Tell me about the Little 59 Tele pickup

[Inkstained]

New guy here.

I have a 1993 Fender American Standard Telecaster fitted with Gold Lace Sensors.

The sensors are OK, but I've had them for 15-plus years, and I'm a little bored with them, the bridge pickup in particular. The bridge unit can get a little icepicky. I don't really play a lot of traditional "Telecaster" stuff on my Tele -- mainly I play blues, classic rock, some jazz (mostly on the neck pickup). I'm not a country player.

I'm considering Little 59 bridge humbucker. I want more power and versatility, but at the same time, I don't want to completely lose the "Telecasterishness," the fundamental Tele character of the guitar.

Would the Little 59, wired even in series, completely transform the guitar? Would it still be recognizable as a Telecaster?

Thoughts, opinions, warnings, threats, etc., are welcome. Thanks.

Tom

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

Re: Tell me about the Little 59 Tele pickup

I put one in one of my Teles a few months ago. It's cool, but it really doesn't sound all that "Telecaster-ish". If you want your Tele bridge to sound sort of like an LP, then yeah, it's great.

However, I know you can add a push/pull pot and split it into single coil mode. I think that helps the versatility.

I think I'm going to be pulling mine and selling it. It's a good pickup, just not my thing.

 

[Inkstained]

Re: Tell me about the Little 59 Tele pickup

I've done thread searches on the '59, and I see responses like yours. I love Les Pauls, but I want my Telecaster to be a Tele, not an LP. Not sure what to do. May try it for a month or so.

I've also considered a Vintage Lead Stack, but I'm worried that I won't lose the "icepick" if I go that route. Switching over to a true (albeit single-coil-sized) humbucker for some blues leads sounds nice, actually.

Decisions ...

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

Re: Tell me about the Little 59 Tele pickup

I've gone through a number of bridge pickups. American Standard, MIM Standard, SD A2P, SD Broadcaster, Fender CS Nocaster, lil'59...

So far my hands down favourite is the CS Nocaster. Second is the Broadcaster. Both are pretty versatile combined with use of the tone control knob. I play mainly blues and classic rock (Stones). I've got the Nocaster set on one Tele, and the Broadcaster on another. Neither of them are ever coming out of those guitars.

I grew to hate the A2P. Way too polite to the point of being sterile. AS pickups aren't bad, but they're not amazing.

 

[Inkstained]

Re: Tell me about the Little 59 Tele pickup

I've heard good things about the CS Nocaster pickup, but I'm not going back to single-coil hum. I want to buck the hum. I'm looking for a balance between Tele twanginess and straight-ahead power.

I think I'm talking myself into the Lil 59.

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

Re: Tell me about the Little 59 Tele pickup

I think you might want to consider the SD stacked Tele pickup or one of the Fender Noiseless models instead. A lil59 is going to sound like a 59 humbucker.

 

[Inkstained]

Re: Tell me about the Little 59 Tele pickup

A Fender pickup in a Fender guitar?

What an odd thing to suggest.

:scratchch

I like Fender. In fact, I love Fender. I've been a walking advertisement for Fender for years (when I'm, you know, actually playing guitar).

But Seymour is a certified Tele-fanatic, and I trust his judgement. I have a Pearly Gates and a '59 in a 2001 Strat, and they sound fantastic. Besides, I'm feeling like taking a risk here.

I just hope I'm not bitterly disappointed. I really don't want to turn my 93 Tele into a 59 Les Paul (as if any bridge pup could do that). :cool2:

 

[Natman]

Re: Tell me about the Little 59 Tele pickup

FWIW I have experience with Lace Sensors (in strats) and recently swapped my Hot Golds (which I generally like a lot) for some Antiquities. It was like night and day. Although I have to live with hum now, I also have juicy responsive tone.

For my tele, I have a Custom Shop Pearly Gates Jr coming in the mail. I would have gone with the Lil 59 but figured alnico was the way to go and if it was coming from the custom shop it has to be good. I'll be using a mini toggle to get series-split-parallel and will report back when it's in the guitar. I suspect the switch from Sensors to Lil 59 will be dramatic, maybe even shocking!

 

[Inkstained]

Re: Tell me about the Little 59 Tele pickup

For my tele, I have a Custom Shop Pearly Gates Jr coming in the mail. I would have gone with the Lil 59 but figured alnico was the way to go and if it was coming from the custom shop it has to be good. I'll be using a mini toggle to get series-split-parallel and will report back when it's in the guitar. I suspect the switch from Sensors to Lil 59 will be dramatic, maybe even shocking!

