What is Low Output HB sound VS High Output

[Jonny R]

Hi

Can someone please educate me on the difference between low output and high output humbuckers. Not the technical impedence etc, but the sound character difference. I don't have a huge amount of exper. in this area...

Cheers

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: What is Low Output HB sound VS High Output

Highoutput has a a more compressed sound, sounds kind of muffled or grainy clean, but that depends on how they are wired.
The bandwidth narrows with hot pickups, they make it easier to push your amp and pedals, for some that is desireable as it makes playing feel easier.
The dynamics are small on a hot pickup, the sound is even and stays mostly the same, very small variations in volume and sound.
Lowoutput is considered more bright and open soundwise, they breathe alot more than their hot cousins, since their bandwidth is wider.
They are more dynamic to play with, so if you want lots of variations in volume and sound lowoutput gives that.
Sometimes they sounds bigger due to the uncompressed tone.
Hope this helps, hehe I am still sleepy after a "fun" night with children having nightmares and such, so perhaps a few others could chime in and fill out the holes.
Niels
<:^)

[KLINKDETROIT]

Re: What is Low Output HB sound VS High Output

Woul a C-5 be consideres a high or low output pickup??

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: What is Low Output HB sound VS High Output

Medium hot if you ask me, but still with the sound of a PAF.

[KLINKDETROIT]

Re: What is Low Output HB sound VS High Output

I kinda like the sound of a 59 but its too weak. Is the C-5 anything like that. Would it be ok in a schecter c1+ mohagony body, flame maple top, neck thru, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard? The Jb I had in there was too bright . The distortion pu in it now is a little hot and not good for clean. What would a good neck pickup be for this guitar? Thanx for listening to me ramble.

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: What is Low Output HB sound VS High Output

I have tried the 59 and the APH-1.
Like them both, I favor the APH-1 in my Wolfgang because I like the more balanced sound in that guitar.
But the 59 was just as good, it just has some more bottomend and slightly more bite due to the A5 magnet.
I have actually tried a C5 in a C1 Classic, sounded very fat and balanced.

[KLINKDETROIT]

Re: What is Low Output HB sound VS High Output

Thanx

[Jonny R]

Re: What is Low Output HB sound VS High Output

Thanks for the explanation. Makes a lot of sense, and I think I might get some of the lower output models.

[papersoul]

Re: What is Low Output HB sound VS High Output

Lot's of guys find lower output pickups sound very full and big in the mix and don't compress as much. I think one of the best in between p'ups is the C-5.

[Maggot]

Re: What is Low Output HB sound VS High Output

Check out the Holmes, '59, Voodoo shootout post. All of those are low-output humbuckers and they all sound great to me for hard rock. For non-heavy music there's just no comparison - low output just sound better.

[papersoul]

Re: What is Low Output HB sound VS High Output

Check out the Holmes, '59, Voodoo shootout post. All of those are low-output humbuckers and they all sound great to me for hard rock. For non-heavy music there's just no comparison - low output just sound better.

I like that my BBQ is medium output and is 12.5 k and sound fairly big which I like.

he JB seems to be the exception to the rule as it sounds great clean to heavy IMO.