Ash PAF?

[Hot Octopus]

I’ve got a Firefly Mr. Scary/ Bones guitar: Swamp ash body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, single humbucker, Floyd Rose. I’m looking to upgrade the pickup to something I haven’t tried before.

In an ash guitar, I typically like a lower-output pickup as I use a TON of gain. I’m trying to find the clarity of a PAF and probably something in the low to medium output range. The less compressed sounding, the better. Snarly and Aggressive. Equally good for riffs and leads.

I’ve thought of the Duncan SNS, SD Pegasus, SD PB, Dimarzio Fred. Which of these gets me the tone I’m seeking? Got any other recommendations? Peace ~

 

[Mincer]

I'd look into the Pearly Gates set, or a Jazz set. Both are clear, and not compressed at all. They will both sound fantastic with a lot of gain.

 

[ToneFiddler]

this post screams demon SH-12

 

[jeremy]

jazz or demon would suit the bill

 

[beaubrummels]

My first thought was Screamin Demon. Alternates I might consider are like a Slash set, Jazz set, or Whole Lotta Humbucker set. After that, there are odd sets that will fit the bill, like a 59n in the bridge and Jazz neck. Sometimes you just have to try various pickups. After that, it's time to hit the Custom Shop maybe.

 

[Hot Octopus]

While playing the guitar last night, I lowered the stock pickup and it helped a little. I think I’m also looking for a very tight-sounding pickup.

 

[Hot Octopus]

this post screams demon SH-12

I’ve thought about it. I had one about 20 years ago in an Alder bodied Dean and it was a weird. A better name would be “the Chirping Bird”. It had a TON of top end presence. Is it going to be any better in Ash?

fwiw, ash has been the one wood I’ve never gotten along with. The way I hear it, ash sounds too loose and I need a tight, low-ish gain pickup to get rid of the muddy sound I hear.

In ash guitars, the only pickup I’ve liked, has been the TB-6. Pup’s I haven’t liked in ash are: TZ, Super D, PAF Pro, JB

i’ll listen to pickup demos and hear something like the Pearly Gates which my ear likes. But because it’s not super-tight, I start thinking it’ll still sound muddy in ash. Am I wrong?

 

[Seashore]

I would think about it in terms of the specific guitar rather than generalizing about the wood. Both of my ash guitars are bright and lacking in girth, so they do well with beefy pickups. Invader, BKP C-Warpig, and 500T have done well. Obviously those are ceramic gain machines and you don't want that - but thinner sounding pickups in those guitars have sounded too thin.

As far as snarly and agressive with clarity, my fave pickup in the right guitar is a BKP Cold Sweat. It's a cure for mud. I have it on a blower and it's perfect in my dark-sounding Explorer. Also the Rebel Yell. Loads of dynamics and definition, maybe hotter than what you were thinking about but they have very good string separation with high gain.

 

[jeremy]

the tb6 isnt overly bright and is not low output at all

i like the pgb in ash, but i like ash overall and dont play metal. i dont love the demon, but its bright and fairly tight, with medium low output which suits your ask. it is kinda chirpy.

i think the jazz bridge is a more balanced pup and would suit your needs well

 

[Artie]

A Perpetual Burn would be sweet in there. It can do clean, and high gain when pushed.

 

[jeremy]

ive not tried a perpetual burn, but ive heard good things

 

[misterwhizzy]

this post screams demon SH-12

This is the correct answer.

 

[ToneFiddler]

i have no ash guitar that is the same. i have a heavy one (still swamp ash) that needs a beefier PU.
Also have a very light one that seems to be more in line what you have. fat and loose on it's own.
It's a tele so i never tried a demon in it, but the demon is tight (ok there are tighter ones out there).
if you play high gain and your amp is up for it, i think it's a good fit.
if you would be more into classic rock gain, i would go the PG/Jazz route. for this the demon is a bit too stiff/anemic for my liking.
But if you use lots of gain, like you say, i think this is the PU. i also used the Pegasus and SH7/SH6n. i like the demon better, but they are also good at what you describe.