software

The 59N with an A4 magnet is very good...Doc Barlo is dead on the money when he says the 59N with an A4 is like an aged A5 neck pickup...Mine reads 7.5k at the neck...The pickup is still tight and chimey and clear on note clarity,but it's as if someone walked over to my amp and brought the bass down from say 4 to about 2.5...The lows are still plenty but they don't boom and the pickup isn't as woofy at all....I have the pickup pretty close to flush with the ring(about 4/32quot;)but I Like my neck humbuckers there...To me this pickup sounds and pretty much acts just like the stock 59N but it has less lows...I don't feel as though I Lost anything else with the pickup in the mids,highs,and tightness factor....This was a great swap and I'll mess with it for a bit...Now that the woofy stuff isn't there,I see no reason to try anything else,but we'll give it some time?

The 59B with an A2 magnet....8.6k
Immediately noticed a pretty decent rise in the mids...This pickup in my Love Rock Tokai is still pretty bright and articulate but the low mids or the mids overall are different and more up front...The sweetness factor that I Love so much with A2 bridge pickups is noticable also and I feel it helps the chord crunch factor more..The 59B A5 for sure has less mids and more highs and the lows are tighter...I've not tryed a Seth bridge but I'd have to say we were pretty close to the vibe now with a 59 and an A2 magnet? This pickup also seems a bit quot;rounderquot; now in it's presentation.

Sustain and a smoother tone describes the 59B A2 magnet swap with more mids..The highs seemed about the same,as did the lows,but the lows are softer and react differently to pick attack..Because the mids are eq'd up more,it's harder for me to really say what I hear different about the lows? Are the lows less or just softer and that makes the lows seem pulled back some?..

I Like this pickup but not as much as the 59N A4 swap....I'll spend alot more time with this 59B and it's still pretty present in the highs,but this isn't a bad thing....Bachtorock is right about the 59B/C A2 Hybrid in my guitar I think because it's got more overall balls and crunch....The 59B/C A5 that this pickup replaced I got tired of though...Again,it's back to a A2 bridge pickup for my tastes....I Like a warmer,smoother tone that reacts better to picking nuances in the bridge and nothing beats an A2 for that...

Anyway....Subject to change...The 59N A4 should be a permanent fixture in this guitar.....
The 59B A2 is great also but I'll see how it mixes with my band and some other gear at high volumes Tuesday night....I re-melted the wax with a hairdryer and I'm not experiencing any microphonics at this point...

I need to also mention that I feel the neck/bridge tones are better in that I hear more change now in the middle position tones than I heard with the 2 stock 59s...This is with all controls on 10..

Both magnet swaps were positive and I went in the right direction.Special thanks to my buddy Doc Barlo,Lew,and the insight about the 7.5k A4 Fralin pickup from the rest of you....Doc's evaluation was absolutely dead on accurate in my case! Thanks guys!

John

Please post your own thoughts and findings on this!

Nice writeups. I love A2 bridge pickups and the idea of a 59 with an A2 to me is just great. I'd love to hear what it sounds like myself.

Excellent review John. Still would like to hear some samples

Jeff

John,

I read your response on the other thread. I fully understand about setting up to do recording. It is time consuming unless you do a lot of recording are are set up for a spur-of-the-moment thing. Your review will suffice...Thanks Bro'Jeff

Kinda makes me wish I hadn't sold the '59B that i had.


Originally Posted by twoheadedboyKinda makes me wish I hadn't sold the '59B that i had.

Get someone off the forums to sell you one...They are plentiful..


Originally Posted by JeffrecJohn,

I read your response on the other thread. I fully understand about setting up to do recording. It is time consuming unless you do a lot of recording are are set up for a spur-of-the-moment thing. Your review will suffice...Thanks Bro'Jeff

I have my Tascam 8 tracker all setup and monitor speakers,receiver, and a Digitech GSP 2101 that records phenomenal tone to tape,etc....All I have to do is plug in and record....It's getting the stuff from my 8 tracker onto the computer that I hate and it's time consuming for me....I don't use a guitar recording software on my computer,but I do use a program that converts my cassette recordings over to wave or MP3...Just don't like hassling with it...


Originally Posted by STRATDELUXER97I have my Tascam 8 tracker all setup and monitor speakers,receiver, and a Digitech GSP 2101 that records phenomenal tone to tape,etc....All I have to do is plug in and record....It's getting the stuff from my 8 tracker onto the computer that I hate and it's time consuming for me....I don't use a guitar recording software on my computer,but I do use a program that converts my cassette recordings over to wave or MP3...Just don't like hassling with it...I don't blame you. It sounds like too many steps. Eventually, I'm going to get Cakewalk or one of those and start recording. I currently use whats on the computer, but it's pretty limited.

