styles of music, but when it comes down to it, you can turn up the gain and sound like every rock album since the 70s

 

[CaptainWhizz]

Re: Pickup advise - '59 set in mind

As someone who's very close to taking the 498T/ 490R out of a Gibson Les Paul Studio, I would say that the 59s might be better. They are one of the cheapest SD sets (along with JB/ Jazz and Distortions) just because they sell well and made in higher numbers (it seems), so they don't cost a lot more than Tonerider or Iron Gear sets.

Wilkinson and Vanson pickups would be cheaper options. Unless you wanted some second-hand Gibson pickups from the UK? ;-)

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Pickup advise - '59 set in mind

I’ve always liked 59’s but they’re a pickup that some hear as being “scooped”: not enough mids for some guys.

I put Roughcast A5 magnets in mine and it made a nice improvement...but I like my A2 Seth Lovers without covers even better.

 

[CaptainWhizz]

Re: Pickup advise - '59 set in mind

Potentially, these as sets (or bridge from one and neck from the other):

http://irongear.co.uk/irongear_pickups_011.htm

http://irongear.co.uk/irongear_pickups_031.htm

The first they say is great for Page and Kossoff tones, and the second is pure Slash.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Pickup advise - '59 set in mind

Anyone can do a lot worse than a pair of 59s. You can easily play many styles of music with them in a Les Paul for the rest of your life. They are excellent pickups for many things.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Pickup advise - '59 set in mind

59's are harsher and geared towards heavy music, not much of an underwound PAF thing.

what? the 59 model (as in 1959 gibson les paul with pafs) has been around since the 70's. they are very much a paf thing and i have no idea why youd think they were geared towards heavy music. they can be used for heavy stuff, just like anything else but that surely was not the vision when designed

 

[blueman335]

Re: Pickup advise - '59 set in mind

My thoughts:

- Stock '59N's can be bassy/boomy in some LP's. Some members solve that with an A4 magnet.

- Since you like BBP's, which are on the bright side (A5 magnets), I'd recommend a '59/Custom for the bridge and a JazzN for the neck.

- The 498T/490R set frustrates some players, due to the wide difference in EQ between the two PU's. The bridge is bright and thin with a grainy sound; the neck is warm and a little loose (some say muddy). Dialing in the amp EQ to get both PU's sounding good can be a challenge. The solution for some people is to only use one of the PU's. Others replace them. To me, the 498T/490R is one of the most bizarre pairings I've seen. Are you sure you want to go in that direction? 498T's are 14K & have nothing in common with PAF's.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Pickup advise - '59 set in mind

what? the 59 model (as in 1959 gibson les paul with pafs) has been around since the 70's. they are very much a paf thing and i have no idea why youd think they were geared towards heavy music. they can be used for heavy stuff, just like anything else but that surely was not the vision when designed

Right, '59's, as the name indicates, are a PAF.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Pickup advise - '59 set in mind

Well its what I use em for, they sound pretty fantastic to, almost like early slash tone or jimmy page. I think you should pull the trigger on the 59's, I wasn't disappointed by them

The 59 will work for Classic Rock and they will work well, but if you want Slash, you gotta have an Alnico II Pro in the neck that's what the man himself used. If you want Page, you gotta have a Tele. But an Alnico II Pro bridge will get you close to his live tones.

 

[waltschwarzkopf]

Re: Pickup advise - '59 set in mind

My thoughts:

- Stock '59N's can be bassy/boomy in some LP's. Some members solve that with an A4 magnet.

- Since you like BBP's, which are on the bright side (A5 magnets), I'd recommend a '59/Custom for the bridge and a JazzN for the neck.

- The 498T/490R set frustrates some players, due to the wide difference in EQ between the two PU's. The bridge is bright and thin with a grainy sound; the neck is warm and a little loose (some say muddy). Dialing in the amp EQ to get both PU's sounding good can be a challenge. The solution for some people is to only use one of the PU's. Others replace them. To me, the 498T/490R is one of the most bizarre pairings I've seen. Are you sure you want to go in that direction? 498T's are 14K & have nothing in common with PAF's.

I was not going to buy a 490R/498T because they are too expensive. But I was going to try to get close to them with the toneriders. However, your comment made me realize that there is in fact a large difference between both pickups, so I may not go in that direction.

For PAF sound I also considered the toneriders ac2 and ac4 classics. But since I like the sound and dynamics of Alnico V magnets, I might go for the 59s after all. The are more expensive, but almost everybody is saying that they are worth it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[blueman335]

Re: Pickup advise - '59 set in mind

It's quite surprising what you said, as the '59s are advertised on the website as a VINTAGE BLUES SET and quoting them "Humbucker set consisting of our 59 Model neck & bridge delivers warm, full, P.A.F. style tone to any dual humbucker instrument."

I've had a few '59 sets. Good PAF's, but they're not warm, the bridge is bright & midscooped. To me, the name 'Vintage Blues Set' doesn't seem to be a good fit. It conjures images of warm, rich tones in a smoky bar. Had they put an UOA5 magnet in the bridge (for warmth & texture), and an A4 in the neck (to prevent bassiness), they would have had a great new set without new R&D or expense.

 

[waltschwarzkopf]

Re: Pickup advise - '59 set in mind

The 498T/490R set frustrates some players, due to the wide difference in EQ between the two PU's. The bridge is bright and thin with a grainy sound; the neck is warm and a little loose (some say muddy). Dialing in the amp EQ to get both PU's sounding good can be a challenge. The solution for some people is to only use one of the PU's. Others replace them. To me, the 498T/490R is one of the most bizarre pairings I've seen. Are you sure you want to go in that direction? 498T's are 14K & have nothing in common with PAF's.

This just came to mind: What if I try the "opposite" of the 490T/498T? I mean, AlNiCo V on neck @ 7.8k and AlNiCo II on the bridge @ 8.3k, this way I wouldn't have a hughe difference in output. Alos, I've read that V on the neck an II on the bridge is a good combination.
http://tonerider.com/alnico-ii
http://tonerider.com/generator

What do you think?