A8 PG still too scratchy... Anyone tried an A8 in a SNS?

WDeeGee

New member
The guitar: LP style, acoustically it has a pronounced low-low-mid (upper bass) bump and a very "present" upper mid spike in the same frequency range of the upper mid "bite" of the PG.
So the bitey character of the PG is more like nails on a chalkboard here. I took out the A2 and it's better with the A8 (I like a bit more output too) but that mid spike is still to accentuated.

So, a different pickup it will be then, but I prefer something like a hot PAF type.

Maybe a 59 with an A8?

Maybe a SNS?
From the Rappoport demos I gather the SNS has plenty of mids and maybe the A4 will translate the guitar's upper mid-spike too much?
A8 has a more low-mid emphasis. So I was thinking an SNS with an A8.

Anyone have any experience with the SNS? How does it take the A8?

Other pickup suggestions are welcome too.
 
Dude get the A8 outta there. They're scratch city. Try an A6 as mentioned above. What you really need to do is GET A DOUBLE THICK MAG.
 
I'm concerned the SNS may have the same issue as the Pearly Gates for your application (I am judging from demos I heard online). Sounds like you may like Suhr Thornbucker. The regular wind one is smooth and has warm balance (from my personal experience in both Strats and LP copy guitar).
 
What about a Custom 5, which solved a mid-heavy guitar I had?

Mh... I dunno, the low-low-mid bump the axe has naturally might become too much with an A5....
Plus I already have a LP model with a Custom, I'd like to things the PAF, but maybe just a smidge hotter than PAF.
 
The Custom 5 carves out all mids. So if you have a bump there, it will be gone. It is a lot more scooped than the regular Custom.
 
Dude get the A8 outta there. They're scratch city. Try an A6 as mentioned above. What you really need to do is GET A DOUBLE THICK MAG.

"Scratch city"? Don't know that expression, sorry not native english here. Why the double thick magnet? Wouldn't it just bump the mid spike even more? Persuade me.
 
Wouldn't it just bump the mid spike even more?

No. Double thick is the most effective thing that I've come across at reducing the harshness for bridge hums. It bumps up the output a bit and deepens the tone and makes it fatter while reducing the scratchiness. Changing pickups is really unnecessary, unless you want to change the voicing or tone footprint. If you want to reduce scratchiness and mids while retaining top end sparkle I would recommend a double thick A5. It's $20 instead of $80 for a new pickup and more effective.
 
Last edited:
I concur. Aggressiveness in the upper mids seems to be in the wind of the Pearly Gates. Magnets wouldn't change that much.
The same way a JB always sounds like a JB, even with an A2. Subtly altered, maybe, but it still has its distinctive inherent tone.

59B would be my recommendation too - and a double thick A5 probably would put it squarely in the slightly-hotter-than-PAF category.
 
Yeah, in my rather limited experience the voice / character of certain pickups won't change dramatically after a magnet swap. In 2 of my guitars JB still sounds like a JB either stock, or with a rough cast A5, or A2 or A8. OTOH, Custom is different in this respect, its EQ is kind of more neutral and different magnets in the same pickup will alter its voice to a higher degree.
 
59B would be my recommendation too - and a double thick A5 probably would put it squarely in the slightly-hotter-than-PAF category.

Q: would a double thick A5 not make the 59b sound super-scooped? It already leans a bit towards a scooped sound (compared to other PAF brands).
 
No, it keeps the same basic tone but bumps up output a bit and makes it fatter and less harsh.
 
Back
Top