HOW TO: Make a 59/Custom Hybrid

[ZeroCool]

Do you think the EBMM EVH/ Wolfgang pups are using a similar hybrid process?

[BachToRock]

Do you think the EBMM EVH/ Wolfgang pups are using a similar hybrid process?

Could be... do they sound good?

[Got_tone?]

Someone make a '78/custom hybrid (my attempt fell through) and report back.

[King IzzO)))]

I'm wondering if the '78 isn't already a 42/43 ga hybrid. They only come 1 wire? Someone should meter the coils on one.

The 490R/C5 UOA5 hybrid neck pickup appears to be success, I'm gonna roll with it for a while and see how I feel once the new wears off, but so far the only thing I can say is that it's a smidge darker than what I was going for, but I did put a cover on it, and for costing me NOTHING, it does exactly what I was looking for. Huge sounding sludgy riffage, smooth and fat lead sounds, all with pretty good clarity. It kinda has a overtone thing going, almost like playing in the middle position where you hear two sounds at once, or like a slight chorus effect. I like this, makes everything sound bigger. The lead sound is chock full of badassery. I'll bet this is a badass bridge pickup for you rock n roll dudes. It's sloppy on the speed riffs in the neck, but that's not what it's there for, that's why I have the A8 DD in the bridge.

I could not be happier... for now.

[Ed Hunter]

Do you think the EBMM EVH/ Wolfgang pups are using a similar hybrid process?

No the ebmm bridge and wolfgang bridge pups BOTH have symetrical coils. The ebmm dimarzio is at 8.5 per coil (17k) and the wolf bridge has two 7k coils(14k) both use a full strength alnico 5 magnet and AWG 44 wire. Many believe the ebmm dimarzio bridge pup is a air bucker but it is not only the neck pup on that guitar is. And FWIW the tone zone and air zone DO NOT sound like the custom wound dimarzio ebmm pup despite what dimarzio claims.

[ZeroCool]

No the ebmm bridge and wolfgang bridge pups BOTH have symetrical coils. The ebmm dimarzio is at 8.5 per coil (17k) and the wolf bridge has two 7k coils(14k) both use a full strength alnico 5 magnet and AWG 44 wire. Many believe the ebmm dimarzio bridge pup is a air bucker but it is not only the neck pup on that guitar is. And FWIW the tone zone and air zone DO NOT sound like the custom wound dimarzio ebmm pup despite what dimarzio claims.

If the specs are the same between the EBMM and Tone zone what could the difference be?
The EBMM is not aired and thought maybe an A2 magnet was being used to get lower output, spongier bass, better highs and mids. Or could it be something else?

[marcello252]

A question for you guys that use the Hybrid...Do you think that it has a lot of treble?

I decided to try swapping the mag from A2 to an UOA5, trying to get a tighter bass, since my strat is bright but not as much as other I have, I'll let you know

I finally tried it and... wow! I think that's exactly what I was looking for in this strat.
The bass is tighter, the treble are slightly higher but not so much to be annoying, the mids are a little less than the A2 but much more than an A5, overall the pickup is quite vocal, definitely a better match with the neck and middle single coil.
Nice stuff

[Roddy]

A question for you guys.....When making the hybrid Custom/59, does it make a difference if the 59 is a neck model?

[marcello252]

I used a 59 neck. I can't say if it is totally different since it's the first hybrid I made, it surely works.
There's some hum, but it's normal with different impedance bobbins.

[Ed Hunter]

If the specs are the same between the EBMM and Tone zone what could the difference be?
The EBMM is not aired and thought maybe an A2 magnet was being used to get lower output, spongier bass, better highs and mids. Or could it be something else?

the specs are not the same the TZ uses two different wound coils with different wire gauge on each bobbin. The EVH dimarzio has two MATHCHED bobbins wound with AWG 44. It is a dimarzio jb copy. Same wire,magnet,resistance as a jb. I am suprised seymour didnt stop this?

[Soulcrusher_X]

Has anyone tried an A8 magnet in their 59/custom hybrid? I'm ordering some magnets to do a conversion on my 498T, but I'm kinda wondering what the A8 might sound like in this hybrid. I've read over on the MLP forum that swapping A8s into Gib. 57s works wonders too, so maybe the hybrid A8 would sound cool.

