552255 or am I nutty?

[Christoph]

Hey y'all,

I am one of the masses that have been trying to find a "Big Dipper" pickup that you don't have to buy pre-attached to a relatively average grade guitar.

I saw someone say that you couldn't scoop the mids out of a pickup, but what i you did an entirely different magnet arrangement like a 552255 or a 552225? Or some other odd arrangement like that? Using a standard formvar 42 wire? What about a mix of forvar and poly wires, or even 42 and 43s?

I'm no pickup builder, but from what I've read on here, each type of magnet would have a different "flavor" due to it's construction, and each type of wire has a similar effect.

So, am I nutty or is this a path?

 

[hanumanlangur]

Re: 552255 or am I nutty?

It may be possible to do that, but just to get a scooped sound, it seems like overkill. And the dynamics of the pickup would be different, not just the EQ, so that's something to consider.

There are humbuckers out there that are relatively scooped, such as the '59 and the Custom 5. But if you really want a big scoop, an EQ pedal can give you complete control of that, so that's really the route I would recommend.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: 552255 or am I nutty?

Scooped mids are the opposite of good tone. Guitar is a mids and treble instrument...cutting out the mids = getting lost in the mix.

 

[Darth Nihilus]

Re: 552255 or am I nutty?

Scooped mids are the opposite of good tone. Guitar is a mids and treble instrument...cutting out the mids = getting lost in the mix.

+1

Why are you scooping out mids for, anyway?
No mids = Sh1t tone!

 

[Iron Horse]

Re: 552255 or am I nutty?

Scooped mids are the opposite of good tone. Guitar is a mids and treble instrument...cutting out the mids = getting lost in the mix.

It depends on the frequency range that is scooped, ie is it a shallow or wide cut, and what frequencies are cut.

 

[wanmei1]

Re: 552255 or am I nutty?

Hey y'all,

I am one of the masses that have been trying to find a "Big Dipper" pickup that you don't have to buy pre-attached to a relatively average grade guitar.

I saw someone say that you couldn't scoop the mids out of a pickup, but what i you did an entirely different magnet arrangement like a 552255 or a 552225? Or some other odd arrangement like that? Using a standard formvar 42 wire? What about a mix of forvar and poly wires, or even 42 and 43s?

I'm no pickup builder, but from what I've read on here, each type of magnet would have a different "flavor" due to it's construction, and each type of wire has a similar effect.

So, am I nutty or is this a path?

Since when has madness precluded insightful brilliance ?

I have been experimented with such and the results are outstanding.

I am currently collaborating with a true genius, namely Michael Morales of SD forum fame, to commercially release a super pickup based around this idea.

The final configuration looks like 555333. ( no harsh, cold, sterile, unmusical highs here. ) however as you have suggested any combination and variation is possible for the tonally impaired.

 

[sosomething]

Re: 552255 or am I nutty?

Since when has madness precluded insightful brilliance ?

I have been experimented with such and the results are outstanding.

I am currently collaborating with a true genius, namely Michael Morales of SD forum fame, to commercially release a super pickup based around this idea.

The final configuration looks like 555333. ( no harsh, cold, sterile, unmusical highs here. ) however as you have suggested any combination and variation is possible for the tonally impaired.

But is it clear-sounding?

I demand sound clips.

Please plug a Metal Zone into a TV set and get some clips up immediately.

 

[Christoph]

Re: 552255 or am I nutty?

Specifically my thoughts were around creating a lower power single coil pickup that is more on the order of the Fender John Mayer strat's pickups.

I love the sound of those pickups, but I find the guitar lacking. While I realize that a portion of the sound is related to the hardware/wood/paint my experience with Duncans and other pups is that they can have a major effect.

Again, I'm no pickup maker, I'm just a player, but I still have my "Magic" sound in my head, and that Mayer strat was SOOOO close.

I was speculating that using different Alnico or even Ceramic pole pieces (maybe even a rainbow of them A2 through C8? ) could help to create that sound I hear in my head, but still can't get out of my guitars.

So, am I nutty or is there somewhere to go from here?

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: 552255 or am I nutty?

If your looking for extreme scoop the HB-104 would be for you. http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/duncan-designed/progressive-2/hb104/. They come stock on a few Jacksons and Schecters. I had a set for a while but I couldn't get into them. They got lost in the mix too easily.

 

[NoOnesFang13]

Re: 552255 or am I nutty?

If your looking for extreme scoop the HB-104 would be for you. http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/duncan-designed/progressive-2/hb104/. They come stock on a few Jacksons and Schecters. I had a set for a while but I couldn't get into them. They got lost in the mix too easily.

the big dipper set is not a bucker their strat pickups, more specifically the ones in the John Mayer signature that evidently cannot be bought anywhere else

 

[NoOnesFang13]

Re: 552255 or am I nutty?

Specifically my thoughts were around creating a lower power single coil pickup that is more on the order of the Fender John Mayer strat's pickups.

I love the sound of those pickups, but I find the guitar lacking. While I realize that a portion of the sound is related to the hardware/wood/paint my experience with Duncans and other pups is that they can have a major effect.

Again, I'm no pickup maker, I'm just a player, but I still have my "Magic" sound in my head, and that Mayer strat was SOOOO close.

I was speculating that using different Alnico or even Ceramic pole pieces (maybe even a rainbow of them A2 through C8? ) could help to create that sound I hear in my head, but still can't get out of my guitars.

So, am I nutty or is there somewhere to go from here?

lol a rainbow i would imagine some string balance problems though. and i dont know if i would do it through the spectrum in order, more like starting from low e 548632 with the middle poles lower. interesting idea but it would be hard to acheive and a bit expensive. frankly if u want scooped mids A5 is what you need.

 

[Christoph]

Re: 552255 or am I nutty?

So do would you say that a pup like the SSL-5 would be pretty close to a Big Dipper then? Or what would you think would be the proper choice?

 

[NoOnesFang13]

Re: 552255 or am I nutty?

So do would you say that a pup like the SSL-5 would be pretty close to a Big Dipper then? Or what would you think would be the proper choice?

just buy an eq pedal, scoop the mids and u should get it by tweaking a bit.