Beefier PAF
- Thread starter fourdogslong
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fourdogslong
New member
Re: Beefier PAF
What does the ceramic magnet do to the tone of the 59?
I only tried a 59 in the neck of a basswood guitar but that's a start.
What does the ceramic magnet do to the tone of the 59?
I only tried a 59 in the neck of a basswood guitar but that's a start.
fourdogslong
New member
Re: Beefier PAF
I searched for clips on youtube of the 78 and the brobucker.
Everybody that has a 78 seem to play "high gain" Van Halen stuff so it's hard to judge if it's good for me but I agree that is seems to sound good.
I could only find one clip of the brobucker but the quality of the video wasn't great and it was also played with lots of gain. Hard to compare the two...
I searched for clips on youtube of the 78 and the brobucker.
Everybody that has a 78 seem to play "high gain" Van Halen stuff so it's hard to judge if it's good for me but I agree that is seems to sound good.
I could only find one clip of the brobucker but the quality of the video wasn't great and it was also played with lots of gain. Hard to compare the two...
IanBallard
New member
Re: Beefier PAF
There is a reason for that. The "78 Model" which used to be called the "EVH or Evenly Voiced Harmonics (haha!)" is a pickup Seymour wound for Eddie in 1978 or so. Obviously the "I want to sound like EVH 30 years ago" crowd eats it up and that's pretty much what you're going to hear. I want to buy one, just to play some super clean country licks on it, just to be weird. I too am curious how good the cleans are, but there aren't any good clip showing it as such.
There is a reason for that. The "78 Model" which used to be called the "EVH or Evenly Voiced Harmonics (haha!)" is a pickup Seymour wound for Eddie in 1978 or so. Obviously the "I want to sound like EVH 30 years ago" crowd eats it up and that's pretty much what you're going to hear. I want to buy one, just to play some super clean country licks on it, just to be weird. I too am curious how good the cleans are, but there aren't any good clip showing it as such.
Diego
New member
Re: Beefier PAF
Duncan Screamin' Demon.
Based on a PAF, with more oomph and meat but still as clear as a bell, and the output's around 10k.
Ignore the name. It's actually a pretty tame, balanced pickup.
Check Seymour's own description:
Application
Moderate output, P.A.F.-style with added "growl." Great for classic rock, jazz-rock fusion, heavy rock and aggressive instrumental rock.
Description
This pickup was designed in the Custom Shop for guitar legend George Lynch. It has the big open sound of our '59 Model with a little less bite and a little more growl. The tone is big, percussive with a defined treble response that doesn't get harsh. It uses one row of allen screws and one row of standard slotted screws for a unique "airy" sound. Comes with four-conductor hookup cable.
See?
The Dimarzio Breed somebody suggested has a perfect voicing but it's a hot pup, close to the JB actually.
I have no experience with the A2Pro, but it makes a lot of sense too.
Duncan Screamin' Demon.
Based on a PAF, with more oomph and meat but still as clear as a bell, and the output's around 10k.
Ignore the name. It's actually a pretty tame, balanced pickup.
Check Seymour's own description:
Application
Moderate output, P.A.F.-style with added "growl." Great for classic rock, jazz-rock fusion, heavy rock and aggressive instrumental rock.
Description
This pickup was designed in the Custom Shop for guitar legend George Lynch. It has the big open sound of our '59 Model with a little less bite and a little more growl. The tone is big, percussive with a defined treble response that doesn't get harsh. It uses one row of allen screws and one row of standard slotted screws for a unique "airy" sound. Comes with four-conductor hookup cable.
See?
The Dimarzio Breed somebody suggested has a perfect voicing but it's a hot pup, close to the JB actually.
I have no experience with the A2Pro, but it makes a lot of sense too.
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fourdogslong
New member
Re: Beefier PAF
Isn't 10K hot already? Is it really the only way to get more balls out of a humbucker?
Isn't 10K hot already? Is it really the only way to get more balls out of a humbucker?
fourdogslong
New member
Diego
New member
Re: Beefier PAF
Actually, the perceived hotness in my experience also has a lot to do with the EQ curve of the pickup. For instance, the JB feels really hot not only because of it's output, but because it's got a big bump in the mids that hits the input harder.
