HOW TO: Make a 59/Custom Hybrid

[BachToRock]

I traded the Orange DC towards an Ocean Spray Roxie... the guy sold it on eBay a few months back...
http://cgi.ebay.com/GMP-Double-Cutaw...QQcmdZViewItem
It is a SMOKIN guitar if it ever becomes available again!

The Hybrid sounds like a 59 with more balls... unlike the Custom 5/Custom Custom it does not get compressed sounding... it really nails the early Van Halen tone better than any other pickup I have heard... it almost has a vintage P-90 vibe to it... since the coils are mis-matched you get that clarity in the low notes and the extended treble that are characteristic of a single coil along with a tiny bit of hum... a humbucker with symetrical coils not only cancels hum, but many harmonics as well... plus, since both coils have the same resonant peak it tends to sound "one notey".
This is why the original PAF's sound so magical... their coils were wound to loose tolerances and there were some pretty large mis-matches in the process.
The advantage of the 59/Custom Hybrid is that when you go to a 43 guage wire like used on the Custom coil you get a whole new response and range of harmonics added to the equation. When combined with the 42 guage 59 coil it is like a fine Meritage Red Wine... different flavors combined to make something unique and tasty!

[BachToRock]

More Double Cream Hybrid GMP porn!

[Funky P]

I'm more impressed by the camera you're using, you can see the detail in the strings and the grooves in the winding.

[notesfield]

Okay, so the coils are mismatched, like a PG? I had one of those in the bridge and it was not for me, too thin and bright in my rig. I hope the hybrid is warmer and fuller

[JumpMarine]

As a proud owner of a '59/CC a5 I can easily say that it will do the warm and full thing in spades.

Okay, so the coils are mismatched, like a PG? I had one of those in the bridge and it was not for me, too thin and bright in my rig. I hope the hybrid is warmer and fuller

[notesfield]

As a proud owner of a '59/CC a5 I can easily say that it will do the warm and full thing in spades.

Are you using the A5 or A2 magnet?

[JumpMarine]

A5.... I tried the A2, but it seemed to lose something.

[STRATDELUXER97]

A5.... I tried the A2, but it seemed to loose something.

And I'm liking the 59B/C with an A2 magnet in my own guitar...I prefer A2 magnets for my bridge pickups because it's warmer,rounder,sweeter,and the mids are just a little more out front for my taste and styles...

[JumpMarine]

Good thing that the mag swap is so simple, just try out both.

[STRATDELUXER97]

Good thing that the mag swap is so simple, just try out both.

Even cooler would be half A2 on the treble string sides and A5 on the bass string sides....That would be absolutely perfect! Just cut the 2 magnets right up the middle and glue em together..

[Faraday]

Even cooler would be half A2 on the treble string sides and A5 on the bass string sides....That would be absolutely perfect! Just cut the 2 magnets right up the middle and glue em together..

I don't think that will work.

[shredaholic]

once this thread dies out a bit, can it be vaulted? it's a great technical resource thread and at least as worth as any other in the vault

[STRATDELUXER97]

I don't think that will work.

It does work and I have paperwork from a forum member a few years back that did this just like I explain it...He Krazy Glued the 2 magnet halves together after cutting them evenly measured with a dremel tool...

It works!

[notesfield]

Guys-
Just tried this mod and all I can say is WOW! Before I get into specifics, let me say I have tried the bridge versions of the Dimarzio VHPAF, the Duncan CC, C5, 59, PG AP2 and RIO Grande BBQs. While each was cool for different things, none of them were what I wanted in the end. I basically play Zakk Wylde, Slash style stuff, LP through various tube amps in the hard rock, metal vein. Never into high gain pickups, still like vintage tones as the foundation of everything else.
I had an old 59B and a CC laying around and did the "BachtoROck" hybrid mod, using the 59B A5 pickup and magnet but swapping the screw coil side. I reinstalled the 59B hybrid and WOW, amazing!
It has the basic qualities of the 59B, but with a unique sizzle, tone, harmonic something that is what I have been searching for. My amp or the guitar has never sounded so good. To my ears it has a touch of the CC or what makes the RIO BBQ so cool but without the compression. I get the best of both worlds. To my ears, the closest thing is somewhere in between the regular 59 and a RIO BBQ (minus the compression).
THis is the real deal. Thanks and I highly recommend this. IMO, SD is long overdue for a new HB, and this one nails what many of us are looking for. It is what I though the C5 was going to sound like!

[JumpMarine]

Whoo hoo, another convert to the dark side! I sure love mine!

[Tux789]

can you combine two single coils to form a humbucker in a similar manner?

[notesfield]

Hi-

Since I love the A5 version of the 59/CC hybrid I currently have installed in my LP,
I still have what I guess is the other hybrid left that i did not use. ( the CC slugs, A2 magnet and baseplate mated with the screw coil from the 59B, call it an A2 version of the 59/cc Hybrid?)
So this A2 hybrid is just laying around. If I want to make another A5 hybrid out of it, is all I have to do is replace the A2 with an A5 magnet?
I happen to have a Dimarzio VHPAF B laying around which I believe has an A5, will that work or where do I get A5 magnets? While we are at it, where do I get the best tape to rewrap this stuff?
I am hooked.
What other hybrids work well or what neck hybrid matches well with this one?

Thanks!

[JumpMarine]

All you would have to do is replace the a2 with an a5, pretty simple. Here's a good tutorial by our own Stratdeluxer97:

http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/barmagswap.htm

As far as availablity, I know that you can get them from Blackrose Customs.

http://www.blackrosecustom.emerchantpro.com/

I'm new to the Hybrids as well, so I don't know what other combos work well together. SD97 just finished putting together a couple of Jazz/'59n Hybrids for both of us. Check out this thread: http://seymourduncan.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57963

[BachToRock]

I have tried a whole bunch of different Hybrid combos...

The 59/Custom just nails THE tone that can cover so many styles of music... it lets the guitar and the particular amp just shine...
I have made some with Double Screws, Double Slugs, Hex Polepieces and Invader Polepieces all providing very slight variations of tone and response

The JB/Custom is an excellent Hybrid for more of a compressed/non-vintage tone... it works well with either the A5 magnet or the Ceramic magnet from the Custom... think Custom 5 with the signature mid response of the JB mixed together.

The KILLER neck pickup is the 59N/Jazz Hybrid and the 59N/APII which are basically the same thing as the APII coil and the Jazz coil are pretty much identical... I am slowly convering all of my guitars to this neck pickup to match the Alnico 59/Custom Hybrid in the bridge.

NOTESFIELD
I have a few extra Duncan A5 magnets and will swap you for the A2 from the Custom Custom if you don't need it...

[BachToRock]

IMO, SD is long overdue for a new HB, and this one nails what many of us are looking for. It is what I though the C5 was going to sound like!

I would love nothing more that for Duncan to market this pickup...
One problem may be that DiMarzio has a patent on "Dual Resonance" design in a humbucker pickup.
From what I understand, that means any humbucker that is knowingly designed with two distinct different coils(which deviates from the original symetrical coil design) would be in infringemet of the patent...
One thing that makes me question this is that Lindy Fralin markets a pickup called the Un-bucker that has mismatched coils of the same type of wire... maybe the DiMarzio patent covers only balanced design with different guages of wire?