Forum pickup ideas

[Gustav0]

Re: Forum pickup ideas

I don't know if this can be done or if it will sound good, but I have an idea.
A neck humbucker built like a Stag Mag, with one of the coils being a neck Tele coil and the other a neck Strat coil. With a triple shot switch, you could be able to use each coil independently or both at the same time (humbucker mode). If you put it in an HH strat for example, it may be possible to have Tele, Strat and humbucker tones at the neck!
Doing what P-rails can't do

[orpheo]

Re: Forum pickup ideas

2 coils stacked would be at least 17 mm with the flat work separating the 2. That extra height might cause serious issues particularly since they are rod magnets and cant be run as close to the strings as a humbucker with a bar mag can... I dunno... maybe it would work but i think its something better to throw at MJ through the custom shop rather than as a forum bro pickup.

If you go with JM coils? nah. not really? But... I'll take up this gauntlet and tackle it. I've got my own LP Supreme build going on and I need an epic bridge and middle pickup (I've got a neck mount 'jazz' pickup for the neck position).

[ehdwuld]

Re: Forum pickup ideas

I would like to see a covered pickup
with a linear potentiometer on the side that takes the unbalanced coil to the next level

the sliding pot would add its value in parallel
allowing one to "tune" the unbalanced coil to taste

also would allow for splits to a hotter or more vintage wind
depending on the slider position

my thoughts at any point
thanks

[bard2dbone]

Re: Forum pickup ideas

I asked about this in a regular post once. I heard a 59/Custom Hybrid bridge and liked it. I want a hybrid of some kind to go with one, but well matched for the neck position. Maybe with both p'ups having lighter than average magnets.

Basically I want a pair of hybrid pickups with covers and hopefully they'd work well with taps/splits/phasing or some other "Let's-have-lots-of-tones-available." tricks.

[skyydogg01]

Re: Forum pickup ideas

A single-coil sized humbucker with an A8 magnet. Get that Alnico warmth with the power of ceramic that's much needed in this pickup format.

[MrTondo]

Re: Forum pickup ideas

Or maybe something a little bit like the Gil Yaron pickup (Air Gap pickups). It's patented, but we can add a little twist to it maybe? They look a little something like: this

The idea basically is that by the gap you can tune the magnetic strength and therefore the output. At the same time with the adjustable double pole pieces you can get ideal string to string balance, also minimizing the effect of string pull. Sounds like a great type of design to me. Too bad it is patented, so I'm not sure if we can use it. But for me the concept is much closer to the ultimate improved pickup.

[Dayeeeve]

Re: Forum pickup ideas

I am liking the idea of the Phat Cat variants even though I'd probably never buy any!

I'd love a Sound Enhancement pickup, it makes you play better, cleaner and faster. I can't believe they haven't made one yet, they could also make a Sound Enhancement pedal for those that don't want to do any soldering. It can be put anywhere on your board and it'll make you sound good.

[SJ318]

Re: Forum pickup ideas

#1 for ehdwuld and Lt. Kojack again.
SJ

[daveyisgreat]

Re: Forum pickup ideas

I am liking the idea of the Phat Cat variants even though I'd probably never buy any!

I'm liking the idea too. I have a dual-humbucker tele that would be a great candidate for the single-coil goodness of Phat Cat variants, and then if I want I could put the Antiquities back in for the humbucker goodness!

[DreX]

Re: Forum pickup ideas

How about a 5/2 humbucker of some sort? Put half an A5 under the lower three string, and half an A2 bar under the three higher pitched strings.

Maybe go further with the half/half theme and take one coil from an HB that's most flattering with an A2, and the other from a pickup that makes good use of an A5.

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Forum pickup ideas

How about a 5/2 humbucker of some sort? Put half an A5 under the lower three string, and half an A2 bar under the three higher pitched strings.

Maybe go further with the half/half theme and take one coil from an HB that's most flattering with an A2, and the other from a pickup that makes good use of an A5.

Alnico mags that size would be unstable. Alnico has some funky properties regarding dimesions. The length to width ratio needs to be 4 to 1 or you run into issues. A normal humbucker mag is a half inch wide so would need to be at least 2 inches long. Even risking the instability the effect wouldnt come out quite like your thinking.

A better idea would be to use a updated wind for the stag mag with with A5 rods under the wound strings and A2 rods under the plain strings.