The Demon has a very neutral EQ curve, so it's not actually that hot. A '59 bridge for instance is 8.1k, so it's just a 20% increase in DC resistance next to the Demon. 10k is moderate, not low but far from high.
The JB for instance, which isn't the hottest humbucker out there, has a 16k resistance. That's a large difference.
If you really want to keep the output at low levels, then forget about the Demon and go for a Alnico II Pro pickup.
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/humbucker/vintage/aph1_alnico_ii/
It has a low output comparable to the '59, but the Alnico II magnet will give it a warmer, thicker sound, without driving your amps and pedals any harder.
Actually, the perceived hotness in my experience also has a lot to do with the EQ curve of the pickup. For instance, the JB feels really hot not only because of it's output, but because it's got a big bump in the mids that hits the input harder.
The Demon has a very neutral EQ curve, so it's not actually that hot. A '59 bridge for instance is 8.1k, so it's just a 20% increase in DC resistance next to the Demon. 10k is moderate, not low but far from high.
The JB for instance, which isn't the hottest humbucker out there, has a 16k resistance. That's a large difference.
If you really want to keep the output at low levels, then forget about the Demon and go for a Alnico II Pro pickup.
http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/electric/humbucker/vintage/aph1_alnico_ii/
It has a low output comparable to the '59, but the Alnico II magnet will give it a warmer, thicker sound, without driving your amps and pedals any harder.
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fourdogslong
New member
Re: Beefier PAF
Thanks for the info, I'll check that out.
I might as well just buy a used 59B as a starting point and see what I want from there since it seems like people here could help me better with that starting point.
Right now, it is kindda hard to tell what I want/need...
Thanks for the info, I'll check that out.
I might as well just buy a used 59B as a starting point and see what I want from there since it seems like people here could help me better with that starting point.
Right now, it is kindda hard to tell what I want/need...
W
WGTP
Guest
Re: Beefier PAF
There was a recent post about using the Demon with a 250K pot. Might be just the thing you want if it has too much treble with a 500K pot.
There was a recent post about using the Demon with a 250K pot. Might be just the thing you want if it has too much treble with a 500K pot.
fourdogslong
New member
Re: Beefier PAF
I rather stay with a classic looking humbucker, the allen screw on the demon would make it look wrong on my guitar I think... I know it just apparence but it's important for that guitar, eveything on it looks perfect to me up to now and I want the final result to be like I imagined it.
Back to a "basic" question, are normal PAF generally bright pickups?
I rather stay with a classic looking humbucker, the allen screw on the demon would make it look wrong on my guitar I think... I know it just apparence but it's important for that guitar, eveything on it looks perfect to me up to now and I want the final result to be like I imagined it.
Back to a "basic" question, are normal PAF generally bright pickups?
fourdogslong
New member
Re: Beefier PAF
There should have stores where we could rent pickups, that'd be awesome.
There should have stores where we could rent pickups, that'd be awesome.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Beefier PAF
There is. It's called eBay. Buy used PU's that interest you, and sell them if you don't like them, for what you paid for them. You only keep what you've tried and like.
There is. It's called eBay. Buy used PU's that interest you, and sell them if you don't like them, for what you paid for them. You only keep what you've tried and like.
fourdogslong
New member
Re: Beefier PAF
Yeah I might do that.
Anyway, thanks guys for the help. I'll keep working on my guitar to make it perfect before I buy any pickup, at that point I might ask some more questions but for now I've got some choices.
Thanks
Yeah I might do that.
Anyway, thanks guys for the help. I'll keep working on my guitar to make it perfect before I buy any pickup, at that point I might ask some more questions but for now I've got some choices.
Thanks
dvadneau
New member
Re: Beefier PAF
Dimarzio Breed neck in the bridge. I've got it in my LP and it's monstrous. My LP is a solid mahogany body with maple neck/fretboard. It doesn't have much in the way of lows, but the Breed neck brings the lows/low-mids, and is very PAF-sounding for a high gain pickup.
