A new set for my shrill guitar

Monty Burns

New member
What pickups, single coil (not minihumb) for a guitar with low bass and too many high frequencies?
(maple body, bird's eye neck and ebony fretboard...)
At the moment I've 3 EMG SA, but... I want a passive set (Emg are ok, but it always sounds the same... and I also have another set of EMG on another guitar)
So I'm thinking about SSL-4 or dimarzio Injector o VV solo/blues or a hi-out pups.
What's do you think?
Alternatives?
Thanks


p.s.:
I play rock/blues and a little bit of hard rock
 
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Re: A new set for my shrill guitar

Duncan Antiquities... And in fact, if a set of Duncan Antiquity I's (with a custom bridge) don't do it, I'd sell that guitar.

B
 
Re: A new set for my shrill guitar

Forgive me but my poor English does not allow me to fully understand your suggestion
 
Re: A new set for my shrill guitar

You say that you don't want mini-humbuckers (I assume u mean single-sized humbuckers), but then you go on to list single-sized HB's like the Injector, VV Solo & Blues...which are humbuckers. Is it just that you want the appearance of a traditional single coil (i.e. magnet pole pieces) and not blades?
 
Re: A new set for my shrill guitar

Forgive me but my poor English does not allow me to fully understand your suggestion

The antiquity pickups are singlecoils which are made to sound like well aged vintage pickups. The Antiquity 1 (or texas hot) has an Alnico 2 magnet, which produces the least shrill tones of all magnet types.

If you want more output, then the Custom flat or Custom staggered (ssl5 or 6) will be nice and fat.
 
Re: A new set for my shrill guitar

don't forget lindy fralins blues specials or steel poled models.

lollar also makes some killer strat pickups.
 
Re: A new set for my shrill guitar

You say that you don't want mini-humbuckers (I assume u mean single-sized humbuckers), but then you go on to list single-sized HB's like the Injector, VV Solo & Blues...which are humbuckers. Is it just that you want the appearance of a traditional single coil (i.e. magnet pole pieces) and not blades?

Correct.

But... my guitar it's really *shrill*.
Antiquity? I don't know...
I can't try... my trials translate into blind purchases :(

Before use a EMG SA set, I've tested:
- Duncan ssl-1 (the worst of this guitar, an annoying sound - and I love ssl-1 so much on a alder strat)
- Duncan ssl-5 (more output but too treble yet)
- Fender Texas special CS (between ssl-1 and ssl-5 but still too treble)
- dimarzio HS-3 (excuse me but I'm still laughing: I have never heard a pup so dull and devoid of personality).

Reading on various forums, newsgroups etc. I realized that more volume (but MORE) usually involves a darker sound, less trasparent, more low and medium freq with low treble.

I thought it's ideal for an all maple guitar. So....
 
Re: A new set for my shrill guitar

I think you have it narrowed down to some good choices. I have both the Injector and the VV Solo. In your guitar, I would probably prefer the Solo. Both will thicken & warm your guitar up, and have far more personality than the HS-3 IMO. Although, neither one has the funky cool clean character of a good true single coil like the SSL or APS. If you want to split the difference, consider an Area 61.
 
Re: A new set for my shrill guitar

The SD Fury pups are a good alternative if you need to tame some highs and want a smooth tone. They are stacked humbuckers.
 
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