Best Blues Neck Humbucker Poll

Best Blues Neck Humbucker Poll

  • Whole lotta (London pride)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Benedetto P.A.F (Jazz up that blues)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Antiquity (Take me back to the past)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Antiquity Jazz (Mellowed best seller)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    21
  • Poll closed .
Re: Best Blues Neck Humbucker Poll

For my blues playing, I prefer the Phat Cat. Can handle super cleans and up to medium drive (didn't take high gain too well, IMO.) I found it to respond the best with UOA5 Magnets.
 
Re: Best Blues Neck Humbucker Poll

I like the Alnico II Pro, and I rarely use gain with it. I just dig warmer sounds. I could easily use a Seth, though. Or many other PAF-level output pickups with some EQ adjustments at the amp end.
 
Re: Best Blues Neck Humbucker Poll

The Phat Cat is not a humbucker.

Still... I much prefer the Phat Cat to the Jazz and the '59N. More raunch and attitude. I think, overall, I don't like Alnico 5 neck pickups.
 
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Re: Best Blues Neck Humbucker Poll

The Phat Cat is not a humbucker.

Still... I much prefer the Phat Cat to the Jazz and the '59N. More raunch and attitude. I think, overall, I don't like Alnico 5 neck pickups.

True but they are Humbucker sized, so they work in an "HH" ;)

And I agree, definitely prefer the Phat Cat to the Jazz and '59n.
 
Re: Best Blues Neck Humbucker Poll

Re: Phat Cat/P-90...

I'll take the more versatile and hum-cancelling DiMarzio Bluesbucker.

Runner up: PG
 
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Re: Best Blues Neck Humbucker Poll

Ive always been partial to the Alnico II magnets in both single & humbuckers. I have a pair of Alnico II Slash pickups in my Les Paul, a couple of sets of 57 Classics in a 335 & 359. I just feel for blues they are warm & articulate. Great overall pickups
 
Re: Best Blues Neck Humbucker Poll

Years ago I would have said APH or PG.... but fast forward 10 years and I like the sound of a Seth Lover with a few miles on it. Something is just right about it. Not all the way to Antiquity land, but not brand spankin' new either.
 
Re: Best Blues Neck Humbucker Poll

I couldn't decide between Phat Cat, Seth or Ant so I put em all in! Seth/Ant hybrid in the neck and PC in the middle. The PC really shines in the middle it has its fat and juicy character but it bites.
 
Re: Best Blues Neck Humbucker Poll

That makes me want to try a Bluesbucker in the middle position of my next HHH build.
 
Re: Best Blues Neck Humbucker Poll

The best neck humbucker for blues has an inductance of two and five henries. Go much higher and you're going to get mud, go any lower and glass will shatter. Of course, that range fits a handful of models from various pickup makers.
 
Re: Best Blues Neck Humbucker Poll

Some of the best within the Duncan line might not be so well known or popular. For blues, the Skinnerburst neck is pretty excellent. Also, the Custom Shop 35th Anniversary Jazz or Concept Set neck are difficult to surpass. (Not the Antiquity, but I mean the fully-charged period-correct remakes of the early Jazz necks.)
 
Re: Best Blues Neck Humbucker Poll

The Phat Cat is not a humbucker.

Pearly Gates gets my vote. I've never been happier with a neck pickup.
 
Re: Best Blues Neck Humbucker Poll

Just something about a great P-90... especially in the neck!



+1. More clarity & articulation in the neck slot than most HB's. Phat Cats don't sound like P-90's, the A2 magnets sound very different than the A5's Gibson and most other PU makers use. I think a lot of people buying Phat Cats think they're going to get Gibson P-90 tones, and they don't. I was very disappointed in the stock A2's, the neck was loud and dark, overpowered the bridge, and the bridge was 'weak and puny' (to quote Zhang). He solved it by taking 1,000 turns off the neck. I solved it by taking out the A2's and putting in more appropriate magnets, an A8/A4 in the bridge for more output and mids, and an A5/A4 in the neck for more treble. Or A5's all around make them sound like P-90's.

If you want a P-90 sound and don't want to change magnets, GFS Mean 90's are a great choice.
 
Re: Best Blues Neck Humbucker Poll

Thing about the Phat Cat neck is that it seems to work well with bridge PAF-y humbuckers, IMO. It would seem to me almost as if the bridge version of the Phat Cat was an afterthought.

I've been curious about trying A3 mags (as opposed to A5 to avoid boominess) in my neck Phat Cat I have paired with a '59B. I love it the way it is right now, but I'm still curious if I can get it a bit more raunchy. I HATE chirpy neck pickups, though.
 
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