ANother New Guitar. . . P/U choices

Brett Valentine

Brett Valentine

New member
Okay, I know it's a sickness, but I just purchased another Hamer (used amber SATF with case) on ebay and am looking for different pickup ideas. Looking for brighter and a bit less smooth than the other (which is an absolute winner).

The first has a Jazz(n)/Pearly Gates(b) combination, how would a PhatCat(n)/StagMag(b) combo work, or would I fare better with a pair of Phat Cats?

I haven't even begun to think about how I might wire this one. . .

Brett

Maybe a Stag Mag in the neck and. . .?
 
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Re: ANother New Guitar. . . P/U choices

cool !

enjoy the new guitar!

i bet a set of phat cats would be really enjoyable in that guitar

looking at your 'tone arsenal' as listed in your sig, i wonder if a 59n / C5b would be something that rounds out your weaponry ... depending on your needs, a set of beefy alnico 5 based pickups could fill a nice niche for ya

good luck
t4d
 
Re: ANother New Guitar. . . P/U choices

Thanks, I was considering just trying the '59 or a set, but was wondering about the Phat Cats. Saw the end of Soundstage with Robert Plant, and one of the guitarists had an old trapeeze Goldtop with P 90's and the tone he was getting with his fingers was brutal. . .

Actually, an A5 'bucker based guitar might be a good change. How good is the C5 for "touch?" Would a '59(b) have better dynamics?
 
Re: ANother New Guitar. . . P/U choices

Here's a pic
f7e8_1.JPG
 
Re: ANother New Guitar. . . P/U choices

well, to me, the C5 in the bridge has been just like the 59, only 'moreso', yunno? .. just beefier .. i do not see it as 'scooped' as so many describe it ...
as for 'touch' i dunno how to answer quite ... i mean, the pick harmonics jump off of it ... so in that way , yes ... but it is a bit compressed (not terribly, but some), so in that way maybe not as much .. then again, it sustains a LOT, so in that way yes ...

good luck
t4d
 
Re: ANother New Guitar. . . P/U choices

These days, I like the less compressed, more open and dynamic pickups. I play both pick and fingers. Amp turned up and a light touch and the rest from a bunch of pedals (Jettergear Gainstage, Catalinbread Silver Kiss, Xotic BB Preamp, MI Audio Tube Zone), and a bunch of styles (blues, fusion, jazz, rock, progressive, roots, phunque, country, P&W, etc).

My thinking? Would the A5 'buckers be enough of a change as compared to the Phat Cats? The Brian Moore and SATQ all both have coil splitting with access to all 4 coils, etc.

Brett
 
Re: ANother New Guitar. . . P/U choices

I also checked your sig. I'd say go for a PhatCat set. I think you'd love it.

B ;)
 
Re: ANother New Guitar. . . P/U choices

i havent ever played a stag mag so i cant comment ...

the phat cats really would sound pretty darn cool ... i have never failed to be blown away by a guitar with phat cats in it

t4d
 
Re: ANother New Guitar. . . P/U choices

Right now, I'm leaning towardsthe Phat Cat's with that Torres tone control/Mid control along with the modded TBX (I've got that combination in 2 guitars already, and it gives a lot of options). Also, the inductor coil for the mid control reduces hum as it thickens the mids.

Have to figure out pot and cap values. . .

Brett
 
Re: ANother New Guitar. . . P/U choices

I am using 500K (CTS, audio) pots with .033uf caps both for the bridge and neck positions.

B :)
 
Re: Another New Guitar. . . P/U choices

Re: Another New Guitar. . . P/U choices

dr.barlo: That's the conclusion I came up with as well. Thanks for the confirmation. I'm also going to add a smaller cap (.0068µF or .015µF) to a dpdt volume control (500k).

Artie: I've definitely got "smooth" covered. I think I need to add a little more edge to my mojo:cool2:

Okay, here's the wiring diagram I came up with. The Torres Tone-Mid/modded TBX is now my favorite combination, so that's in, and the choice of caps is something I've been working with on a few other guitars, so I get options and keep the guitar looking stock.
hamersatfwiringdiagramec4.jpg


I'm not picking up the Phat Cats till September, so I'm going to wire up the controls with the Duncan Design p/u's to hear what I can bring out of them.
 
