Which setup has more of a dramatic tone effect ?

[JB6464]

I have a custom tele i've built from Warmoth that has a mahogany body with a 1/4" quilted maple top and a maple strat neck. Basically a modern tele deluxe rear routed with no pickguard and with two humbuckers.
This guitar plays great but is slightly thin sounding and i have tried 3 different pickup swaps and settled on some Unpotted 59's so far.
Without chasing my tail farther , i need some advise as to which way i should go next . Getting tired of all the solding on this axe,lol.

Which setup would have a More dramatic effect of warming up a bright guitar with these pickups , A stock set of 59/A5 pickup set with 250k volume/tone pots or a 59/A2 magnet setup with 500k volume/tone pots ?

[Lazarus1140]

I don't know. I'm just surprised the guitar is bright and thin sounding. What type of finish is on the body?

[the guy who invented fire]

Sounds like 59's are not working...if they are not working in general then change them.

I'd vote for an alnico II set of pickups...maybe an Alnico II Pro in the neck and a Custom Custom in the bridge.

That said if you are dead set on keeping the 59's try alnico II magnets before changing pots...

Changing to 250k pots just rolls off top end...going to alnico II will revoice the whole pickup...top, middle and low end.

[JB6464]

I don't know. I'm just surprised the guitar is bright and thin sounding. What type of finish is on the body?

Urethane , factory Warmoth finish in turquoise blue.

[Funkfingers]

What type of neck joint?
What type of bridge and in what material(s)?

A change of saddles could be enough to set things right.

[JB6464]

Sounds like 59's are not working...if they are not working in general then change them.

I'd vote for an alnico II set of pickups...maybe an Alnico II Pro in the neck and a Custom Custom in the bridge.

That said if you are dead set on keeping the 59's try alnico II magnets before changing pots...

Changing to 250k pots just rolls off top end...going to alnico II will revoice both the whole pickup...top, middle and low end.

Of the PAF type pickups i've tried so far the unpotted 59's are the closest to what i want to hear in this guitar build . They have the right amount of articulate attack without sounding dull , they just seem to be slightly thin in the neck and bridge .
They have the aged nickel covers on them and i was wondering if i switched to 250k pots if it would make a noticeable difference compared to unsolding the covers just for an A2 mag swap experiment.
I'm worried that since they are factory unpotted and covered , if i disturb them trying to do a mag swap that when i put the covers back on they will make the pickup start squealing.

[JB6464]

What type of neck joint?
What type of bridge and in what material(s)?

A change of saddles could be enough to set things right.

Standard 4 bolt Fender design.
2 Point Tremelo .

[AlexR]

A trem on a tele??? Maybe you could post some pics.....would be keen to see if that looks at all weird.

The trem will likely thin the tone out a bit...most trems seem to. I would second the changing of the mags to A2.

[JB6464]

A trem on a tele??? Maybe you could post some pics.....would be keen to see if that looks at all weird.

The trem will likely thin the tone out a bit...most trems seem to. I would second the changing of the mags to A2.

I'll try and get some picks up for you.

[the guy who invented fire]

Of the PAF type pickups i've tried so far the unpotted 59's are the closest to what i want to hear in this guitar build . They have the right amount of articulate attack without sounding dull , they just seem to be slightly thin in the neck and bridge .
They have the aged nickel covers on them and i was wondering if i switched to 250k pots if it would make a noticeable difference compared to unsolding the covers just for an A2 mag swap experiment.
I'm worried that since they are factory unpotted and covered , if i disturb them trying to do a mag swap that when i put the covers back on they will make the pickup start squealing.

I understand your issue with the covers and whatnot but 59's are potted...pull the covers, do a magnet swap then hit the pickup with a hairdryer just quick enough to make the wax flow.

After that put a strip of masking tape over the stud coil and then press the cover back on VERY tight and hit it with a bead of solder...done and done.

Like I said changing the magnet will effect the overall EQ of everything, going to 250k pots on humbucking pickups just effects the high and and IMHO makes buckers sound far to dull with too much of the attack rolled off and they sort of choke out the liveliness of the pickup.

