High v med output PUPs for High Gain

[merkaba22]

My understanding its that the medium and/or vintage output HBs were transitioned to high output to drive the front end of the amp for more gain/sustain before MV/high gain amps developed and/or to avoid distortion boxes, etc.

Now there are piles of amps with high gain, what are the advantages of using med/low outputs PUPs v. high output HBs and lower gain settings?

For example, does using the low/med HBs with high gain setting translates into a more effective clean tone when the vol is turned down in the instance that the guitar is set up with "50's wiring".

[Edgecrusher]

Re: High v med output PUPs for High Gain

Depends on what your idea of "more effective" is. Its much easier to make a more versatile set up using low or med output pickups with a higain amp than it is it boost the front of a medium gain amp with a high output pickup.

Some say that the lower or medium output pickups have more dynamics. I dont think this is necessarily true. If the high output pickup isnt driving the preamp into compression then the dynamics will be similar but once the clipping starts (which is easier to do with a high output pickup) then those dynamics might change.

At times i actually prefer how a hot pickup will roll off high end when its turned down for a clean sound vs a low output pickup that remains jangly.

The trick is finding what your ears and amp like. Do you like compressed or open cleans? If you like them compressed hotter is probably better if you like them open then milder will probably suit you. If you amp has a lot of headroom to play with then a low put pickups versatilyt might blow your skirt up. But if it lacks headroom then it wont matter much since the amp will always be clipping no matter what signal you send it.

[idsnowdog]

Re: High v med output PUPs for High Gain

A lot of pickups were originally designed to drive the front end of a tube amp hard to produce distortion. However after master volume amps became common some pickups were designed with clarity and articulation in mind. I'm not a big fan of the low output and high clarity designs because I think many of them are unforgiving and magnify sloppy technique. Also vintage designs don't necessarily play nice with high gain and often turn to mush.

[merkaba22]

Re: High v med output PUPs for High Gain

Very cool answers, thank you. The main thing for me is high gain articulation w/o the "zzzz" in the background of the lines that can clean up nicely for chords (50's wiring) and maybe some grind in between.

I use a Bruno Super 100 into EVs and it has piles of headroom even in the OD channel, so it seems high output works as well as anything else, ie JB's or Distortions in the bridge.

All the same, I was looking to hear the reasons for going back to a med output such as my original AH B or 59's from a while back ... you never know

[scarr]

Re: High v med output PUPs for High Gain

I like heavy rock sounds, but have been playing more hybrid-picking/percussive things recently. That requires a lot of clarity and snap, along with the ability to crunch. I find using lower (traditional) power pickups gave me both more dynamics and more precision to my heavy playing. I can play soft and get almost clean, but hit the strings hard and it cranks. And those cranked tones are more articulate now.

High gain pickups make it harder to sit between full on and very quiet, because you get to full-on with a softer touch.