Best Pick up for EVH tone?
- Thread starter 80sFan
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jmh151
Active member
Re: Best Pick up for EVH tone?
Some say the Custom Custom, I've heard some say the '59 even or even Custom, or Custom 5.
Most of it has to do with the amp. I have an Ernie Ball Axis, the guitar that EVH designed, along with its pickups, and though I can come close to his tone, I can't quite nail the tone of VH1. The F.U.C.K tone I can, but not much else.
Some say the Custom Custom, I've heard some say the '59 even or even Custom, or Custom 5.
Most of it has to do with the amp. I have an Ernie Ball Axis, the guitar that EVH designed, along with its pickups, and though I can come close to his tone, I can't quite nail the tone of VH1. The F.U.C.K tone I can, but not much else.
Luke Duke
PRSlustologist
Re: Best Pick up for EVH tone?
Any A2 PAF will get you close. The A2P has a smooth response and can cop VH sounds fairly well. The 78 (EVH) I haven't had experience, but it is supposed to be very very punchy, and slightly hotter than the other PAFs.
The CC is more of the early Sammy era. It has tons of mids and round lows with smooth highs.
Luke
Any A2 PAF will get you close. The A2P has a smooth response and can cop VH sounds fairly well. The 78 (EVH) I haven't had experience, but it is supposed to be very very punchy, and slightly hotter than the other PAFs.
The CC is more of the early Sammy era. It has tons of mids and round lows with smooth highs.
Luke
AdmiralB
New member
Re: Best Pick up for EVH tone?
I had a '78. I found it VERY VERY similar to the Blues Saraceno; the Blues had a little more top-end bite and a little tighter bottom. I thought the Blues sounded better (and more like early VH), so I sold the '78.
In any case the Blues is a lot closer than the Custom Custom.
I had a '78. I found it VERY VERY similar to the Blues Saraceno; the Blues had a little more top-end bite and a little tighter bottom. I thought the Blues sounded better (and more like early VH), so I sold the '78.
In any case the Blues is a lot closer than the Custom Custom.
dr.barlo
New member
Re: Best Pick up for EVH tone?
A hot 59b or PG+; CC in the right guitar (possibly with an a3 magnet); and an antiquity with a full strength alnico (2-5, depending on the particular guitar to be used in) magnet.
B
PS. Don't forget the hybrids, many cool folks here love them for the EVH tone.
A hot 59b or PG+; CC in the right guitar (possibly with an a3 magnet); and an antiquity with a full strength alnico (2-5, depending on the particular guitar to be used in) magnet.
B
PS. Don't forget the hybrids, many cool folks here love them for the EVH tone.
MattPete
New member
Re: Best Pick up for EVH tone?
The Blues sounded great, but it had a bit of a honk that doesn't sound right for VH.
The CC has the midrange bump in the right place, but it's a bit too much midrange. A 59 does "Hot for Teacher" extremely well, but it's all wrong for earlier material. I thought a 59 with an A2 magnet sounded pretty close.
The Blues sounded great, but it had a bit of a honk that doesn't sound right for VH.
The CC has the midrange bump in the right place, but it's a bit too much midrange. A 59 does "Hot for Teacher" extremely well, but it's all wrong for earlier material. I thought a 59 with an A2 magnet sounded pretty close.
BachToRock
New member
Re: Best Pick up for EVH tone?
I say hands down the 59/Custom Hybrid as it has the nice clarity and response of the 59 with that little extra oomph of the Custom coil without getting compressed or honky midrange sounding like the Custom Custom.
A stock PAF or even one with an Alnico 2 magnet is just not strong enough sounding to really nail the early tone.
I say hands down the 59/Custom Hybrid as it has the nice clarity and response of the 59 with that little extra oomph of the Custom coil without getting compressed or honky midrange sounding like the Custom Custom.
A stock PAF or even one with an Alnico 2 magnet is just not strong enough sounding to really nail the early tone.
Lee_M.
Brockburst Toneologist
Re: Best Pick up for EVH tone?
Having read 10,000 posts on this topic over the last 4 years or so, if I were trying to cop the VH tone, I'd go with a '59/Custom hybrid, first. I don't have first hand experience with the pickup, but there is an archived thread that is 10 pages long discussing this topic and pickup. As such, there are tons of members on this Forum that want that tone and many have concluded that without the Variac/Plexi combo, the hybrid helps you get a smidge closer with a regular setup. The extra "oomph" from the Custom coil is apparently very nice.
