Well it isn't installed yet and i already think i've bought the wrong humbucker.

rufus

New member
Hi,

I've been reading this forum all weekend while i'm waiting for my 59 bridge humbucker to arrive.
It's going into an Epiphone dot, i find the stock one (57) not fat enough for lead work. Rhytm stuff is reasonable but it really lacks something.

As far as i can tell after reading this forum the 59 will be thin and very trebly in the dot?
I haven't got any magnets to swap, and i'm getting it installed by a tech so i wanna get the best result.

I never play clean on the bridge, from slight overdiven to classic rock.
 
Re: Well it isn't installed yet and i already think i've bought the wrong humbucker.

If you want it fat in bridge position, you have to get medium or high output.
 
Re: Well it isn't installed yet and i already think i've bought the wrong humbucker.

If you want it fat in bridge position, you have to get medium or high output.

Well, i thought it was better to put something low output in a semi-hollow. But now i think i've made he wrong choice going for the 59.
 
Re: Well it isn't installed yet and i already think i've bought the wrong humbucker.

I'm not a fan of vintage output for bridge position at all. You might be able to get decent sounds since you use moderate drive. I had an A2P in my dot for a bit and it was usable. But I really think either medium output if you want it clear, or high output if you want it fat is the way to go. Vintage output just sounds weak regardless of how it's voiced.
 
Re: Well it isn't installed yet and i already think i've bought the wrong humbucker.

If it's already ordered, see how it sounds. If you ordered it new, you have the return policy. Better to give it a shot and be sure of what you don/don't want.
 
Re: Well it isn't installed yet and i already think i've bought the wrong humbucker.

59 bridges are great bridge pickups. Try it first. They have some meat on them. Based on my experience I'm of the opinion 59s should have been the stock Gibson set. I don't find the bridge thin or scooped, as I've read guys complain about. I have the impression most guys that don't like them either aren't willing to tweak their amp settings or are using very different amplifiers and/or emulators from what I've used (Marshall JTM45, Marshall JCM900, Orange AD50, VOX AC30H2, SansAmp PSA-1, Line6 Flextone III).
 
Re: Well it isn't installed yet and i already think i've bought the wrong humbucker.

If it's already ordered, see how it sounds. If you ordered it new, you have the return policy. Better to give it a shot and be sure of what you don/don't want.

59 bridges are great bridge pickups. Try it first. They have some meat on them. Based on my experience I'm of the opinion 59s should have been the stock Gibson set. I don't find the bridge thin or scooped, as I've read guys complain about. I have the impression most guys that don't like them either aren't willing to tweak their amp settings or are using very different amplifiers and/or emulators from what I've used (Marshall JTM45, Marshall JCM900, Orange AD50, VOX AC30H2, SansAmp PSA-1, Line6 Flextone III).

+1

I have a 59 set in my ES-335 and they sound pretty good IMO. I can get a sound pretty similar to Alex Lifeson's from All the World's a Stage through either my Marshall Jubilee or the 2203 my bro used to own. That being said, I just bought a WLH set and intend to swap them because I want a little bit more output and midrange especially from the bridge. I agree with beaubrummels about being a stock Gibson set; even though the 59s aren't exactly what I'm looking for they're still light years ahead of the stock 57 Classics.
 
Re: Well it isn't installed yet and i already think i've bought the wrong humbucker.

I agree, the 59 set works in any guitar. It is not thin or super bright at all. My 335 is fairly bright sounding compared to a Les Paul, but nowhere near a Strat. You way want to consider a Seth or Antiquity set for a little more warmth, but classic rock is all about Vintage pickups. The JB is not a PAF.
 
Re: Well it isn't installed yet and i already think i've bought the wrong humbucker.

Rufus - try it and return if it's not to your liking.

I love the 59s I have in my LP - everything from clean through blues through rock and out into post-rock (think Mogwai) sounds just as I want it to.


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Re: Well it isn't installed yet and i already think i've bought the wrong humbucker.

I don't know if the return policy counts in Europe, glad to read that it does work out for some of you. Never heard anyone here return a pickup.
I'm gonna give it a go, it's gonna be better than the stock 57 pups in the Epiphone.
The neck pickup is only good for buttery lead playing, clean it's rather plain and chords hust mush out with a litlle overdrive.
Now i'm considering if i just shouldn't buy the matching 59 neck to get it installed while it's at the luthier.
 
Re: Well it isn't installed yet and i already think i've bought the wrong humbucker.

Put the 59 in the neck and get a Custom Custom for the bridge.
 
Re: Well it isn't installed yet and i already think i've bought the wrong humbucker.

i put a 59 set in my last epiphone lp and it sounded fantastic
 
Re: Well it isn't installed yet and i already think i've bought the wrong humbucker.

Would it be an idea to put a phat cat in the neck and a 59 in the bridge? I love p90's also.
 
Re: Well it isn't installed yet and i already think i've bought the wrong humbucker.

I had a Phat Cat in the neck of my Dot and it sounded awesome.
 
Re: Well it isn't installed yet and i already think i've bought the wrong humbucker.

Would it be an idea to put a phat cat in the neck and a 59 in the bridge? I love p90's also.

They'll balance OK in terms of output, but the 59 bridge is a lot more bright. You might be able to tame the treble a bit with 250K pots, but I can't say I've tried that combo.
 
Re: Well it isn't installed yet and i already think i've bought the wrong humbucker.

I ordered a set of tonerider alnico 4 pickups.
I've seen some people post the neckhumbucker is better than the 59 neck humbucker(less boomy) i thought i would give them a try.
The set costs as much as the 59 neck alone.
Don't know what i'll put in the bridge, the tonerider or the sd59.
I can always return the sd, if i install the tonerider. And if i install the sd i'll have an extra humbucker for another guitar.

I will report once installed, thanks everyone for the help.
 
Re: Well it isn't installed yet and i already think i've bought the wrong humbucker.

Hi,

I've been reading this forum all weekend while i'm waiting for my 59 bridge humbucker to arrive.
It's going into an Epiphone dot, i find the stock one (57) not fat enough for lead work. Rhytm stuff is reasonable but it really lacks something.

As far as i can tell after reading this forum the 59 will be thin and very trebly in the dot?
I haven't got any magnets to swap, and i'm getting it installed by a tech so i wanna get the best result.

I never play clean on the bridge, from slight over diven to classic rock.

The quickest way to fatten things up is to use a bigger set of strings........10's for 9's, 11's for 10s, etc.
 
Re: Well it isn't installed yet and i already think i've bought the wrong humbucker.

The quickest way to fatten things up is to use a bigger set of strings........10's for 9's, 11's for 10s, etc.

Heavier strings arent an option, arthritis...
 
Re: Well it isn't installed yet and i already think i've bought the wrong humbucker.

I ordered a set of tonerider alnico 4 pickups.
No! You... didn't..?
I've seen some people post the neckhumbucker is better than the 59 neck humbucker(less boomy) i thought i would give them a try.
The '59n with an A4 is not boomy at all. And that's just one of the effects of mag swapping.
The set costs as much as the 59 neck alone.
you could've bought second-hand '59s...
Don't know what i'll put in the bridge, the tonerider or the sd59.
Sorry you didn't ask; I actually have a nickel covered, already A4/A8-modded '59 set that I don't use. you could've gotten'em for a fair price.

You see, I've had those Toneriders in my own guitars, and they're not bad, mind you.

But, make no mistake: they're not Duncans either.

HTH,
 
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