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Re: ANother New Guitar. . . P/U choices

Here's an updated diagram. I added a phase reversal switch for the bridge p/u, and a bass roll off selector toggle for 3 levels of bass roll off for the TBX (when Wiring the on/on/on switch, I wired the leads from the TBX to the middle lugs of the switch. . . I'm pretty sure that will work).

Was told on another board that the diagram was not cohesive (or even useful), which is a possibility. I'll try to clear it up:

All the green-blues are ground (to be wired to a common bare wire that starts at the ground wire from the bridge and ends at the "sleeve" lead of the jack.

The yellow is the direct signal path from the pickup selector to the "tip" lead of the jack.

The reason for showing the jack twice is to keep from having long yellow lines going around the edge of the picture.

hamersatfwiringdiagram2lm5.jpg


Here's the wiring harness so far (waiting on the guitar, the 2 tone caps and theTorres Mid/Tone control.
partialharnessjr3.jpg




Brett
 
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Re: ANother New Guitar. . . P/U choices

Okay, the guitar arrived and is all wired up (but for the pickups which are on order).

Even with the Duncan Designed pickups, I was able to get some top end air out of the pickups, although they were nowhere as lively or articulate as the Pearly Gates(b)/Jazz(n)-Alnico2 Pro(n). If, theoretically, I were ever to install the Duncan Designed p/u's in another guitar, I would definitely add an 0.0047µF bass cut switch to clear out the mud a bit.

One important thing I should have figured out beforehand is that reversing the phase of a covered pickup is going to make the 60c.p.s. hum LOUDER when your hand touches the metal cover. When I replace the pickups, I'll put the phase switch on the neck p/u.

The .033µF(V-Cap)/0.0068µF(Orange Drop) tone cap combination and am happy with the range I get. The 0.0022µF/0.0033µF/0.0047µF bass roll off cap combination is a little bit too subtle and would work just as well with the 0.0022/0.0047 which would also make things a little less "fiddly."

Brett
 
Re: ANother New Guitar. . . P/U choices

Cool.

Never tried this bass rolloff wiring. Should I? That is would you recommend it?

B
 
Re: ANother New Guitar. . . P/U choices

Well, in the RI Fender Bass VI, that bass cut switch works great (I'm still trying to find the brand of cap they use.

With the TBX control, the roll off happens in a very short range (most of it happening between 5 and 6 on the knob). It does cut the bass. I've installed a stacked concentric pot version on my DC135 (1 MEG/500K pot) and the result is pretty subtle, but it's nice to be able to cut the bass and the top end at the same time. I'm still experimenting with pot and cap values as cutting both treble and bass with, say, a 0.047µF/0.001µF combination (respectively) can just bring the over all level down too low.

In general, I actually like it, and having multiple value caps to choose from is a nice option. It really comes into its own for me with the mid control. Being able to cut the bass and boost the mids gives a warm and thick tone with absolutely no mud; great on the neck pickup, but depending on the the wood and the bridge pickup, it can over emphasize the mids (PG).

Cutting the bass and the mids gives a bit more air to the top end in humbucker, and can make a split humbucker sound a bit more Fender-like, but at lower levels.

So, for me, it's the combination of the modded TBX and the Torres MID/Tone Switch, or the combination of the Stacked Concentric pot and Andy Rothstein Mid control that makes it worth while.

It works, but by itself, it can be subtle, but it seems like you can tailor it a bit for your situation.
 
Re: ANother New Guitar. . . P/U choices

Thanks, appreciate the info.

I will be rewiring my strat, and am intending to try it. :cool2:

B
 
Re: ANother New Guitar. . . P/U choices

Nice work Brett . . . again. ;)

I'd love to hear that thang.

Btw, I just did the dual-cap thing on one of my guitars. I select between .033uf and .001uf. Its amazing how effective, tonally, this simple mod is. I'm going to add it to more guitars.
 
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