[Soulcrusher_X]

I'm wondering if the '78 isn't already a 42/43 ga hybrid. They only come 1 wire? Someone should meter the coils on one.

The 490R/C5 UOA5 hybrid neck pickup appears to be success, I'm gonna roll with it for a while and see how I feel once the new wears off, but so far the only thing I can say is that it's a smidge darker than what I was going for, but I did put a cover on it, and for costing me NOTHING, it does exactly what I was looking for. Huge sounding sludgy riffage, smooth and fat lead sounds, all with pretty good clarity. It kinda has a overtone thing going, almost like playing in the middle position where you hear two sounds at once, or like a slight chorus effect. I like this, makes everything sound bigger. The lead sound is chock full of badassery. I'll bet this is a badass bridge pickup for you rock n roll dudes. It's sloppy on the speed riffs in the neck, but that's not what it's there for, that's why I have the A8 DD in the bridge.

I could not be happier... for now.

you put a cover on the 490/C5 hybrid? What kind of cover did you use? I was thinking of trying a C5/498T or 498T/JB hybrid with an A8 mag under the stock chrome Gibson cover, but I wasn't sure about any size difference in the bobbins between the SD and Gibson pickups, and maybe a 490R/59n hybrid.

[King IzzO)))]

you put a cover on the 490/C5 hybrid? What kind of cover did you use? I was thinking of trying a C5/498T or 498T/JB hybrid with an A8 mag under the stock chrome Gibson cover, but I wasn't sure about any size difference in the bobbins between the SD and Gibson pickups, and maybe a 490R/59n hybrid.

You'll probably need a TB spaced JB or C5, you'll need to double check, I'm not positive that all Gibson "T" (500T, 498T, 490T, etc) are the same spacing, maybe the older ones weren't, but I know my 2003 490T is the same as a TB Duncan.

The standard gibsons and duncans are the same spacing, they fit on eachothers baseplates and screw together just fine, white to white, black to black, no problem. They only difference is that Gibson baseplates are actually threaded where the pole screws go through, unlike duncans which have a slight gap around them, so you have to remove the pole screws to change the magnet or swap coils on a gibson. I used a black nickel duncan cover off a jazz from one of those fancy godins, fit perfect.

I'm still loving this pickup, lead sound is teh bonorz.

[Soulcrusher_X]

Cool. I'll have to check it out. Maybe Ill just put the A8 in my 498T and make a 490/C5 hybrid or 490/59 hybrid. Thanks for the info man. Oh, and the white/white, black/black is how it wires up? My C5 has 4 conductor, and the 490 has the braided wire. Does that change how the coils would wire together?

[King IzzO)))]

Black to the baseplate or to the hot lead, depending on which coil you swap out.

[BachToRock]

Yes... a NECK pickup is designed and voiced for the NECK. Would you put a front motorcycle tire on the rear?

A question for you guys.....When making the hybrid Custom/59, does it make a difference if the 59 is a neck model?

[BachToRock]

Just got some of the cast A4's... anxious to try one in a hybrid!

[marcello252]

Yes... a NECK pickup is designed and voiced for the NECK. Would you put a front motorcycle tire on the rear?

pickups and motorcycle tyres, oranges and apples.
have you ever tried a neck 59 in a bridge position? I did and the difference is not that big, really: same open sound, quite the same eq, same dynamic.
I'd say one could identify it just with a strict comparison hearing the difference in volume.

[dvadneau]

I agree with marcello252. I would definitely put a neck pickup in the bridge and a bridge in the neck all the more. I've done it many times with great success.

Now, I didn't like the 59n in the bridge of my LP, but I wasn't crazy about the 59b in that guitar either. The Invader neck sounded great in that guitar.

The question about the 59 neck is a good one. I found the Custom 5 to be a spectacular neck shredder in my Agathis-bodied, Maple-necked Tele. I imagine that a C5/59 would sound good in the neck as well.

I haven't tried, but I'd imagine the difference in a C5/59b and C5/59n would be noticeable. Good or bad, who knows. ... Really, anyone know?

[Ed Hunter]

BTR, how do u think a custom/jazz would sound? I would use the sh-2b jazz coil in the rear spot and the sh-11 slug coil at front with the CC alnico II mag. I need a coil from a T-top and the jazz is the closest to a T-top.