Seymour Duncan '59 pickup for early VH

tonejones · Post by **tonejones** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 10:42 pm

NY Chief wrote:
fillmore nyc wrote:Or if money is not an issue (sorry, Jim!!) a WCR Crossroads, or Goodwood will slaughter a Duncan '59.
I dunno, it seems like a lot of guys like the '59, and thats cool, but to me they sound a little lifeless and lacking character~~kinda generic, IMO. To my ears, they dont sound anything like a real PAF.
I've never liked to have to put a booster in front of a guitar to get enough punch from it. The "litmus test" is plugging the guitar into a non-master volume amp and let it rip. If I feel like I gotta put some sort of boost on it, it might not be the right pickup.
Just my 2 cents worth.

+1 Must be the NY thing.
I tried both the '59 and Pearly Gates in a LP and wasn't knocked out by either of them. Now one Paul has Fillmores and one has Goodwoods....

It's a Kentucky thang too. Replaced both the JB & the '59 in my Schecter with HighOrders.

The JB and '59 both sounded fantastic on the clean channel, but seemed pretty dull with OD/Distortion (not any bite in the treble register).

I believe somebody said it had something to do with an A5 being wound that hot (overloaded the output & pushed the treble out or something).

Anybody else hear of this?????

gtomax · Post by **gtomax** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 5:07 pm

I've got a SD little 59 as the bridge (and only) pickup in a strat and it kills. Great sound. Obviously a different tone than a WCR but some guitars just need to kick out the jams a little differently I think. To me the ultimate LP pickup is a WCR Darkburst. For strat if you're after a humbucking tone and want something clear and punchy, little 59 sounds great. I'd even go so far as to say it's equal to (but hotter than) the BBs in my R8

ant · Post by **ant** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 7:45 pm

Anyone tried a virtual Paf (dimarzio?

M. Hendrix · Post by **M. Hendrix** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 9:35 pm

Antiquities. Take them to a cement slab, and bang them face down about 10 times, hard... try it.

I have 4 PAF guitars. The Antiquities are the closest thing to my ears.

I usually use JBs in non-Gibson humbucking guitars.. if you drop it a li'l bit lower than usual, it makes about the same kind of thing, little more harmonic. I like JB+'59 as a set.

M

darkbluemurder · Post by **darkbluemurder** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 12:31 pm

I once had a local builder made LP Gold Top. The original pickups were a Gibson in the neck (don't know what model) and a Duncan JB which I soon replaced with a Duncan 59. Even though the 59 has lower output than the JB it made the guitar sound much bigger. At the same time it became a lot better controllable with the volume control. I later exchanged the guitar for a P90 Goldtop with a wraparound bridge (which I no longer have either). That exchange was a mistake. I should have kept the guitar with the 59.

Ruben · Post by **Ruben** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 3:59 pm

bmf5150 wrote:if you like the duncan 59 try a peter florance voodoo 59.it sounds like an improved duncan 59.more organic,sweeter highend detail..highorder pickup can make a clone of it for you for like $80.00..way better than the duncan,but the same voicing..

Wow, sounds great! Any users of the Voodoo's? Heard a lot of good stuff 'bout those!

bbake1 · Post by **bbake1** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 7:14 pm

I've always had good luck with the '59. May not be perfect for EVH, but it can get close.