Looking for a pickup that will not color my sound...

[thechi]

Hey guys, I was wondering which pickup wouldn't change the tone of my guitar when amplified. I play a lespaul standard and i like the sound of it unplugged. Which pickup would be good to just amplify the sounds im getting out of my guitar already into an amp? i was thinking about putting an antiquity in the neck and a seth lover in the bridge.. do you think it would color my sound, or should i look into other pickups? thanks

[brisk]

Re: Looking for a pickup that will not color my sound...

I am not sure if it is possible not to color your tone. If that's really what you want, you should use a microphone, not a guitar pickup. I think no pickups can unchange the unplugged sound. The point of pickups is too make a better sound out of a solid/semi-hollow guitars which have significantly less resonance compare to the acoustic guitar. I think you should see the purpose of guitar pickups as picking up the sound, not amplifying the sound.

[jeremy]

Re: Looking for a pickup that will not color my sound...

my best suggestion would be a bennedetto b6. its about as transparent as anything else ive heard and it will mount just like a std humbucker

[flank]

Re: Looking for a pickup that will not color my sound...

its true, your going to get some coloration......but if you want the least amount, go with low output pickups....if your guitar is bass heavy or bright sounding, you probably want Alnico 2 pickups, like anitquity, seth lover etc.......if its not enough bass, or too warm/mellow sounding....you may want Alnico 5 pickups, such as the 59 or Jazz.....im just giving suggestions that will try to keep all frequencies even, thus leaving the sound of the guitar most intact

[Luke Duke]

Re: Looking for a pickup that will not color my sound...

its true, your going to get some coloration......but if you want the least amount, go with low output pickups....if your guitar is bass heavy or bright sounding, you probably want Alnico 2 pickups, like anitquity, seth lover etc.......if its not enough bass, or too warm/mellow sounding....you may want Alnico 5 pickups, such as the 59 or Jazz.....im just giving suggestions that will try to keep all frequencies even, thus leaving the sound of the guitar most intact

Good Call!

Jeremy has right idea here, but I've never played a guitar with one so I can't comment on it.

Luke

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Looking for a pickup that will not color my sound...

Seth set, Antiquity set, 59 set. I think a 59B/Jazz N would make you happy, or if you want to go a little hotter, a C-5/59 or C-5/PG

[Stevo]

Re: Looking for a pickup that will not color my sound...

59b is very transparent.

[aleclee]

Re: Looking for a pickup that will not color my sound...

EMG. I don't like 'em 'cause they're too "linear" but if that's what you're looking for...

[TaintedReality]

Re: Looking for a pickup that will not color my sound...

Yeah, EMG is what came to my mind.

[hans-jürgen]

Re: Looking for a pickup that will not color my sound...

Hey guys, I was wondering which pickup wouldn't change the tone of my guitar when amplified. I play a lespaul standard and i like the sound of it unplugged. Which pickup would be good to just amplify the sounds im getting out of my guitar already into an amp?

I'm dealing with the same "problem" at the moment, because I compare different bridge humbuckers to a very good P-94 single coil in the neck of a Tokai Love Rock, and to me it seems that it always wins in that respect. The question is if you really want your Les Paul not to have the typical humbucker coloration... I haven't answered this for myself either.

[TheGZeus]

Re: Looking for a pickup that will not color my sound...

Lace Sensor.

[Jimbojsr]

Re: Looking for a pickup that will not color my sound...

Lace Sensor.

HEATHEN!!!!!!

*points*

BURRRRNNN HIIIIIIM!!!!!!!

lol, j/k dude. Jonny Greenwood in Radiohead uses a Tele with lace sensors, but I'd hardly call his tone transparent - probably cos he sticks it through a Marshall Shredmaster...

[tone4days]

Re: Looking for a pickup that will not color my sound...

'no coloration' - this is the exact way i describe the Bill Lawrence 500XL pickup's in my ibanez am-50 ... mind you, these are almost 20 yr old pickups, hand-wound by bill in the old pennsylvania barn ... completely transparent with clarity and a real 'kick' between '8' and '10' on the vilume knob ...

i am not familiar with the SD line of pups to know what can get this same result

good luck
t4d

[jeremy]

Re: Looking for a pickup that will not color my sound...

to me, emg's are the least transparent thing going. the tone comes from the preamp rather than the pup or guitar.

i stand by my suggestion that the b6 is probably the most transparent pup i know of. its designed for crazy expensive archtop guitars where you want to hear the tone of the instrument.

[nepalnt21]

Re: Looking for a pickup that will not color my sound...

'no coloration' - this is the exact way i describe the Bill Lawrence 500XL pickup's in my ibanez am-50 ...

ive heard this too. from quite a few people. not only that, but ive heard its a very great sounding, versatile pickup.