Bridge HB for swamp ash?

superpete

superpete

Well-known member
Hi everyone,

I recently got a swamp ash body and need a bridge humbucker for it. It is going to have a maple neck and a floyd rose. This combo makes me worried that it will be too bright without the right pickup.
I hate it when my tone is thin and too trebly. EB/MM Axis is a guitar whose tone I love, as it is bright, but never thin (to my ears). A Flying V with 500T i found to be very thin.
Anyway, I play rock/metal and use a Marshall TSL60. The Tone Wizard recommends a JB or a CC, but I don't think those are what I am looking for. I like the sounds of the Screamin Demon, but worry that will make the guitar too icepicky. The Blues Saraceno looks like an interesting choice too.
Any ideas? Thank you
 
Re: Bridge HB for swamp ash?

I would think an Alnico II Pro would be nice and warm to tame those highs, but I'm not sure if that's the style of pickup up your alley.
 
Re: Bridge HB for swamp ash?

If you take out the hex ploes in the Demon and replace them with flathead screws the shrill top end is taken away.
 
Re: Bridge HB for swamp ash?

Yeah, the A2 magnet seems to be what I need to tame the brightness, but it also is the mag least compatible with my style. All the clips I hear just sound too round and not aggressive enough. I think I need a 59/Custom hybrid I've been reading so much about!
 
Re: Bridge HB for swamp ash?

I've tried and A2 59 and a Blues Saraceno in my swamp ash strat, and I thought they sounded great. Out of curiosity, I made a Blues/59 A2 hybrid and fell in love with it. My next swamp ash strat is being built around it. I image a 78/EVH would be awfully similar.
 
Re: Bridge HB for swamp ash?

JB with 250k pots. My friend has a very similar set up to that (Dimarzio VV Blues in the neck/ JB in the bridge) in a swamp ash strat and it gets killer tones. Never shrill, but with plenty of cut and presence.
 
Re: Bridge HB for swamp ash?

SCREAMIN' DEMON would sound great, I think, not too brittle at all. The pickup was voiced to go into a maple guitar, after all. I have two maple guitars with Demons in 'em, and the Demon is by far my fave Duncan pup.

The Custom Custom sounds like crap, imo.
 
Re: Bridge HB for swamp ash?

Well, I guess it's down to the Demon, the Blues Saraceno, the Hybrid, and the 78. I guess in some ways I can't lose as I've heard good things about all of these.
 
Re: Bridge HB for swamp ash?

I have a swamp ash strat, maple neck/board, non floating floyd rose that I could not find a bridge hum that I liked. I tried the cc/59 hybrid and others. I just tried the screamin demon with the hex poles replaced with screws and put an a2 mag in it and its perfect for this guitar.
 
Re: Bridge HB for swamp ash?

Absolutely; Seymour Duncan Custom (SH-5)..

I have it... if you play heavy.. its the best taste of Duncan for heavy..
 
Re: Bridge HB for swamp ash?

Farmer Ted said:
I have a swamp ash strat, maple neck/board, non floating floyd rose that I could not find a bridge hum that I liked. I tried the cc/59 hybrid and others. I just tried the screamin demon with the hex poles replaced with screws and put an a2 mag in it and its perfect for this guitar.
/QUOTE]

Are the hex poles and standard bucker screws interchangable?
Click to expand...
 
Re: Bridge HB for swamp ash?

Are the hex poles and standard bucker screws interchangable?

Yea on the screamin demon they fit but they were kinda loose. I wrapped the threads in a little teflon pipe tape and they were tight. Another option might be to use a little wax or loctite.
 
Re: Bridge HB for swamp ash?

Custom Custom
I jsut got one from Lew and is Rocks. It tames some of the brightness and adds a little looseness that sounds great. But still has enough highs. I think it does some EVH really well in ash.
 
Re: Bridge HB for swamp ash?

superpete said:
Yeah, the A2 magnet seems to be what I need to tame the brightness, but it also is the mag least compatible with my style. All the clips I hear just sound too round and not aggressive enough. I think I need a 59/Custom hybrid I've been reading so much about!
Click to expand...


I'm using a Hybrid A5 59/Custom right now in the bridge of my Love Rock LP...It's very articulate,tight,has strong tight lows,and alot of highend chime and great output and sustain.I'd say the pickup reminds me of a cross between the 59 or PG but with the aggression of the C5.It's alot better to me now than when it had the A2 magnet in place..I also picked up a 59B today really cheap and I want to compare that to the Hybrid in my guitar right now..
 
Re: Bridge HB for swamp ash?

superpete said:
Yeah, the A2 magnet seems to be what I need to tame the brightness, but it also is the mag least compatible with my style. All the clips I hear just sound too round and not aggressive enough. I think I need a 59/Custom hybrid I've been reading so much about!
Click to expand...

A5 and ceramic too bright, A2 not aggressive enough, eh? I recommend Alnico 3 or 4.

And I'll second the recommendation of the Custom Custom.
 
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