Anyone else think eddie never used a 9K PAF?

[guitar007]

I've never used anything hotter than a EVH 78 (or whatever they're called now). I guess I don't know what I'm missing.

[garbeaj]

It's just that some pickups function better with some amp circuits better than others. I've never understood why anyone ever recommends or claims one pickup over another for any particular type of sound. It is always nonsensical. The guitar that the pickup sits in matters of course, plus so many other variables. But the absolute be all end all truth is that the pickup sounds completely different mostly depending on what amp you are using. All anyone can do when they speak about pickups is say "I have "X" type of rig and I tried "X" pickup to try to get "X" sound, and then they hopefully have a video or audio clip as a demonstration of said rig with said pickup demonstrating how close they get to achieving sound "X"-then anyone interested can judge for themselves if and only if they have a totally identical setup.

All other talk of pickups is completely useless.

[JohnnyGtar]

Did Ed use a JB in his Kramer "5150" guitar at some point?

I know Steve Blucher and he told me that when he went out to 5150 to wind pickups for Ed for his signature Music Man guitar, he was using a JB in his main Kramer with the screwed up coil that gave the pickup an insane rating on the ohmmeter.

I think the idea that the Duncan Custom was what Ed used early on makes a lot of sense. I remember seeing that Duncan ad in my waaay younger days and wanting to buy a Custom. When I did finally get one, it was love at first listen. Still is. I have a lot of fun chasing Ed-like tones with the Suhr Aldrich bridge model, too. I know the specs are very different, but man, the Aldrich is a fun pickup in my '87 Kramer.

[Santino]

Did Ed use a JB in his Kramer "5150" guitar at some point?

I know Steve Blucher and he told me that when he went out to 5150 to wind pickups for Ed for his signature Music Man guitar, he was using a JB in his main Kramer with the screwed up coil that gave the pickup an insane rating on the ohmmeter.

I think the idea that the Duncan Custom was what Ed used early on makes a lot of sense. I remember seeing that Duncan ad in my waaay younger days and wanting to buy a Custom. When I did finally get one, it was love at first listen. Still is. I have a lot of fun chasing Ed-like tones with the Suhr Aldrich bridge model, too. I know the specs are very different, but man, the Aldrich is a fun pickup in my '87 Kramer.

Ask Steve if it's true that Lukather is really the guy who chose the pickup for the EBMM EVH. Even though I already know the answer. I was just playing my Axis today. I pretty much play my EVH USA Wolfgang Stealth most of the time. Anyway the Axis has that clean yet crunch VH thing going on. I never play the Axis anymore. Broke two strings and put it away. Went back to the Stealth. It's not the same. The Axis is great for VH. Stealth gets the job done. But the Axis is better at it I think.

I gave Mr. Blucher the hardest time. He got no less than three phone calls about the EVH/Axis pickup. He wouldn't tell what it was. Only what he had that was close. He was a good sport about it. Finally he suggested the Tone Zone and I think it's close. In fact I think it's it. I've used one a a few guitars including an ash unfinished strat body with a Floyd. So close to the Axis.

[T.L.]

Did Ed use a JB in his Kramer "5150" guitar at some point?

I know Steve Blucher and he told me that when he went out to 5150 to wind pickups for Ed for his signature Music Man guitar, he was using a JB in his main Kramer with the screwed up coil that gave the pickup an insane rating on the ohmmeter.

I think the idea that the Duncan Custom was what Ed used early on makes a lot of sense. I remember seeing that Duncan ad in my waaay younger days and wanting to buy a Custom. When I did finally get one, it was love at first listen. Still is. I have a lot of fun chasing Ed-like tones with the Suhr Aldrich bridge model, too. I know the specs are very different, but man, the Aldrich is a fun pickup in my '87 Kramer.

Ask Steve if it's true that Lukather is really the guy who chose the pickup for the EBMM EVH. Even though I already know the answer. I was just playing my Axis today. I pretty much play my EVH USA Wolfgang Stealth most of the time. Anyway the Axis has that clean yet crunch VH thing going on. I never play the Axis anymore. Broke two strings and put it away. Went back to the Stealth. It's not the same. The Axis is great for VH. Stealth gets the job done. But the Axis is better at it I think.

