Favorite humbuckers at first and now?

[daemon barbeque]

Re: Favorite humbuckers at first and now?

Starting SD JB and DMZ Fred,
From there I moved to SD Distortion
After that My PATB journey begins.
In between, I had EMGs, Q-Tuners and whatnot.
Now I use my Custom Shop 7 string PATB, and think of a custom shop PATB Zephyr LOL.
PATB for the Win! It gives me sustain, balls, nice liquid tone with enough control. I love em

 

[JohnnyGuitarCA]

Re: Favorite humbuckers at first and now?

First ones:
Bridge: DiMarzio Super 2 (Bridge)

Neck: Bill Lawrence L500 (Neck)

Nowadays:
Bridge: TIE between a DiMarzio Double Whammy or an OLD Gibson Dirty Fingers.

Neck: DiMarzio Breed Neck model HARD WIRED IN PARALLEL (Neck)

Honorable mentions:
Bridge: TIE between a DiMarzio FRED and a DiMarzio EVO2
Neck: Duncan Jazz (Neck model)

 

[Mr. B]

Re: Favorite humbuckers at first and now?

Started out with a JB and Jazz, like a lot of players. They are now some of my least favorite Humbuckers. I can't say I have one favorite after all these years, But I have narrowed it down to a few that do THEIR own thing very well.

I like the PG and 59 neck P'ups. For bridge pickups, I use a Seth or Gibson 57 classic for older PAF tones in Les pauls, a Gibson 498t for straight up rock in SG's, A 59 in my strats, and a Duncan Distortion in my Jacksons. I'm still working on finding a set of Dimarzios for lead/shred in my Ibanez.

 

[Jessie's ghost]

Re: Favorite humbuckers at first and now?

The first aftermarket 'buckers I ever bought were a pair of DiMarzio Evolutions in pink, for my electric blue RG550. (I thought I was going to be Steve Vai. Lol.) Anyway, they weren't right for that guitar, but I wouldn't figure that out for a few more years.

Flash ahead ten years or so, and my favorite humbuckers are all Seymour Duncans and Gibsons. JB, Custom, A2P, Burstbuckers.

If I had to pick one, it would probably be the JB. I've recently discovered the joys of turning down the gain on the amp, rolling the guitar's volume down to about 5, and churning out some great classic rock tones. If it were the only pickup available, I could still do enough to keep me happy.

 

[VHTJay]

Re: Favorite humbuckers at first and now?

Wow this tough. My very first aftermarket pickup swap was the C5 into a les paul. That is what hooked me on 'duncans. I still have that pickup in that particular guitar. Today I own many guitars and own/have tried many pickups....lots that i like depending on the guitar.

I have yet to find a neck pickup that I love. The closest so far would be the screamin' demon in the neck. I actually have a custom shop order right now for a "strat pickup under humbucker cover" just to try something completely different!

For bridge 'buckers my #1 is the S-Deco. It blows me away! Tight and modern PAF tone. Kind of like the SD but with wider mids and rounder highs. #2 would be the 'demon....especially the demon8. Love how tight and articulate this pickup is! #3 Would be the custom8 and the JB. Both are VERY versatile pickups!

 

[hamerfan]

Re: Favorite humbuckers at first and now?

For bridge 'buckers my #1 is the S-Deco. It blows me away! Tight and modern PAF tone. Kind of like the SD but with wider mids and rounder highs. #2 would be the 'demon....especially the demon8. Love how tight and articulate this pickup is! #3 Would be the custom8 and the JB. Both are VERY versatile pickups!

Jay, you are a man of my heart! You mentioned all my fav bridge buckers: Custom8, SD8 and JB.... that makes want to try a S-Deco!

 

[Barron1]

Re: Favorite humbuckers at first and now?

For years I swore by the Custom. But now I love the Duncan Distortion tons better

 

[SlappyTappy]

Re: Favorite humbuckers at first and now?

My first real professional guitar was a EBMM Axis. So basically modded Tone Zone/Air Norton. I then had a Jackson KV2 with Duncan JB/Jazz and then a few ESPs with EMG 81/60.

Many many guitars later I have found that for versatility I really prefer passives. I also prefer low output pickups with high gain amps. That way, you have enough gain for metal but the pickups are low output enough to coax great cleans.

My current set in my Heritage is Duncan '59s. I tried AIIPs in it for a while but for this particular guitar they were too dark.

My philosophy with pickups has become "once you find a set that sounds good in a guitar, leave it be." You can go through a myriad of pickups that sound great in other guitars that sound terrible in your particular instrument. Once you find something that works, stick with it.

It's just too much work for me to try out every pickup out there, and I have an obsessive personality.

 

[Surgeon]

Re: Favorite humbuckers at first and now?

It depends for what application.

All around: I've been a huge fan of the Custom in my Les Pauls since '05 and wouldn't use anything else.

Neck: Seth Lover in Les pauls as well.

Semi-Hollow: haven't found anything sweeter than a '59 set ever since I've bought a semi-hollow.

My prefences haven't changed much, except I used to love the PGb but it's been supplanted by the Custom now.

 

[VHTJay]

Re: Favorite humbuckers at first and now?

Jay, you are a man of my heart! You mentioned all my fav bridge buckers: Custom8, SD8 and JB.... that makes want to try a S-Deco!

Thanks man! Yes, the S-Deco is really THAT good! I have two now....one with an alnico8 mag and the other with an alnico5. Seeing as it is a custom shop pickup, alot of people don`t really know about it. Feel free to message me with any questions you have about the deco....i have tried both in a few different guitars, so i could give you a pretty solid answer. Or....you should just order one! :headbang: