Clear sounding pickups

T

Tekkelberrie

New member
Hey guys! :D

I'm new here on this forum and i have a question.
In my custom RG i put a Black Winter set and i am really happy with the sound.
Now i'm starting another build and i'm looking for a different pickup.
I'm looking for one that sounds really clear when you play chords or single notes, what do you guys suggest?
Thanks in advance.

Roy
 
Re: Clear sounding pickups

Tekkelberrie said:
I'm looking for one that sounds really clear when you play chords or single notes, what do you guys suggest?
Click to expand...

If you don't mind trying something unconventional, it's hard to beat the PATB series of pups. The PATB-1's are my favorite HB'ers.
 
Re: Clear sounding pickups

You want maximum clarity? The Dimarzio EJ Custom Bridge & Neck.

Mindblowingly unconventional sounding humbuckers. Throw any amount of extreme high gain at it and strum a big open chord and expect to hear every note ringing out.
 
Re: Clear sounding pickups

What body style is the next build?

I actually find that the amp and the pot resistances contribute a lot to clarity and defined chords. By clarity I mean high presence and balance. I used to have one amp, a combo, which turned chords into a mess. Now that I only use Marshall I can hear every note in a chord no matter what the volume is.

Using higher resistance pots moves the sound away from wooly/dark to defined/bright/clear.
 
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Re: Clear sounding pickups

Single coils; SSL-1s, Classic Stack Plus.

For humbuckers, a Screamin Demon to me is 'clearer' than a Jazz.
 
Re: Clear sounding pickups

I am actually building a Gibson RD Custom clone, Mahogany body and neck. Maple cap on the body as well.
So judging by most replies i should look into the Dimarzio corner lol.
What about Bare Knuckles?
I've heard they sound clear and articulate too.
Does anyone have experience with those?
 
Re: Clear sounding pickups

Bill Lawrence pickups are super clear and articulate. Active pickups like EMGs can be super clear too.
 
Re: Clear sounding pickups

I was doing some research one the Jeff Loomis actives yesterday. They seem to sound pretty awesome. Im only needing the bridge pickup and these have a decent price aswell.
 
Re: Clear sounding pickups

I'm still surprised everyone's recommending humbuckers when all that was stated is 'pickups...' Tough to beat singles for clarity (in general.)
 
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Re: Clear sounding pickups

for humbuckers i would say the clearest for high gain, in no precise order are:

Gibson Dirty Fingers, Duncan Dimebucker, Lace Deathbucker, Duncan Pearly Gates (only low output bucker i would use on high gain for metal), Duncan Parallel Axis Trembucker PATB (any of them is super clear, that's what they were designed for, they all will excell at clarity with monstruous gain), L500 (be it from BLUSA or Bill&Becky/Wilde Pickups they're freaking clear on anything), Duncan JB (do i need to say why?), Dimarzio D Activators, EMG 81, Blackouts EMTY, BareKnucle Miracle Man, BareKnucle Black Hawk

guaranteed clearness under high gain from any of those pickups, with half of them you migh even hear the strings scratching the dirt off your fingers, thats how clear they are
 
Re: Clear sounding pickups

Neck wise I find tricky, but did notice that it became easier the further toward the bridge the neck position was, even if it was just by a couple of frets. The double-neck (20 fret) I had was a right pain, often sounding muddy, yet the same neck pup in my 24 fret Mockingbird would sing sweetly.
 
Re: Clear sounding pickups

less string excursion the closer to the bridge you get
 
Re: Clear sounding pickups

Silence Kid said:
I'm still surprised everyone's recommending humbuckers when all that was stated is 'pickups...' Tough to beat singles for clarity (in general.)
Click to expand...

That's what I was getting at when I asked about the body style-inferring pickup types.

Yeah alnico 5 single coils are clear.

He's looking at buckers. I have a bridge brobucker with a lone 1 meg volume pot. I've never heard definition in the wound strings in any other setup. Every other axe I have sounds bland and muffled compared to it. My band mates don't like that extra treble though. Speakers also play a big role.
 
Re: Clear sounding pickups

EDX said:
for humbuckers i would say the clearest for high gain, in no precise order are:

Gibson Dirty Fingers, Duncan Dimebucker, Lace Deathbucker, Duncan Pearly Gates (only low output bucker i would use on high gain for metal), Duncan Parallel Axis Trembucker PATB (any of them is super clear, that's what they were designed for, they all will excell at clarity with monstruous gain), L500 (be it from BLUSA or Bill&Becky/Wilde Pickups they're freaking clear on anything), Duncan JB (do i need to say why?), Dimarzio D Activators, EMG 81, Blackouts EMTY, BareKnucle Miracle Man, BareKnucle Black Hawk

guaranteed clearness under high gain from any of those pickups, with half of them you migh even hear the strings scratching the dirt off your fingers, thats how clear they are
Click to expand...

No Mustaine Live Wires? I heard an A/B comparison with them and EMG 81/85 and the Mustaines were better to my ears. More articulate and expressive.
 
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