SD lil 59', JB jr, or Cool/Hot Rail

Hi,

I am considering one of these pups as a replacement for my Strat bridge pickup and was looking for oppinions. I watched a number of Youtube vids on them but honestly I'm having trouble making a deciscion based off that.

Seymour Duncan lil 59', JB jr, or Cool/Hot Rail.

Thank you

My advice, stay single and use a 4 way for G-N-B-Hot. If your ears are set on a micro HB, they mimic the real deal well. '59 trad HB tone. JB more nasal and midsy. Rail attacks are different than singles or screw HBs. Like 2 bricks being smacked together, at least on the hot. Obviously YMMV depending on your sound set up.

I'm after a slightly warmer tone from the Bridge pickup. If I want twang I'll use my Tele. I would like something a little more Rock n Roll but not Metal. If I could describe the tone I would like to come closest to it would be my Nighthawks bridge pickup with the coil split. Not as dark as a HB but not as bright as a SC.

I'm trying to follow your description. G? - N (neck?) - B (bridge?) - Hot.

Sorry, I'm not understanding this. I'm sure it's straight forward but I'm drawing a blank. Forgive my slowness.

Thanks

.

With series p/ups, especialy 2 different p/ups which is grounded makes a difference. This is more subtle w 2 p/ups the same , but still there.The most extreme example I've found is a Traditional HB N thru a Single coil B vs the Single B thru the HB N. With the N grounded it sounds like a deeper more 3D HB . With the Single B grounded you get filtering which lessens the bass and upper highs while increasing the mids.

Are you sure you're not after something like the SSL-5?

- Add the Mini-pearlygates and more hot rock pickup decisions. (LOL)

- You won't go wrong with either of those (3) ..Jb warmer, 59 tad brighter,.
not sure about the rails

Thanks for the info!

I'm sure there are a million possible choices. Honestly the only thing that got me on the SD was the large number of hits for the lil 59 when I started doing text searches for mini HB's.

I am not familiar with the SSL-5 but I will definitely look into it.

So Teleterr if I'm following you, you are saying I can wire my existing pups in a different way to get a warmer sund from my bridge pup? Do you know of a wire diagram somewhere I might be able to look at?

Again, thanks much!

I tried a Lil 59 in a tele, and took it out really quick. Just too dark for me. Look at the Wilde twin blades.

I tried a Lil 59 in a tele, and took it out really quick. Just too dark for me. Look at the Wilde twin blades.

Thanks Jakal,

Great price too but they are specified as Bridge for Tele. Will it work in my Strat bridge too?

Probably not, as they are designed for the Tele bridge, maybe SD makes one for a strat.

I've got a Lil 59 tele bridge, and i really like it. I've also got a Strat JB neck pup in that same guitar and it is probably my favorite. (Granted I like neck pups better usually).

I think they are all pretty good little pickups! Just go for it! Get a used one off ebay. If you don't like it, they retain their used value pretty well and move pretty quickly on ebay.

I've got a Lil 59 tele bridge, and i really like it. I've also got a Strat JB neck pup in that same guitar and it is probably my favorite. (Granted I like neck pups better usually).

I think they are all pretty good little pickups! Just go for it! Get a used one off ebay. If you don't like it, they retain their used value pretty well and move pretty quickly on ebay.

I'll pull the trigger in the next day or two. Just trying to get a better idea.

So the JB jr is a darker sounding pickup than the '59? Is the '59 darker than a a standard Strat pickup?

I have an idea, lets see if this works.

If I were to rate pickup brightness would it basically go like this...

More bright:

10 Strat Stock
09
08 Lil '59 (Tone more like single coil)
07
06 JB Jr (Tone more like humbucker)
05
04 Cool Rail (Tone more like single coil)
03
02 Hot rail (Tne more like Humbucker)
01

Less bright:

I have a lil 59 in a tele and it sounds pretty good to me. I have a switch on it to go series/split/parallel. It has a pretty decent range of tones.

I did put a mini Dimarzio tone zone in the bridge of a stay and it was a killer little pup. It sounded like the full size one in a music man I had at the time as well.

The ones you are picking between ate all good choices, you should be happy regardless.

Phostenix site for many wiring diagrams including G-N-B-Hot,... not the normal and filtered Tele standard.

Phostenix site for many wiring diagrams including G-N-B-Hot,... not the normal and filtered Tele standard.

Looks like a very cool site!


https://sites.google.com/site/phostenixwiringdiagrams/strats/strat-x

Funny thing is... i have a lil 59, JB Jr, & a Cool rails waiting to be put in a strat:lol:. What i plan on doing (from neck to bridge) is Rails, Jr, 59. I just have to get off my butt and install them. Its really hard to go wrong with a 59 in bridge position. Great pup.

Funny thing is... i have a lil 59, JB Jr, & a Cool rails waiting to be put in a strat:lol:. What i plan on doing (from neck to bridge) is Rails, Jr, 59. I just have to get off my butt and install them. Its really hard to go wrong with a 59 in bridge position. Great pup.

Are they all the same size so you can play around with switching positions?

They are all 3wire SD. So I believe so.

I am not a great lover of split coil though. I tend to keep them as
HB.

They are all 3wire SD. So I believe so.

I am not a great lover of split coil though. I tend to keep them as
HB.

It is possible the miniHB, purely by the mechanics of it, is already sufficiently less heavy than a full size HB to get me what I'm looking for. The tone I like best is from a full size split HB. I like it because it is less dark than a full size HB but less ice picky than a single coil.

At this point I'm seriously considering getting the solderless pickguard and several pickups as I tend to be very particular and chances are I will need to try a few on before I really settle on one.

Theres a thread on Strat talk where a guy advocates removing the screws from a HB thus getting a more single coil tone while staying humbucking. Skip the you tube vid he talks for an hour to explain what 30 seconds woulda covered.http://www.strat-talk.com/forum/pickup-forum/175721-make-any-humbucker-sound-like-single-coil-2-minutes.html

I have 2 strats... one wth a 59 and a JB Jr in the other. The best all around for most syyles is the 59. This guitar has 2 vintage noiseless also. A REALLY sweet ballance and quack when needed.

The JB I use for classic rock tones.(I have it out of phase with the stock mid pup for a lil more quack in the second switch position)

You wont go wrong with either.

Muchos gracias!

I sent an email to SD and asked their opinion, explaining the tone I was after and they recommended the Lil '59 as well.