59 with A4!

[Franknfilms]

Finally this afternoon: will be swapping the A5 for an A4 in my 59b in the neck. Didn't get my shure mic yet so I can't record an a5 vs. a4 but I'll report back on how it sounds in a few hours.

[Franknfilms]

I'm a little undecided at the moment. The A4 is in it now, still pretty bright, overall lowered the highs and lows and added some mids. It's and different flavor of a 59 but it still sounds pretty vintage and not very smooth which I guess is how a 59 will always sound. I'll have to keep playing for a while a report back.

[uOpt]

To me, the A4 lacks some musical overtones that only A2 and A5 have. Is that something you'd agree to?

[FuseG4]

Yeah, a4 in a 59b in the neck sounds like it'd be a winner to me. I'm not sure how smooth you need a pickup to be. Are you looking for A2 smooth? The great thing about the 59 in the neck position is that it's a lil rude. That's why a lot of people like it instead of say, a Jazz N.
That's also what I think the benefit of an a4 magnet is. it's got that grit of an a5 magnet with a balanced EQ. a2 changes the character more, a4 is just about balancing the sound without losing the rawness.

I don't think it lack overtones at all, btw.

[SFW]

A259. This is the ticket. Otherwise, just keep the A5 in it.

[FuseG4]

I used the a2 59 for a while and liked everything except for the bass. eventually went with a4 just to get some bass back. the a2 59n is cool though.

[appar111]

I have a 59N with an A2 in the bridge position of my alder tele and really like it. When I had it in the neck position, an A4 magnet helped keep it from getting boomy.

[BloodRose]

I use the 59b in the neck of a few guitars. I put an A4 in the one in my explorer with great result. Still has most of the same tone, but cleared up some of the excessive low end I had.. Have an 59/4, C8 combo in that beasty!

[Franknfilms]

To me, the A4 lacks some musical overtones that only A2 and A5 have. Is that something you'd agree to?

I can't say for sure, I've never used an A2. It probably doesn't help that I don't know exactly what I'm looking for, just that I think I'll know it when I hear it. I'm going to spend another week with this 59/A4 and decide whether or not it works for me.

[blueman335]

To me, the A4 lacks some musical overtones that only A2 and A5 have. Is that something you'd agree to?

I think it's just that we're used to the big EQ push we get from A2's (mids) and A5's (highs and lows) that in comparison, A4's sometimes seem too subtle and mild-mannered. A4's are the stock magnet in all of Lindy Fralin's PAF's and P-90's, so with his finely-tuned ears, he obviously doesn't hear A4's as lacking any musical overtones.

[misterwhizzy]

I'm kind of wondering about the A2 59 myself, but I'm too lazy to do anything about it. The 490R that I had stock in the guitar actually sounded quite good, but it's been so long since I played that pickup that I probably couldn't compare it to the A5 59 that's in there now. I remember it being sweet and musical, though, and not gritty like a lot of Gibson pickups are described. I've got an A4 and an A2 lying around here, but I'd rather type than screw with my guitar right now. It's been sounding real good recently.

[LtKojak]

I think it's just that we're used to the big EQ push we get from A2's (mids) and A5's (highs and lows) that in comparison, A4's sometimes seem too subtle and mild-mannered. A4's are the stock magnet in all of Lindy Fralin's PAF's and P-90's, so with his finely-tuned ears, he obviously doesn't hear A4's as lacking any musical overtones.

I've been advocating A4 magnets for the neck position for over two years now and still to this day I shake my head in disbelief when somebody describes the sound as "lacking in musical overtones" or "have no personality", as I just can't figure out WHAT are this guys hearing or what they look for when judging a p'up.

My rig is a hand-made Italian boutique amp (Bulk Sonica Lead Poppy 2) with a Fender BF tone stack in the clean channel and a Marshall plexi tone stack in the OD channel, a Vox AC30 output stage with 4 EL84s, plus an (mostly) open cab with two Celestions G12-65 in.

My second amp used for research is a '65 RI Fender Deluxe Reverb with the stock Jensen speaker.

The third stage of research is a Behringer V-Amp 2 modeler connected to my laptop through a Behringer UCA222 AUDIO-USB converter, Behringer 1222FX mixer and Behringer B2030A monitors. I have a Behringer V-Amp 3 modeler too, but for some reason it doesn't sound like the V2 AT ALL! Not even with the exact same settings in the exact same emulations... it sounds like you just plug your electric guitar to your HI-FI rig. NOT GOOD!

My DAW is Cubase 5 Essentials.

[Franknfilms]

Ok, I officially love the 59 A4. It was a bit of a shock at first to hear the lows and highs so tamed down but it is really for the better, I think this is a perfect match for my guitar. I put the A5 that I pulled out and an extra A4 up on the trading post.