Neck pickup for unusual bridge pickup

[thrillho]

Hello all, I have been reading this forum for a while but just now decided to participate.

Long story short, a few years ago I had a jazz neck that I swapped the magnet to an a4 on out of pure curiosity. Before I could install it in anything I got busy and the pickup got forgotten about. I recently found it and for pure fun I put it in the bridge of an Epiphone Les Paul I have. I am shocked at how much I like it there. The pickup seems to balance out the guitar well. I play a lot of punk and progressive metal (I guess I prefer songs that are really short or really long) through a Bugera 6260 (amp upgrade coming in the near future!) and it really adds a lot of clarity.

Now I have no idea what to put in the neck to pair with it. I kind of like warmer neck pickups so I am tempted to try an a2pro (my understanding is it’s the same as a jazz with an a2?) and if it’s too warm maybe try an a3 magnet? A Seth lover maybe? Any ideas are welcome. Thanks in advance

[jeremy]

as you said, the aph1n is the same but with a different magnet. an aph1n might be a good place to start, the a3 swap might work well too. the a4 sh2n in the bridge is gonna be pretty bright and fairly low output.

[eclecticsynergy]

I concur. If the A2P is too hot or dark, an A3 swap would lower the output noticeably.
It's also likely to thin and brighten the tone a bit too, though.
You might think about an A4 swap for it, and just leave the pickup set flush with in its mounting ring.

While it makes sense to give bridge pickups a little extra beef, they don't have to be hotter than their neck counterparts.
Some great vintage guitars use basically the same pickups at bridge & neck positions.
And IMO A4 often works great in a neck humbucker.

However, the stock A2P could be perfect just as it comes - I'd try it set low in the ring to begin with.

[GuitarDoc]

Yes, APH-1 neck.

[Ascension]

My experience with A 4 is they have a unique response. I would run a Saturday Night Special in the neck if you want a tonal and output balance.

[hamerfan]

The Jazz is inspired by the Gibson T-Top pickup. I had a Jazz pair in a Gibson Les Paul for some times. I found them a bit too scooped in the mids with the A5, but the neck was great with that scoop. So an A4 in the bridge could straighten this out. The bridge and the neck are not too different from each other, just some windings more. My advise: Get a Jazz Bridge for the bridge, try it with your A4. If its your liking, use different magnets for the neck including a A4.
One caveat: A4 do not have one standard specification like other Alnicos, they vary a bit more from foundry to foundry.

[Ascension]

I concur. If the A2P is too hot or dark, an A3 swap would lower the output noticeably.
It's also likely to thin and brighten the tone a bit too, though.
You might think about an A4 swap for it, and just leave the pickup set flush with in its mounting ring.

While it makes sense to give bridge pickups a little extra beef, they don't have to be hotter than their neck counterparts.
Some great vintage guitars use basically the same pickups at bridge & neck positions.
And IMO A4 often works great in a neck humbucker.

However, the stock A2P could be perfect just as it comes - I'd try it set low in the ring to begin with.

I like the Alnico II pro a lot, but it won't be a good natch for the A4 in the bridge. Will be too soft on the attack and to fat.
I would swap in a A4 for the neck if you have a Jazz or A2P but would grab an SNS if you don't. :Last thing I would do is drop a A4 neck pickup to the deck, will be way too thin and harsh. Have a couple of Trembucker SNS sets and love them BTW.

[thrillho]

I didn’t think about a SNS in the neck. I think I may go that route rather than play with a bunch of different magnets in a jazz when there is a reasonable chance I’ll just settle on an A4 anyways.

[hamerfan]

I didn’t think about a SNS in the neck. I think I may go that route rather than play with a bunch of different magnets in a jazz when there is a reasonable chance I’ll just settle on an A4 anyways.

Magnets swapping is a lot of fun for 7 bucks a pop. I learned a lot about what i like and what works and what not.

[Rex_Rocker]

I like the DiMarzio PAF Pro in the bridge a whole lot more than in the neck, if that counts.

But overall, I don't like overly low output pickups just for the sake of them being low output, personally. I don't feel the lower output necessarily translates into higher clarity under high-gain. Just my experience, but to counter the lower output, and still have it nice and saturated and not thin and dry, I have to raise the gain. I don't know if most amps have a bright cap, but the ones that I like do, and raising the gain not only adds more preamp hiss, but also makes the tone fatter and blurs the attack, thus countering any added "clarity and dynamics" you gain from using a lower output pickup.

JME. I get it that everyone's ears are different, though.


But more directly addressing the question, I wouldn't think a Jazz N A4/JazzN A2 or 3 would be such a bad idea.

[thrillho]

I like the DiMarzio PAF Pro in the bridge a whole lot more than in the neck, if that counts.

But overall, I don't like overly low output pickups just for the sake of them being low output, personally. I don't feel the lower output necessarily translates into higher clarity under high-gain. Just my experience, but to counter the lower output, and still have it nice and saturated and not thin and dry, I have to raise the gain. I don't know if most amps have a bright cap, but the ones that I like do, and raising the gain not only adds more preamp hiss, but also makes the tone fatter and blurs the attack, thus countering any added "clarity and dynamics" you gain from using a lower output pickup.

JME. I get it that everyone's ears are different, though.


But more directly addressing the question, I wouldn't think a Jazz N A4/JazzN A2 or 3 would be such a bad idea.

I totally get what you’re saying, low output for the sake of being low output is definitely a questionable idea. Especially anymore where there seems to be a lot of high output pickups with good clarity. In this case it’s more about the voicing of the pickup working well with the guitar. It’s pretty mid heavy so I guess the voicing of the jazz really complements the natural voice of the guitar.

Have no fear my journey with low output pickups won’t be too long, my next project is a guitar with a set of 59s that I think needs to be more of a fire breather.

[Rex_Rocker]

I totally get what you’re saying, low output for the sake of being low output is definitely a questionable idea. Especially anymore where there seems to be a lot of high output pickups with good clarity. In this case it’s more about the voicing of the pickup working well with the guitar. It’s pretty mid heavy so I guess the voicing of the jazz really complements the natural voice of the guitar.

Have no fear my journey with low output pickups won’t be too long, my next project is a guitar with a set of 59s that I think needs to be more of a fire breather.

No no, each to his own. If it works for you, it works for me. I wast just sharing my experience.

I actually really like the '59B myself. I like it because it sounds bright, twangy, open, and clear without sounding dry and tinny.

[eclecticsynergy]

I like the Alnico II pro a lot, but it won't be a good natch for the A4 in the bridge. Will be too soft on the attack and to fat.
I would swap in a A4 for the neck if you have a Jazz or A2P but would grab an SNS if you don't. :Last thing I would do is drop a A4 neck pickup to the deck, will be way too thin and harsh. Have a couple of Trembucker SNS sets and love them BTW.

Have heard good things about the SNS set, probably a great fit for this neck slot.
I have PAF-ish A4 neck hums from Wizz and Zhangbucker, plus an A4 59N. Love them all.

PS: Only reason I suggested trying the neck set very low is because here it'll be paired with a low output bridge.

[jeremy]

i like the sns but i think its wound a bit hotter than the jazz which might make volume balance tricky