What to pair with Little '59 in Strat?

[~Maxx]

Hi folks. I played a Strat at my local shop a while back that had an SD Lil '59 on the bridge, and decided that it's what I've been looking for to put in my own Strat. So I've got one on the way. I'm wondering if someone here might give me some direction as to which types of single coils I could look into to finish out the mid and neck positions on this guitar. I know it's a pretty broad question, but I'm really just looking for a starting point. I've played through Texas Specials, and liked them in general, but I think they're just a tad harsh for what I'm after. I'm really worried about finding something that will keep up with the output difference, while matching tonally and responsively across the board.

The way the '59 responded to my sound was one of the things that sold me on it (probably the major point in fact). I don't see it as a very diverse pickup. At least not in the same way that the JB jr. and Lil Screamin Demon are (both of which I've also auditioned). But it fits a niche that I'm trying to accomplish with this Strat.

Again - I'm really just looking for a starting point of reference. I'm just not up on all the varieties of modern single coils. If anyone here is familiar with the Little '59 and has any input I'd sure appreciate it.

Thanks a bunch!

 

[bluesbend]

Re: What to pair with Little '59 in Strat?

Welcome to the Forums!
The Duncan SSL-5 will go nicely with the little '59. I have a Strat build with the l'il 59 at the bridge an SSL-5 middle and a Quarter Pound at the neck.
Check out the Tone Chart, it should help with your decision.

 

[~Maxx]

Re: What to pair with Little '59 in Strat?

Thanks for the reply bluesbend! I investigated the the tone charts a few months ago when I first started researching pickups. But honestly I didn't find them too helpful in the long run. The resistance rating helps in comparing the general output, but that's about it. I noticed that the SSL-5's resistance rating lists "tapped" and "full". I hate to sound like a total moron here - but what's the explanation of that? I also noticed that there's a bridge version and an RWRP version available, but nothing listed for the neck position. I'm sure the reason for this is obvious, but I'm a bit confused by it.

In addition (and I only mention this for posterity - not bashing your preference at all bluesbend), I have a Quarter Pounder that I bought years (and years) ago. I've tried it in several guitars on both the neck and mid, and I've never been able to find a home for it. I can coax "good" sounds out of it, but nothing I particularly like for myself. I just don't think it's the pickup for me. So if the SSL-5 bears any tonal resemblance, I may have to be cautious.

Again - thanks for the wisdom bluesbend. It gives me a place to start. By the way - I love your sig! I'm a big fan!

 

[Schappy]

Re: What to pair with Little '59 in Strat?

Id go with vintage hot stack in the neck and classic stack plus in the middle.
Keeps it more stratty sounding.

Or SSl-1s in neck and middle.

 

[JProd]

Re: What to pair with Little '59 in Strat?

Hello,

I've also acquire a SD lil '59 (single coil format) and 2 SD SSL-5 custom staggered for my stratocaster. But i was wondering.. Can i mount the Lil '59 at the neck position instead of the bridge position? I usually use the 5th and 4th position the most, thats why i'm asking this..
I'd be appreciated if anybody give me an opinion on this subject (i'm kinda new in this pickup thing )

Thanks in advance,
Cumps from Portugal.

 

[~Maxx]

Re: What to pair with Little '59 in Strat?

Id go with vintage hot stack in the neck and classic stack plus in the middle.
Keeps it more stratty sounding.

Or SSl-1s in neck and middle.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't the "stacked" pickups double coils? I don't think that's what I'm really going for in the neck and mid. I was surprised at how much I liked the Little '59 in the bridge position. In the end I've decided that experimentation is the only way to find what I want. I ordered an inexpensive "vintage" set with Alnico II magnets from a different company. I'll see how those get along in this Strat, and then find something with different magnets and/or maybe an over-wound set. Once I figure out which features and what type of output I want I should be able to find a higher end set that fits what I need without spending a fortune on pickups that I can't use.

Hello,

I've also acquire a SD lil '59 (single coil format) and 2 SD SSL-5 custom staggered for my stratocaster. But i was wondering.. Can i mount the Lil '59 at the neck position instead of the bridge position? I usually use the 5th and 4th position the most, thats why i'm asking this..
I'd be appreciated if anybody give me an opinion on this subject (i'm kinda new in this pickup thing )

Thanks in advance,
Cumps from Portugal.

It's your guitar - and you can put that pickup wherever you want! Some things to keep in mind, though are that pickups designed for the bridge position tend to have higher output and "darker" tonal qualities than pickups designed for the neck and mid positions. The strings don't resonate nearly as much at the bridge, which means the sound is thinner and quieter in that position. A hotter, darker pickup makes up for that difference. So if you put a bridge pickup in the neck position it's likely to be noticeably louder and darker than the others. Likewise, if you put a neck or middle pickup at the bridge it will sound thin and quiet. It never hurts to experiment though. I have used bridge pickups in the neck position before, and found that it can have useful qualities, although it is not as diverse as a more traditional setup.

Good luck!

 

[leftyibanez]

Re: What to pair with Little '59 in Strat?

I just picked up a used Squier Strat and it has the rails in bridge and middle postion, and the '59 in the neck position. The '59 sounds like a strat PU; bell-sounding tones. Switch to middle+neck you get the nice quack sound of a strat. Now I prefer the '59 (humbucker) for the bridge position. Much more of a Humbucker distortion, so I may change that out.

 

[Despair]

Re: What to pair with Little '59 in Strat?

Stacks do have two coils, but they aren't like a standard side-by-side humbucker or even a single-sized side-by-side. The latest generation (Stack Plus from Seymour Duncan) are amazingly close to single coils in tone, aside from the missing hum and noise. The coils aren't identical, the noise-cancelling coil is designed purely to cancel noise.

If you split them so they don't cancel hum, the STK-S4 Classic Stack Plus is indistinguishable from an SSL-2 Vintage Flat, the STK-S6 Custom Stack Plus is an SSL-6 Custom Flat, and the STK-S9b Hot Stack Plus is an SSL-3 Hot. There's no direct equivalent for the STK-S7 Hot Vintage Stack Plus.

But if you are skittish about hum-cancelling, or want sounds not available in a production Stack Plus yet, you might want to check out the Five-Two and Alnico II Pro strat pickups. The mix of A5 on bass strings and A2 on high strings is amazing.