Pickups for QOTSA and other hard rock drop tunings

[blenk]

I currently play an Epiphone Firebird studio and I'm wanting to change the pickup to suit more dropped tunings, I've looked on the artists section and seen Troy from QOTSA uses an SH5, but I'm struggling to pick one for the neck pickup, I was thinking about a 59n. Would this be ok? I've always matched outputs before this would be the 1st time I'd have a moderate output from a non stock pickup. The ones that's are currently in are just the stock epiphones.

Any other suggestions ?

Cheers

Jack

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Pickups for QOTSA and other hard rock drop tunings

Duncan 59n and Custom is a KILLER setup that will cover a lot of ground.

I also like the PG neck with almost any bridge.

Also, FWIW...Josh uses the Custom Custom a lot...it's not as powerful as the Custom and has a more mid heavy sound but both are great pickups.

I think you'll be very happy either way!

[Chickenwings]

Re: Pickups for QOTSA and other hard rock drop tunings

yap

[Frogman]

Re: Pickups for QOTSA and other hard rock drop tunings

The music I play is sort of in the vain of QOTSA/Kyuss (but with more gain), and I have found that I prefer PAF type pups for it.
This also greatly depends on what type of amp you are playing through. I have a Hovercraft Andromeda and a RedBear MK60, so I don't need a high output pup to get where I need to be.

I'm currently using DMZ PAF 36th Anniversaries in my '84 LPC, and a slightly overwound custom P90 in my SG Jr., but I've had good results with variations of the JB (JB2 was best for the fuzz tones) as well.

So if you need more gain before the preamp, I think you'd be happy with the CC or JB2, but as I said before, if you have a higher gain amp, I recommend a PAF type pup (way less compression and more dynamics).

[marcello252]

Re: Pickups for QOTSA and other hard rock drop tunings

I have two guitars tuned down 2 step, like QOTSA, one in 24 3/4 scale the other in fender scale, both Alder with rosewood neck, I use muscular gain but It's not over the top, I usually play through tube amps, a peavey combo and a marshall stack.

After a million of experiments the best pickup I've found for that tuning/gain is the Custom SH5, it's tight, powerful but dynamic, it's not harsh, it doesn't get muddy (the CC tends to do that in my setup), the pickup works equally well in both guitars at the bridge.
For the neck the best I've found is the P90, the shorter scale guitar mount a ceramic inexpensive one (I think it's a wilkinson) that's killer, the other has a GFS Mean 90, very very good.