Best Pickup for A Very Pronounced Wah

T-HO

New member
I've been looking for a while to find the best pickup to make a wah really over power the mix. I know that single coils are what they are really made for but I am very deep into metal which calls for humbuckers. My question is what sounds best? Something with boosted mids, treble, bass? A PAF, Active or Passive? My guitar wood is mahogany with a standard bridge. The fretwood is rosewood but it doesn`t really matter because it`s a bolt on neck. All I want is a very strong wah sound. If you need any other info just ask.
Thanks!

P.S. I have the jh-1b wah which has a deeper sweep range than a standard crybaby or vox.
 
Re: Best Pickup for A Very Pronounced Wah

One of the most ridiculous (and I say that positively) wah tones I've heard is Steve Vai's. His Evolution pickups are almost insanely bright and mid-heavy but that seems to make the wah tone cut like a knife. I would imagine, at least for soloing, an Evo would kick butt for what you're looking for.
 
Re: Best Pickup for A Very Pronounced Wah

One of the most ridiculous (and I say that positively) wah tones I've heard is Steve Vai's. His Evolution pickups are almost insanely bright and mid-heavy but that seems to make the wah tone cut like a knife. I would imagine, at least for soloing, an Evo would kick butt for what you're looking for.

+1

Or a Tone Zone. It already has a wah-like tone.
 
Re: Best Pickup for A Very Pronounced Wah

Forget pickups, sell your wah, and then buy a Fulltone Clyde Deluxe.

It has 3 EQ sweeps, all good for different things. Shaft is best for chirpy funk riffs on the high strings. Jimi does the classic Vox sound. Whacked is shifted down and sounds good on wound string riffs....ala Cantrell.

Any pickup can sound good with a wah, but getting the right wah is your best bet.
 
Re: Best Pickup for A Very Pronounced Wah

Forget pickups, sell your wah, and then buy a Fulltone Clyde Deluxe.

It has 3 EQ sweeps, all good for different things. Shaft is best for chirpy funk riffs on the high strings. Jimi does the classic Vox sound. Whacked is shifted down and sounds good on wound string riffs....ala Cantrell.

Any pickup can sound good with a wah, but getting the right wah is your best bet.

I`ve modded mine so much that it could give me over 30 different sounds. 3 different inductors means lots of possibilities. I also should add that I`ve already bought a bridge pickup. the sh-5 duncan custom. I think I have it down to the sh-2, dimarzio liquifire, humbucker from hell and PAF Joe. which would have the best `wah tone` and still go well with the sh-5? I am also getting a triple shot for the neck to match the bridge.
thanks!
 
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Re: Best Pickup for A Very Pronounced Wah

The Evolution will cut through anything you throw at it and more...that thing is crazy
 
Re: Best Pickup for A Very Pronounced Wah

I would say its less a matter of matching your pups to the wah and more a matter of modding the wah or getting a differant model.
I have a RI Vox from mid 90's and a real 1960s Vox is a totaly differant animal with a way more vocal quality to it.Same with the older crybabys.
I allways try to get my sound with my amp,speakers guitar and pups.Then add in effects last,meaning choosing/modding the effects to give me the sound I want using my existing setup.But I am looking for more of a vintage southern rock type tone so maybe I'm just talking out my @ss.
 
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