Seymour Duncan Advice

Sacwhh22

hello all 

planning to switch the pickups in a squire mustang vintage modified for Seymour Duncan’s - I have a little 59 for the bridge, anyone got any thoughts about either a little 59 neck or a duckbucker neck would be a more interesting combination?

Funkfingers

Depends on what sounds you expect the guitar to make and how you intend to wire up the two slider switches.

Of the two, I would opt for the Duckbucker to retain a clear, clean “Fender” sound.

Leave the slider switch for the Duckbucker as on/off/reverse.

Reconfigure the slider switch for the Li’l ‘59 to offer humbucker/off/partial coil split.

Sacwhh22

Sounds like good advice from sound knowledge, just what I needed, thank you! 

Sacwhh22

Ok, so may be having a change of heart! May just keep the mustang as it comes, and create a really cool strat with the Seymour Duncan’s! 

Now ow I have the bridge version of the lil 59 and the neck version of the duckbucker, - so not quite the right combo for the Everything Axe! 

Any thoughts on whether lil 59 bridge, duckbuster neck and jb jr in the middle
would be as good?

Funkfingers

All positional versions of the JB Junior are of higher output than the bridge position Li’l ‘59. In the middle position, to achieve a volume balance, the JBJr would need to be adjusted a long way from the strings.

With the two pickups you already have, it would make better sense to use the Duckbucker in the middle position then, get a Li’l ‘59N or the Red Devil N model.

Sacwhh22

Ooohhh just listed to a sample of the Red Devil - LOVE that one!!!

Sacwhh22

Im very torn now, tempted to try and sell the 2 I have for what I paid and get the whole set of the Red Devil’s, they sound awesome!!

Funkfingers

Compare and contrast the production line Red Devil model with the Custom Shop Li’l Pearly Gates for Stratocaster.

Sacwhh22

Have to say, my ears prefer the Red Devil’s! Which my wallet approves of! Lol

Yamaha77

Cool rails neck coil split both pickups with a push pull

Yamaha77

Duck bucker is basically vintage rails but with adjustable poles. So too low an output to match well with little 59. Unless that's what you want.

ICBM

I'm not a fan of the Li'l '59, but it's better as a neck pickup than a bridge. The Duckbucker is OK in the middle, and the JB Jr or the Li'l Screamin' Demon is good in the bridge.

I haven't tried the Red Devil so can't comment...

Funkfingers

ICBM said:

… Li'l '59 … better as a neck pickup.

Agreed (on both Mustang and Stratocaster).

ICBM said:

The Duckbucker is OK in the middle

Damned by faint praise. Rightfully. The Duckbucker and Vintage Rails models are something of a compromise. 

ICBM said:

the JB Jr or the Li'l Screamin' Demon is good in the bridge.

These have the balls that the Li’l ‘59 lacks. I would recommend the Hot Rails too. 

@Sacwhh22 Regardless of whether you are customising a Stratocaster or your Mustang, the best partner for the Duckbucker is one of the Duncan Rails pickups. 

On my Squier VM Mustang, I got acceptable sounds and looks from Lace Sensor pickups. 

Neck - Gold, Silver or Emerald.
Bridge - Red, Red or Red.

The Burgundy Lace Sensor would provide a P90-ish tone but I would only bother with it if the pickup switching is reconfigured to allow series interconnection of both Sensors.