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'59 Reissue pickup upgrades?


Watersilk

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59 Reissue pickup upgrades?

 

I have a 59 Reissue VOS, which I am keen to improve. Please can someone tell me what type of pickups this guitar has? Also, what type of magnets and outputs? The 2015 59's have Custom Buckers, which I guess mean that they are made by Gibson and are period correct... they mention alnico 3 magnets and unequal turns of 42 AWG wire. Mine is a 2009 model, would it have the same specification pickups as these latest 59 Reissues?

 

Has anyone tried replacing the original Gibson pickups with something that sounds better, but still remains faithful to the 59 type?

 

There are scatter-wound humbuckers made by various companies, who say that this increases harmonics and therefore give better tone; is this claim true? Is 'scatter-wound' the same as 'unequal turns'?

 

They often offer magnet options on a 59 type humbucker, however surely using different magnets than the original Gibson 1959 specification would change the sound, and no longer classify as a 59?

 

I've also heard that there were variations in original Gibson 59 pickup manufacture, which make original 1959 Les Paul's sound different from each other; for example, Seymour Duncan produce a set of 59's called 'Pearly Gates', after Billy Gibbons' 59 Les Paul. Are these variations just how much wire is wound on the bobbins, or are there other differences?

 

I do love my 59 Reissue, the pickups sound good, but if there is something better out there, I would like to try them. Thank you for reading this :)

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Guest Farnsbarns

Scatter wound and unequal turns aren't the same thing. Scatter wound means the coils are wound hap-hazardly, not in neat layers. This emulates how pups were made in the 50s. Whether it effects tone greatly? Not sure but at least the science stacks up. Unequal turns simply means each of the 2 bobbins in each pup are not matched, again, emulating 50s methods.

 

Scatter winding is one of those things that has been hotly debated over the years. Unequal turns I believe is less debatable; accentuating harmonics and parcels. Generally considered desirable.

 

Searcy is the man to speak to. Been winding pickups since before there was dirt.

 

It is arguable that Throbacks are good PAF clones. They use the same winding machines that Gibson used and Iver never heard a complaint but many say that Gibson's own 57s are the best PAF clones.

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Scatter wound and unequal turns aren't the same thing. Scatter wound means the coils are wound hap-hazardly, not in neat layers. This emulates how pups were made in the 50s. Whether it effects tone greatly? Not sure but at least the science stacks up. Unequal turns simply means each of the 2 bobbins in each pup are not matched, again, emulating 50s methods.

 

Scatter winding is one of those things that has been hotly debated over the years. Unequal turns I believe is less debatable; accentuating harmonics and parcels. Generally considered desirable.

 

Searcy is the man to speak to. Been winding pickups since before there was dirt.

 

It is arguable that Throbacks are good PAF clones. They use the same winding machines that Gibson used and Iver never heard a complaint but many say that Gibson's own 57s are the best PAF clones.

 

Hey Farns!

 

Thank you for the information..... I've also heard that the Gibson 57's are good, the Creamery's PAF clone 57's sound amazing too... there's a You tube video...... they are made by a guy in Manchester! I hadn't heard of the Throbacks..... I will have look on line. There is another make, American I think called Lollar, sweet-sounding pickups! We have so many options now.... what a wonderful world we live in!

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