Thanks. I'm weighing the Custom Shop route, too. I know 'ceramic' is supposed to be a scary buzz word, but it doesn't bother me.

Let me know how the Pearly Gates Jr. sounds. I have a Pearly Gates "Plus" on one of my Strats. I love it. Very lively.

The only way to find out is to unlimber my wallet, get the pickup and get out the soldering iron. :banghead:

 

[Hagbard Celine]

Re: Tell me about the Little 59 Tele pickup

I thought the Lil' '59 was pretty boring in my Tele. I actually preferred a Hotrails with a series/parallel push/pull on the volume. In parallel mode it was a nice sounding pup, though not really "Tele."

I have to say that I don't think ANY hum free pup is going to really sound like a true single coil no matter what. None that I have tried did.

 

[JohnZAH]

Re: Tell me about the Little 59 Tele pickup

Well I use the little 59 in my main stage guitar and absolutely love it, BUT It doesn't sound like a tele at all. It's nearly as ballsy as my LP.

I don't have a coil tap though so that may be a good option.

 

[chris_tw21]

Re: Tell me about the Little 59 Tele pickup

Inkstained checkout joe barden pickups,bruce springsteen had blade pickups in his tele at the rock and roll hall of fame and the tone was great.

 

[Inkstained]

Re: Tell me about the Little 59 Tele pickup

Well I use the little 59 in my main stage guitar and absolutely love it, BUT It doesn't sound like a tele at all. It's nearly as ballsy as my LP.

I don't have a coil tap though so that may be a good option.

The more I think about it, the more I think less "Teleishness" may be a good thing. Copping some new sounds might be fun, and as I've said, I'm not a country player. I lean more to the rock/blues side.

Of course, I'm just imagining what I might do with a humbucker in my Tele. Once the pickup is actually in there, that might turn my head around.

We'll see. :scratchch I'm getting the Lil 59.

 

[Inkstained]

Re: Tell me about the Little 59 Tele pickup

Inkstained checkout joe barden pickups,bruce springsteen had blade pickups in his tele at the rock and roll hall of fame and the tone was great.

I've heard great things about Bardens. I have the first 'Hotlicks' instructional video from Danny Gatton, in which he works his magic with a set of Bardens in his '53 Tele. He is (was) an incredible player, of course, but I have to say, the only thing I didn't like about that video was his tone. That's the only thing that gives me pause about the Bardens.

 

[Inkstained]

Re: Tell me about the Little 59 Tele pickup

I have to say that I don't think ANY hum free pup is going to really sound like a true single coil no matter what. None that I have tried did.

Yeah, I may be chasing an animal that doesn't exist. Fair enough. :thanks:

 

[AudioWonderland]

Re: Tell me about the Little 59 Tele pickup

A cool rail bridge for tele would be the perfect answer. But it doesn't exist.... The cool rail does for a strat bridge exactly what you are describing. The lil 59 wired in parallel perhaps is the closest to that sound in the production lineup

 

[Inkstained]

Re: Tell me about the Little 59 Tele pickup

Ordered the L59. We'll see what happens. It's not like I'm proposing marriage to anyone. :friday:

 

[papersoul]

Re: Tell me about the Little 59 Tele pickup

Ordered the L59. We'll see what happens. It's not like I'm proposing marriage to anyone. :friday:

Did you end up getting it? I have one on the way? I was thinking about the Little Pearly Gates but I don;t feel like spending that money for a pickup I doubt is that much differentthan the Littl 59 in a loud rock band. :laugh2:
Plus, ceramic does not scare me. Two of my favorite pickups, the Duncan Custom and PRS Dragon use a ceramic magnet and they are amazing sounding....smooth and warm!

I hate the traditional Tele tone. I like the look and feel of a Telecaster but mine needs a beefy humbucker in the bridge. :laugh2:

I have never found a single coil to work as well as any humbucker for hard rock or metal.

 

[chadd]

Re: Tell me about the Little 59 Tele pickup

I think I'm picking up a lil59 tomorrow. I've had a Rio Muy Grande in my mahogany parts tele for a long time and I just want something without the hum. I'd love to get a lil-demon in a tele package, but not enough to spring for a custom pickup.

 

[Inkstained]

Re: Tell me about the Little 59 Tele pickup

This was my very first thread.

I played my Little 59-equipped American Standard Tele through my Class 5 just this morning. What an incredible pickup. One of my best purchases of the past year easily.

Crank the volume through a tube amp, and this pickup really transforms a Tele. Turn it down, and you get more of the classic Tele bridge pickup sound again.

Well done, Seymour. Well done.