Favorite Guitar Pickups?

[caseyLA]

Any guitar pickup recommendations? I'm going for something between vintage/modern sounds. It's for an SG playing thru a dual rectifier.

 

thanks!

[revolead]

What type of music do you play? From your gear it seems like hard rock/rock/metal, in which case I would go for a Seymour Duncan Distortion or JB in the bridge and an SD Jazz in the neck.

 

Also, our usual pickup guru, bluestrat, is MIA, so you'll have to settle for the rest of us.

 

Seymour Duncan Forums

 

These guys also have great advice, and I'm sure they know more than anyone around here.

[Reverse the Curse]

that JB/Jazz combo is what I want, but if it will work for you, i dunno. I'm no where near an expert, but I'm sure someone else will help ya out

[Guitarzan]

i like a seymour duncan 59, seeing you are using a high gain amp it isn't really important to have a high output pickup. i like the 59 because it is balanced.

plus if you are looking to capture some vintage tones it is easier without a overblown pickup.

just my opinion.

[revolead]

Originally posted by Guitarzan:

i like a seymour duncan 59, seeing you are using a high gain amp it isn't really important to have a high output pickup. i like the 59 because it is balanced.

plus if you are looking to capture some vintage tones it is easier without a overblown pickup.

just my opinion.

That's why I use an Alnico II in the neck. One of the lowest output humbuckers. I use a JB in the bridge to contrast it. It works great, and I love the combination to death.

[Werewolf by Night]

You're in luck; there seems to be no shortage of pickups to choose from nowadays, finding 'em's the easy part! It's deciding what to try that's the hard part...

 

(Brand & model names in bold fonts are direct links to manufacturer's 'pages.)

 

Seymour Duncan pickups are quite excellent, enjoying a great reputation; and there're a lot of models to choose from. Look over their descriptions and data on their 'site, you can probably find something that fills the bill.

 

There's also this U.K. company that Guitarzan tipped us off to here, Bare Knuckle Pickups . They have a model whose description seems to match your need "for something between vintage/modern sounds" on "an SG playing thru a dual rectifier", "The Mule" .

 

____________________________________ http://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/images/9.jpg

 

"Traditional standards with a kick in the rear. Increased power and sustain without sacrificing character or definition.

 

The Mule humbucker is entirely hand-crafted from the finest quality components available. Original plain enamel wire, Alnico II or Alnico IV magnet, nickel silver baseplate and cover, braided two conductor wire as standard and double wax potted to prevent microphonic feedback. All backed up with a lifetime guarantee.

 

Scatterwound by hand with additional turns of wire, The Mule makes no trade-offs when it comes to delivering the best possible sound.

 

Suitable for bridge or neck position. Available with four conductor wiring for series or parallel switching.

"

Then there's Harmonic Design whose Classic Humbucker model may also fit your description of "something between vintage/modern" for an SG.

 

_____________________________ http://www.harmonicdesign.net/images/HDHumAged.gif

 

"The Classic Humbuckers are a unique design, not another PAF clone, but 'better', according Vintage Guitar Magazine's 'PAF' Shootout. The HD Classics once again came out on top, after comparing some two-dozen PAF's from every other maker, including a set of 'real' $1000 Gibson 1950's PAFs.

 

...produce a wider, fat, response and increased dynamic range that's more expressive than ordinary humbuckers. The neck and bridge models are completely separate dedicated designs to maximize tone and response for each position. These pickups are specifically wound for use with either nickle or gold covers and are designed to optimize the tonal effect of those covers. Please note they should NOT be converted from covered to uncovered versions."

You may also want to spend some time at Les Paul Forum ; there's a LOT of info and discussion on the various sub-forae there concerning primarily (big surprise) vintagey humbucker style pickups. My friend and popular fellow Guitar Forummite James-Italy (and knowledgeable Les Paul lover) has gained quite a bit of a grasp of current Gibsony pickup, wiring, pot', and cap' offerings 'n' options via their 'pages!

[Guitarzan]

my aes620 had a JB in the bridge, but for some reason i find the highs sweeter in the 59 i have in my pacifica. i find i get a tighter low end. they are two totally different guitars though.

now i will say i was tottally blown away when i first heard a JB in a bolt on Kramer pacer custom 2 american.

for super crunch etc i have nice things to say about the dimarzio X2N.

Revo did you hear the new Megadeth Cd yet? i have it and it is great!

[Werewolf by Night]

Originally posted by revolead:

Originally posted by Guitarzan:

i like a seymour duncan 59, seeing you are using a high gain amp it isn't really important to have a high output pickup. i like the 59 because it is balanced.

plus if you are looking to capture some vintage tones it is easier without a overblown pickup.

just my opinion.

That's why I use an Alnico II in the neck. One of the lowest output humbuckers. I use a JB in the bridge to contrast it. It works great, and I love the combination to death.

A lot can be done through adjustment of the polepieces, pickup height and angle, and overall set-up of the guitar...

