Thinking of what do with my 59n J Pickup...

[OsvyRock]

Hi everyone!

I'm writing here because I have been thinking of what to do about my 59nJ humbucker. I purchased it from a forum member back in 2012. It's a early 90;s pickup that came stock in a Hamer Sunburst, made in 1992.


The humbucker is inside a DBZ Bolero, alongside a (2011?) SH-5 Custom that I purchased new. That pickup is top notch in every aspect. The 59 had been his companion since 2012. I removed a Pearly Gates neck that couldn't keep up with the SH-5*

The thing is that on a gig on January 2013, the Seymour Duncan bottom plate broke in a gig. Managed to survive the gig playing with 59' ''in the air'', and the SH-5 as the main pickup in the gig. Thing is, my tech ''fixed it'', but I imagine that with a cheap humbucker copper baseplate or something. It kinda stole the pickup tone a little bit, but managed to do the trick for a live concert and CD/DVD Production in which the guitar was used for the whole show.
Is been years since that event, and I have been feeling the 59n isn't keeping up with the SH-5 clarity anymore. It's very warm, Gary Moore ''Still Got The Blues/Parisienne Walkways" like, bass heavy, losing attack, and getting muddy...

I have thought of replacing the humbucker with a (brand new) Seymour Duncan Jazz pickup, but I have also considered sending it to the Custom Shop so they can install or re-install the original bottom baseplate, and maybe ''remagnetize'' the pickup again. Maybe that will bring it to ''life'' once again.

Rewinding would also be ''cool'' to do, but I don't know much about that. I just want it to feel clear, powerful, and work perfectly well once again with the SH-5 Custom in the bridge. Who knows? Maybe MJ herself can work something out and provide a little extra to the pickup?

What do you think about it?

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Thinking of what do with my 59n J Pickup...

It's no big deal to replace a baseplate. Anyone with basic soldering skills can get a replacement baseplate from Mojotone for something like $5

 

[OsvyRock]

Re: Thinking of what do with my 59n J Pickup...

It's no big deal to replace a baseplate. Anyone with basic soldering skills can get a replacement baseplate from Mojotone for something like $5

I imagine mine needs to be replaced for a silver nickel one, right?
What about re-magnetizing the magnet to give the 59' full power once again?

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Thinking of what do with my 59n J Pickup...

Yes.

And just buy a new magnet. Also just a few bucks.

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Thinking of what do with my 59n J Pickup...

Try to salvage the sticker, though. That's where all the mojo is.

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Thinking of what do with my 59n J Pickup...

Try to salvage the sticker, though. That's where all the mojo is.

+1

 

[OsvyRock]

Re: Thinking of what do with my 59n J Pickup...

Try to salvage the sticker, though. That's where all the mojo is.

No Prob!
I still have the original baseplate with the sticker and the 59NJ words in it.

So according to your comments, it's definitely worth it to keep the 59' in my guitar, just ''updating it'' with a new magnet and a new nickel silver baseplate to have a ''like new'' and original Seymour Duncan 59 tone once again.

Really would love to have the clarity, attack, and explore a 59' as it's meant to be.
PS. Which magnet should I purchase? I see roughcasts and things like that. I would love something similar to the original (stock) one, but know very little about magnets.

Let me know! And thanks DarthPhineas for your replies!

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: Thinking of what do with my 59n J Pickup...

No A4 mentions?

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Thinking of what do with my 59n J Pickup...

PS. Which magnet should I purchase? I see roughcasts and things like that. I would love something similar to the original (stock) one, but know very little about magnets.

I'd wager that it originally came with the rough cast A5. Given the low cost, maybe grab a rough cast A5 and a polished A5 and see what suits your ear to how you remember your specific pickup sounding.

If you aren't comfortable with the process, contact a reputable pickup repair shop and they can do it for you.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Thinking of what do with my 59n J Pickup...

No A4 mentions?

I was just about to.

Being "bass heavy" is a common complaint about the 59 in the neck. The stock A5 magnet gives the 59 its bright highs and big boomy bass. Putting an A4 magnet in it should lose some of that bass and make it a bit more articulate.

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Thinking of what do with my 59n J Pickup...

I was just about to.

Being "bass heavy" is a common complaint about the 59 in the neck. The stock A5 magnet gives the 59 its bright highs and big boomy bass. Putting an A4 magnet in it should lose some of that bass and make it a bit more articulate.

I used to think the same think about the 59n until I tried a full 59 set. When matched with something different in the bridge, like Jackson can do with a JB, it does seem too heavy.

 

[Artie]

Re: Thinking of what do with my 59n J Pickup...

The thing is that on a gig on January 2013, the Seymour Duncan bottom plate broke in a gig.

Ok, I gotta ask . . . how the heck do you break a baseplate during a gig? You must be doing some serious hammer-on's. :boggled:

 

[Mincer]

Re: Thinking of what do with my 59n J Pickup...

