What pickup are you using and what have you used?

gnugear · Post by **gnugear** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 3:43 am

I'm bouncing between a Tom Holmes and a Voodoo 59. The Voodoo is raw and has a great PAF tone while the Holmes has a little more clarity and string to string definition. Can't decide which I like best but I think I prefer the Voodoo.

I've had;
Duncan 59 (good basic tone but nothing magical)
Screamin Deamon (too bright)
Duncan 59/custom Hybrid (nice, and not as hot as you might think)
Seth Lover (too smooth and polite)
EVH 78 (pretty good but lacked some clarity)
JB (has a definite signature sound)
Burstbuckers (kind of bright)
Distortion (actually like it a lot. Sounds like a super hot PAF)

I want to try the WCR Darkburst but part of me misses the Duncan hybrid. That was a pretty cool pickup. What pickup gets you the closest?

Ruben · Post by **Ruben** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 3:54 am

I've tried:

78 (great pickup, but lacks some clarity and too much mids, though very aggresive)

Antiquity (chrystal clear, not as in-your-face like the 78)

Hybrid (smooth, great definition, though measuring 11,5 still sounds like a PAF)

Gibson T top (late 60's) Somewhere between the Hybrid and Antiquity,

So, for now I'm playing the Hybrid in my main Les Paul. But I think of replacing the A2 with an A5

TheDarkness · Post by **TheDarkness** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 4:08 am

You should try a Dimarzio PAF. Maybe you'll like them. They have the perfect output and magnet type. Affordable too

IloveMyMarshall · Post by **IloveMyMarshall** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 2:45 pm

TheDarkness wrote:You should try a Dimarzio PAF. Maybe you'll like them. They have the perfect output and magnet type. Affordable too

+1

Brad737 · Post by **Brad737** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 3:35 pm

I've tried quite a few pickups. My main striped Kramer has a Duncan EVH pickup in it. Sounds awesome. Very Ed-like. My Peavey Wolfgang and Ernie Ball EVH are both stock. They sound great too, although I prefer the Ernie Ball...probably my favorite all-around guitar. I have a Duncan Custom Custom in a Kramer Pacer. Sounds good, but a little hotter than the EVH. I have a Kramer Baretta with a Dimarzio Tone Zone. Sounds very good, but seems a little hotter than the pickup in the EBMM. (They're supposed to be VERY close.) I don't know if that's because the EBMM has a maple top, and direct mounted pickup, or because the wood the Kramer's made of is different, with the pickup suspended. They both sound cool, so I don't care.

I have a Duncan JB in a different Kramer. Little different sound. I like it, but it's eq'd a little different. That's about it for my "VH" guitars.

Brad

MARCO · Post by **MARCO** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 9:23 am

I have had a few so here's my take:
SD Custom Custom: decent VH (mid 80's era) tone but too high output

EVH 78: good VH tone but missed aggressiveness, cut & tight low end

HighOrder A2 8.7k Assymetric: Closest I have gotten to early EVH tone

Stock Wolfgang PU: too middy and decent for newer VH, ok at best

DiMarzio VH(Virtual Hot) PAF: not sure yet as I am putting them in my Wolfgang as replacements

For me the HighOrder has been the best hands down for me!! You guys should really check out his pickups ESPECIALLY for the price. You will not find a better made pickup for the $$.

Flames1950 · Post by **Flames1950** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:52 am

I don't even know if I can remember all the pickups I've tried over the years........

DiMarzio PAF's: Good basic PAF tones but slightly lacking in the character of boutique types.

Gibson 498T/490R: Really not bad pickups as such, although the 498T is too hot for my tastes and again, they lack some of the harmonic character of the boutique types.

Gibson Burstbucker Pros: Better than a lot of Gibson pickups but a little too much sharpness in the bridge slot for me. Maybe the standard A2 Burstbuckers would suit me better instead of the A5 magnets.

Rio Grande BBQ Bucker: Pretty hot and middy for what I'm usually looking for but a nice hot pickup if that's what you want.

Rio Grande Texas Humbucker: A good, solid,slightly hot PAF sound. The Rio Grandes are my favorite "standard production" type humbuckers if I couldn't custom order instead.

High Order 8.3K A2/7.6K A3 set: Nice stuff for the money; I was perfectly happy with them until I tried Sheptones and Smits. After hearing the Sheps and Smits it's like there's a blanket over the HO's; they would be great in a very bright guitar but don't have the bite and high harmonics of the Sheptones and Smits in my Les Paul.

Sheptone PAF Tributes: Great PAF replicas with good harmonic content and rich tone. Don't get them covered unless you specify to pot them though or they'll squeal like a stuck piggy. (That's not really specific to the Sheptones though, this is just typical of unpotted covered humbuckers with lots of overdrive.)

Smits Classic Coils Humbuckers: My current favorites, if only because they are typically $10 less per set than I paid for the Sheptones!! Lower DC resistance windings have great bite and harmonics with loads of vintage character. I also have a 10K A2 humbucker from Smits -- great for Gary Moore-type more overdriven sounds without adding an extra overdrive pedal, but retains the vintage character really nicely. Highly recommended.

I haven't had a Seymour Duncan '59 in so long I don't remember much about them, other than obviously they didn't stay in my guitar........I do have a set of Seth Lovers that I still haven't tried though.

