Bad Pickup & Amp Combos

[Diego]

Re: Bad Pickup & Amp Combos

I'm always confused by this. I would think that the only people who need an absolutely pristine, completely undistorted clean sound would be those who are playing old school jazz. Or acoustic. Anyone else should be able to get a clean sound, even with the hottest of pickups. What does it matter if there is a little breakup, or that you have to roll back your volume a tad?

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I've found way better clean tones in my rig since I started using treble bleeds in my guitars. Doesn't matter if they're hot pickups or not. And I use a single channel amp, which should complicate things, but it doesn't.
I never use a perfectly clean tone for anything, but there's mushy clean-ish breakup tones, and then there's defined clean-ish breakup tones. I prefer the latter and despise the former with psychotic rage, which is why I've found having a bright rolled back tone life-saving, let alone very useful.

I have no idea why you wouldn't get a crystal clean tone out of a triple channel amp with huge headroom if you wanted that.
And before you quote me on my Invader bridge clean comment, I didn't mean it can't clean up. It's just that it sounds insanely bad at that. Which is why I love the Invader neck. Surprisingly good for cleans!

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Bad Pickup & Amp Combos

You know, you don't have to use all the amp's gain....

Even so, it's kinda hard (and awkward) to dial in the right amount of gain when, because of the pickup's output, the useable range of the gain knob only reaches up until like 7:30.

 

[barrybynum]

Re: Bad Pickup & Amp Combos

any brighter SC or Hmbkr into a Blues Junior is a danger to the human race. Took me by surprise and nearly took me out

 

[RockinProf]

Re: Bad Pickup & Amp Combos

Not to be harsh on anyone who has the amp or likes one, but anything into a H&K Tube Meister. Have one still in the pile... but this amp makes anything I've thrown at it harsh and lifeless. This includes singles, P90s and humbuckers of all flavours. An impulse buy I regret.

 

[SZjammin83]

Re: Bad Pickup & Amp Combos

In my experience, the Invader bridge with any amp with an inherent dark tone.

The Invader is so insanely thick and hot it needs a bright amp. I bet it slays through a 6505.

Also, don't even think of using it for cleans. Just don't.

You are absolutely correct in your assumption here! I have invader neck and bridge and I play through my 6505+ 120watt head and when I crank it up it sounds AMAZING! I also have my invaders each wired to their own push/pull volume pots for coil-split, and those tones are amazing as well. I was surprised at just how well the invaders work when split. I only did it because it was inexpensive experimenting while I was already gonna be in my guitar doing work anyway. It paid off TEN-FOLD! My ibanez SZ has become a versatile MONSTER along with my 6505+

 

[David Garner]

Re: Bad Pickup & Amp Combos

I don't personally like too-hot pickups through a clean-ish Fender amp. To me, lower winds work better. They don't have to be ridiculously low wind, but PAF humbuckers, 50s or 60s style Strat pickups, etc.

I never could get a good sound from my 498t into a Deluxe Reverb, one reason I moved on from it. For jazz and so forth it would be a great choice, but for the stuff I play I prefer a little more sparkle and depth to the tone instead of the "big, fat round" jazz clean tone.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Bad Pickup & Amp Combos

Example: Distortion and Fender Twin - Brutally strident ultra hi-fi sound that is harsh no matter what you do. Just a guess....

Excellent guess.

Distortion & Super Reverb = nasty ass ice pick city

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Bad Pickup & Amp Combos

I will also through in that it is very difficult to get a good tone that tries to boost frequencies that aren't already there. I much prefer the tone of an amp cutting frequencies that exist in excess.

 

[Hot Octopus]

Re: Bad Pickup & Amp Combos

Musicman axis pickups into a VHT CL100 pitbull

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Bad Pickup & Amp Combos

Tone Zone into an Orange rocker amp into a 4X12 with Tone Tubbies. Starring in the feature film "Dude, where's my treble?"

 

[OsvyRock]

Re: Bad Pickup & Amp Combos

Slash Alnico II Pro's into a Fender Amp is a no, no for heavily distorted tones!