Underwound 59 neck?

[kingrazor]

So far the best neck humbucker I've heard is the 59. It's basically perfect. My only thing with it is that I don't see myself ever using a tone control with one, I don't think I'd ever need it. But if I ever want just a touch more brightness, it's not there.

I know if you overwind a pickup you tend to get a hotter, fatter sound, but what about underwinding it? In theory you'd get a little bit more top end, right?

Or maybe a magnet swap would be easier.

Thoughts?

 

[Demanic]

Re: Underwound 59 neck?

Magnet swap in an A4.

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[jeremy]

Re: Underwound 59 neck?

yes, if you kept the pattern the same youd have a little more open top end. a4 would balance the eq some what but does change the voicing of the high end a little along with less bottom and more mids. some people use a4 if the find the stock a5 too boomy

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Underwound 59 neck?

Tbx tone controls remove treble when turned one way like usual and remove bass when turned the other way so it effectively increases treble.

 

[kingrazor]

Re: Underwound 59 neck?

Magnet swap in an A4.

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Doesn't an A4 also reduce the highs a bit?

 

[Demanic]

Re: Underwound 59 neck?

It flattens the eq. To my ears, that makes it sound a bit brighter, because while the highs are reduced, so is the bass, which is more prominent to begin with.

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[Jacew]

Re: Underwound 59 neck?

So far the best neck humbucker I've heard is the 59. It's basically perfect. My only thing with it is that I don't see myself ever using a tone control with one, I don't think I'd ever need it. But if I ever want just a touch more brightness, it's not there.

I know if you overwind a pickup you tend to get a hotter, fatter sound, but what about underwinding it? In theory you'd get a little bit more top end, right?

Or maybe a magnet swap would be easier.

Thoughts?

Switch to a slightly lower value tone capacitor. Easiest and cheapest way. And it does not affect the low end.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Underwound 59 neck?

Or a higher value volume or tone pot.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Underwound 59 neck?

If the 59 is the best neck humbucker heard, I wonder what others have been tried. I find the Jazz, Seth, WLH, and Pearly to be better, in that order for me.

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Underwound 59 neck?

The A4'59n is the only p'up that always sounded great in every single guitar I've put it, no matter scale, wood or shape.

I currently use an A3'59n in an Epi ES-339 that I use for my Smooth Jazz project group. Another great choice, if anybody would care to know. Pairs up beatifully with an A2'59b, BTW.

HTH,

 

[Jacew]

Re: Underwound 59 neck?

Or a higher value volume or tone pot.

Volume pot affects the whole eq range so i wouldn't advise that. Tone pot would work, but general pot values won't allow adding "touch of brightness" like cap values, they're too far apart.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Underwound 59 neck?

^ thats precisely why it would work.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Underwound 59 neck?

I'm having trouble 'hearing' what you need.

But as mentioned, any variety of higher value pots might do what you need.

50's wiring for sure so vol control doesn't impact treble...

 

[Emopunk]

Re: Underwound 59 neck?

You could consider switching your tone pot for a no-load one, too.

Inviato dal mio MotoG3 utilizzando Tapatalk

 

[Hank-]

Re: Underwound 59 neck?

You could consider switching your tone pot for a no-load one, too.

+1 to this. I have no load tone pots in all my electrics. You can find pics or youtube vids of how to convert a pot to be used as a no load pot.

 

[kingrazor]

Re: Underwound 59 neck?

If the 59 is the best neck humbucker heard, I wonder what others have been tried. I find the Jazz, Seth, WLH, and Pearly to be better, in that order for me.

Compared to what you listed I prefer the 59. Also, I wasn't asking what pickups you liked better.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Underwound 59 neck?

Compared to what you listed I prefer the 59. Also, I wasn't asking what pickups you liked better.

Right. You asked for thoughts, and my thought is rather than pay custom prices to underwind a 59, I'd just choose a pickup that is a brighter and less boomy variant of what a 59 is, since they already exist and are easily found and affordable.

 

[kingrazor]

Re: Underwound 59 neck?

Right. You asked for thoughts, and my thought is rather than pay custom prices to underwind a 59, I'd just choose a pickup that is a brighter and less boomy variant of what a 59 is, since they already exist and are easily found and affordable.

Fair enough. I have listened to their other pickups and the 59 was my favorite of SD's offerings. The Jazz is clearer and brighter but too much so IMO. Ideally I think I'd want something inbetween them.

That said I've seen the de-mud mod mentioned here with either a cap or cap and resistor in series wired to the neck pickup to filter out some of the low end which might be enough to clear up the pickup enough for me.

 

[Mark Le Comte]

Re: Underwound 59 neck?

Spin a split.

 

[Jacew]

Re: Underwound 59 neck?

^ thats precisely why it would work.

??

OP said:

It's basically perfect. Only thing with it is that I don't see myself ever using a tone control with one, I don't think I'd ever need it. But if I ever want just a touch more brightness, it's not there.

Switching to higher value volume pot would change the entire tone of the pickup, not just add touch more brightness. That sort of adjustment is what tone control is for. If OP has 250k tone pot, switching to 300k might be perfect. Otherwise adjusting the cap value would be the best way to achieve what he is after based on his post.