I would just get a handful of magnets, since you are ordering anyway. Polished A5, RC A5, UOA5, are all good places to start, and will still be under $20. It is worth the time to experiment to hear what the different magnets do.

 

[OsvyRock]

Re: Thinking of what do with my 59n J Pickup...

I was just about to.

Being "bass heavy" is a common complaint about the 59 in the neck. The stock A5 magnet gives the 59 its bright highs and big boomy bass. Putting an A4 magnet in it should lose some of that bass and make it a bit more articulate.

I used to think the same think about the 59n until I tried a full 59 set. When matched with something different in the bridge, like Jackson can do with a JB, it does seem too heavy.

That's good to know! I ain't scared about bass heavyness. It kinda gives it his personality. What I do miss is having attack with that humbucker. It's creamy, smooth, powerful but contained at the same time.

Ok, I gotta ask . . . how the heck do you break a baseplate during a gig? You must be doing some serious hammer-on's. :boggled:

No idea. As I wrote in the beginning of the thread, it's an old 90's 59' (J) 4-conductor neck humbucker. It fell into the pickup hole during the gig. My tech said that the part holding the screw broke and the standard screws couldn't fit there anymore. He replaced it with a cheap (I imagine China) humbucker baseplate. I still have the original Seymour Duncan baseplate with me. He has told me of re-installing it by using another screw for the baseplate side that broke.

I would just get a handful of magnets, since you are ordering anyway. Polished A5, RC A5, UOA5, are all good places to start, and will still be under $20. It is worth the time to experiment to hear what the different magnets do.

Really would love to have it as ''new'' as possible. The SH-5 Custom is a really amazing humbucker. I love the 59' as a companion. I can play Gary Moore tunes and many things with it, but I hear a lot about Alnico V brightness, attack, etc. While I can play with my 59, I have to max out the tone control to have some ''piercing'' tones with it. It's mostly creamy. Maybe that's the MJ mojo or is it simply that it's lacking a new magnet for it.

I could have purchased a new one at the time, but purchased the MJ due to experimenting if there was something else with her wounding the pickups.
May never know, but due to quality, time and related stuff, I will keep buying new humbuckers at the time of upgrading or modifying a guitar.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Thinking of what do with my 59n J Pickup...

After reading your last post, I second the idea of an A4. You won't lose bass or treble. You will get mids that fit with the bass and treble.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

 

[OsvyRock]

Re: Thinking of what do with my 59n J Pickup...

After reading your last post, I second the idea of an A4. You won't lose bass or treble. You will get mids that fit with the bass and treble.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

It's no big deal to replace a baseplate. Anyone with basic soldering skills can get a replacement baseplate from Mojotone for something like $5

Will definitely consider it. I was talking to my guitar tech. I believe he installed a cheap brass baseplate in the pickup. The pickup's alive, but I imagine that the baseplate is the culprit of the lack of attack in the 59n' Would love to send it to the Custom Shop so they fit the ''correct'' baseplate back, but since you say about the replacement baseplate available elsewhere. Where can I get a nickel silver baseplate that can be a perfect fit for the 59n'?

 

[Will S-T]

Re: Thinking of what do with my 59n J Pickup...

I'm reading that the screw hole on the baseplate is buggered?
Just solder a nut matching original screws to the baseplate.

Then see if there is anything "missing" in the tone and power and
you can do some mag swaps to fine tune your sound.

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Thinking of what do with my 59n J Pickup...

http://www.mojotone.com/guitar-parts/Humbucker-Parts-List

Confirm your measurements and get what you want.

 

[OsvyRock]

Re: Thinking of what do with my 59n J Pickup...

I'm reading that the screw hole on the baseplate is buggered?
Just solder a nut matching original screws to the baseplate.

Then see if there is anything "missing" in the tone and power and
you can do some mag swaps to fine tune your sound.

http://www.mojotone.com/guitar-parts/Humbucker-Parts-List

Confirm your measurements and get what you want.

Here are some photos of the original Seymour Duncan baseplate...

Darth Phineas, help me out here!
I believe this one should do the trick... http://www.mojotone.com/Pickups_x/P...enter-Hole-Frame-Nickel-Silver-49-2mm?whence=
49.2MM Nickel Silver. Looks very similar to the original Seymour Duncan baseplate too, compared to... http://www.mojotone.com/Pickups_x/PickupParts_x/Humbucker-Short-Leg-Frame-Nickel-Silver-49-2mm

Please let me know if I'm on the right track and that's the baseplate to buy. I really want to replace the brass one installed right now in my pickup. I noticed the sound EQ changed when ''fixed'', played it that way a few years, but now is when I can really feel what is missing. It's getting ''drowned out'', tamed, and muddy compared to the SH-5

 

[Will S-T]

Re: Thinking of what do with my 59n J Pickup...

Common thing for plates to be drilled to screw pickup directltly to body.
Just solder nuts as suggested earliear to the baseplate and you are good to go.

Easy fix mate unless you live in a country where metric is the system.
The screws will be imperial so make sure you get the the right nuts