Brad737 · Post by **Brad737** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 11:24 am

Wow. I'm surprised you like the high order better than the EVH. Not that I'm slamming the High Order because I've never heard one. But for my ears, I think the Duncan EVH is probably the most toneful pickup I have. It's a great mix of great PAF tone, and it's just a little hotter than the Burstbuckers in my 59 reissue Les Paul. I'll definitely look into the High Order. Is there a special model of that pickup, Marco? Or just tell them I want a Van Halen-ish A2 wound to 8.7k with mismatched coils?

Thanks,
bs

MARCO wrote:I have had a few so here's my take:
SD Custom Custom: decent VH (mid 80's era) tone but too high output

EVH 78: good VH tone but missed aggressiveness, cut & tight low end

HighOrder A2 8.7k Assymetric: Closest I have gotten to early EVH tone

Stock Wolfgang PU: too middy and decent for newer VH, ok at best

DiMarzio VH(Virtual Hot) PAF: not sure yet as I am putting them in my Wolfgang as replacements

For me the HighOrder has been the best hands down for me!! You guys should really check out his pickups ESPECIALLY for the price. You will not find a better made pickup for the $$.

MARCO · Post by **MARCO** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 5:51 pm

Hey Brad,
No, just tell him you want a Alnico II 8.7k assymetric wind. He has made so many that he what he says is exactly what you get. His description was aggressive, bright and very sweet mids across the board. The lows are tight and the pickup has an "chewiness" to it, like the amp is being pushed. It is a very good sounding pickup musically, has that clean single coil tone when the volume is rolled back, is very touch sensitive and oddly, makes my fx stuff sound better. It seems as though the pickup likes all of my floor fx (phase, flange, replex, eq). Oh, it is harmonically rich and tapping sounds strong and clear. Dont let people fool you about the money, it will compete hands down with all of the other pickup makers scamming us

. HighOrder's are a top 3 or 5 out of all pickups IMHO.

908ssp · Post by **908ssp** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 11:24 pm

I am playing that same High Order in my Parker Fly Mojo and it sounds terrific way better than the JB/Jazz that was in there from the factory.

Necrovore · Post by **Necrovore** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 1:50 am

Used
Dimarzio - Super Distortion, X2N, Megadrive, Super 2

Duncan - Invader, Custom Custom, Distortion, Live Wire Metal/Classic

EMG - 81, 85

Currently using

Suhr - Doug Aldrich Signature bridge (Best sounding pickup I have ever used/heard)

Dimarzio - Super 2 in the neck of my main guitar in combination with the Suhr

Dimarzio - Super Distortion in neck position of main backup guitar

Taiwan clone of Dimarzio X2N in bridge of main backup.

Brad737 · Post by **Brad737** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 2:38 am

Thanks, Marco. I just checked out his website. His prices are fantastic.

MARCO wrote:Hey Brad,
No, just tell him you want a Alnico II 8.7k assymetric wind. He has made so many that he what he says is exactly what you get. His description was aggressive, bright and very sweet mids across the board. The lows are tight and the pickup has an "chewiness" to it, like the amp is being pushed. It is a very good sounding pickup musically, has that clean single coil tone when the volume is rolled back, is very touch sensitive and oddly, makes my fx stuff sound better. It seems as though the pickup likes all of my floor fx (phase, flange, replex, eq). Oh, it is harmonically rich and tapping sounds strong and clear. Dont let people fool you about the money, it will compete hands down with all of the other pickup makers scamming us . HighOrder's are a top 3 or 5 out of all pickups IMHO.

Roe · Post by **Roe** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 9:12 am

HBs:

highorder: degaussed A5 7k8 and 7k3 - my favorites in my SG155

SD: seth lovers: great classic LP sounds. good for peter green with pups out of phase. my set are low output. weak magnet I suppose. sound sweet but lacks some punch. I suspect I prefer A5s.

antiquity 8k7 bridge: bright, but good. depends a bit on the guitar

Gotoh PAFs (from tokai es155 and sg155): decent, but the bridge is too hot (10k6-11k)

Gibson: 490r - decent, ok allround
498 way to much output. hated the harmonics

Filtertrons:
Gretsch ceramics: only usable for high gain

tv jones: tv classics - the best pup I've ever heard. sounds very good clean and overdriven. from beatles to malcolm young. this pups compresses quite a bit when you pick hard. my jtm45 distorts quite easily with these low output pups

Singels coils:

Tele/esquires:
kinman 48 - good allround

strat:
callaham/fralin hendrix srv special (h/srv): best strat pups so far. punchy and powerful

kinman blues - way to compressed and dark. does not sound like a strat

Fender - lace sensor golds - bright, does noe qoite sound like a strat.

JWR · Post by **JWR** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 12:59 pm

In my VH type guitar

EMG81
Screamin Demon
Lawrence L500L
high order 8.7
'59
Dimarzio Air norton
duncan '78

the '78 is my personal choice

Myopic Void · Post by **Myopic Void** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 4:17 pm

Seth Lover, Burst bucker, 57 Classic, S-Duncan 59, Rolph, 490T, 500T, Vintage PAF.

After going through all of these PU's I would say the SH55's were really good, the Rolph was nice in the neck, however none of them had the hollow, open, fluty sound I get from the PAF's. I did a lot of recording test swapping PU's and tried to objective about the PAF and not fall into the mystic voodoo snare associated with old PAF's. Anyways I prefer PAF best in this particular Historic Les Paul over the others I tried.

Cheers,

Eric