[JB6464]

I understand your issue with the covers and whatnot but 59's are potted...pull the covers, do a magnet swap then hit the pickup with a hairdryer just quick enough to make the wax flow.

After that put a strip of masking tape over the stud coil and then press the cover back on VERY tight and hit it with a bead of solder...done and done.

Like I said changing the magnet will effect the overall EQ of everything, going to 250k pots on humbucking pickups just effects the high and and IMHO makes buckers sound far to dull with too much of the attack rolled off and they sort of choke out the liveliness of the pickup.

I ordered them from MJ personally over the phone from the custom shop , they are Unpotted. There is NO wax in them or around the screws when you back them out either , they are close to an Ant but with A5 mags instead.
I think your right about the mag differences though. I think that's probably the way i should go.
My question for myself is do i want to just put some Ants in it or screw with the unpotted 59's with covers.

[the guy who invented fire]

I ordered them from MJ personally over the phone from the custom shop , they are Unpotted. There is NO wax in them , they are close to an Ant but with A5 mags instead.
I think your right about the mag differences though. I think that's probably the way i should go.
My question for myself is do i want to just put some Ants in it or screw with the unpotted 59's with covers.

Unpotted...EVEN BETTER!!!!!

Just pull the covers, swap the magnets then do the masking tape trick or if you want to cut a small strip if a t shirt and sandwich that between the cover and the bobbins (careful to make sure it doesn't poke out of the pole piece holes!) and put the covers on...good to go!

[JB6464]

Unpotted...EVEN BETTER!!!!!

Just pull the covers, swap the magnets then do the masking tape trick or if you want to cut a small strip if a t shirt and sandwich that between the cover and the bobbins (careful to make sure it doesn't poke out of the pole piece holes!) and put the covers on...good to go!

Cool , i think i might try that.
Hope they don't squel after that.

[the guy who invented fire]

Cool , i think i might try that.
Hope they don't squel after that.

Just use the masking tape deal or the t shirt trick...the goal is to reduce or come as close as possible to closing the air gap between the bottom inside of the cover and the top of the coils...

[JB6464]

Just use the masking tape deal or the t shirt trick...the goal is to reduce or come as close as possible to closing the air gap between the bottom inside of the cover and the top of the coils...

Can i use just any type of masking tape like you buy a Home Depot ?

[the guy who invented fire]

Can i use just any type of masking tape like you buy a Home Depot ?

That's what I use...maybe painters tape since it's a little less sticky but either way.

[JB6464]

That's what I use...maybe painters tape since it's a little less sticky but either way.

Thank You .
I'll give it a shot.

[GuitarDoc]

If your problem with the 59s is just that they sound weak, you don't really want A2 mags. True they will add some mids, but they will get rid of some highs and they will also loosen up the bottom end. What you need is A8 mags. They thicken the tone, keep the strong bass, soften the highs slightly, but boost the 59s in "guts"/"beef" and output.

In essence, the A8s will "un-thin" those 59s.

[dvadneau]

Bright and thin - put in a Breed set. Lower them if you don't like the amount of output, but they will thicken up the sound without it being compressed. At least, that's been my experience.

Custom Custom might also be a good choice for the bridge.

If the 59 neck is thin sounding then I'm a little lost there. I think thin might be too vague a word - it's so hard to describe sound to another person.

I might not have the same definition as you when it comes to a thin, bright guitar, but when I think of beefing up a guitar I think DiMarzio pickups, not Duncans. It depends where in the spectrum it needs beefing up, I guess.

Breed set, or Breed neck in the bridge and a splittable PAF Pro in the neck if you still want a single-coily type sound.

Try the mag swaps. You got CS pickups, so you might as well exhaust that first before considering moving to something very different. I haven't tried a 59 with an A8 or A2, so hopefully that does it for you. If not, look for a used Breed set (or just neck) and give that a try.

Sorry to be all over the place with this post - it's late, been working too long.

[GuitarDoc]

I agree with trying the mag swaps first. Again to thicken the sound of a 59, the A8 works great. I love the sound of a 59 A8 in the bridge. It improves everything that is lacking in a 59.