 

Lowering the pickups, while raising the polepieces, can give you more "air", definition, and somewhat vintagey character. Doing the reverse will yeild a fatter, fuller tone. Doing the former on the bass-side and the latter on the treble-side can give you a little of the best of both! I also like to have the "inside" coil of the neck-pickup angled further away from the strings, with the coil closest to the fretboard angled up closer to the strings, for a clearer, better defined neck-pickup tone that still has some punch and fatness.

 

And don't forget those volume and tone controls, a lot of subtle but useful shadings can be found between 6 and 10 on all four of those knobs!

[Vin-erator]

Originally posted by Guitarzan:

my aes620 had a JB in the bridge, but for some reason i find the highs sweeter in the 59 i have in my pacifica.

I had a tele thinline custom built and put a Duncan '59 by the bridge. I love it!

 

By the neck I put a Gibson humbucker, chrome capped. It came out of an early 90's Les Paul.

 

It's my main gigging guitar.

[Guitarzan]

jeez Caevan could you be more specific?

just razzin ya, those HD classic humbucker's sound like a pickup i would like. impressive review from the mag.

as for the bare knuckle pickups, all the reviews i have read are good, and scatter winding seems to be the special ingredient in achieving extra special tone.

[Werewolf by Night]

Guitarzan- check out the Z-90 (P-90 style retrofit for humbucker-size mounting) and VP-90 pickups from Harmonic Design ...

[Guitarzan]

alas my dear friend Caevan, i have the aes620 nomore, i found a dude who had a brand new yamaha pacifica 812w exactly like the one i had 4 years ago. we traded even. i do miss the aes but i am in heaven for my "super srat" yammy.

seymour duncan pickups:

2 x vintage staggered single coils

1 x 59 bridge HB

wilkinson vs100 trem

select alder with flame maple veneer

pearloid pickguard and sperzel locking tuners.

 

i was toying with the idea of "fat" p90s for the AES620, but i had no disposable income for the moment.

thanks for the link though, i may try them in the pacifica sometime

[BillWelcome Home Studios]

MY favorite pickup is still the old P90.

 

If I could justify another guitar, I'd have another Pello built with a mid-mounted P-90.

 

Bill

[doc taz]

Originally posted by Guitarzan:

i like a seymour duncan 59, seeing you are using a high gain amp it isn't really important to have a high output pickup. i like the 59 because it is balanced.

plus if you are looking to capture some vintage tones it is easier without a overblown pickup.

just my opinion.

That's true of you like to clean up using your guitar's volume knob. But if your style demands massive sustain, with a heavy grind (like death metal), then here are a few suggestions:

 

Duncan Dimebucker

EMG 81/85 (active)

DiMarzio Air Norton

etc.

 

I just tried a guitar with EMG 81's last weekend, and even though these are well regarded for the tones I mentioned, they're also great for more vintage, and pristine clean tones. In fact, I felt as if I was playing an acoustic archtop guitar with some tones.

[g.]

I'm hearing ya on the P90... Pickups with similar parameters to the classics (such as PAF class) - as opposed to massive overwounds - just seem to be able to do just about anything when tweaked right - sustain, tonal variety, etc. They don't have such massive resonant peaks so low down in the mids, and thus are more amenable to being EQ'd toward various tonal ideals. And they are more even across and up and down the neck.

 

"Heavy" pickups are one trick ponies and often lack both subtlety and the ability to work well with just about any amp.

[Dennyf]

I like the Rio Grande Texas Humbucker in the neck position and the Bar-B-Que Bucker in the bridge position on my main guitar. Really responsive to pick attack and technique like a single-coil, but still a humbucker sound (i.e., less attack, more sustain). Also sound great tapped, especially the neck pickup. Sounds downright Strat-like on my Ibanez PF300.

 

And while I'm not recommending, I'm curious about these "Golden Age" pickups from Stew-Mac. Anybody know anything about 'em? (Beyond the press release and catalog stuff that is)

[doc taz]

Originally posted by :

 

"Heavy" pickups are one trick ponies and often lack both subtlety and the ability to work well with just about any amp.

True, but I'd say the active EMG's are the exception to this rule, though, IMO. I haven't heard any guitar pickup like theirs with a wide frequency response that doesn't seem fatiguing on the ears after a long session. Very transparent sounding stuff. I've seen a few jazz guitarists using the more standard EMG's (81/85) on archtops. It's not just for metal. :]

[g.]

: "Heavy" pickups are one trick ponies and often lack both subtlety and the ability to work well with just about any amp.

 

Dr. Taz: True, but I'd say the active EMG's are the exception to this rule, though, IMO.

I haven't checked them out, but typically, ACTIVE PICKUPS are extremely underwound by passive pickup standards, and thus have a higher and less pronounced resonant peak, and extended frequency response. So it really has little to do with "this rule". "Actives" are tailored by their active circuitry... usually the goal for the pickup part itself is just to be quiet and transparent.

