Duncan 59s vs Burstbucker Pros

[ThorK]

Tossed in a set of Seymour Duncan 59s in place of the stock Burstbuckers in my 2005 Standard. Burstbuckers were a bit too harsh on the top end, a bit too muddy on the bottom and just a little bit harsh with my amp. Took a shot and got some Duncan 59s after listening to the clips on Duncan's site.

MAN! It's great! I'm sure enough of you guys have popped 'em in your guitars over the years, but this is my first set of Duncans, and I am very impressed. They're bright, but not harshly so. It's really well balanced, and it sounds weird but it makes me want to play more and just get better and better. Nice and silky smooth in the neck position too, no mud at all. Sustain is great on both pickups and harmonics bounce out on command as always, but they sound crisper or something... difficult to put into words.

Great pickups, can't speak highly enough of them!

If I ever figure out how to mic my amp instead of just using Line6 GearBox crap, I will post some sound clips to accompany the pic:

 

[P.Walker]

i tried both 59n/b in my les paul, and you really can't go wrong with these on a les paul. Wound on the leesona winder like a few other duncan pafs, it is a nice pickup. If you like the 59, you will definitely like the seth well. In fact, a combination of the 59 in the neck/seth in bridge or vice versa, yields a nice setup.

 

[ThorK]

Cool, I'll keep it in mind!

What do you mean the leesona winder? To wind the pickups?

edit- nevermind, I'm an idiot, just re-read your post :lol

 

[DirtyRobber]

For the money you can't beat Duncans. I had a JB/Jazz set in my '99 R9 that the previous owner had installed. I loved them. I have a set of Ant's kicking around the house that I am looking forward to as well.

 

[grimlyflick]

Duncan 59's in my Classic, love em!!! :salude

 

[ThorK]

the white makes my creamy gibson plastic parts look even creamier, but i don't care... double whites are too cool!

:2cool

 

[Iplay4JC]

For the money you can't beat Duncans. I had a JB/Jazz set in my '99 R9 that the previous owner had installed. I loved them.

+1. That's the same set-up I have on my 06 LP Classic. I can get a real bluesy sound from the neck pick-up with a hint of OD. OTOH my 02 LP Classic has a 59 in the neck. Great tones from both axes. Puts a smile on my face every time I play them.

 

[ThorK]

+1. That's the same set-up I have on my 06 LP Classic. I can get a real bluesy sound from the neck pick-up with a hint of OD. OTOH my 02 LP Classic has a 59 in the neck. Great tones from both axes. Puts a smile on my face every time I play them.

cool!

the real test for me will be when i get my Marshall back from the shop; it's getting a gain-boost modification on one of the channels. i can see how they do with gobs of gain, as well as the regular, non-modded, stock marshall channel.

sounds great through my old Champ though, which is the most basic tone I think you can get... a good benchmark.

 

[burst59]

What amps are you guys using with the Burstbucker pro's ?
My buddies 06 Standard sounds nothing like you described, Muddy and Harsh ?
He play's it through an SLO and Marshall 1960BX and all I hear is great low end with crunch and sweet singing highs. :dude:

 

[ThorK]

What amps are you guys using with the Burstbucker pro's ?
My buddies 06 Standard sounds nothing like you described, Muddy and Harsh ?
He play's it through an SLO and Marshall 1960BX and all I hear is great low end with crunch and sweet singing highs. :dude:

1977 marshall JMP 100 through a marshall 4x12 with g12m-70 speakers.

im not saying they were crap, just didn't quite have the sound i have in my head when i think "les paul through marshall".

just trying new pickups out, broseph, no biggie :2cool

 

[burst59]

I know alot guys on here play through cleaner amps like Fenders and don't care for the Burstbuckers, but with a good Marshall or Soldano they rock !!! :dude:

 

[ThorK]

I know alot guys on here play through cleaner amps like Fenders and don't care for the Burstbuckers, but with a good Marshall or Soldano they rock !!! :dude:

different strokes :bh

 

[Manolian]

What amps are you guys using with the Burstbucker pro's ?
My buddies 06 Standard sounds nothing like you described, Muddy and Harsh ?
He play's it through an SLO and Marshall 1960BX and all I hear is great low end with crunch and sweet singing highs. :dude:

+1 ,Burstbucker pros with Luxe bumblebee repros on my classic crunch and sing sweetly.

 

[ThorK]

Sheesh, I never said the BB's were crap or anything.

Recalling my original post, all I said was that they "were a bit too harsh on the top end, a bit too muddy on the bottom and just a little bit harsh with my amp."

Not drastically so at all.

"After listening to the clips on Duncan's site", I liked what I heard from the 59s, so took a shot with them.

Turns out I like the sound better than the BB's.

Agree to disagree by all means, I just don't like being unfairly quoted or misunderstood.

:salude

 

[DonP]

Sheesh, I never said the BB's were crap or anything.

I guess the title of the thread makes it sound like you are comparing the two, along with the comments "harsh" and "muddy".

Personally, I think that's great that the 59's work for you. I have a 59 neck in my SL2H and it sounds great.

But I love the BB's in my 2002 Std and won't be swapping anytime soon. Harsh? I'll call it "aggressive" LOL!

 

[slammintone]

Older SD '59s sounded better and had a nice flavor/charactor. They also were a bit overwound sounding. That is to say, the older ones I'd tried in the past had a bit more body and were a touch aggressive in a good way than more recent examples I've tried. The last few I've tried have all been rather thin and brittle sounding and I quickly tired of them and got rid of them. I thought my Burstbucker Pros in my old LP Standard needed replacing so I bought a set of Classic covers '59s and didn't like them with the covers on or off. Replacing the magnets for A2s was even worse sounding. As soon as the Burstbucker Pros were reinstalled the guitar sounded much better and I never had the urge to change them again. I do feel the need to experiment with the Burstbuckers in my Historics but not with the '59s. Seth Lovers are a better bet as far as SD pickups go.

 

[papersoul]

Older SD '59s sounded better and had a nice flavor/charactor. They also were a bit overwound sounding. That is to say, the older ones I'd tried in the past had a bit more body and were a touch aggressive in a good way than more recent examples I've tried. The last few I've tried have all been rather thin and brittle sounding and I quickly tired of them and got rid of them. I thought my Burstbucker Pros in my old LP Standard needed replacing so I bought a set of Classic covers '59s and didn't like them with the covers on or off. Replacing the magnets for A2s was even worse sounding. As soon as the Burstbucker Pros were reinstalled the guitar sounded much better and I never had the urge to change them again. I do feel the need to experiment with the Burstbuckers in my Historics but not with the '59s. Seth Lovers are a better bet as far as SD pickups go.

I agree, BB Pros ill in new LP Standards...even with 500k pots! I was using 300ks for a while but not as versatile. Othe good ones were the Guitar Force Erupter, Motor City Torqe and Rio Grande BBQ.

 

[les strat]

I'll say it. I think the BB Pros are harsh. Very harsh in the upper mids. I personally do not like them at all, but for those that do,:salude

 

[joeymac]

I know alot guys on here play through cleaner amps like Fenders and don't care for the Burstbuckers, but with a good Marshall or Soldano they rock !!! :dude:

BBs through VHT deliverance 60! Well, my cup of tea and great for what I like to do.

 

[cuthbert]

It seems the '59s are very popular, but they never worked, at least for me...too low signal and too "quiet" sound.