Favorite clean humbucker?

[HKZSquared]

Re: Favorite clean humbucker?

HKZSquared, I agree. Haven't tried the Hets, but a clean 81 in the bridge has a sterile, dead quality that metal players know well. It has its own charm.

Inflames, that'd be how I'd describe the 81, and I even find it to have a nice quality for blues depending on the amp/settings. The Het I haven't used as much as the 81, but it's just like an 81, yet sounds closer to a passive pickup.

 

[LLL]

Re: Favorite clean humbucker?

- SH-55 Seth Lover
- SH-55 Seth Lover
- SH-55 Seth Lover

 

[HALENisking]

Re: Favorite clean humbucker?

Actually I really like the pickups in the Godin Detour, the GHB1 and GHN1 for cleans. Almost have a P90 quality.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Favorite clean humbucker?

I have been all about the jazz/jazz combo for many years now.

 

[DreX]

Re: Favorite clean humbucker?

Cool, I'll just put in a CS order for the Jazz set and then try other magnets out as time permits.

 

[Falloffthebonetone]

Re: Favorite clean humbucker?

Love the Jazz for colder and brighter cleans, love the a2p for fatter and fuller stuff. I need to get more acquainted with Mr. Lover for sure though. Not much of a humbucker guy for clean stuff really. I gravitate towards single coils in general.

 

[DreX]

Re: Favorite clean humbucker?

Should I order the Jazz set unpotted? The Seth are unpotted and seem fine, but these won't have covers, so I'm not sure how that changes things.

 

[Snake Aces]

Re: Favorite clean humbucker?

Should I order the Jazz set unpotted? The Seth are unpotted and seem fine, but these won't have covers, so I'm not sure how that changes things.

I like most of my humbuckers to be potted myself. It is a personal preference really, and even potted pickups become unpotted over the years as the wax vibrates or even melts away.

 

[HALENisking]

Re: Favorite clean humbucker?

My understanding is that covers add to the chance of feedback, so you should be safer having unpotted pups that are also uncovered.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Favorite clean humbucker?

It's a tough choice between the A2P and the Jazz. I think Ill order black, logo-less pickups with gold pieces from the Custom Shop, but I'm not sure if I should go with A2, A5 or something else.

You know, your first statement actually reads.....'I like the idea of that wind, but I'm not sure if I would like it better with an A5 or A2'

And guys, he's after clean playing.......no heavy drive to add to the issue. Potting will make a MASSIVE difference there.

 

[DreX]

Re: Favorite clean humbucker?

I know from my experience with Strat pickups that A5 magnets are often very tight/up front/etc., and that's how the Jazz is often described, and A2's can be chewy, dark, lots of mids, sort of how the A2P is described. I feel strongly that I'll like something in between. I saw that LTKojak said he tried A4 in the Jazz and liked it a lot. If it's not a pain to replace those magnets, I'm happy to try everything.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Favorite clean humbucker?

The Lace Deathbucker sounds incredible clean. A flat clear representation of the fingers, strings, woods and metals of the instrument. Run one through a Jazz Chorus. Just be ready for all of your mistakes to be heard as clearly as your intents.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Favorite clean humbucker?

Second choice would be a Jazz in parallel in the neck.

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Favorite clean humbucker?

I saw that LTKojak said he tried A4 in the Jazz and liked it a lot.

To be fair to you, weighing in my opinion, the outcome was the following: I've put an A4/A8 mag combo in my Jazz set, and it was good for a while.

However, due to the sharp pick attack produced, it generated ear fatigue, so I put'em in my then new acquisition, Gertrude.


She uses flatwounds, so an A3/A2 mag turned into the ideal combo for this type of guitar, turning the ear-fatiguing sharp pick attack into the best possible articulation a Smooth Jazz player can desire.

Now that you got the whole story, you can make up your mind.

Get'em unpotted with golden screws and slugs, then get this to "seal the deal":

http://www.mojotone.com/guitar-part...Open-Humbucker-Pickup-Cover-Gold#.VKzRviuG98E

You're welcome.

HTH,

 

[Demanic]

Re: Favorite clean humbucker?

Third would be an Alternative 8 split to the screw coil in the bridge position. Spanking tight cleans.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Favorite clean humbucker?

To be fair to you, weighing in my opinion, the outcome was the following: I've put an A4/A8 mag combo in my Jazz set, and it was good for a while.

However, due to the sharp pick attack produced, it generated ear fatigue, so I put'em in my then new acquisition, Gertrude.


She uses flatwounds, so an A3/A2 mag turned into the ideal combo for this type of guitar, turning the ear-fatiguing sharp pick attack into the best possible articulation a Smooth Jazz player can desire.

Now that you got the whole story, you can make up your mind.

HTH,

It seems that such an attack would influence one's playing dynamics ie. the ability to soften up considerably. Or was the attack present regardless of aggressive picking?

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Favorite clean humbucker?

Or was the attack present regardless of aggressive picking?

It was omnipresent, hence the ear-fatigue. It was a bit obnoxious in the middle position, that's why I've changed'em.

HTH,

 

[DreX]

Re: Favorite clean humbucker?

Do the slugs pop out of the bobbin easily / without destroying the coil? If so, I'd be interested in buying gold slugs and screws and and popping in a JB / '59 set I have in a parts drawer.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Favorite clean humbucker?

It was omnipresent, hence the ear-fatigue. It was a bit obnoxious in the middle position, that's why I've changed'em.

HTH,

I think that's why I like the UOA5 more than the A4. Though the RCA4 I put in an SH-6n in my Ibanez, sounds fantastic. Maybe it's the hotter wind with the flatter mag response. Especially set in parallel.

 

[Chris of Arabia]

Re: Favorite clean humbucker?

The Jazz was my default choice for the neck slot for many years. Only the WLH has come to challenge that thinking since its release. The Jazz is great clean pup, but is capable of a lot more besides. Just reading Demanic's post above though, I'm wondering whether a UOA5 in a Jazz would be worth a try - hmmm...