StewMac 9K with an A2: Really that close to the Duncan '78?

[GilmourD]

So, those of you who have both (which from what I'm reading is a few of you)...

How close is the StewMac Golden Age 9K bridge humbucker with an A2 to the Duncan '78? I'm currently building a B&W Franky with a Floyd and was curious if the StewMac 9K with an A2 has similar output (a lot of people say the '78 is higher output than you'd think) and those same chewy mids, or at least close.

[GilmourD]

Had an internet outage at work and finally got it back a bit ago. I was hoping to find some replies. I guess everybody's having a busy Saturday like me. LOL

[Tone Slinger]

I 'initially' thought that a 9k pu with an A2 magnet would be along the same tone lines as a '78. I didnt (and still dont) understand what factors can make a pu sound different. I have a StewMac 9k and bought an A2 bar from them as well and swapped out the A5 that came in it stock. That pu is pretty darn good. I've since have also tried a ceramic magnet in it as well. It is great with all 3 mags I've had in it. I finally ordered a '78 last year. I got to say that the '78 is much different than the A2 StewMac. The '78 sounds like its at least a 10 or 11k, though on my meter it reads 9.1k. Also, the midrange of the '78 is more pronounced as compared. Basically the '78 sounds alot like 'custom custom' BUT, the '78 is a tad thinner/leaner more articulate and dynamic. The pu responds to the guitabrs volume knob better as well as playing pressure of the hands imo. It sounds insanely close to Ed's '77 and !78 era bootleg tone in my KnE Azusa Franky. I've had it in this guitar ( Ash ,vintage trem) my Tokai Strat (Alder, vintage trem) and my Warmoth strat (Ash, Floyd Rose) and it has sounded great in them all. I prefer it in my KnE though.

[GilmourD]

I 'initially' thought that a 9k pu with an A2 magnet would be along the same tone lines as a '78. I didnt (and still dont) understand what factors can make a pu sound different. I have a StewMac 9k and bought an A2 bar from them as well and swapped out the A5 that came in it stock. That pu is pretty darn good. I've since have also tried a ceramic magnet in it as well. It is great with all 3 mags I've had in it. I finally ordered a '78 last year. I got to say that the '78 is much different than the A2 StewMac. The '78 sounds like its at least a 10 or 11k, though on my meter it reads 9.1k. Also, the midrange of the '78 is more pronounced as compared. Basically the '78 sounds alot like 'custom custom' BUT, the '78 is a tad thinner/leaner more articulate and dynamic. The pu responds to the guitabrs volume knob better as well as playing pressure of the hands imo. It sounds insanely close to Ed's '77 and !78 era bootleg tone in my KnE Azusa Franky. I've had it in this guitar ( Ash ,vintage trem) my Tokai Strat (Alder, vintage trem) and my Warmoth strat (Ash, Floyd Rose) and it has sounded great in them all. I prefer it in my KnE though.

Well, one of the major things that will affect how a pickup sounds is how it's wound, i.e. how tightly it's wound, whether it's scatter wound or wrapped in interleaving layers or whatever. That will change the shape of the coil and how much copper is where in the coil, which will react with the magnetic field differently.

So, the '78 is louder and more midrangey?

Was the A2 magnet you got rough-cast or polished?

[GilmourD]

I guess if they're wildly different there go my hopes of finding something like that on a budget. LOL

[Tone Slinger]

The A2 bar was polished. The A2 StewMac is more 'Flat' or even in its eq response. The '78 is simply in a whole other class. When I first got the StewMac and swapped out the magnet, I was pleased, and in hindsight I mistakenly thought that since it was awg 42 wire wound to 9k that it was 'basically' a '78. I was wrong. I highly recommend the '78

[GilmourD]

The A2 bar was polished. The A2 StewMac is more 'Flat' or even in its eq response. The '78 is simply in a whole other class. When I first got the StewMac and swapped out the magnet, I was pleased, and in hindsight I mistakenly thought that since it was awg 42 wire wound to 9k that it was 'basically' a '78. I was wrong. I highly recommend the '78

If only I had the cash for a '78... LOL

I think I might try to find a used Custom Custom for this project. It'll give me the chewy mids and a bit more than vintage output without killing the wallet.

[ErickC]

The A2 bar was polished. The A2 StewMac is more 'Flat' or even in its eq response. The '78 is simply in a whole other class. When I first got the StewMac and swapped out the magnet, I was pleased, and in hindsight I mistakenly thought that since it was awg 42 wire wound to 9k that it was 'basically' a '78. I was wrong. I highly recommend the '78

If only I had the cash for a '78... LOL

I think I might try to find a used Custom Custom for this project. It'll give me the chewy mids and a bit more than vintage output without killing the wallet.

http://www.sinpickups.com/#!humbuckers/c1jo3

go with the EV79

[Tone Slinger]

Those Sin Pickups look like they are some serious bang for the buck for sure

I'd say for $65 you cant go wrong. But definately, a Duncan 'Custom Custom' is probably the BROWNEST pickup out there and you can get them used for cheap.

[GilmourD]

Those Sin Pickups look like they are some serious bang for the buck for sure

I'd say for $65 you cant go wrong. But definately, a Duncan 'Custom Custom' is probably the BROWNEST pickup out there and you can get them used for cheap.

Any other pickups in your experience get that early VH sound on a budget?

Part of me wants to see if I can find an all-black Fender Wolfgang pickup out of a Striped Series or Standard since it's got a brightness that may work well with the stuff I do with my band (all original modern keyboard/keytar-based pop rock with an '80s influence).

https://soundcloud.com/isontheband/everything

[Tone Slinger]

Definately a Wolfgang Hb'er would suffice . Basically its a 'Custom Custom' (A2 mag, 14k, etc). The 'CC' is bright enough and has great mid/upper mids galore. Depending on the amp and guitar, a 'CC' or a Wolfgang is VERY well suited for any genre of EVH imo.

I liked parts of that tune, she has a nice voice in the choruses . Your lead tone was very MIDRANGY. What amp were you using ?

[GilmourD]

Definately a Wolfgang Hb'er would suffice . Basically its a 'Custom Custom' (A2 mag, 14k, etc). The 'CC' is bright enough and has great mid/upper mids galore. Depending on the amp and guitar, a 'CC' or a Wolfgang is VERY well suited for any genre of EVH imo.

I liked parts of that tune, she has a nice voice in the choruses . Your lead tone was very MIDRANGY. What amp were you using ?

I hear the Wolfgang is a little more polite than the CC.

That song was actually my Alder Strat with a Duncan Hybrid with the stock A5 in it.



The recording actually had be going through an Axe-FX set up to emulate my live rig (Bugera 1960 Infinium into a Jet City Jettenuator into a Peavey 412MS), so basically a Marshall 100 watt Plexi set relatively clean into T75s with a Tube Screamer pushing it.