"Classic Rock" pickups for Flying V

[Flores_68]

Seth Lovers are awesome

[ErikH]

The good 'ole DiMarzio PAF will work great, though it's now the 36th Anniversary model. Slightly different from the original but a great pickup. I have a Dean ML with dual Super Distortions. I wired the neck in parallel. Sounds much better that way in the neck. The PAF Pro is a good match too. I've used that with the SuperD before.

[Doublea1269]

I'm not really concerned with cleans, more "cleanish"...just being able to roll off a bit and tame it somewhat. And I found while using my friend's guitar with the Super Distortion in the bridge that I had the ability to do that; it was very responsive to my picking and use of the knobs.

My other guitars can do the "real" clean thing, this one will be unique.

[jeremy]

how important is a clean tone? if not really, then go super2. if it is then paf pro or sentient

[Doublea1269]

Update...Super Distortion is on the way for the bridge, now have it narrowed down to 5 possible neck options...DiMarzio Super 2, D Activator neck or PAF Pro, or Duncan Full Shred or Sentient. Essentially making this a good rock guitar out of the 70s, like it was used on old KISS, Aerosmith or Lizzy albums. Since all of my other guitars have PAF-type pups, I want this to be different. Probably the Super 2 would be great, but the others seem like good options too. So one last time looking for input and then I just have to take a chance on one of them. The big thing is to not be too different in output from the Super, but also not be muddy. Obviously the bridge should still be more powerful, I just don't need this to be as versatile as I normally would go for. Also, I don't shred, not even close, and not looking for any of the modern metal tones.

Thank you to anyone who has a thought on this!

[Demanic]

I use an SH-4N in V with a X2N in the bridge. But I tend to like hotter pickups in my "metal" guitars.

I have a D-Activator n paired with an X2N in my V.

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[Mincer]

I just got done playing my friend's guitar with the DiMarzio Super Distortion, and I have to say, it was fantastic! Nothing like the ceramic pup I had yanked out of PRS. Not the least bit shrill or cutting, just good, powerful and articulate rock. That's probably what I'll put into the V, once I figure out a good mate for it...if anyone has suggestions, I'm all ears.

On another note, this has me toying with modifyingy my Strat HSS. Neck and middle I got Signature pups from K Line Guitars, which are A2, very vintagey. The bridge is SD Anico II (not the Slash model). I actually really like all of them, but now I'm considering swapping out the bridge with something a little extra, like perhaps the Custom Custom. Any thoughts or suggestions from anyone on that?

A Cusom Custom sounds wonderful in an HSS. Another great choice is the 59/Custom Hybrid. The CC has mids, while the 59/c is more scooped. Pick the EQ you want/need.

[Doublea1269]

I just got done playing my friend's guitar with the DiMarzio Super Distortion, and I have to say, it was fantastic! Nothing like the ceramic pup I had yanked out of PRS. Not the least bit shrill or cutting, just good, powerful and articulate rock. That's probably what I'll put into the V, once I figure out a good mate for it...if anyone has suggestions, I'm all ears.

On another note, this has me toying with modifyingy my Strat HSS. Neck and middle I got Signature pups from K Line Guitars, which are A2, very vintagey. The bridge is SD Anico II (not the Slash model). I actually really like all of them, but now I'm considering swapping out the bridge with something a little extra, like perhaps the Custom Custom. Any thoughts or suggestions from anyone on that?

I use an SH-4N in V with a X2N in the bridge. But I tend to like hotter pickups in my "metal" guitars.

[Flores_68]

I have a SD Seth Lovers and I get a beautiful, warm vintage sound from my Gibson LP.

[Doublea1269]

I'll be trying out a Super Distortion this afternoon...a friend of mine has one in one of his guitars, so we'll meet up and I'll give it a run. Ever since the PRS guitar I have that came with ceramic pickups, I've wanted nothing to do with those magnets. The Slash set that I put into that guitar was much more the sound and tone I wanted. I do realize that the PRS pup and the DiMarzio are different animals altogether.

The Super and T Tops are of interest to me because they played such a large part of 70s rock. The WLH and SNS sets also seem like they could bring me where I want to go, as does the 59/Custom 5 combo.

Bottom line I just want this guitar to have its own sound and I want to make sure that I am able to have good control over it in my rhythm playing. As I've put the time in, my hands have definitely improved, but no one will ever mistake me for David Gilmour!

[beaubrummels]

I'd grab a 59n and stick a smooth A4 in it, and put that in the neck slot. Then put an RCUOA5 in a 59b in the bridge.

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It very well could be that a BK Black Dog is very very similar to a 59B with a RCUOA5. It's a touch clearer and hotter than when I did a 59B/RCUOA5, but has the same softened top end and detail complexity going on in the mid area. Still has the thump on the bottom and chop/cut in the mids when muting strings.

[eclecticsynergy]

FYI, Manlius makes (as well as a T-top type) a slightly overwound T-top model called the Vinyl.
I too like a T-top in neck position but find them seriously lacking at the bridge.
I agree with jeremy here and consider T-tops primarily responsible for the aftermarket pickup trend in the 70s.
The Vinyl addresses that weakness without sounding congested the way a hotter pickup would.

In this case, I still feel the WLH set may be the best match in vintage-output hums.
For something a little stronger, it'd be hard to go wrong with the 59/Custom Hybrid.

[Aceman]

t tops... i like em in the neck. i feel like the reason the aftermarket pup thing happened is cause they can sound weak in the bridge position.

I am soooo on board with that analysis - says a Guy with a T-Top neck and a Distortion bridge, LOL

[Aceman]

It's funny, I know a lot of music that I love was played with Super Distortion pups, but I never really considered them for myself.

I'm pretty intrigued by the T Top thought. I

I get that. As for T-Tops, I'm intrigued too. Intrigued as to why anyone would want them (as the owner of multiple 70's Les Pauls....