I gave Mr. Blucher the hardest time. He got no less than three phone calls about the EVH/Axis pickup. He wouldn't tell what it was. Only what he had that was close. He was a good sport about it. Finally he suggested the Tone Zone and I think it's close. In fact I think it's it. I've used one a a few guitars including an ash unfinished strat body with a Floyd. So close to the Axis.

Well, I don't know, but I tried a Tone Zone in my original Floyd-equipped ESP, and it had too much woofy low-end. 2 weeks later, I replaced it with the JB that's in there now. Prior to both of those, I had a Screamin' Demon, which sounded kind'a thin in that particular guitar (I still have it in 3 other guitars). The JB got it where I thought it needed to be. Of course I wasn't chasing VH tone.

[JohnnyGtar]

Did Ed use a JB in his Kramer "5150" guitar at some point?

I know Steve Blucher and he told me that when he went out to 5150 to wind pickups for Ed for his signature Music Man guitar, he was using a JB in his main Kramer with the screwed up coil that gave the pickup an insane rating on the ohmmeter.

I think the idea that the Duncan Custom was what Ed used early on makes a lot of sense. I remember seeing that Duncan ad in my waaay younger days and wanting to buy a Custom. When I did finally get one, it was love at first listen. Still is. I have a lot of fun chasing Ed-like tones with the Suhr Aldrich bridge model, too. I know the specs are very different, but man, the Aldrich is a fun pickup in my '87 Kramer.

Ask Steve if it's true that Lukather is really the guy who chose the pickup for the EBMM EVH. Even though I already know the answer. I was just playing my Axis today. I pretty much play my EVH USA Wolfgang Stealth most of the time. Anyway the Axis has that clean yet crunch VH thing going on. I never play the Axis anymore. Broke two strings and put it away. Went back to the Stealth. It's not the same. The Axis is great for VH. Stealth gets the job done. But the Axis is better at it I think.

I gave Mr. Blucher the hardest time. He got no less than three phone calls about the EVH/Axis pickup. He wouldn't tell what it was. Only what he had that was close. He was a good sport about it. Finally he suggested the Tone Zone and I think it's close. In fact I think it's it. I've used one a a few guitars including an ash unfinished strat body with a Floyd. So close to the Axis.

The same day that Steve told me what I posted here about the JB, he told me the story of the Axis bridge pickup. According to Steve, Ed and Luke were hanging out and talking about the right bridge pickup to choose for the Axis. It came down to the Tone Zone and the EBMM pickup used in the Axis. Ed said "I like 'em both. What do you think?" Luke said, "Ahh, go with that one." pointing to the guitar that had the Axis pickup. Ed went with Luke's advice. There you have it.

[JohnnyGtar]

The bridge pickup used in the EBMM EVH guitar is definitely not a Tone Zone. I've owned both the TZ and the EBMM bridge model, which has B1 stamped on the baseplate. The EBMM has better clarity, focus and a tighter low end than the TZ does, at least to my ears. I've tried them both in the same guitar.

The neck model on the EBMM guitar is similar to an Air Norton. If memory serves, Steve came up with the Airbucker idea while making pickups for Ed to try out.

Steve told me that when the EBMM EVH guitar came out, DiMarzio was flooded with calls and emails from people trying to buy those pickups (or get them for free). Often the calls went like this: "I'm a friend of Ed's!" or "I'm a friend of Sterling's!" Steve would reply: "Fine, have them call me and tell me it's OK to send you the pickups". Somehow, the calls from Ed or Sterling would never materialize. LOL

[dirtycooter]

I don't believe it was that low anymore. But.... Actual output is the measure-NOT dc resistance.
And I go with the Custom or DSD theory. It was a must for the older low gain plexi to get scary without boosts. No two ways about it.
If Ed ever used cascades and higher gain things like a mod 5 then I could see lesser output pickups.
But I cannot believe this is still goin as a debate... The gain range of the circuit dictates what you can get away with pickupwise. And the e.q. of it is the only thing left aside from cleaning up with the volume knob and maintaining that spankiness. Thats about all you gotta shoot for really.
Not so much of a mystery anymore when you get to fool with high gain and plexi circuit both side by side and tried enough pickups. It kinda becomes clear what was really happening.

