DRAT! Bridge pickup too bright, suggestions?

[Dave Z]

Well, I knew it might happen, loved the Fred in my test axe (SG), in a trem-equipped guitar -even though all mahogany - it is too bright, too much ice. The high 'E' and that trem bridge kick out some nasty harmonics. Else I like it...get this, it is brighter than my Telecaster! Arg!

SO - now I need a pickup that'll do for the superstrat what the Fred did for the SG: fairly flat EQ, sweet smooth highs, has to have great clean tone & also have decent harmonics and solid lows under gain.

I'd like to stick to alnico mags.

I'm wondering if the Custom5 would work here? Tried one once in the SG and thought it was too dark so maybe in the brighter guitar it'll be happy. BTW I REALLY cannot comprehend folks who call the C5 thin, but the tone chart does shows it with an '8' for treble, though the resonant peak is ony 5.4. Anyone using the C5 with a floating trem?

Or would hte Custom Custom work? I'd like decent lows & ot looks like the CC might be a bit soft there.

My other thought is the original PA Trembucker but that means hacking my pickup ring to get it to fit, I really don't want to do that.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: DRAT! Bridge pickup too bright, suggestions?

I have a CC in a very bright, all maple Carvin DC127-T (ebony fretboard) with a floating Wilkinson VS100 and it has round highs, plenty of mids that fill out the sound, and a good amount of lows that are surprisingly tight.

I would suggest ordering a CC and a spare alnico V mag. This way, you can try two pickups (CC/C5) for not much money. :burnout:

 

[Dave Z]

Re: DRAT! Bridge pickup too bright, suggestions?

Hey Benjy, thanks for the idea - I have the VS100 as well...but I'll do a C5 & get a A2 mag, the CC is a 'pro shop' & more expensive, while the C5 is about $20 less, go freakin figure!
HNY!

 

[John Wymore]

Re: DRAT! Bridge pickup too bright, suggestions?

I would suggest ordering a CC and a spare alnico V mag. This way, you can try two pickups (CC/C5) for not much money.

Good plan, one of those two should do the trick. I tend to prefer the CC in most Strats as the lower mid boost just seems to work well. Price difference between the CC and C5 should only be about $5.00, not $20.00.

 

[Dave Z]

Re: DRAT! Bridge pickup too bright, suggestions?

Yes Wymore you are right, brain cramp, was thinking $59 for a C5 but they're $69 (discounted).

The very low bass EQ of that pickup makes me wonder though...I could use some CustomCustom clips.

 

[TheArchitect]

Re: DRAT! Bridge pickup too bright, suggestions?

I think you are describing the Blues S. model. Comparable output and designed specifically for what you are talking about.

 

[Dave Z]

Re: DRAT! Bridge pickup too bright, suggestions?

Ya know I had one of those (PATB3)...almost decided on it in the design phase of this project. At this point, though, it would be a PITA. The PAs wont fit in a normal pickup ring, they ship with a black one but I'm using cream and the thing would require new mounting holes. But, yeah, it might just work, sonically.

 

[TheArchitect]

Re: DRAT! Bridge pickup too bright, suggestions?

Ya know I had one of those (PATB3)...almost decided on it in the design phase of this project. At this point, though, it would be a PITA. The PAs wont fit in a normal pickup ring, they ship with a black one but I'm using cream and the thing would require new mounting holes. But, yeah, it might just work, sonically.

Those rings don't require new mounting holes. I've swapped them before. The rest is up to you.

 

[Travis]

Re: DRAT! Bridge pickup too bright, suggestions?

You know, I put a PATB Blues in a guitar that originally had a trembucker in it and it fit fine. I also put a trembucker in a guitar that had a standard sized ring and it fit. I wonder why the Blues wouldn't vicariously fit in a regular pickup ring.

 

[Dave Z]

Re: DRAT! Bridge pickup too bright, suggestions?

" I wonder why the Blues wouldn't vicariously fit in a regular pickup ring."

Don't know - tried to cram one in my Epi SG and it hung up on the coil (taped edge) - the bobbin fit (barely) but you know sometimes that coil bulges out a bit.

"Those rings don't require new mounting holes. I've swapped them before. The rest is up to you."
LOL you got lucky, I have not found that mounting rings are any kind of standard! Anyway, black would look sucky...if it don't fit int he cream rings it ain't going in.

OK I'll see if I can pull off a trade here....figures 2 weeks ago there were like 3 PATBs up for sale now nary a one to be found