Best "Low Output" Pickups for High Gain

[JeffB]

Re: Best "Low Output" Pickups for High Gain

About the tarbacks, the combination of a lighter wind with a strong magnet is becoming more widely known and popular in recent years. Quite a few folks have posted that they've had good results hotrodding Duncan 59s with A8s and I saw at least one who put a ceramic in a 59B and loved it. As I remember, he called it a fire breathing monster. You might be able to approximate a tarback by trying a C8 in a Gibson humbucker, something like a 496T maybe? I bet a Duncan wind would sound better for this though. If the tarback ceramic mags were indeed of a discontinued type, I suspect it may have had more to do with size than formulation.

Calling LtKojak; he might know... Any info for us on tarbacks, Pepe?

My understanding is the magnet is key because a typical ceramic 8 or whatnot is far more brittle and thin and thus why they are paired with thin wire and high dcr.The indox 7 is what allows the tarback to sound so big ,punchy and clear with no harshness at those minimal resistances without sounding like a needle in your ear.

 

[DeathMetalRob]

Re: Best "Low Output" Pickups for High Gain

'78/'59 Hybrid, JB, Custom 5.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Best "Low Output" Pickups for High Gain

I'd never even heard of Indox 7 until now. Apparently Indox 5 was very similar to regular C5. I wonder if there's such a thing as C7...

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Best "Low Output" Pickups for High Gain

Any info for us on tarbacks, Pepe?

After only a very few experiences with tarbacks, let's say I'd prefer to *not* have anymore. Ever.

HTH,

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: Best "Low Output" Pickups for High Gain

After only a very few experiences with tarbacks, let's say I'd prefer to *not* have anymore. Ever.

HTH,

Boo, Hiss!
The one I had was so clear, balanced, and raw in a 335 into a crunchy amp, compared to several other guitars and pickups with the same amp.
I liked it but random other musicians loved it. I got most of my tone compliments while playing that guitar, and that included a guy with a real dot neck with the original pafs and a boutique amp.

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: Best "Low Output" Pickups for High Gain

About the tarbacks, the combination of a lighter wind with a strong magnet is becoming more widely known and popular in recent years. Quite a few folks have posted that they've had good results hotrodding Duncan 59s with A8s and I saw at least one who put a ceramic in a 59B and loved it. As I remember, he called it a fire breathing monster. You might be able to approximate a tarback by trying a C8 in a Gibson humbucker, something like a 496T maybe? I bet a Duncan wind would sound better for this though. If the tarback ceramic mags were indeed of a discontinued type, I suspect it may have had more to do with size than formulation.

Calling LtKojak; he might know... Any info for us on tarbacks, Pepe?

Just FYI, I finally got around to trying something sort of like this. I just put a roughcast A8 magnet into a 9k "paf" I had wound for me a couple years ago and dropped it into the bridge on a homemade semi-hollow and I do, indeed, like the sound. Next stop, C8 and see where that gets me.
Thanks for planting that seed in my brain, eclectricsynergy.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Best "Low Output" Pickups for High Gain

Just FYI, I finally got around to trying something sort of like this. I just put a roughcast A8 magnet into a 9k "paf" I had wound for me a couple years ago and dropped it into the bridge on a homemade semi-hollow and I do, indeed, like the sound. Next stop, C8 and see where that gets me.
Thanks for planting that seed in my brain, eclectricsynergy.

AlNiCo 8 is an actual alloy of Aluminium, Nickel, and Cobalt.... it what the hell is Ceramic 8? Is that even a thing??

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Best "Low Output" Pickups for High Gain

AlNiCo 8 is an actual alloy of Aluminium, Nickel, and Cobalt.... it what the hell is Ceramic 8? Is that even a thing??

Ceramic 8 is the only grade of ceramic we really use in guitar pickups, some companies such as Gibson use ceramic 5, but there is very little difference between the two. C5 is slightly weaker and it may be slightly brighter, but not enough to the point where I'm completely sure I wasn't just hearing it in my head.

 

[STLMTLHD79]

Re: Best "Low Output" Pickups for High Gain

Trying to avoid the usual "low vs. high" debate; it always seems to come up that someone feels low output pickups are "flabby" or "loose" under gain, while others claim good results and improved clarity from boosting with the amp/pedals. But it always seems that "low" and "high" are spoken of in general terms.