Jeff

If you are not fully convinced by the 59 A2 , you can still try with A3 ( like Doc Barlo's clips ) or A4 .
Personnaly on Barlo's clips i prefered A3 over A2 ( bass too loose with A2 )

John, I have a similar recording setup, meaning I go to tape first. I then go line out of the 4-track in to the soundcard and mix everything to MP3 using Cool Edit 2000. It's quick and easy. Just a thought.


Originally Posted by ErikHJohn, I have a similar recording setup, meaning I go to tape first. I then go line out of the 4-track in to the soundcard and mix everything to MP3 using Cool Edit 2000. It's quick and easy. Just a thought.

That's pretty much the same way I record to computer Jeff...


Originally Posted by STRATDELUXER97That's pretty much the same way I record to computer Jeff...

Who's Jeff?

I'm liking this 59B with the A2 alot now...Just played about 1 1/2 hours with this LP and these pickups through my ole 50 watt non-master Marshall head and into my V30 4x12 cab....I need to raise the 59N up just a tiny bit and I'd have a perfect volume balance between neck and bridge...I have A3 magnets but I guess there's a reason Seymour sticks with A2 and A5,especially with the Seth bridge pickup...So far I'm very happy with the pickups!

Originally Posted by ErikHWho's Jeff?

Sorry buddy,I Meant you? LOL....I'm reading stuff from Jeffrec also...


Originally Posted by STRATDELUXER97I'm liking this 59B with the A2 alot now...Just played about 1 1/2 hours with this LP and these pickups....I need to raise the 59N up just a tiny bit and I'd have a perfect volume balance between neck and bridge...I have A3 magnets but I guess there's a reason Seymour sticks with A2 and A5,especially with the Seth bridge pickup...So far I'm very happy with the pickups!

Sounds like a winner to me. I knew I was getting either another CC or 59b for my frankenstrat but was leaning more towards the CC 'cause I love A2 bridge pickups. Looks like I'll be able to get the best of both worlds so to speak.

I wonder if I buy a new one from Lew if he'd swap the magnet out for me.


Originally Posted by STRATDELUXER97Sorry buddy,I Meant you? LOL....I'm reading stuff from Jeffrec also...

LOL....I thought so.


Originally Posted by ErikHSounds like a winner to me. I knew I was getting either another CC or 59b for my frankenstrat but was leaning more towards the CC 'cause I love A2 bridge pickups. Looks like I'll be able to get the best of both worlds so to speak.

I wonder if I buy a new one from Lew if he'd swap the magnet out for me.

I'm outta A2 magnets but I'd swap if for you if you like....Free of course! LOL
The CC was too dark and not clear enough for me...The vintage wind/output pickups are where I'm at right now...


Originally Posted by STRATDELUXER97I'm outta A2 magnets but I'd swap if for you if you like....Free of course! LOL
The CC was too dark and not clear enough for me...The vintage wind/output pickups are where I'm at right now...

Once I get it I'll keep that in mind.

The CC is my fav bridge pickup so it's always in the running...lol. But like you, I'm wanting to go more vintage output, at least on this guitar. I know it will still scream though. An APS-1 is going in the neck. Thing is, I was pretty set on going with the CC in it again but hearing what you have to say about the A2 '59 sounds just about what I'm looking for.


Originally Posted by ErikHOnce I get it I'll keep that in mind.

The CC is my fav bridge pickup so it's always in the running...lol. But like you, I'm wanting to go more vintage output, at least on this guitar. I know it will still scream though. An APS-1 is going in the neck. Thing is, I was pretty set on going with the CC in it again but hearing what you have to say about the A2 '59 sounds just about what I'm looking for.

I Like the CC in a strat but it was too dark in my mahogany LP...This 59B with an A2 is really great...I'm finding the gainy stuff is every bit as good as the clean chimey stuff and I keep note clarity...With a LP I find it's more highs I need when playing to cut..I find myself dialing back on the tone control a bit to shave some highs when playing by myself..This will be good because I'll have some extra highend on the tone knob,once I set my amp's controls also of course..

If Jumpmarine didn't already have my A5 Hybrid 59/Custom,I'd let you try that out....I think it's better with an A2 magnet though? The Hybrid is a perfect pickup right between what we all love in the 59's clean chime and a Custom's stronger grind and mids....I still like the Hybrid and like Pete says,I may end up missing it soon.And this is why I keep alot of pickups around to mess with,though I still lack Seth and Antiquity pickups..