59/Custom Hybrid Review With Audio

[UberMetalDood]

Well my first impressions of the 59/Custom Hybrid were a little off beacause there was a little wiring problem in my strat. At first it sounded pretty bright. Now that I got the wiring issue straightened out, I am enjoying all the glory that is the 59/Custom Hybrid. The first thing I should tell you about the pickup is that it sounds more like the Custom than the 59.

The EQ is rated B6/M8/T8 I think, and that's accurate in my opinion. You get plenty of thunk from the bass if you want it, but the midrange stands out in a very forward way just like the Custom. However, there is an edge to this pickup that the Custom doesn't have and it's that particular edge that you get from Alnico. I'm not sure what to call it but it's something I hear in alnico pickups and speakers that ceramics don't have.

The Custom EQ is rated at B7/M6/T9. I would say that's fairly accurate except it never seemed that bright to me. A treble of 9 would seem to me to be considered a "bright" pickup, but I never got that from a Custom. The 59/Custom hybrid isn't a "bright" pickup, but I think the term "crisp" is a very good description of 59/Custom.

The feel of the 59/Custom is very loose. In that same guitar, a JB is super tight in comparison. Likewise, in terms of how it holds together, the 59/Custom is kind of loose but the bass is tighter than a 59'. The only issue I've found with the 59/Custom is pickup height. It's very sensitive and immediately sounds out every touch of the string, and it has a loose feel so it seems a little harder to control and keep the strings quiet. In that way it's kind of an unforgiving pickup. Too close to the strings and the 59/Custom is too sensitive, but too far away from the strings is kind of weak.

The crispness and straight-forward midrange of the 59/Custom reminds me of a Dimarzio D-Sonic (screws on bridge side). They have a beautiful sparkling quality without being too bright.

Anyway, this pickup replaced a Pearly Gates and seems to have tempered the sizzle a bit. I like it a lot but am not sure if I'll keep it or go back to the warmth and fullness of the PATB-1.

Here's a quick audio sample of the 59/Custom Hybrid with heavy overdrive. Sorry about the mistakes because I was making it up as I played.

Strat with 59/Custom Hybrid and Fender Machete, scooped mids

[lazyfinger]

How's the harmonics compared to Custom or JB? I can't wait to try one soon.

You're too modest about your playing, I really like it for a short sample.

[UberMetalDood]

How's the harmonics compared to Custom or JB? I can't wait to try one soon.

You're too modest about your playing, I really like it for a short sample.

Harmonics are very easy to get. That's due to how much midrange and treble it has, but also how loose it feels. It's a very sensitive pickup.

[darthphineas]

How's the harmonics compared to Custom or JB? I can't wait to try one soon.

depends on the harmonic. in general, I like what it brings to the table in the harmonic area, although I find the rare weakness of this one to be the lack of 'oomph' when pulling off a 3rd fret G-string tapped harmonic during a bar pull-up (ala Brad Gillis, Dimebag, Vai). I think it's more of an output issue, which might seem odd when considering that the hybrid actually 'feels' to be louder than the specs suggest.

I'm waiting on a push/pull pot to fit the 59/Custom Hybrid in my Fret King Esprit...

the hybrid cleans up nicely when split. I've been going back and forth between the 59/C and the C/59 to decide which one I like best.

[Strat111]

I did a mag swap to UOA5, and love the sound, but have the same problem as Uber. I have a problem stopping the bass strings from vibrating all the time, and it picks it up. I have lowered it as well, and still get this vibrations. The strings have to be palm muted almost all the time. BTW, I have a Seth in the neck, and it sounds great with this pup in the bridge. I do have a middle pup, so I don't get these 2 pups together, but I play the neck & bridge pups pretty much exclusively, so it sounds great going from one to the other.

[CountFunkula]

What mag is in this one?

[Push to Shuv]

A5

[stevie_bees]

I'm waiting on a push/pull pot to fit the 59/Custom Hybrid in my Fret King Esprit...

[Ashurbanipal]

I agree about the crispness (had to dial back the treble); and the slightly looser feel, but it's something like the difference between a valve and solid state rectifier in an amp.

The clean sound surprised me - no wonder, after years of playing ceramic pups, which can be hard/cold sounding in the bridge on clean - it's extremely useable and sensitive to where one picks.

[UberMetalDood]

I agree about the crispness (had to dial back the treble); and the slightly looser feel, but it's something like the difference between a valve and solid state rectifier in an amp.

The clean sound surprised me - no wonder, after years of playing ceramic pups, which can be hard/cold sounding in the bridge on clean - it's extremely useable and sensitive to where one picks.

