Tell me about 59b w/A2

[Discharged]

Re: Tell me about 59b w/A2

A roughcast A2-modded '59b is a thing of beauty. Only a Seth bridge is arguably"better", and that's only because of the butyrate bobbins and not being potted.

I'm currently using an ES-339 with A3/A2-modded '59 set, so I'm kinda familiar with the tone.

/Peter

 

[SJ318]

Re: Tell me about 59b w/A2

Well, Shoot!
I am trying to stay away from posting as I don't want to be butting in all the time. But I must, what with my 3 Seth/3different guitar (mainly mahogany)/3 different magnets test. 1:RCA5.....2:UORA5.....3:Real PAF mag.(old or magical).
For a while, some time ago, I remember the big thing (short version) was that a 59 A5 didn't cut it: "too much boom, too scooped" but the 59 with a RC A5 made that pickup sound like a real, and good, PAF. Tighter low end, mid bump, less high end harshness. It was talked about by my most trusted and friendly Forum members.
Now, it seems all I hear about is the 59 with an UOA5, both neck and bridge. Hybrid, also UOA5. AND, Pearly Gates bridge with an UOA5....So: Is this because it is a recent discovery? This RCA5 to UOA5 happened in less than a year.
Any answers are helpful to me.
Thank you, sorry to hijack,
Steve Buffington

 

[Discharged]

Re: Tell me about 59b w/A2

Is this because it is a recent discovery?

It happened when the Forum's favorite magnet dealer, John Wymore, sold the business and the guy that bought it never frequented the Forum.

Enter the one and only Blueman335, responsable of bringing the UOA5 to the Forum, together with its vendor, AddictionFX.

IIRC, that happened around 2009.

So Steve, no; it's not really a recent thing.

/Peter

 

[Mincer]

Re: Tell me about 59b w/A2

Any ideas on which songs or album AH was using the p'up on?

I tried getting rid of the 59n once, sold to a friend & he returned it back in two weeks. Good that happened since I'm really liking it a lot in my lp copy. I had a opportunity to get a 59b some months locally but I paased on it :banghead::chairshot:butkick::smack:

I know he had one in a custom Strandberg made for him, but I don't think he ever recorded with it.

My guess it was used in his custom headless guitar in the video below, too. what a great sound!

 

[SJ318]

Re: Tell me about 59b w/A2

Thanks, Peter!
Buff

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Tell me about 59b w/A2

Well, Shoot!
I am trying to stay away from posting as I don't want to be butting in all the time. But I must, what with my 3 Seth/3different guitar (mainly mahogany)/3 different magnets test. 1:RCA5.....2:UORA5.....3:Real PAF mag.(old or magical).
For a while, some time ago, I remember the big thing (short version) was that a 59 A5 didn't cut it: "too much boom, too scooped" but the 59 with a RC A5 made that pickup sound like a real, and good, PAF. Tighter low end, mid bump, less high end harshness. It was talked about by my most trusted and friendly Forum members.
Now, it seems all I hear about is the 59 with an UOA5, both neck and bridge. Hybrid, also UOA5. AND, Pearly Gates bridge with an UOA5....So: Is this because it is a recent discovery? This RCA5 to UOA5 happened in less than a year.
Any answers are helpful to me.
Thank you, sorry to hijack,
Steve Buffington

Y'know, Duncan originally used roughcast A5 mags in the 59s. I have some old ones (been using them since '79 or thereabouts) and they always seemed a just little sweeter than recent ones. Come to find out, they switched to polished mags somewhere along the line. I think the difference is primarily in the highs. Although I haven't done any exhaustive experimentation, I don't feel the rough A5 changed the mids a whole lot, or tightened up the lows significantly. But I've never had boominess problems with 59Ns myself, even in Les Pauls. Maybe I never found the unfortunate combination, or maybe it's just that I don't habitually use enough gain for the problem to manifest. I will acknowledge that my main rig doesn't tend toward boominess anyway, except when once in a while I use the Recto circuit (which has HUGE chunk) in my preamp. Still, when I'm looking to get chunky I wouldn't reach for an axe with PAF type pickups anyway. So maybe my 59Ns would cause problems for somebody else using more bass and gain. But they've never given me any trouble.

IMO the difference UA5 produces is more pronounced, and for me it seems to change the feel as well as the sound. It brings a slightly more elastic pick response & fingertouch. What some might call... chewy? Less aggressive, at least. Tonewise it's a pretty noticeable difference too- affects the overall voice rather than just the treble. I've loved them in two 59Bs and my Hybrid. Worked fairly well in a JB too, although it didn't alter the personality on that as much as I'd hoped- less change than with the others. And I've been thinking about trying one out on the A4 bridge pickup in one of my McCartys.

 

[SJ318]

Re: Tell me about 59b w/A2

Eclecticsynergy-
Thanks for that information. I am excited to try all of the top contenders at once, a Seth bridge in four guitars of similar wood as it turns out. So instant feedback for me from guitar to guitar, UOA5, RCA5, my old PAF, and a RCA4. It will probably be 4 more weeks on that Seth RCA5 I ordered, but I will chime in and report if anyone is interested.
Just gotta make sure my descriptive words are universal so we are all talking the same language. "Chewy, sparkle, crunch, bright, crunchy, harsh, ice-picky, boominess, mids, mid-bump, loose, tight, etc., etc.
Steve Buffington

 

[blueman335]

Re: Tell me about 59b w/A2

Well said, Eclecticsynergy.