Neck Pickup Recommendations

[yladrd61]

Gibson '57 Classic

[fillmore nyc]

Gibson '57 Classic

Gibson Quality Control

[yladrd61]

Gibson '57 Classic

Gibson Quality Control

I have them on my LP and they sound awesome

[somethin'else]

I have them on my LP and they sound awesome

Good call, they're not bad pups and can be had cheap, used.
Special Alnico II magnet
Vintage enamel-coated wire
Nickel-plated pole pieces
Nickel slugs
Maple spacers
Vintage-style, two-conductor braided wiring
8.1k
Kinda like the High Order spec I shot out. (edit: 'cept I think the '57s are even winds)

rgorke, anything hit your fancy so far?

[rgorke]

Yeah, I'll jump in before the thread really gets ugly.

I was thinking about my "glassy yet creamy" thought and I am thinking of something that is clear but has some heft and depth to it. Think of it this way for those of you who have ever waterskied. Glassy is a term for how the top of the water is, like a mirror smooth. The creamy or heft would be the difference of skiing at Lake Tahoe where you look and you see down a hundred or more feet to deep blue versus lake Mead where you can only see 20 feet to deep green. Each has it's own similar feel with the lake smoothness but the Lake Tahoe experience gives you a feeling of depth. Almost getting a 3 dimensional aspect to it before any effects.

I really want clean but not a wimpy clean some heft and color underneath. I get the 7-9k with an A2 kind of vibe. What is that? I could put an A2 in a '59 n, maybe?

[somethin'else]

You can always slap an A2 in the 59, just to see where it might take you. I think the 59s are even wind and kinda sound 'flat' to me, but I hear the asymmetrical winds give a bit 'o swirl on the top end... which could be grossly seen as 3-D.

Fralin goes for A4s in his humbuckers, maybe try one of those if you can find 'em offhand. Maybe he'll send you one.

Hell, Jeff @ High Order send me a weakened vintage type A5 AND a full strength A5 to try the diffs, which I never got around to 'cause I dove straight for the vintage sound. Still need to try the full strength A5 one day though.

Extra food for thought, Josh Homme (EODM, TCV, QOTSA) uses Maton guitars with outrageous humbuckers. Like check this crap out! Two A8 humbuckers, split coil, each coil is 11.5k! Freako! And he gets Incredible recorded guitar sounds. Maybe you wanna go UP in magnet strength and output.

I think you're in for an "all in one" pickup, so good luck and happy hunting! It's obviously gonna take the right balance of things. In the end, for me, it was "hey this is not only 'good enough', but hey this is Damn Good". The amp does the rest of the work. You'll find it.

Never been water skiing, but I get your drift.

[rgorke]

Thanks for all the input. I do have an A2 in my '59 b pickup.

I really like the softness it brings. Could be good for a neck pup????

[fillmore nyc]

Thanks for all the input. I do have an A2 in my '59 b pickup.

I really like the softness it brings. Could be good for a neck pup????

I cant relate to the water analogy. The bottom line is just stick it in there and crank it up if you wanna know.


It'll be warm as hell, but I doubt it'll be "glassy" though.
8k+ with an A2 mag in the neck?? Very warm and creamy with a very smooth top end.

Imo: Glassy= bright and crisp...
Creamy= warm and smooth.

8k+ with an A2 is gonna be sorta like a lightweight Duncan Custom Custom, which AINT glassy.

Sounds to me like you want some form of a P90.

[ohmygodtheykilledkenny]

A2, 7.9k ish assymetric wind in my opinion. Maybe even a little more output, though this suits me really well. Mines a Wolfetone, and it's reverse mounted in my Les Paul.

http://raygunfever.bandcamp.com/track/steppin-out" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; not the best mix (yet), as we're still working on it. This was just in a home studio, anything that doesn't sound like a Strat/Twin is me with a cranked up JTM45. Cept the double time solo, which is my strat and screamer through the same JTM, and I'm pretty sure we eq'd that dub to shit to make it sound different. The dirty rhythm and first solo are the Les Paul and JTM at various guitar volume settings.

EDIT: Les Paul is on the right for the whole track

[JimiJames]

Does reverse mounted mean that in pos. 2 you have S&S or N&N bobbins facing each other ? If so does that create hum or buzzing noise? I know it's not the P.G. thing. I'm trying to understand if that would be in or out of phase or something completely different. Just curious.

[fillmore nyc]

Does reverse mounted mean that in pos. 2 you have S&S or N&N bobbins facing each other ? If so does that create hum or buzzing noise? I know it's not the P.G. thing. I'm trying to understand if that would be in or out of phase or something completely different. Just curious.