Man I played my 59/Custom through the Vibrolux channel of a Super-Sonic. Loose pickup + loose amp = hard to control. Lowering the pickup helps though.

[Ashurbanipal]

Man I played my 59/Custom through the Vibrolux channel of a Super-Sonic. Loose pickup + loose amp = hard to control. Lowering the pickup helps though.

I play mostly lead on the guitar I have it in, where I like a slightly softer response. When I'm playing rhythm, I dial back to about 7-8, which brightens and tightens the tone up, thanks to the Kinman mod on the volume control.

I know what you mean though, having come from playing ceramic pups for years, it's a different ball game. It's a prettier sound (for want of a better word) and less 'one notey', as has been mentioned in the thread by the inventor himself .

[UberMetalDood]

Would an A8 add more warmth and tighten the bass?

In my experience the A8 is a powerful magnet. Although I love the way it sounds in a pickup like the Alt8, it's just too hot for my taste. The 59/Custom hybrid is already very sensitive and has plenty of output so an A8 would be way over the top; probably uncontrollable, noisy, and irritatingly thick.

Uber...I thought that was a great sound clip, nice job!! Did you use the hybrid on all of the tracks?

Thanks but it was sloppy. I uploaded a new version. This time I think I used the 59/Custom for tracks 1 & 3 and virtual solo neck for track 2, but not sure. It might all be the 59/Custom. I used a Line6 M9 for a little flange effect. I still haven't practiced the riffs so don't expect a polished piece.

I play mostly lead on the guitar I have it in, where I like a slightly softer response. When I'm playing rhythm, I dial back to about 7-8, which brightens and tightens the tone up, thanks to the Kinman mod on the volume control.

I know what you mean though, having come from playing ceramic pups for years, it's a different ball game. It's a prettier sound (for want of a better word) and less 'one notey', as has been mentioned in the thread by the inventor himself .

I'm just starting to get more into ceramic pickups. I started first enjoying the Super Distortion and then the D-Sonic even more. I recently gave the Custom an honest run and liked as much as the D-Sonic. However, the 59/Custom is kind of deceptive because even though it's not a hot pickup, it's so sensitive that it seems like it has a fairly high output. It cleans up extremely well. With all the distortion I had in this audio clip, the 59/Custom Hybrid can clean up to a bluesy breakup just by rolling my strat volume down to 7.

[lazyfinger]

In my experience the A8 is a powerful magnet. Although I love the way it sounds in a pickup like the Alt8, it's just too hot for my taste. The 59/Custom hybrid is already very sensitive and has plenty of output so an A8 would be way over the top; probably uncontrollable, noisy, and irritatingly thick.

Try it with a UOA5, I guarantee you'll love it! It takes a great pickup to awesome-ness.

[Ashurbanipal]

I'm just starting to get more into ceramic pickups. I started first enjoying the Super Distortion and then the D-Sonic even more. I recently gave the Custom an honest run and liked as much as the D-Sonic. However, the 59/Custom is kind of deceptive because even though it's not a hot pickup, it's so sensitive that it seems like it has a fairly high output. It cleans up extremely well. With all the distortion I had in this audio clip, the 59/Custom Hybrid can clean up to a bluesy breakup just by rolling my strat volume down to 7.

Ceramic pups are hard to beat for an 'in your face' sound; makes me think of drag racing. Air modded ones sound pretty good too, bit tamer if a regular one is too much.

Yea, I noticed that the output of the 59/C was lower but the overall tone didn't seem diminished. Maybe since the 59/C emphasizes those freqs flattering to one's hearing that it still sounds loud - probably that crispness and midrange discussed before doing the job.

[Frogman]

Would an A8 add more warmth and tighten the bass?

[GuitarDoc]

Uber...I thought that was a great sound clip, nice job!! Did you use the hybrid on all of the tracks?

[symptom]

In my Custom 5, the Roughcast UOA5 was MUCH looser than the regular A5.

[lazyfinger]

In my Custom 5, the Roughcast UOA5 was MUCH looser than the regular A5.

Hmm, could be I have an axe that keeps it tight, I know I didn't like the A5 in Phat Cat and Custom 5 when I used it, it was bassy and low mids were "dry" not singing.

[symptom]

Hmm, could be I have an axe that keeps it tight, I know I didn't like the A5 in Phat Cat and Custom 5 when I used it, it was bassy and low mids were "dry" not singing.

Maybe... My guitar is an Epiphone SG, which needs bass response and have a lot of mids by itself.

[lazyfinger]

Maybe... My guitar is an Epiphone SG, which needs bass response and have a lot of mids by itself.

uhh! OK, I had a SG copy that did the same.