Why do some pickups have quiet clean??

[papersoul]

Hi guys,

I noticed today after I installed a custom made pickup that it is so quiet when played clean! I am not supposed to mention the p'up maker because he is not adding custom would p'ups to his line yet, but shoudl shortly.

Anyway, I noticed the dirty tones are as loud as my other guitars with Rios (especially loud clean), Duncans and Gibsons. I plug in with the new pickups in my McCarty and the clean is so quiet, I had to really turn up the clean channel to be heard - but it is very clean, nice. Is this weird? I thought this was the sign of a weak pickup?

Thanks!

PS

[Zerberus]

Re: Why do some pickups have quiet clean??

No, it´s just the sign of the pickup being lower output than what you´re used to

The pickups output will affect the "distortedness" in the dirty channel, NOT the volume.. It WILL raise or lower clean volumes, though.

[BlueGuitar]

Re: Why do some pickups have quiet clean??

Anyway, I noticed the dirty tones are as loud as my other guitars with Rios (especially loud clean), Duncans and Gibsons. I plug in with the new pickups in my McCarty and the clean is so quiet, I had to really turn up the clean channel to be heard - but it is very clean, nice.

Was this a full-sized hb, or a single coil pickup, or a strat-sized hb, or what?

FWIW some tests indicate that full-sized humbuckers with ceramic magnets can be quieter than alnico. (Alnico is a metal which conducts electricity while ceramic isn't)

More details would help...