Bridge Pup in Neck, Opinions/Experiences?

[AustinS]

So I put a Custom Custom in the bridge despite the fact that its a bridge model and it actually works great, its really creamy and smooth and I would think jazz players would really like it. Have you guys ever tried putting a bridge pickup into the neck position? What'd you think of it?

P.S. It's paired with a JB in the bridge if you're curious.

 

[RandomToneGuy]

Re: Bridge Pup in Neck, Opinions/Experiences?

I have not done this my self, but heard of people putting Dimarzio Dou sonics in both positions, despite it being listed as a bridge model. Would love to see this with multiple brands.

Sent from my SGP511 using Tapatalk

 

[metlking]

Re: Bridge Pup in Neck, Opinions/Experiences?

I have a Custom in the neck of one of my Les Pauls. Its wired in parallel though. I love it. Bright and chimey, almost piano like. I stuck it there on a whim about a decade ago and never found a good reason to remove it. There is no right or wrong!

 

[dave74]

Re: Bridge Pup in Neck, Opinions/Experiences?

Lots of "bridge-models" work great in the neck slot.
Generally speaking though, a thick-toned high-output bridge isn't going to make for a versatile or easily-paired neck-pup.

The stock neck-pup in my Ibanez rg1550vsl (the ibz/dmz) is just a tweaked super2.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Bridge Pup in Neck, Opinions/Experiences?

I'm getting the skankiest sound ever on my mustang with a custom strat in the neck and a quarter pound strat in the bridge.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: Bridge Pup in Neck, Opinions/Experiences?

Screamin Demon makes a really great neck pickup; I actually like it better there than at the bridge.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Bridge Pup in Neck, Opinions/Experiences?

Your combo was used by Brian Blush of the Refreshments and sold from Hamer for a little while (and with other Bridge pickups).

There was a time 10-12 years ago where everyone was putting the JB in the neck here too.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Bridge Pup in Neck, Opinions/Experiences?

Screamin Demon makes a really great neck pickup; I actually like it better there than at the bridge.

The Demon has been one of my favorite neck pups for many years. I like it better than the Pearly Gates (which is a favorite of many forumites), and MUCH better than the 59 which seems to be kind of the standard neck pup.

 

[AustinS]

Re: Bridge Pup in Neck, Opinions/Experiences?

I have a Custom in the neck of one of my Les Pauls. Its wired in parallel though. I love it. Bright and chimey, almost piano like. I stuck it there on a whim about a decade ago and never found a good reason to remove it. There is no right or wrong!

It's funny you say this, I was actually planning on opening it up and rewiring the CC to parallel next time I get new strings. I like a somewhat of a crisp neck tone but also warm, so I think it'll get the job done.

 

[AustinS]

Re: Bridge Pup in Neck, Opinions/Experiences?

Your combo was used by Brian Blush of the Refreshments and sold from Hamer for a little while (and with other Bridge pickups).

There was a time 10-12 years ago where everyone was putting the JB in the neck here too.

Yeah I've heard of people doing that, however it'd be a little too hot for my tastes personally. the JB is the perfect output for me in the bridge position so naturally I'd have to put a lower output pickup in the neck if I want balanced volume between the two.

 

[Condemned soul]

Re: Bridge Pup in Neck, Opinions/Experiences?

The Jazz bridge works well in the neck. Been awhile, had it paired with a SD in the bridge position of an older Explorer which I sold.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Bridge Pup in Neck, Opinions/Experiences?

Dimebag used a bridge position 59 in the neck of his Deans. If I remember correctly, the SH-6n was originally called the SH-7 Seymourizer II and started life as a bridge pup but was popularly placed in the neck position with the SH-6b (then just called the SH-6) so often that they SH-7 became the SH-6n.

Pairing a very hot bridge pickup with a more vintage hot pickup in the neck would be a great idea. Bridge pickups tend to be brighter than their neck counterparts so this could also help brighten up an especially dark sounding neck position as well, especially if you use that position for leads often.

 

[elelpe]

Re: Bridge Pup in Neck, Opinions/Experiences?

I like Screamin' Demon and PG+ in the neck. PATB-3 in the neck is too smooth for 22 frets guitar.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Bridge Pup in Neck, Opinions/Experiences?

Bridge pickups tend to be brighter than their neck counterparts

Actually, it's just the opposite. Bridge pups are wound a little hotter which tends to generally increase the mids which gives them a bit darker tone than their neck counterparts.

Neck pups tend to be a little brighter to help compensate for the naturally darker tone of that position compared to the tone next to the bridge which is much brighter.

 

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Bridge Pup in Neck, Opinions/Experiences?

Actually, it's just the opposite. Bridge pups are wound a little hotter which tends to generally increase the mids which gives them a bit darker tone than their neck counterparts.

Neck pups tend to be a little brighter to help compensate for the naturally darker tone of that position compared to the tone next to the bridge which is much brighter.

Interesting. I guess that because I tend to favor brighter bridge pickups I was thinking it was the other way around.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Bridge Pup in Neck, Opinions/Experiences?

Transparency is too important for me to use a hot humbucker for the neck position.

I want a spacious, slightly acoustic quality to my neck pickup tone so I can play some jazzy chords or first position open string chords and have the clarity I want to hear.

Guys who play heavily overdriven rhythm and who rarely play genuinely clean tones probably want something else.

But for me, a guy who plays as much acoustic guitar as electric, I don't want a sound that's all filled up like that.

I want to hear some air...some breath.

So no: I don't care for bridge humbuckers used as neck pickups.

 

[gregory]

Re: Bridge Pup in Neck, Opinions/Experiences?

Every time I read how hot humbuckers can't make a great clean sound I just think of Steve Morse's tone in Night Meets Light (bridge + neck).

All too often we limit ourselves with conventional wisdom.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Bridge Pup in Neck, Opinions/Experiences?

Every time I read how hot humbuckers can't make a great clean sound I just think of Steve Morse's tone in Night Meets Light (bridge + neck).

All too often we limit ourselves with conventional wisdom.

No one said they can't get a clean sound. At least I didn't.

But it's not my idea of a GREAT clean sound.

I had a Hamer Monaco Super Pro for a time and it came with a Custom Custom as the neck pickup.

Yeah: it could get a clean sound.

But it was too thick and filled up...not transparent at all...no sense of "spaciousness".

Just not my taste.

 

[gregory]

Re: Bridge Pup in Neck, Opinions/Experiences?

Fair enough, though I wasn't talking about a CC.

FWIW, the DP205 wasn't ever designed to be anything but a neck pickup and I don't have any idea how it would do in the bridge. Also, the original recording of Night Meets Light was quite a while before DiMarzio made custom pickups for Morse, though I've seen him use tune to demonstrate the clean sound of the combo.

The DP205 combined with the DP200 truly makes a GREAT clean sound.
...and for a visceral response from vintage tone purists, they both use ceramic magnets.

I prefer the full, round tone of an over-wound neck humbucker for high gain soloing and do feel they can provide a nice warm jazz tone when played clean. If you want treble extension then you have to run them in parallel or combine them with another pickup. For me versatility in one guitar is important and with versatility often comes compromises.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Bridge Pup in Neck, Opinions/Experiences?

Every time I read how hot humbuckers can't make a great clean sound I just think of Steve Morse's tone in Night Meets Light (bridge + neck).

All too often we limit ourselves with conventional wisdom.

How amazing is that song? Steve Morse really tore that apart.

Funny, I've tried his signature pickups (built after this was recorded). They were strange and quirky, and brighter than I thought.