I had a JB in there and loved it, but wanted more PAF. I tried a 57 Classic Plus and the Breed reminded me of that except the emphasis is on the low/low-mids as opposed to the high-mids/highs. They both were musical and non-compressed. I tried a Seth bridge and it was just ok in comparison to the 57 Classic Plus - more liveliness from the 57.
I have a Seymourizer (Distortion neck) and the Seth sounded like it was voiced the same. The Seymourizer was slightly higher output and more compressed sounding, but the voicing was very similar.
I'm going to try the 57+ again, just because the Breed neck is so high output. It was about the same as the JB, but sounded bigger.
I'd also recommend the Custom Custom for you. That will give some beef while keeping some of the PAF-ish sound.
For the neck, if your guitar is on the bright side, I'd say go with an Alnico II Pro neck. It likes bright guitars, and it's such a dynamic-sounding pickup there.
Dimarzio Breed neck in the bridge. I've got it in my LP and it's monstrous. My LP is a solid mahogany body with maple neck/fretboard. It doesn't have much in the way of lows, but the Breed neck brings the lows/low-mids, and is very PAF-sounding for a high gain pickup.
I had a JB in there and loved it, but wanted more PAF. I tried a 57 Classic Plus and the Breed reminded me of that except the emphasis is on the low/low-mids as opposed to the high-mids/highs. They both were musical and non-compressed. I tried a Seth bridge and it was just ok in comparison to the 57 Classic Plus - more liveliness from the 57.
I have a Seymourizer (Distortion neck) and the Seth sounded like it was voiced the same. The Seymourizer was slightly higher output and more compressed sounding, but the voicing was very similar.
I'm going to try the 57+ again, just because the Breed neck is so high output. It was about the same as the JB, but sounded bigger.
I'd also recommend the Custom Custom for you. That will give some beef while keeping some of the PAF-ish sound.
For the neck, if your guitar is on the bright side, I'd say go with an Alnico II Pro neck. It likes bright guitars, and it's such a dynamic-sounding pickup there.
dvadneau
New member
Re: Beefier PAF
You lose out a little on shipping and ebay fees, but think of it like a small rental fee
Btw, if you want to keep the look of a traditional PAF throw on a cover. The Demon will look like a regular PAF then. Same goes for the other hex-head pickups (DiMarzios). Except with those just change out the one row of hex heads for fillister screws. Yes, they will change the sound slightly, but that's easy enough to test and revert.
Exactly. That's what I did. Although, I've been keeping way too many "just in case".
You lose out a little on shipping and ebay fees, but think of it like a small rental fee
Btw, if you want to keep the look of a traditional PAF throw on a cover. The Demon will look like a regular PAF then. Same goes for the other hex-head pickups (DiMarzios). Except with those just change out the one row of hex heads for fillister screws. Yes, they will change the sound slightly, but that's easy enough to test and revert.
dvadneau
New member
Re: Beefier PAF
Btw, my experience with the Screamin Demon suggests it's not very PAF-like. I've tried it in each of my guitars and, while very good and musical, lacks the open-ness of a PAF. I find it precise, for lack of a better term. I want a more open sound from a PAF, but maybe that's just me.
If you ever need a pickup that can handle gain and effects all day long the Demon is your pickup. The JB I found to be good for this, but the Demon is just amazing in that respect.
Btw, my experience with the Screamin Demon suggests it's not very PAF-like. I've tried it in each of my guitars and, while very good and musical, lacks the open-ness of a PAF. I find it precise, for lack of a better term. I want a more open sound from a PAF, but maybe that's just me.
If you ever need a pickup that can handle gain and effects all day long the Demon is your pickup. The JB I found to be good for this, but the Demon is just amazing in that respect.
Re: Beefier PAF
For me it was a real improvement in the midrange, Took less gain to really get the tones I wanted at the time, but it still cleaned up great when I rolled back the volume. It took the boom out and replaced it with oomph if you will......
For me it was a real improvement in the midrange, Took less gain to really get the tones I wanted at the time, but it still cleaned up great when I rolled back the volume. It took the boom out and replaced it with oomph if you will......
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Beefier PAF
What was your first clue...perhaps the name "Screamin' Demon" seemed odd for a low-output vintage PU?
What was your first clue...perhaps the name "Screamin' Demon" seemed odd for a low-output vintage PU?
