What to do with '59 neck PU?

L.W. Badger

L.W. Badger

New member
Now I've got one laying around so I want to experiment with magnet swaps.......finally! Would an A5 or A8 mag increase the output, or just the tone varience? Isn't output kinda measured off the resistence? What could I expect by putting it a more powerful magnet?
 
Re: What to do with '59 neck PU?

Well, the '59 already has an A5 magnet. An A2 magnet is an interesting change; that makes the midrange more prominent and gives it some nice presence. I haven't tried an A8 in it.
 
Re: What to do with '59 neck PU?

Jessie Sammler said:
Well, the '59 already has an A5 magnet. An A2 magnet is an interesting change; that makes the midrange more prominent and gives it some nice presence. I haven't tried an A8 in it.
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It does, and sounds that weak!? Then we definitely need to go SOMEWHERE! Am I chasing a ghost, or can this PU be made much "hotter"?

I was kinda "disappointed" with the Dirty Fingers PU.....somewhere around 11-13K, when the JB was putting out just a bit more.......

Can I make a '59 neck PU with more output....i.e. a higher reading?

I wanna make my Shecter as loud as my LP....so far Hybrid Ernie balls are closing it on it........but no dice when I compare the two side by side.
 
Re: What to do with '59 neck PU?

It only specs at 7.43k. Have you considered a Duncan Distortion?
 
Re: What to do with '59 neck PU?

Try with an A4 magnet... it takes out the "scoopiness" without losing the "sizzle".

I think the A4 is the most musical magnet for a neck humbucker specially with a Low 7K PAFish wound coil #42 Single Plain Enamel or Single Polysol wire.

And if you have a '59b, Custom of any kind, or a JB, try an A8 magnet and you've got yourself the perfect tonal match for any mahogany solid body and/or maple semihollow with a 24 3/4" and/or 25" scale.

This A4neck/A8bridge magnet combo works well in the following sets:

'59n/'59b
'59n/Custom8
JazzN/JazzB
Jazzn/JB8
Gibson '57Classic/'57Classic Plus
Gibson P-94s: A4/A5n - A5/A8b

HTH,
 
Re: What to do with '59 neck PU?

Jessie Sammler said:
It only specs at 7.43k. Have you considered a Duncan Distortion?
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Right. This is a pickup which was made compensated for the strong vibrations on the wound strings in that position. It should avoid woofiness (although it not complete succeed in this topic) and rescue some definition for a decent cut in the band mix.
This is not a screamer!
 
Re: What to do with '59 neck PU?

LtKojak said:
This A4neck/A8bridge magnet combo works well in the following sets:

'59n/'59b
'59n/Custom8
JazzN/JazzB
Jazzn/JB8
Gibson '57Classic/'57Classic Plus
Gibson P-94s: A4/A5n - A5/A8b

HTH,
Click to expand...

Some remarks:

I did not try that in Jazz, because i had no boominess problems in the neck and fuller mids in the Bridge.
I had good results in an old DiMarzio PAF set.
59nA4 and Custom8 is my current set.
 
Re: What to do with '59 neck PU?

So I'm stuck in the 7-8 range because of the wire/coils right? Different magnets changes tonal characteristics right?

I can't just have a pickup laying around unused....so I need to build a guitar for it. I want to place the pickup right around the middle of where #2 & #3 would sit for a 3-bucker set up.....or classic single-bucker bass placement.

What happens if I put a ceramic mag in it?
 
Re: What to do with '59 neck PU?

A8 makes it much louder. The rest is very roughly even but can come out uneven if the guitar and the pickup happen push the same frequencies (which usually sounds bad anyway).
 
Re: What to do with '59 neck PU?

Louder can be good.....just don't like the "look" of the Invaders....so an A8 mag eh!?
 
Re: What to do with '59 neck PU?

I think the change in output is just a myth. Lots of people think A8 mags and and Ceramics sound so much louder than their previous magnets and instantly think more output. Despite the A8 having a round top end it does have a lot of upper mids which in comparison to most magnets would make it sound louder because of the added frequencies and the same goes for Ceramics which have a ton of highs in comparison as well. I think all the added frequencies make it sound louder because more sound is cutting through rather than falling in a mix and most people just think its because it is a raise in output.

Just my 2c. though, I could be wrong.
 
Re: What to do with '59 neck PU?

the dc resistance of a pup is determined by the coils. the output is influenced by more than just the dc resistance. changing magnets will influence output
 
Re: What to do with '59 neck PU?

My experience is A8's are much higher output for a given height than any other alnico magnet. They require a lot more distance from the strings to prevent string dampening and balanced output with the neck pup.

I personally haven't found a pickup I really liked with A8 (including the 59), but YMMV.
 
Re: What to do with '59 neck PU?

A8s make an A5/A2 pickup much louder. Unconditionally. I tried that with a whole range of pickups.

Ceramic is special. It starts louder on light play but then compresses on harder play, where the alnicos just get louder with harder play.
 
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