Fusion betwen pickups for a Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion?

[adrian]

I recently bought a semi-hollow Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion. It´s very nice guitar as is, but perhaps some modding should make it completely outstanding for my needs. It says "fusion" in its name, implying it can be used for any kind of music. I believe I should make a "fusion" also betwen wellknown pickup-brands and put a Dimarzio Fred in the bridge, to get that somewhat nasty Satriani-sound from the bridge, and put a Duncan 59 in the neck, to get a softer jazzier and more ES 335-like from the neck. Both pickup blended would be some brighter Larry Carlon-like sound - I hope. I will also install a coil-split so I can split both pickups, to get Strat and Tele-like sounds (again; I hope).
Thoughts? Would this work?

 

[adrian]

Re: Fusion betwen pickups for a Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion?

Anyone? Perhaps a difficult issue?

 

[adrian]

Re: Fusion betwen pickups for a Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion?

Come on guys! I know you have an answer!

 

[tone4days]

Re: Fusion betwen pickups for a Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion?

i wanted to help when i first read this thread - honest .. but you know, i have no experience with dimarzio pups so i can't comment ... the first thing that came to mind was "if he'd just pick two SD pups, he could use the 21 day exchange period if one (or both) of them wasnt right for his needs" ... but i didnt want to sound like a mindless SD cheerleader, especially cus that dimarzio pup might be exactly what you want

good luck
t4d

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Fusion betwen pickups for a Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion?

Keep in mind that the Fred sounds like Satriani in a relatively light and thin basswood bodied guitar that's equipped with a Floating trem system. It's going to be quite different in a Gibson style semi.

A pair of 59's in that guitar into a cranked tweed fender will nail the Carlton sound, and will cover quite a bit of territory in a semi, especially with the coil splits.

I had a pair of Seth's (just another type of PAF) in my Sheraton and I could play anything from country, jazz, funk, to metal with that guitar.

As far as Dimarzios go, I'm not too fond of their humbuckers, save for an old Super Distortion I got in a box of parts, their Fast Track 1 & 2 models and their stacked single from the Virtual Vintage lineup.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Fusion betwen pickups for a Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion?

Keep in mind that the Fred sounds like Satriani in a relatively light and thin basswood bodied guitar that's equipped with a Floating trem system. It's going to be quite different in a Gibson style semi.

A pair of 59's in that guitar into a cranked tweed fender will nail the Carlton sound, and will cover quite a bit of territory in a semi, especially with the coil splits.

I had a pair of Seth's (just another type of PAF) in my Sheraton and I could play anything from country, jazz, funk, to metal with that guitar.

As far as Dimarzios go, I'm not too fond of their humbuckers, save for an old Super Distortion I got in a box of parts, their Fast Track 1 & 2 models and their stacked single from the Virtual Vintage lineup.

Exactly! You have a semi hollowbody (or is it a completely hollow body? I forget! :smack: ) in that Howard Roberts and it's never going to sound like
one of Joe Satriani's solid body guitars.

I think I'd go for the Larry Carlton thing with that ax.

A of 59's would get you into the same ballpark as Larry's 60's ES-335 with the stock Gibson alnico 5 humbuckers.

Personally, I'd prefer a little less bass and more upper harmonics and clarity from the neck pickup and might go with the Jazz neck and 59B combo.

For a warmer tone with more mids, Benjy's suggestion of a pair of Seth's is spot on perfect!

However, in my semi hollowbody I use the Seth Lover neck and a Custom Custom bridge so I can rock out with a little more modern and almost Van Halenish tone.

In all honesty, that's the best humbucker guitar tone I've ever had in over 40 years of playing: Seth Lover neck and Custom Custom bridge in my Hamer Monoco Super Pro.

That set up blows away every humbucker guitar I have compared it to, including my Les Paul Historic with the handwound Tom Holmes humbuckers that are now worth a small fortune since Tom stopped making them.

Lew

 

[adrian]

Re: Fusion betwen pickups for a Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion?

Thanks for your replies! I couldn´t find my original post until I made a search today, so that´s way I have´nt replied. And yes, guess you´re right about the Fred: I have never heard anyone who had put a Fred in a semi-hollow. So it could have been interesting to just give it a try. Anyway: the 59s and Seths will probably be nice in a Howard Roberts....

 

[Curly]

Re: Fusion betwen pickups for a Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion?

the Fusions are interesting guitars

I remember the old round sound hole models. The first time I saw a Fusion was when Peter Green was playing one - probably at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction for Santana. That was the first time I'd seen PG back on stage, and he still plays that guitar from time to time.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Fusion betwen pickups for a Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion?

the Fusions are interesting guitars

I remember the old round sound hole models. The first time I saw a Fusion was when Peter Green was playing one - probably at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction for Santana. That was the first time I'd seen PG back on stage, and he still plays that guitar from time to time.

You're thinking of the old Gibson made Howard Roberts with the oval sound hole...right Curly? I forget if that was an Epiphone or a Gibson but it was made in the old Kalamazoo factory. I used to really like those too. Sort of like a Gibson ES-175 but with an oval sound hole (with a neck mounted Gibson humbucker in the hole) instead of two F holes. Cool Guitar!

Lew

 

[Curly]

Re: Fusion betwen pickups for a Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion?

yeah, the oval sound hole model ... the sound hole was like an early Gibson style

linky

I'm not sure when the Fusion model came out, but it's quite a bit different - F holes, 2 pickups, different cutaway, tailpiece, etc ....

 

[adrian]

Re: Fusion betwen pickups for a Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion?

I believe the oval sound hole type was an Epiphone. The Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion with F-holes was introduced 1980, but has changed slightly since. The specific finger-tail piece came in 1990. That model is called Howard Robert Fusion III. It has a chromyte (balsa) center block, instead of the mahagony center piece in ES 335s, to avoid feed back. Nice guitars, with a dark and jazzy tone in the neck pickup. Some people complain about the bridge pickup and suggest a Duncan JB there. That´s however not the sound I´m looking for.

 

[adrian]

Re: Fusion betwen pickups for a Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion?

"I believe the oval sound hole type was an Epiphone." Originally, but was later taken over by Gibson?

 

[Curly]

Re: Fusion betwen pickups for a Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion?

the original may have been an Epi, but if you check the linky, the '75 shown is a Gibson

I agree with you about the bridge pickup ... a JB is better suited in a solid body, IMO

 

[adrian]

Re: Fusion betwen pickups for a Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion?

Yes, I saw that. However, that is another guitar. Here´s a link which show Peter Green at a concert in New York some years ago playing a Howard Roberts Fusion III. That´s the model I have.

Peter Green:

http://www.nw10ad.demon.co.uk/gallery.html