"Classic Rock" pickups for Flying V

[Demanic]

The closest Duncan wind to a T-Top is a Jazz neck with a shortbar A5. The second best (which in my opinion is better) is a 59N in the bridge. I made a poor man's Jimmy Page set by using a Seth neck and a 59N in the bridge, which was only bested by a 59N with an A4 in the neck and a Bare Knuckle Black Dog in the bridge. I also tried a Jazz neck with the 59N in the bridge. Both setups worked extremely well for 70's hard rock; AC/DC to Zep to Foreigner to Thin Lizzy to ZZ Top to Edgar Winter, Golden Earring, Aerosmith, you name it - but it requires the right amp sound and getting some gain from pedals/amp.

If it were me, I'd probably go with the SNS over the WLH in an all-mahogany guitar.

There are other T-Top clones also. Wolfetone, ElectricCity Pickups, etc.

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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[beaubrummels]

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. Always had trouble corralling hot pups, and figured I could always hit a pedal to boost the output of a moderate one. Also, being mainly focused on rhythm guitar, I never felt the need for the Super...seemed more suited for a lead guitar to my thinking.

I'm pretty intrigued by the T Top thought. I saw that both Brandonwound and Manlius make one. Both are Alnico V, so it makes me wonder if the Duncan WLH is similar, or if the Alnico IV SNS would get there. Got an email today from someone at Duncan who strongly recommended the SNS for me.

Thought I was narrowed down to 2, now I'm back to 4. So if any of you have thoughts on Duncan vs Brandonwound vs Manlius, please let me know.

The closest Duncan wind to a T-Top is a Jazz neck with a shortbar A5. The second best (which in my opinion is better) is a 59N in the bridge. I made a poor man's Jimmy Page set by using a Seth neck and a 59N in the bridge, which was only bested by a 59N with an A4 in the neck and a Bare Knuckle Black Dog in the bridge. I also tried a Jazz neck with the 59N in the bridge. Both setups worked extremely well for 70's hard rock; AC/DC to Zep to Foreigner to Thin Lizzy to ZZ Top to Edgar Winter, Golden Earring, Aerosmith, you name it - but it requires the right amp sound and getting some gain from pedals/amp.

If it were me, I'd probably go with the SNS over the WLH in an all-mahogany guitar.

There are other T-Top clones also. Wolfetone, ElectricCity Pickups, etc.

[Mincer]

Just wondering if anyone can compare the SMS and WLH sets, how they differ from one another. The online videos and sound clips are unable to highlight what makes each unique from the other, at least to my ears. In general, I find that to be the case, unless something is drastically different (ie, Marshall DSL vs Fender Deluxe Reverb). But maybe after more than 35 years of going to concerts, the hearing is not what it once was...

I suspect that I'd like both sets, but I'd like to get an idea of the real difference between the two if possible. These seem to be my best options, as one thing I have picked up on videos is that the Pearly Gates might be a little brighter than I want.

So does anyone have experience playing or hearing the two sets in person?

The WLH is like a slightly hotter PAF set. The SNS have a bit more 'barky' tone to me. The SNS bridge pickup is a little hotter than the WLH.

[jeremy]

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. plenty of great music was made with em but most people arent playing 100w nmv stacks these days. the wlh is fairly different than a t top, little warmer in the neck and quite different in the bridge. the sns set is really nice in the right guitar, and i think a v is a good place for em. bright, clean neck and fat, but not super hot bridge

[Doublea1269]

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. Always had trouble corralling hot pups, and figured I could always hit a pedal to boost the output of a moderate one. Also, being mainly focused on rhythm guitar, I never felt the need for the Super...seemed more suited for a lead guitar to my thinking.

I'm pretty intrigued by the T Top thought. I saw that both Brandonwound and Manlius make one. Both are Alnico V, so it makes me wonder if the Duncan WLH is similar, or if the Alnico IV SNS would get there. Got an email today from someone at Duncan who strongly recommended the SNS for me.

Thought I was narrowed down to 2, now I'm back to 4. So if any of you have thoughts on Duncan vs Brandonwound vs Manlius, please let me know.

[Aceman]

I personally think that given what you want to play with this, a SuperDistortion/PAF set would really nail it. You CAN just lower the SuperD into submission. Riding the volume with the right height will also give you a lot of tonal options there too.

However, if you are not going for that - and I do think you are, I suggest Pearly Gates set, which I'll use to play anything, or the Whole Lotta Set (which I do not own, but based on a lot of readings and the suggestions here...)

[Kirk Dahnke]

I recommend the Brandonwound T-Top replica set. Probably exactly what you want and I think would have been what was in the guitars when they recorded that music. Plus he charges mass market prices for custom wound pickups. I have the WLH set in a LP and I do love them but the JP#1 set he made me is on a whole other level.

https://brandonwoundpickups.com/product/ttop-humbuckers/

[Doublea1269]

Just wondering if anyone can compare the SMS and WLH sets, how they differ from one another. The online videos and sound clips are unable to highlight what makes each unique from the other, at least to my ears. In general, I find that to be the case, unless something is drastically different (ie, Marshall DSL vs Fender Deluxe Reverb). But maybe after more than 35 years of going to concerts, the hearing is not what it once was...

I suspect that I'd like both sets, but I'd like to get an idea of the real difference between the two if possible. These seem to be my best options, as one thing I have picked up on videos is that the Pearly Gates might be a little brighter than I want.

So does anyone have experience playing or hearing the two sets in person?

[Mincer]

Your description is what the Whole Lotta Humbucker set does really well.

[JB6464]

59N & 59/Custom Hybrid

[ICTGoober]

Another vote for the Saturday Night Specials.

[Synapsys]

Crunch? Custom/59 set.

[Doublea1269]

The Epi is a 2020 model, mahogany. I would characterize it as a pretty typical warm tone, probably a little brighter than my other Epis (LP, Dot, ES-175), but not a bright guitar by any means. It is definitely hard to define "aggressive", but maybe that it breaks up a little quicker, gets a little more of an edge to the side, a little more bite. Unfortunately, one of those "I'll know it when I hear it" scenarios.

No matter what, I still want to be on the crunchier side of things as opposed to a more buzzsaw type of sound. So it's probably not too dissimilar to PAF type tones, but with a little more clarity and definition. Not too much mud. So probably I'd like a little more brightness but not piercing or spiky.

I apologize to everyone, I am the opposite of tech-savvy, so I usually end up describing the specific music I like to play instead.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts!

[eclecticsynergy]

T-top clones for something 70s-ish, with bite, and different from what you already have.

In a Duncan set, I concur with the suggestion of the Whole Lotta set.

SNS seem appropriate too, though I haven't owned them myself.
IME A4 pickups tend to do best in good wood - not always a sure thing with an Epi.
I have four - two have real personality; the other two are well-made yet lack strong individual character.

IMO in the vintage-hot category, the 59/Custom hybrid is a good match for most guitars.

BKP Rebel Yell set is another great one that's vintage-plus: searing yet chunky, with great cleanup.
But they aren't cheap.


Aggressive means different things to different people. To some it might mean hot & full, to others maybe bright & cutting.

OP, Is your Vee korina or mahog? And is its natural voice bright, midrangey, scooped, or fairly neutral?

[jeremy]

the sns set might suit a v well for the music you mention