[daveyisgreat]

Re: Forum pickup ideas

So I'm a relative newcomer to the forum here, and I've learned a ton of really cool stuff, and tried to help out on occasion where I felt I could offer something. So I'm just going to offer my thoughts. Feel free to consider or ignore as you see fit.

My guess is the most popular pickup shapes out there would be strat single coils, humbuckers, and tele singles, likely in that order. Therefore one of those three options would be a good place to start. All three are well served by dozens and dozens of makers, therefore it's probably going to be tough to come up with something that hasn't been done before, while catering to the form factors most people will be able to use.

Strat and tele single coils can be versatile but because of their smaller shape there's less space with which to work. A larger humbucker obviously allows more options due to its size. So I suspect on that metric alone the humbucker form factor will likely win out.

Then there's the question of with what to fill the humbucker space? A humbucker or a single coil? There are lots of humbuckers in the SD lineup, although an A4 PAF style sounds like an interesting option and something not currently offered. But, again, there are lots of humbuckers. Hot single coils in a humbucker shape seem to be popular, and beyond that, seem to fill a hole in the SD lineup -- or at least contribute to filling a hole that's already partially filled by Phat Cats and maybe others. Plus a humbucker-sized single coil offers versatility to those who own guitars with routs that can already house humbuckers such as dedicated humbucker guitars like a Les Paul or superstrat, or a Strat with a larger routed "swimming pool" cavity. Simply change out your pickups.

So if we're talking about humbucker sized single coil pickups (or that sound like it -- Stag Mag? not that familiar with it), especially pickups that will appeal to a large number of forum members and that will be purchased by a large number of forum members, the options become much more limited. The Charlie Christian in a humbucker package will likely require extensive work to get the look and sound right, not to mention fitting it in humbucker packaging. It will probably cost more than many members will want to pay. I'm not familiar enough with the Z-90 option to comment (the design from March, I think that's what it was called?), but it does sound pretty awesome (a split-Z-shaped P-90 in a humbucker slot, that you can flip to accentuate different tonalities? That sounds pretty sweet!). I don't have much familiarity with the Stag Mag pickups, because, and I'm probably somewhat typical in this -- they look kinda weird for a humbucker pickup. Just saying. And I'd rather have something that looks a little more traditional, like the Phat Cats with their more familiar metal covers, or a Z-90 with the more traditional metal cover. Phat Cat variants seem like a relatively easy to produce and afford option that could have broad appeal especially if they came with sweet-looking aged nickel covers.

Anyway, I gave it just a few moments' thought when I considered switching out the Antiquity humbuckers in my HH tele for humbucker-sized singles. I love the idea of the Phat Cats.

But whether it's the aforementioned Z-coil single, Phat Cat variants, Charlie Christian in a humbucker, updated Stag Mag, or an A4 PAF, it will be awesome.

Anyway, those are my thoughts on the subject.

[guitar74]

Re: Forum pickup ideas

No, offense as I think Paul's are great guitars, but I can't afford the one that I would want, so I end up paying less for guitars that I modify that end up being twice as versatile. I'm more into having a collection of guitars that do everything well, and can take any number or anyone to a gig, and play anything on. As far as three pickup Paul's go, most of the famous cats in the 70's that had them said they bought them because they were more expensive. I do think they look cool, but for me, the middle position on a two pickup Paul with a light overdrive/slight breakup clean is tone heaven (and this is coming from a metal guy).

I would like to see an A2 version of a JB, but from what Lynch's tech said on his forum he took a Jb used an A2 and basically ended up with an RTM (DiMartini's custom shop pup), and loved it. I would like that or A Hybrid Full Shred/Screamin' Demon (another project he did that he said sounded AWESOME). Even though I have started to gravitate to lower output pickups (currently use the PG + and '59 most of the time), I would buy a Full Shred/SD hybrid.

shameless plug (hey I need to get some copies sold): go to www.aladams.bandcamp.com

Have a great evening,

Al

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Forum pickup ideas

I would like to see an A2 version of a JB, but from what Lynch's tech said on his forum he took a Jb used an A2

This is available as a shop floor custom... no need to waste the forum pickup slot on this. Even then if you already have a JB its real easy to make on your own

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: Forum pickup ideas


The pickup must sound like this...