Alnico II Pros-are they what I'm looking for?

S

spencerocket

New member
Howdy!
After about five years of owning my 1979 Les Paul Standard and trying to convince myself that I liked the sound of the stock T-Tops, I finally decided that it is time to look into a new set of pickups. I'm looking for something a bit warmer with a pronounced midrange that, when overdriven, is more along the lines of 'smooth' as opposed to 'sharp,' though I'm certainly not looking for a sound that is devoid of treble. This has led me to the Alnico II Pros, which would seem to be what I'm looking for based on the clips and videos that I've heard. However, before I take the plunge and purchase a set, I wanted to consult the knowledgeable members of the forum.

A few additional notes:
-I've also considered the Pearly Gates and Seth Lover sets.
-The stock 300K Volume and 100K tone potentiometers that came with the guitar are long gone and have been replaced with 500K pots for both volume and tone
-While I frequently adjust the volume and tone controls for both pickups with relative frequency, it is important for me to have a pickup that sounds great with both the volume and tone totally open. This is especially important for me in the bridge, and is partially why I'm shying away from the Pearly Gates bridge model, given what I've seen some some say about it.

Am I on the right track here? Any other recommendations?

Thanks in advance!
 
Re: Alnico II Pros-are they what I'm looking for?

welcome to the forum!

the aph1 set is great! warm clear tones from both positions. the neck is thick and the bridge is vintage style bright but not shrill. the neck pup is easy to love, the bridge sounds great but is still a vintage output pup which some people dont like.
 
Re: Alnico II Pros-are they what I'm looking for?

It sounds like A2P's are what you're looking for. One of my favorite Duncan PU's, along with Seth's and WLH. All three are warm, full, & rich with just enough of an edge on top. I didn't gel with PG's, the bridge was too bright & the neck too warm and rounded. Mag swaps didn't help, must be the wind. Most members haven't tried Ant's. The few that have tend to fall into 2 camps: the guys that like them as is, and those that have a problem with the degaussed A2's and think they need fully-charged magnets.
 
Re: Alnico II Pros-are they what I'm looking for?

blueman335 said:
It sounds like A2P's are what you're looking for. One of my favorite Duncan PU's, along with Seth's and WLH. All three are warm, full, & rich with just enough of an edge on top. I didn't gel with PG's, the bridge was too bright & the neck too warm and rounded. Mag swaps didn't help, must be the wind. Most members haven't tried Ant's. The few that have tend to fall into 2 camps: the guys that like them as is, and those that have a problem with the degaussed A2's and think they need fully-charged magnets.
Click to expand...
Makes me wonder what would happen if you put the PGb in the neck position and visa versa?

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Re: Alnico II Pros-are they what I'm looking for?

I never thought of that. I would think the outputs are not that different, hmm...
 
Re: Alnico II Pros-are they what I'm looking for?

spencerocket said:
Am I on the right track here? Any other recommendations?
Click to expand...

You are on the right track. For vintage-voiced, warm, and smooth, the AIIP set (regular, not Slash) is the first thing that comes mind.

Your instincts comport with my experience with the Pearly Gates bridge. I usually run it with the tone rolled back a little, not a big deal on 2-volume, 2-tone guitar.

The Seth Lovers are great, and along similar lines as the AIIP, but with slightly lower output and greater clarity, and with no potting and higher cost. I would try these as a Plan B in the unlikely case that you find the AIIP set muddy.

If you need even more midrange, try the Gibson 57 Classic/57 Classic + set (to my ears, very midrange-focused, not much lows/highs), or the Dimarzio 36th Anniversary PAF set, which has very even EQ top to bottom.
 
Re: Alnico II Pros-are they what I'm looking for?

i havent tried the pgn in the bridge that i can recall but i dont think id like it unless it was in a hss situation, which, thinking about it, might be pretty sweet
 
Re: Alnico II Pros-are they what I'm looking for?

Thanks for you input, everyone! I really appreciate it. I'm going to think about it a bit more, but it does seem like the Aph1 set is the way to go.
 
Re: Alnico II Pros-are they what I'm looking for?

The APH-1s were the first things I thought of, too. Whatever you end up with (hopefully those), come back and let us know your impressions.
 