[Mudcat]

Based on your criteria I'd vote for the JB/Jazz combination.

 

Our friend Bill Lawrence (the REAL ONE, not his devious ex-business partner) has some good info on the science behind pick-up design on his website. You may want to check it out.

[caseyLA]

Hey thanks guys, for all the input. I'll check out all the models mentioned above.

 

I've got the stock bridge pickup in the SG Standard right now, which is the Gibson 498T. I was comparing it with an EMG 81 which I have in an Ibanez of similar style. The Gibson pickup sounds sweet live, playing in front of the cabinet. Better than the EMG for the tone I'm going for. But when I did some recording tests, miking up the cab with a 57, the EMG sounded much better....just more defined with the right amount of crunch and low end. Now these were two different guitars and going thru a subpar preamp, so I'm not drawing any conclusions. Just interesting. At this point, I'd rather have something that sounds amazing on hard rock recordings.

 

Anyway, thanks for the replies!

-casey

[g.]

Yeah, Bill Lawrence is a veritable god of pickups. I don't think he markets right for most guitarists. He needs more meaningless superlatives in his copy.

[Werewolf by Night]

Originally posted by caseyLA:

"The Gibson pickup sounds sweet live, playing in front of the cabinet.

 

Better than the EMG for the tone I'm going for.

 

But when I did some recording tests, miking up the cab with a 57, the EMG sounded much better....just more defined with the right amount of crunch and low end."

 

-casey

Hmmmnn... perhaps you should hold off a bit before swapping pickups, after all.

 

Maybe first you should experiment with different mic positions, different mics, different speaker cabs and/or different speakers.

 

You could also try compressing the track; and try a few different settings on a parametric EQ to bring out definition and presence in the recording. (Process the signal post-mic or process the track after laying it down, not the guitar.) See what you can come up with that way.

[James-Italy]

I've got the "Fillmores" in my LP Goldtop and swear by them. They are the hottest pickup I've ever tested and are even hotter than the pickups in my Wolfgang. But... when you play they go from smooth to squeal at just the right time and don't seem anywhere near as hot as they measure. For me, this is the best humbucker out there for Classic rock tone. Fillmore Link

 

Many of the members on the LesPaulForum swear that "Timbuckers" are the best PAF style pickup and are even better than the originals from the 50's. I've never heard them in person, but lots of guys that I respect are huge fans. Tim (hence the name Timbuckers) hand winds each set and there is over a 1 year waiting list. He just contacted me Monday and is ready to wind mine- I've been on the list since July 29, 2003!!

 

There are lots of great pickups out there. Hope you find the one that speaks to you like I did with the Fillmores.

[Darklava]

Originally posted by James-Italy:

I've got the "Fillmores" in my LP Goldtop and swear by them. They are the hottest pickup I've ever tested and are even hotter than the pickups in my Wolfgang. But... when you play they go from smooth to squeal at just the right time and don't seem anywhere near as hot as they measure. For me, this is the best humbucker out there for Classic rock tone. Fillmore Link

 

Many of the members on the LesPaulForum swear that "Timbuckers" are the best PAF style pickup and are even better than the originals from the 50's. I've never heard them in person, but lots of guys that I respect are huge fans. Tim (hence the name Timbuckers) hand winds each set and there is over a 1 year waiting list. He just contacted me Monday and is ready to wind mine- I've been on the list since July 29, 2003!!

 

There are lots of great pickups out there. Hope you find the one that speaks to you like I did with the Fillmores.

How much are the Timbuckers?

[James-Italy]

$265 (+20 bucks for covers if you want).

 

Anyone have any idea what "bobbin color" means? He asked me for a bobbin color....

[Werewolf by Night]

That's the "plastic" part that the coil-wire is wound upon, James. The part whose color you see (usually black, cream, or "zebra") if there're no covers on the pickups.

 

Good to see ya, James! Which guitar are you thinking about putting those Timbuckers in? That real McCoy?

[James-Italy]

Kev!!

 

I'm gonna stick those Timmys in the Custom. What do you think would look best with the Vintage Sunburst and gold hardware? I'm thinking Zebra, that's what the Fillmores are and I like the look. I can always put the covers on them later if I don't like the look so I guess it doesn't matter much, right?

[Darklava]

http://www.gibson.com/products/gibson/LesPaul/images/cplus-guitar.jpg

Just like this James,Keep it elegant.Cream?

You lucky bastage

[James-Italy]

Thanks Dark! That's the one. Custom Photo

 

Maybe you're right- Cream would probably look better. Looking at the Goldtop in that photo, I'm thinking maybe cream would have been a better choice for that one too... oh well.

[Mudcat]

Originally posted by Darklava:

http://www.gibson.com/products/gibson/LesPaul/images/cplus-guitar.jpg

Just like this James,Keep it elegant.Cream?

You lucky bastage

If this is the guitar/finish combo you have, I agree. Go with cream. I usually prefer the zebra look, but on this finish/hardware cobo I'd go with cream.