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12 string pickups

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  • 12 string pickups

    I have just bought a Yamaha PAC303-12 which is a 12 string guitar and I am wondering above alternative pickups. It comes with the normal Strat style triple single coils but I would be interested in a little more flexibility. I'm thinking of going HSS with 2 tone controls (bridge & middle/neck) and 1 volume with the both the tone controls as push pull. The bridge tone control switch can go between single coil and humbucker whilst the neck/humbucker tone control can add the neck pickup to whatever is selected by the five way switch allowing me to use all 3 pickups at once.

    This setup is something similar to what I have on one of my Strats although that has 3 rail pickups and the the switch puts them all in single coil mode.

    If I went down the HSS route what pickups would people suggest?
    If I went down the HHH route what pickups would people suggest?

    I would like to use single coil sized humbuckers if possible.

    If the consensus is that humbuckers are not good in a 12 string what triple single coil set would people suggest?

    I will be fitting full sized pots, better caps and output jack at the same time plus replacing the pick guard with a plain 3 ply white one.

  • #2
    Since you will most likely be playing clean I would keep the S/S/S configuration. The only thing special I would do is add a push/pull so you could do neck/bridge together. For pickups I would go with EMG's, Bill Lawrence, or Lace Sensors.

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    • #3
      i think hss could work well if you use the right bridge bucker. as mentioned in another thread the whole lotta humbucker neck model in the bridge can sound great.

      if it was me id go cool rails neck, classic stack plus middle, and cool rails bridge. i wouldnt split the cool rails but id put a series/parallel switch on the neck pup

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      • #4
        I would go for clean and clear humbuckers and single coils in a 12 string for maximum chime. Maybe 2 Classic Stacks and a 59 (or Jazz).
        Administrator of the SDUGF

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        • #5
          Blades young man, get something with blades instead of poles...
          Originally posted by Bad City
          He's got the crowd on his side and the blue jean lights in his eyes...

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          • #6
            Blades are actually a good idea. A set of Vintage Rails in the neck and middle. But bridge pickups with blades are usually high output monsters. Maybe one of those wired in parallel might work.
            Administrator of the SDUGF

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            • #7
              For me, 12-string wouldn't be a core tone - it'd be a garnish. I'd want something vintagey, cleanish but not superbright.
              Maybe lipsticks? Or lipstick bridge & middle, and a hum-sized Filtertron type at the bridge.
              I have a TV Jones Powertron that sounds pretty cool.

              .
              "You should know better by now than to introduce science into a discussion of voodoo."
              .

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              • #8
                12 strings typically have the pairs positioned just either side of the 6 strings positions. So even thin screws/poles etc would be right underneath the pair....albeit maybe toward the edge.
                Bending is also not such a common thing. And if poles/screws work fine for 6 string guitars with bending (as it does), there is zero reason to choose a rail for the purposes of avoiding (non-existent )dropout.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Mincer View Post
                  Blades are actually a good idea. A set of Vintage Rails in the neck and middle. But bridge pickups with blades are usually high output monsters. Maybe one of those wired in parallel might work.
                  The Dimebucker sounds FANTASTIC when split or put in parallel.
                  Ain't nothin' but a G thang, baby.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Aceman View Post
                    Blades young man, get something with blades instead of poles...
                    :-) I retire in less than 4 years.... Nobody has called me young man since about 1975, but thanks anyway.

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                    • #11
                      I have a set of three DiMarzio 181/182? rails in my 2nd Stratocaster. I REALLY like them.

                      They are certainly an option with a new set of pickups for the Strat. If I went down this route I would want some serious metal pickups to replace them.

                      So the question now is would the rails suit and what is an ideal set for the Strat. I have a pair of EMG active pickups in my LP, would active suit the Strat or 12 string?

                      I build valve amplifier but I have virtually no experience of which pickups go with what. I can make a £100 guitar play like a £400 guitar but I just tend to pick pickups that I have seen on that type of guitar in the past.


                      The 12 string is just lovely......

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Cowasaki View Post
                        I have a set of three DiMarzio 181/182? rails in my 2nd Stratocaster. I REALLY like them.

                        They are certainly an option with a new set of pickups for the Strat. If I went down this route I would want some serious metal pickups to replace them.

                        So the question now is would the rails suit and what is an ideal set for the Strat. I have a pair of EMG active pickups in my LP, would active suit the Strat or 12 string?

                        I build valve amplifier but I have virtually no experience of which pickups go with what. I can make a £100 guitar play like a £400 guitar but I just tend to pick pickups that I have seen on that type of guitar in the past.


                        The 12 string is just lovely......
                        The DP181 is a fantastic strat pickup, IMHO. Beefy, but still open sounding.
                        Ain't nothin' but a G thang, baby.

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