Re: Alnico II Pros-are they what I'm looking for?

Antiquities are amazing in a Les Paul, no question there. However, the APH-1 is a slightly more affordable option and for years was my go to humbucker, especially in the neck position. I still have 3 sets of them bought over the years that I won't let go of. I've really been into Seth's and antiquities for my Les Paul's lately, but that is no reflection on the greatness of the APH.

The APH will definitely give you that warm, mid focused tone you're looking for, but not at the cost of clarity. The neck model is certainly warmer sounding naturally than the bridge position, but that's the way you'd want it. To warm the bridge up, just roll the tone back to 7. You can control the warmth of the neck not only with the tone control, but by adjusting its height. If you find the neck a tad too warm when you install it, just lower it a bit. They really are a versatile set of pickups and with your upgraded pots and wiring they should do everything you want.

They were good enough for Slash and AFD, right?
 
Re: Alnico II Pros-are they what I'm looking for?

stratguy23 said:
You are on the right track. For vintage-voiced, warm, and smooth, the AIIP set (regular, not Slash) is the first thing that comes mind.

Your instincts comport with my experience with the Pearly Gates bridge. I usually run it with the tone rolled back a little, not a big deal on 2-volume, 2-tone guitar.

The Seth Lovers are great, and along similar lines as the AIIP, but with slightly lower output and greater clarity, and with no potting and higher cost. I would try these as a Plan B in the unlikely case that you find the AIIP set muddy.

If you need even more midrange, try the Gibson 57 Classic/57 Classic + set (to my ears, very midrange-focused, not much lows/highs), or the Dimarzio 36th Anniversary PAF set, which has very even EQ top to bottom.
Click to expand...


Agreed up until the '57's. The worst sounding PAF I've ever owned or played, and way overpriced. At that price level, there's much better pickups to choose from; you can get better PAF's for less than that too.
 
Re: Alnico II Pros-are they what I'm looking for?

Demanic said:
Makes me wonder what would happen if you put the PGb in the neck position and visa versa?
Click to expand...


Had briefly considered that, but putting a bridge PU in the neck slot is going to make it warmer, and a neck PU in the bridge slot will make it brighter, so I'd probably be back to where I started.
 
Re: Alnico II Pros-are they what I'm looking for?

Hey guys, thanks for the continued discussion. I'd say I'm about 90% sold on the APH1 set. However, a few things I'd like to add:
-Seeing the '57 Classic set brought up is a bit interesting, as I installed a set of them in my Epiphone Les Paul about 5-6 years ago. While I have considered transplanting them into my Gibson, I don't think they're what I'm looking for.
-I'm also intrigued by the Whole Lotta humbucker set, in particular the Bridge pickup, as the neck seems like it might be a bit too hot for my taste. Hypothetically, do you guys think that a pairing of the APH1 neck and Whole Lotta Humbucker bridge would work out okay, sonically speaking?

Once again, I appreciate everyone's input on this subject!
 
Re: Alnico II Pros-are they what I'm looking for?

The APH-1 and WLH is a good set. They are sort of opposites, EQ-wise, but that isn't a bad thing. You can get 2 different tones. The bridge WLH is more of a great hard rock pickup with a PAF-type scoopy EQ. This will match well with a buttery mid-heavy neck APH-1.
 
Alnico II Pros-are they what I'm looking for?

I have an APH in the neck of one of my guitars. I am 100% satisfied with it. It is warm and mild (if that is the right word).

I think if you got the APH set you would be happy with them. What you described you are searching for matches my experience with the pickup.


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Re: Alnico II Pros-are they what I'm looking for?

blueman335 said:
Agreed up until the '57's. The worst sounding PAF I've ever owned or played, and way overpriced. At that price level, there's much better pickups to choose from; you can get better PAF's for less than that too.
Click to expand...

Unlike Seymour Duncan, with Gibson you have to consider manufacturing inconsistency. I've played bad sounding 57s, but I've also played good sounding ones. A 57 in the neck position of an SG has a very specific character (focused, midrange-y) that could be desirable. I once played a Flying V with the 57/57+ combo, and that thing sounded beastly, like a friggin' cannon.

For what OP wants, I don't think the 57 would be the first choice, but I do find the 57 to have a unique character.
 
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