Building "my" perfect neck pickup by the Custom Shop.

[Micha]

Hello,

Following this thread,
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/show...lues-humbucker ....
I have contacted MJ at the custom shop to ask if it was possible to make me a PATB-3 "Blues Saraceno" Neck Pup with a traditionnal Humbucker design.
Apparently this is possible because i get her confirmation mail today.

Except that here:
I could be making this Pup but I'm beginning to doubt.
The PATB-3, at the base is not a Neck Pickup, and I ask myself ,if it's not be better to make build a more traditional Pup.

So I need all your advices:
I need a pickup that get the follow specs:


All in all, it have to be a Pickup with a Hot warm P.A.F tone

- Very warm bluesy sound, not to muddy, not to spongy, not to tight, just the right balance.
- smooth but present (but not to present) warm and singing highs.
- DC Resistance Between 9.5 / 10K or a little more
- great clarity.
- A good balanced EQ: 6/4/6 or 6/4/7 or 6/3/7 for example
- Resonant peak betwenn 5.5 and 6,5 kHz. (all the pickups I've tested was in this averrage)
- Good sutain
- Great hamonics



This is where i need you.

First Part: the magnets:

I like the alnico V, for it's superior power to alnico II and his sound particularities.
But I ask myself if there are no other magnets that work better with my needs.


What will be for me, in my case, the magnets will be most suitable for the sound i want?
it seems to me, after reading this thread, that the alnico 4 or 5 would be perfect for me.

https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?150073-Magnet-Rundown&highlight=magnet+descriptions

It seems to me that the higher the number, the bigger the magnet power is.
The alnico 4 or 5 could be a good choice???

- Alnico 2 ?
- Alnico 3 ?
- Alnico 4 ?
- Alnico 5 (bar, rods) ?
- Aged alnico 5 (like in the brobucker) ? what's the difference to regular alnico 5 ?
- Unoriented alnico 5 magnets UOA5 ? what's the difference to regular alnico 5 ? to aged alnico 5 ??


Second Part: the studs and screws.

MJ can make a regular humbucker with double studs or studs and screws.
What is the tonal difference between these two variants ?

And above: what would be the best combination for the sound I want?
i want a regular look for my pickup, that's why i eliminate the hex screws in my choice.

I know the sound is a personal thing, and that none of you will choose in my place, that tastes are different, the way you play is different. All that I 'am aware.
I just try in this thread, to approximatively know how this or that combination sounds.
I think the alnico 2 will not be a good choice for me.
The alnico 4 and 5 seems to be pretty close. The Brobucker seems to be interesting, fairly close PATB-3?
I like also the bluesy sounds like Joe Bonamassa, just for an example.
I like PAF sound, with that' s what many here call "scooped mids" (but just a little bit scooped )



it would be nice that we can proceed in stages, gradually eliminating this or that possibility and move closer to the "right" choice.
Thank you in advance for your help.

[darthphineas]

Re: Building "my" perfect neck pickup by the Custom Shop.

dude, I think you may be racking your brain for no good reason. call MJ and just tell her what you want - which you have already done. she can make it happen - which she will. tell her everything in your OP, right up until "this is where I need you" - even that may be more than she needs to know to get you what you want. she is known to make a neck pickup voiced to match a bridge model, so you're not going to be throwing her any curve balls. if she can take all those parameters for that fuglybucker and make that work out, she can definitely handle your request as well.

but if you're not just dead set on a CS order, I'd say you'd be fine with the PATB-1 neck model. great clarity, balanced EQ, Good sutain, Great hamonics.

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Building "my" perfect neck pickup by the Custom Shop.

The more you tell MJ about the sound you want the better. When you hand her specs like it has to be this DC resistance (you do know that pickups arent wound to a resistance but to a wind count right?) and this magnet that ties her hands if you really care about the sound your after you wont give her an arbitrary specs that you've dreamed up. She has the knowledge and experience to make it happen just be clear about the sound you want and she will get it.

Think of it this way this the same going to Davinci and saying "Hey paint me the Mona Lisa but! you have to use this brush and these paints to do it"

[orpheo]

Re: Building "my" perfect neck pickup by the Custom Shop.

Judging just by thebtone you want and ignoring the design wishes... I say a jazz59 hybrid or a bonamassa neck pickup.

[hamerfan]

Re: Building "my" perfect neck pickup by the Custom Shop.

Winding a pickup is much more than you mentioned. For example a Customer bought a a pickup that was sold as Peter florance experimental Custom pickup and was disapointed. Awfully bright and strong, but looked like a trad paf. I said i take a look. This one had asuper strong short paf and a steel base, but was very well made with a 42awg poly wire at 8.5k. Removed the steel and build in nickel plated base, 1018 screws and slightly degaussed RC A5 and voila.
In short trust MJ, she will do a great job and dont ask about her tricks. She will take a non standard bobbin to get a shallower coil, take different alloys for studs and screws and will use some more magic dust during winding....