So which low output pickups are preferred for extreme levels of gain without falling apart? Which should be avoided?

I've been playing around with my Screamin' Demon lately; I guess that is a low pickup with a design mindful of gain. While the millivolt ratings and DC resistance of that pickup are not particularly high (I think only the Stag Mag, WLH and a few other have lower mV,) to me it doesn't necessarily feel "low output" in practice; it just seems to push a lot more high end signal relative to anything else, that gives a brassy but not middy sound, a fast attack, and keeps bass under control when you pile on the gain.

That is the cool thing about the Demon. It doesnt feel like a medium output pickup at all. Same goes with the blues saraceno PATB-3, which is very similar in terms of the way it responds.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Best "Low Output" Pickups for High Gain

The Seth Neck is my favorite "vintage" output Duncan humbucker, precisely because it holds together so well, but without feeling clattery or overly tight. I'd take it into a high gain setup before any other full-sized Duncan humbucker. Bringing in other brands, the DiMarzio EJ Custom gets the prize IMO. It's built to be a mini humbucker sound in a full-sized humbucker package. GREAT, WONDERFUL, OUTSTANDING pickup for clarity, while still generally sounding like a humbucker. My current Tele-Gib build project is getting a pair of these:

 

[Ascension]

Re: Best "Low Output" Pickups for High Gain

Best i have ever used was the old Dimarzio Virtual Hot PAF sadly now no longer produced. Just a wicked big round chewy pickup!

 

[dave74]

Re: Best "Low Output" Pickups for High Gain

I had a MoJoe in my full-hog/ebony Carvin dc125 for a short time. It was surprising to me how well it meshed with my various deathgain setups.
Overall I still prefer the stronger attack from many of the scorcher models but with some pedal-boost action I'd be fine with any of the Satch bridge models.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Best "Low Output" Pickups for High Gain

Low output for gain?

My faves are (in no particular order):

Screamin Demon
Pearly Gates +
S Deco V
Custom Shop Iommi 'bucker (the one with the rails)
PATB-3


They all have an open sound when clean, yet all tend to stay focused and are not super-splatty under pretty ridiculous gain.

 

[Artie]

Re: Best "Low Output" Pickups for High Gain

My current Tele-Gib build project is getting a pair of these:

Sweet. How were you going to configure those knobs?

Low output for gain? PATB-3

Glad someone mentioned those. And the PATB-1's. Way overlooked pups.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Best "Low Output" Pickups for High Gain

I dig the Jazz and 59.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Best "Low Output" Pickups for High Gain

I had a phase where I was like "yeah, I want low output pickups, my amps have enough gain". I really liked the DiMarzio PAF Pro and the Whole Lotta Humbucker.

I'm over those. With my playing style and my modern scoopy-sounding amps, once I tried the Black Winter and went back to the Distortion, they DESTROYED anything low-output in terms of focus, tightness, and agression while still retaining enough clarity and relative dynamic sensitivity for my taste.

IMO, high-output pickups are voiced in a way that still makes them desirable, even with high-gain amps. At least for me.

JMO.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Best "Low Output" Pickups for High Gain

Sweet. How were you going to configure those knobs?

The knobs are not set in stone yet. But as pictured, it would be a V/T/T setup.

The way I show it is really the look I want. But another thing I'm considering is no volume, just an on/off switch in one of the holes on the control plate. Then I would have stacked pots in the other two holes. Bottom knob bass contour, top knob treble rolloff – one for each pickup. That's *if* I can find the right stacked pots, with the right values and tapers for the bass contour control.

I could also go on/off switch (added in another location), T/T/master bass contour, while maintaining the pictured look on the knobs.

The switch is probably going to be that cool switch you sent me – the one that allows me to have a "virtual" middle humbucker in the middle position, by connecting one coil from one pickup in series with one coil from the other pickup. And the switch position is not set in stone either. I'm gonna feel out where I want the switch. It might be there, and it might be closer to the lower horn, or below the neck pickup.

 

[jimlp]

Re: Best "Low Output" Pickups for High Gain

Is the Super V not available at this point? Seems Lynch is marketing his own pickups these days?

I was told by the CS that they will wind a Super V if you want to order one, most likely with a different name though.