Having read 10,000 posts on this topic over the last 4 years or so, if I were trying to cop the VH tone, I'd go with a '59/Custom hybrid, first. I don't have first hand experience with the pickup, but there is an archived thread that is 10 pages long discussing this topic and pickup. As such, there are tons of members on this Forum that want that tone and many have concluded that without the Variac/Plexi combo, the hybrid helps you get a smidge closer with a regular setup. The extra "oomph" from the Custom coil is apparently very nice.
D
DeadSkinSlayer3
Guest
Re: Best Pick up for EVH tone?
Sorry to be rude, but the search function works marvelously.
Sorry to be rude, but the search function works marvelously.
AdmiralB
New member
Re: Best Pick up for EVH tone?
The EVH is mild in output, about like a '59B, but it's got less top end, a little looser bottom, and more prominent mids. Having said that, it sounds like it would be kinda mushy (I find the Custom Custom VERY mushy), but it's really amazingly articulate - magically so, for its tonal signature.
By comparison, the Blues is a little louder, a little 'bitier', and tighter. It's equally articulate, IMO, and I just find I liked it better. I was running the EVH with an A2 Pro neck pickup; I have a PATB-1n with an A2 magnet paired with the Blues.
I had the two in a pair of Hamer Diablos - alder-bodied boltneck superstrats. I'd not be able to tell the two pickups apart, had I not had the two guitars side-by-side - they are VERY similar. Don't let the magnet difference fool you.
Besides, how does anyone know what kind of magnet the VH guitar had anyway? You can't tell A2 from A5 from A3 without analysis - did Seymour chip off a piece of Eddie's pickup?
dr.barlo said:
The EVH is mild in output, about like a '59B, but it's got less top end, a little looser bottom, and more prominent mids. Having said that, it sounds like it would be kinda mushy (I find the Custom Custom VERY mushy), but it's really amazingly articulate - magically so, for its tonal signature.
By comparison, the Blues is a little louder, a little 'bitier', and tighter. It's equally articulate, IMO, and I just find I liked it better. I was running the EVH with an A2 Pro neck pickup; I have a PATB-1n with an A2 magnet paired with the Blues.
I had the two in a pair of Hamer Diablos - alder-bodied boltneck superstrats. I'd not be able to tell the two pickups apart, had I not had the two guitars side-by-side - they are VERY similar. Don't let the magnet difference fool you.
Besides, how does anyone know what kind of magnet the VH guitar had anyway? You can't tell A2 from A5 from A3 without analysis - did Seymour chip off a piece of Eddie's pickup?
rspst14
Tone Cat
Re: Best Pick up for EVH tone?
One thing to be careful with, those 1984 guitars are designed for direct mount pickups. Unless Music Yo has changed the design, the pickup is set extraordinarily low in the body, much lower than it should be. The stock pickup is high output, but the '78, Blues, and '59 aren't. You'll want to make sure to rig it so that the pickup sits at the proper height. Otherwise, any pickup is going to sound much worse than it should.
Ryan
One thing to be careful with, those 1984 guitars are designed for direct mount pickups. Unless Music Yo has changed the design, the pickup is set extraordinarily low in the body, much lower than it should be. The stock pickup is high output, but the '78, Blues, and '59 aren't. You'll want to make sure to rig it so that the pickup sits at the proper height. Otherwise, any pickup is going to sound much worse than it should.
Ryan
Gearjoneser
Gear Ho
Re: Best Pick up for EVH tone?
(Trying to refrain from yawning) I feel like I've nailed that tone with about 6 different Duncan pickups, mostly because it's 40% Amp, 50% chops, 5% guitar, and 5% pickup.
If you don't have a badass sounding Marshall and a certain amount of Ed's musical mind, it's useless.
(Trying to refrain from yawning) I feel like I've nailed that tone with about 6 different Duncan pickups, mostly because it's 40% Amp, 50% chops, 5% guitar, and 5% pickup.
If you don't have a badass sounding Marshall and a certain amount of Ed's musical mind, it's useless.
80sFan
New member
Re: Best Pick up for EVH tone?
dont worrry i got all that covered . i just dont want to go pay for some pickup that cost 160$ when i could have a similar one for cheaper. I agree to sound like ed you have to play like ed. But the gear is definatly part of it. You think if eddie plugged into a mesa boogie with the gain on 10, and played eruption exactly how it was on the cd, would he sound like he did on the CD. no he wouldnt.
Gearjoneser said:
dont worrry i got all that covered . i just dont want to go pay for some pickup that cost 160$ when i could have a similar one for cheaper. I agree to sound like ed you have to play like ed. But the gear is definatly part of it. You think if eddie plugged into a mesa boogie with the gain on 10, and played eruption exactly how it was on the cd, would he sound like he did on the CD. no he wouldnt.