I've had a moment of clarity about pickups, Ace was right (and had a NPD day)

[TimmyPage]

I had all kinds of plans for pickups. I thought I needed a high output humbucker in the bridge, I was actually on the verge of buying either a Custom or a Distortion, as I have in every other guitar I own, but last night I had a moment of clarity about who I am as a musician and the music I play. The fact is, I realised, that I just don't need a super hot humbucker, I've NEVER been happy with the JB's I've had, or the Custom 5, or the Distortions I've tried in other guitars. I always thought that it was what made a versatile guitar, having a hot bridge and a moderate neck, but I've realised more and more that it just isn't me. I always had one because I enjoy listening to hard rock and metal, but when I pick up the guitar that just.. isn't what comes out, short of the once or twice a month that kick in the high gain channel of my amp and play some Opeth or Megadeth riffs for old times sake.

My versatility has always come from my playing technique, (and that's not claiming I am a great player by any means) I usually play entire gigs with a single amp setting, and most of the time on one guitar. If I need a different tone, I adjust my tone knobs, or my volume, if I need a bigger sound I dig into the strings. Heck, the entire body of songs I have written since moving to England have been made just turning my amp on and playing, last time I cleaned my room I found DUST on the EQ knobs.

And do that end, I am finally taking the dive into a matched set, I was on the very verge of buying a pair of 59's, I walked into the store fully prepared to buy them.. and then I saw these:



The Whole Lotta Humbucker, or as I would have called it if I were on the naming team: How the West was Won-bucker. Wish me luck guys, I should have a review of them ready by the weekend.

[CTN]

Re: I've had a moment of clarity about pickups, Ace was right (and had a NPD day)

I prefer to think that real versatility comes from the player, not what gear he/she plays. From what I've heard though, the WLH set should be able to cover a LOT of tonal ground, perhaps moreso than a set of '59s.

Happy NPD!

[TimmyPage]

Re: I've had a moment of clarity about pickups, Ace was right (and had a NPD day)

I prefer to think that real versatility comes from the player, not what gear he/she plays. From what I've heard though, the WLH set should be able to cover a LOT of tonal ground, perhaps moreso than a set of '59s.

Happy NPD!

Well thats what I'm aiming for! I need to stop obsessing over 'versatile' gear and just... playing.

[Chickenwings]

Re: I've had a moment of clarity about pickups, Ace was right (and had a NPD day)

i like everything about what you said. I guess im the same sort of player - one amp channel, and get all my sounds from my fingers and guitar controls...funnily enough i have WLH set in my main working axe too.

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: I've had a moment of clarity about pickups, Ace was right (and had a NPD day)

Curious, what guitar are they going in?

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: I've had a moment of clarity about pickups, Ace was right (and had a NPD day)

I did that a few years ago - went from high-power pickups to more moderate ones. With rack units, you get all the gain you need, and moderate pickups are generally more articulate, even under higher gain.

However, the maxed gain also introduces more hiss (particularly with modelers, where they even modeled the inherent circuitry flaws such as hiss when they could have done "everything but"). This is where a high-power pickup comes in, to give you a sort of pre-gain boost without adding noise. Gain levels can be backed off at the preamp while still retaining most of the clarity and note separation.
So I went from hot pickups to medium and back to hot

[Chris of Arabia]

Re: I've had a moment of clarity about pickups, Ace was right (and had a NPD day)

If my own experience is anything to go by, I think you'll find they work just fine.

[TimmyPage]

Re: I've had a moment of clarity about pickups, Ace was right (and had a NPD day)

Curious, what guitar are they going in?

They're going into my hardtail strat. It has kind of a weird voice, it sounds nothing like a normal strat. The best way I can describe how this individual guitar sounds, is kind of like a slightly less nasal SG with a brighter and slightly bouncier top end.

However, the maxed gain also introduces more hiss (particularly with modelers, where they even modeled the inherent circuitry flaws such as hiss when they could have done "everything but"). This is where a high-power pickup comes in, to give you a sort of pre-gain boost without adding noise. Gain levels can be backed off at the preamp while still retaining most of the clarity and note separation.
So I went from hot pickups to medium and back to hot

That's very true, though part of this realisation came when I realised that I haven't used more than a light crunch sound in years, again with exception to messing around with metal every couple of months. If I ever got back fully into high gain music I'd go straight for a high output pickups.

[Simon_F]

Re: I've had a moment of clarity about pickups, Ace was right (and had a NPD day)

Hmmmm... those look familiar

Good Choice - Congratulations!

I lurve my WLHs.

[Aceman]

Re: I've had a moment of clarity about pickups, Ace was right (and had a NPD day)

I missed the part about where I was right. Can you elaborate on that a bit....