[dirtycooter]

We can go on forever.. About pickup shit..... Forever literally.
One more wind, 10 less winds.......
Output of a p/u and gain circuit its applied to. The damn physics were not obliterated because of EVH. Its that simple. Its a standing and constant rule.
Period.


Now....

Are you a plexi purist traditionalist?
Or a mojo amp cascaded gain stage dope???

Thats your answer!!!


You gain one thing after another or vice versa...... No OTHER AVENUES EXIST.


YOU GET GAIN FROM THE CIRCUIT, THE PICKUP, OR THE STUFF IN BETWEEN...

Or maybe all of it combined! Lotta room folks. Can't get down on one thing here.

And Bufuggin WOW!! ED STARTED GETTING CLEARER AND CLEARER LESS GAIN AND MORE CLARITY BY AND HEADING TOWARDS 1984!!!!!

It really is all math, parts and pieces. I get it.

[dirtycooter]

Let me pose this damn stupid question....


Does DC Resistance tell me how hard you banged your old lady last night???!
NO!

DC resistance is the biggest JACKOFF READING EVER!!!! WHY USE IT??

HOLY SHIT I AM GONNA HEMMORAGE


WAKE THE F UP!!!!

[dirtycooter]

Maybe she told you NO!!
Because thats never gonna fit!


But what does dirtycooter do??

Spits on it, shoves all of it in, and says..... See..... It fits.......

Now.. For the thrusts

[fivecoyote]

Sorry I assumed we were talking plxi circuits. 59 for me in an alder superstrat and Les Paul was thin and totally uninspiring through a Plexi -- and through a JCM800-type circuit. Sounded scooped.

Tone Zone sounds good through a plexi-type circuit in every guitar I've tried, but to my ears not as good as the Axis pickup which is crazy cool in its own way.

Want to try the '78, but next up for me will be the Custom. Looking for that PAF "air" and piano-like note clarity with a bit more oomph.

[Megaro]

I am thinking that Ed has used and tried just about everything under the sun over the years. He is very well-funded and has been at it for decades. His tone and tastes have also changed. I have seen a number of photos with him using p-90s in his Peavey Wolfgang during the really weird VH3 era, so I would be reluctant to say never when it comes to the man.

But with PUPs, I think another factor is the feel that different ones give you. If I use my usual setup and have at it with my EVH Wolfgang PUP, it has a different feel, and slightly different tone than my other favorite, which is the EVH Frankenstein PUP. The Wolfgang PUP is "easier" to play and I like the tone better for certain types of songs, but the EVH Frankenstein really lights my fire for other stuff.

If memory serves, there is an old interview with EVH and I think Jas Olbrecht, probably one of those late night call from Ed type interviews back in the day. I remember he was really stressing the main thing for him was matching the PUP to the amp. I think that is a valid point. Get the amp that you dig, then tweak around with different PUPs until you find that sweet spot.

The old amptone website has a great article advocating for heavy use of the EQ pedal, then once you zero in on the right pre and post distortion EQ, seeing if you can get the PUP that has those qualities and then maybe removing an EQ pedal.
http://www.amptone.com/truesecretofamptone.htm

[guitar007]

I was one of those callers asking to buy one. I was told at the time that the closest commercially available pickups were the Air Norton and the Tone Zone. I never bought either.

The bridge pickup used in the EBMM EVH guitar is definitely not
Steve told me that when the EBMM EVH guitar came out, DiMarzio was flooded with calls and emails from people trying to buy those pickups (or get them for free). Often the calls went like this: "I'm a friend of Ed's!" or "I'm a friend of Sterling's!" Steve would reply: "Fine, have them call me and tell me it's OK to send you the pickups". Somehow, the calls from Ed or Sterling would never materialize. LOL

[GilmourD]

If you look at the EVH Frankenstein pickup, which MJ from my Seymour Duncan recreated from the original currently in Franky, it's really just the Custom Custom aged, A2 magnet and all. That's the last pickup that was in there from the 1984/5150 era. Before that... Who the hell knows. Ed went through more pickups than socks I've owned in my life. LOL