Am I missing the boat? A word about stock pickups...

[Docrock]

***stands up****
***raises hand***
***clears throat***

"Hi, Im a crackhead and I like stock pickups"

Ok, before I knew what a pup change was I was completely happy with my sound...never really thought about it. Most of my songs I recorded are stock pups, quite possibly all of them. So I get that bug after a while and start changing pups...first one was a Screamin Demon....Honestly...I was a bit dissapointed at first. So after many years and a gazzilion different aftermatket pups...Im admitting I like stock ones better.
It may have to do with "cutting through" and Ive never spent enough time in a band situation to worry about that. Maybe thats where Im missing the boat.

A while back I got a epi LP custom and loved its tone....but hey, it can only get better right? Well after 59s, a CC, EMGS, 2 different super Ds, A Dimarzio Air zone, tone zone, PAF and PAF Pro..oh and a JB as well...I just put the stocks back in...what a wonderful sound....very full and easy on the ears...maybe a little muddy in distortion...but not bad to me.

So where am I missing the boat...if there is one?

 

[StrangeSound]

Re: Am I missing the boat? A word about stock pickups...

I can´t see any problems with that

I´m driving with stock pups too at the moment..I´ve ordered some new pups..gotta try out.

Imho pup stuff is a try and error thang...

Use what you like

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Am I missing the boat? A word about stock pickups...

If you don't need to replace pickups, that's less time, money and work before you can enjoy the guitar. I think for a lot of guitar players the goal is to find a guitar that they like, good neck, resonant unplugged, etc. Then if the pickups aren't to your liking you can change them fairly easily.

 

[ex-250]

Re: Am I missing the boat? A word about stock pickups...

i dont like the stock pickups in the majority of standard production guitars, but the weird thing is that ive changed out all the stock pickups in my guitars (or at least all the bridge pickups) except for my first guitar. my cheapest and lowest level guitar, one that came in a starter pack, is the only one im really happy with the stock pickups in. its weird, but i dig em. the neck pickup isnt the best, but i love that ltd bridge pickup. makes me wonder why the hell ESP puts crappy EMG-HZs in their low-mid level guitars when the ltd pickups sound so great. im guessing itd be cheaper for them to just use their own. oh well

 

[mnbaseball91]

Re: Am I missing the boat? A word about stock pickups...

To me, changing pickups doesn't upgrade your tone, it makes it more specific to one type of sound. The only reason to change is that you can chose something closer to what you like. It doesn't necessarily make it better.

 

[StrangeSound]

Re: Am I missing the boat? A word about stock pickups...

To me, changing pickups doesn't upgrade your tone, it makes it more specific to one type of sound. The only reason to change is that you can chose something closer to what you like. It doesn't necessarily make it better.

I agree. Only some nuances will make the difference but the main tone is still there.

 

[Naps]

Re: Am I missing the boat? A word about stock pickups...

for some it's about tone, and for others it can be like a hobby.

 

[HarrisonDavid]

Re: Am I missing the boat? A word about stock pickups...

I'll have to admit as well.......im missing my old 498T! I got to get me a set of duncans though. Distortion/Jazz Or Jb/Jazz. I don't know.

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Am I missing the boat? A word about stock pickups...

I'll have to admit as well.......im missing my old 498T! I got to get me a set of duncans though. Distortion/Jazz Or Jb/Jazz. I don't know.

In my LP custom the 498T with an A2 mag was perfect....for that guitar. It all depends on the guitar fellas.

My particular tone, and the attributes I want in a pup don't generally come in stock pups. If I got a 335, or something with 59s I'd probably pull them out for A2Ps. I've decided they are about the perfect pups for me.

Luke

 

[JammerMatt]

Re: Am I missing the boat? A word about stock pickups...

After a half-dozen pups, I'm back to the stock 500T in my Les Paul, and loving every minute of it. Not sure why I swapped out in the first place since I liked the tone to begin with.

That being said, the stock pickups on my Japanese Dinky HAD to go.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Am I missing the boat? A word about stock pickups...

Agreed....Most of my recent experience is with Gibson pups and I don't really see why so many folks rag on them. All of my recent guitars sound very nice...mini HBS, 489t/490 R, 500T/496R, BBPros (don't care for the tone of these in the general sense...but they are good pups). Heck even the epi pups in my LP std+ are not really that bad. General tone is excellent..similar to a 59, but lacking some clarity.

The pups in my McCarty could use more lower mids to beef them up for chording, but good lord do they sing on leads..prolly the best lead tone I've ever had.

The pups in my MIA strat were excellent too..very warm, stereotypical strat tones. I lept sayin I was gonna change 'em, gonna change 'em, and never did cos the guitar just plain sounded great.

Even the EMG HZ ceramic pups in my Jackson aren't that bed. A bit steril for cleans...and can get a bit buzzy on the top end for distorted chords, but they sound great for leads...they cut nice while still sounding very musical..sing quite well. CLarity is excellent.

 

[big_black]

Re: Am I missing the boat? A word about stock pickups...

I think I'm just spoiled with a drawer full of Duncans!

 

[James Rock]

Re: Am I missing the boat? A word about stock pickups...

I reckon it matters on if u like the stock pickups or not. On some guitars stock pickups might be really good ones.
I reckon one reason for change would be that u have a cheap but well built guitar and the only parts they cheaped out on was electronics and if u want a different sound than of course a pickup change could help

 

[Xeromus]

Re: Am I missing the boat? A word about stock pickups...

I only change them if I find the stock pickups lacking. Which I usually do on stock pickups. However, every time I've owned a gibson guitar I never found the need to change them, I liked them just fine.

 

[tfb1990]

Re: Am I missing the boat? A word about stock pickups...

its all about what you like, and if other people like it too, then thats a bonus

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Am I missing the boat? A word about stock pickups...

My Charvel is (and shall remain) stock. Jackson knew how to wind pickups back in the day.

 

[marvar]

Re: Am I missing the boat? A word about stock pickups...

I prefer Gibson pickups in my Gibsons. 498T in the bridge.
In my cheap Fender 51 I put an SD lil 59 for strat in the neck position,(I use this guitar for my Keith Richards tuning) Funny, a pup that costs half the price of the guitar! but I only use it for 3 songs. 5-string open G tuning.