Underwound 59

[hamerfan]

Does anyone have an underwound 59N. What differences have to be expected to a stock one?

[Reckless Abandon]

i dont but..less output, slightly fewer mids, more treble

[RockStarNick]

I imagine in the right guitar, it would sound awesome.

I've often considered doing a stock 59B and underwound 59N in a hollowbody.

[saladin]

It would be closer to a true A5 PAF.

[SirJackdeFuzz]

i dont but..less output, slightly fewer mids, more treble

Not wanting to hi-jack, but you made me think :

"How would an overwound '59 sound then" ?

More output (gain/drive), slightly more mids, and less treb than the stock model ?


Anyone ?

[gripweed]

It would be closer to a true A5 PAF.

I'm sorry to say my Michigan brother, that PAFs were all over the map. If you're talking about T-Tops, then you might have a case.

[saladin]

I'm sorry to say my Michigan brother, that PAFs were all over the map. If you're talking about T-Tops, then you might have a case.

I understand that, but I have played a couple old SG's with PAF's and they both had less output then a stock '59.

[hamerfan]

Background is that i have a 59N with a dead stud coil. I like 59N so far but the low E is a bit boomy most of the time. In a special LP iam aiming for it a bit thin too. Now i have some option: a rewind of the stud coil with a lower wind, different mags (you name it) or both.
e.g. rewind to (both coils together of course) 7.5k with an A4, 7.7k with a A3 or 7.0k with a A5.

[Sanford]

You could probably get some interesting results by rewinding only the dead coil and leaving the stock magnet. A bit of a mismatch in the coils might help with some of the "boomy" sound.

[Reckless Abandon]

Not wanting to hi-jack, but you made me think :

"How would an overwound '59 sound then" ?

More output (gain/drive), slightly more mids, and less treb than the stock model ?


Anyone ?

Usually more winds=more mids and output. Usually lower output pups have more treble. Of course a JB and dist are bright pickups. Magnet is also important of course.

[Reckless Abandon]

Usually more winds=more mids and output. Usually lower output pups have more treble. Of course a JB and dist are bright pickups. Magnet is also important of course.

There are exceptions. No hard and fast rules. Think Duncan Custom 5. The guys who makes pups are genuis to be able to defy normal thinking when making pups sound how they want.

[Zhangliqun]

The 59N is about 7.3k isn't it? Any boom it has is coming from the A5. Slap an A2/3 in there and you should be set.

As for what a 59B would sound like overwound, it depends on HOW overwound. MJ and SD would know better than anyone, but from my experience, if you're talking moderate overwind (8.5-9.0k), then pretty much the same, just a bit louder and more mid grunt.

Keep in mind whenever you hear me make such projections that I gauge my pu's by what they sound like played straight clean through an amp with as much headroom as possible. (My philosophy is that if it sounds great clean, it is a metaphysical certainty that it will sound great with gain.)

I bring this up because even when talking with other winders, never mind in here, somebody will say Zhang yer a moron, a 9k isn't any louder than a 7.5k. It takes about 20 catankerous back-n-forths before we figure out I'm talking clean with massive headroom and the other guy is talking moderate to heavy gain.

[Despair]

Another trick for reducing boom is shorter screw polepieces. Allen/hex screws are typically 0.5" and popular in neck pickups. Or you can get standard screws and cut them down. Just be VERY careful about jagged ends or you could have them tear the inside of your coil & ruin your pickups, if you decide to DIY it...

Finding a supplier for properly magnetic polepiece screws outside the standard 0.75" seems tough these days, I'm having no luck, not even getting email replies from the places I ask.

[Despair]

I bring this up because even when talking with other winders, never mind in here, somebody will say Zhang yer a moron, a 9k isn't any louder than a 7.5k. It takes about 20 catankerous back-n-forths before we figure out I'm talking clean with massive headroom and the other guy is talking moderate to heavy gain.

Ugh. And this moron isn't even aware of the extra push from the hotter coil? Or is he doing something silly like comparing 9K of 44 to your 7.5K of 42? *twitch*

[hamerfan]

Thanks Zhang!
I had another 59B (came with a hacked up LP) which was completly dead. I let it rewind to 8.9k PE 42Awg. It has definitly more growl, less highs and more mids. Compared with my Brobucker the 9k rewind has more presence and harmonics.

[Zhangliqun]

Ugh. And this moron isn't even aware of the extra push from the hotter coil? Or is he doing something silly like comparing 9K of 44 to your 7.5K of 42? *twitch*

It's not a single moron, something that pops up from different folks from time to time in various places. Don't think anyone makes a 9k/44 humbucker, that would be a pretty scrawny and useless pickup.

[Zhangliqun]

Finding a supplier for properly magnetic polepiece screws outside the standard 0.75" seems tough these days, I'm having no luck, not even getting email replies from the places I ask.

Why bother with that? Just cut them short yourself.

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Usually more winds=more mids and output. Usually lower output pups have more treble. Of course a JB and dist are bright pickups. Magnet is also important of course.

There are exceptions. No hard and fast rules. Think Duncan Custom 5. The guys who makes pups are genuis to be able to defy normal thinking when making pups sound how they want.

Thanx RA


I still would love to know how a hotter '59 set will sound . . . oh my cat-like curiosity.


SH-1 59 Model 1-Con Braid Shield
Neck: 7.43 k
Bridge: 8.13 k
Alnico V Bar ~ B6 / M3 / T8

Say, if you bump the neck to 8.5k & the bridge to 9.5k.

[SirJackdeFuzz]

The 59N is about 7.3k isn't it? Any boom it has is coming from the A5. Slap an A2/3 in there and you should be set.

As for what a 59B would sound like overwound, it depends on HOW overwound. MJ and SD would know better than anyone, but from my experience, if you're talking moderate overwind (8.5-9.0k), then pretty much the same, just a bit louder and more mid grunt.

Keep in mind whenever you hear me make such projections that I gauge my pu's by what they sound like played straight clean through an amp with as much headroom as possible. (My philosophy is that if it sounds great clean, it is a metaphysical certainty that it will sound great with gain.)

I bring this up because even when talking with other winders, never mind in here, somebody will say Zhang yer a moron, a 9k isn't any louder than a 7.5k. It takes about 20 catankerous back-n-forths before we figure out I'm talking clean with massive headroom and the other guy is talking moderate to heavy gain.

Thanx for the info.