best medium output humbucker

K

Kel

New member
Hi all. First post here. I'm hoping the experts here can help me narrow down my search.

I'm looking for a medium output humbucker in the 9-12K DC resistance range. I want a fat PAF-ish type tone, very full, but tight in the bass, meaty in the highs, and slightly boosted. I'm fairly certain I want an Alnico V magnet for the quicker attack. I like classic 70's rhythm tones like Van Halen, Aerosmith, and AC/DC, but again very slightly hotter. I know that I don't like high output pickups - the tone sounds too compressed to my ears. Slash from GNR and EVH are benchmarks for lead tones.

I plan to install the pickup in the bridge position a 1992 Paul Reed Smith CE24. It has an alder body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, PRS (vintage-type) 6 screw tremolo resting against the body. My amp is a 70's Marshall Super Lead: non-master volume medium gain tones. I do sometimes use an overdrive to push it over the top.

Some pickups that catch my eye include the Duncan Screamin' Demon or Blues Trembucker, Dimarzio Fred or Air Norton, and the Rio Grande BBQ or Genuine Texas. Any opinions on which would work best for my application? Or other suggestions?

Thanks for the help.
 
Re: best medium output humbucker

i'd say probably the demon, it sounds like what you'd want. PAF with slightly more output
 
Re: best medium output humbucker

Go with the Blues Trembucker. It's my favorite Duncan bridge pickup, it has a fairly even EQ...good bass response that's tight and full without being overbearing, mids that are slightly boosted compared to most A5 pickups, and plenty of treble to cut through without being harsh or too bright. The Rio BBQ is nice as well, but it doesn't have the boosted highs you're looking for, and it can sound too dark in certain setups. The Blues will nail all of the tones you mentioned above, maybe with the exception of Slash's lead tone, but an Alnico II Pro in the neck would take care of that.

Ryan
 
Re: best medium output humbucker

Blues Trembucker. Like rsptst14, it has good treble, but it's not remotely harsh -- kinda smooth. But harmonics fly off of the pickup left and right! It's strange, because in some ways it has less highs than the 59 (and more mids), but has more harmonics. It a great pickup, and I'm surprised more people don't use it.
 
Re: best medium output humbucker

i tend to agree that its the look that scares people off, but it is a killer pup!!!
 
Re: best medium output humbucker

I think that if guitar players want a vintage/PAFish tone, they also want a traditional look of the pickups.
 
Re: best medium output humbucker

My fave in the 9K range is the 59B and for something a little hotter the Demon. Never tried the Blues...I don't like the look of it! Silly me....it's probably a great humbucker if Jeremy and the rest of you all think so highly of it. Lew
 
Re: best medium output humbucker

If you don't mind spending a little extra cash, MJ at the custom shop can rewind any standard polepiece pickup to Blues Trembucker specs for $75. I asked her about it a while back, she said no problem.

Ryan
 
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