Unless Im misunderstanding this, I think he IS talking about the Peter Green pickup orientation. If it is the P.G. thing, it wouldnt cause noise or buzz. The pickups cancel out hum individually, and which way they are oriented wont make a diff if both are on at once, or if either is used individually. (Think about a 3 pickup LP Custom... the middle pickup is sorta in the "P.G."mode with the neck pickup with no problems).
And phasing strictly has to do with which way the current runs thru the pickup, which will make a big difference in sound only when the 2 pickups are used together... there would be no difference when they're used individually.

Also putting the pickups in and out of phase doesnt work too well if you are using pickup covers, cause whichever pickup is out of phase will not have a grounded cover... it will be connected to the positive side of the pickup, and that WILL cause all sorts of havoc, cause the cover itself will be grabbing 60 cycle hum from amps, lights, etc.

Now, If its NOT the P.G. thing, Im pretty curious as to what "reverse mounted" means.

[JimiJames]

Thanks fil. I was scratching my head on this one....
I thought maybe he was talking about it being flipped like a Tripple Lindy with a half gainer ?
(sorry omgtkk, I only know of but, never personally heard a WT pup)

I've never tried or wanted to do a 3 "humbucker" thing. I had no need or use for it which is why
I don't care for Black Beauties or the Ace or Frampton thing. It's just too much pull. (...and the middle pickup is in my way ! )
So, is it the same as if I were to take 3 humcancelling singles and slap them in the Strat, all in series ?
I've done that but, with a 5 way. Noisy ! That's why the need for a special switch
which is why they sell it for people hell bent on 3 hummers in a Strat set up.
Is it noisy because the pickups are stacked as opposed to side-by-side ?
Old school-wise the 3 pup Gibby's have no coil tap being that they are manufactured with just shielding & a lead wire.

Then you have the Jimmy's #2 LP with coil tapping all over the place.
I personally do his #1 mod but, I can't stand his #2 mod with all 4 push/pulls...

Also putting the pickups in and out of phase doesn't work too well if you are using pickup covers, cause whichever pickup is out of phase will not have a grounded cover... it will be connected to the positive side of the pickup, and that WILL cause all sorts of havoc, cause the cover itself will be grabbing 60 cycle hum from amps, lights, etc.

AHA ! that explains the look of his #1 ! I thought he might of thought that
his bridge pup was a little on the bright side so that's why he removed his cover..

I think this thread just got hijacked

[NY Chief]

. (...and the middle pickup is in my way ! )

I think this thread just got hijacked

(hijack further...) BIG agreement on that. I have a "Ronnie Wood" 3 pup disc front. I'm always bouncing the pick of that middle pickup.

[fillmore nyc]

So, is it the same as if I were to take 3 humcancelling singles and slap them in the Strat, all in series ?
I've done that but, with a 5 way. Noisy ! That's why the need for a special switch
which is why they sell it for people hell bent on 3 hummers in a Strat set up.
Is it noisy because the pickups are stacked as opposed to side-by-side ?

Are you sure you mean 3 pickups in series??? Most Strat pickups are wired in parallel when more than one pickup is used. If they were in series, the guitar would be strong (and dark sounding) as a fuck when multiple pickups are used cause the resistance is added, not divided.
Anyway, my Strat has 3 hum canceling pickups (DiMarzio Virtuals) and I have no noise issues at all. The only wiring mod to the switch (a 5 way "Super Switch") is that the middle position yields the neck and bridge pickup together, not just the middle pickup like a normal 5 way does.

. (...and the middle pickup is in my way ! )

I think this thread just got hijacked

(hijack further...) BIG agreement on that. I have a "Ronnie Wood" 3 pup disc front. I'm always bouncing the pick of that middle pickup.

+2...

The one Firebird I cant stand is the FB VII. My pick keeps hitting that damn middle pickup too, and it sounds like the drummer is rapping on the side of his snare drum. Fuckin' hate it.

[JimiJames]

(hijack further...)

*Ref's whistle* Delay of game !

Are you sure you mean 3 pickups in series???

No Sir, just the individual.

The only wiring mod to the switch (a 5 way "Super Switch")

That's why the need for a special switch

Exactly.
Without it you get buzzing in pos. 2 or 4 respectively depending how you wired it. Either favoring the humcancel in 2 or 4 with a reg Switchcraft.
There's a thread or topic on that DiMarzio SS (also available from StewMac & Fender.) I copied the Tech's hand written schematic/diagram (the actual tech who designed it at Dimarzio) and posted it so people can pull this mod off to get the humcancelling in all 5 pos. ( Pickups must have 4 leads/wires)
Introduced back it early 90's before anything made public... I guess it helped working at a music store then.
Anyway they go for roughly $25 but, worth it for this config.