Help me choose a neck pickup please

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wolf5150

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After a lot of trial and error and a LOT of wasted money, I finally have the perfect bridge pickup for my PRS CU22.... Custom shop 78.

I need advice choosing a neck humbucker to go with it.

I usually play Strats, so I'm used to a single coil in the neck.
I love the bite that a neck single coil gives to wound strings and I tame the unwound strings with my technique.

I've tried a few humbuckers in the neck but they are all too muddy on the wound strings so after reading some threads, i thought I'd try this Spin n Split mod.

I don't like a coil tapped humbucker, my guitar has straight volume, tone and 3 way, no push pulls. This mod sounds like a great idea for the neck.

If I'm correct, I can dial out just the amount of one coil I wish.

So, my question is, what pickup would work well with this ?
I usually use the neck to play clean, so funk riffs and bluesy solos are the intended tonal target for the split..then wind it up for full humbucker for rock solos occasionally.

I was thinking of the Pearly Gates, as everyone seems to rate it highly.

OPINIONS ????????
Thanks
 
Re: Help me choose a neck pickup please

For a clean tone PG and JazzN is great, but not like single coil in the neck. Since you like the SC better than humbucker i would consider the StagMag with the spin-a-split.
 
Re: Help me choose a neck pickup please

yeah, if you want a true single coil sound from the a split humbucker, then the stag mag is where i would start
 
Re: Help me choose a neck pickup please

The Stag Mag is listed as high output though, something like 16 K ?
Plus it's tone chart lists it as quite dark.

I think those factors rule it out.
Thanks though.

More opinions please ?
 
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Re: Help me choose a neck pickup please

I think your solution could be a Phat CatN, which is great paired with a bridge HB. You get open single coil tones with some mid-range & low hum.

For a neck HB, I prefer SD's '59N & JazzN, Gibson 490R (with an A5), & DiMarzion PAF and Bluesbucker.
 
Re: Help me choose a neck pickup please

wolf5150 said:
The Stag Mag is listed as high output though, something like 16 K ?
Plus it's tone chart lists it as quite dark.

I think those factors rule it out.
Thanks though.

More opinions please ?
Click to expand...

Its high output because its designed to be split. Basically when you have it split you will have 8k, which i know is still a tad much for a neck single but DC resistance is not the best way to measure output. I still think if you are planning to use a spin-a-split then you could get plenty of good tones.

Bluemans suggestion of a phat could also work but i would def do the 50s wiring mod on it.

Cheers
 
Re: Help me choose a neck pickup please

I read the word glassy bright and bright high end. And this is what it is: too strat pickups bound together in a humbucker. With the spin-a-split you can dial in how much single coil and how much humbucker. I use one 'The Mag' in the neck of an Aria Les Paul.
SD's Description: Uniquely constructed humbucker uses Alnico 2 rod pole pieces to achieve true single-coil sound when split (tapped). Recommended for classic rock, jazz, blues, funk and country. The Stag Mag uses the same type of magnets as a vintage singe coil. Each coil is as powerful as a single-coil. When the pickup is split such that only one coil is used, the sound is bright and glassy, like a vintage Strat® pickup. In full output, humbucking mode, the tone is rich and full with a bright high-end. Comes with four-conductor hookup cable.
BTW: The Mag i have has A5 rods which are brighter than a2, maybe you should hunt on ebay for them.
 
Re: Help me choose a neck pickup please

How did you get yours with A5 ???
 
Re: Help me choose a neck pickup please

Phat cat. P-90 sound in the neck is very nice and mixes well with a HB.

I have a JB bridge and P-90 in my LP.
 
Re: Help me choose a neck pickup please

At the moment I have a Fralin P92 in the neck, but it's muddy as hell on the wound strings. No definition at all.

Sorry guys, I'm very much a feel player, I don't relate well to technical terms.

I think the Fralin is built back to front.
If you were to reverse the offset of the poles, I think it'd work better, but this can't be done apparently.....:sigh:

So, back to the drawing board...and open to more ideas.
 
Re: Help me choose a neck pickup please

wolf5150 said:
How did you get yours with A5 ???
Click to expand...

The specs changed at about the late 80ies to early 90, also the name from 'The Mag' to 'StagMag'. You get the non stagered A5 'The Mag' on fleabay, great pup on the neck!!
 
Re: Help me choose a neck pickup please

I like the idea of the Stag mag, so I've decided to approach the custom shop about getting one made more suited to my purpose.
I'll post their reply and advice.

Thanks so far
 
Re: Help me choose a neck pickup please

well keep being curious lol. i dont think the cu22 is singlecut
 
Re: Help me choose a neck pickup please

I'm talking to the Custom shop about a lower output Stagmag, but before a spend the money, does anyone else have any suggestions for me ??

Thanks

Ps, I think the 78 is a better match in a Mahogany set neck that a Strat style. 3 Playing friends of mine have now ordered 78's for their Les Pauls after hearing mine in my PRS !!!
 
Re: Help me choose a neck pickup please

How about a Full Shred neck ??

Anyone use one ??

Seems low output and bright, which is what I'm looking for.
 
Re: Help me choose a neck pickup please

I honestly think you'd get what you're looking for out of a Bill Lawrence L500C or L609. I think it would be worth your while to give Becky a call talk to her about it. I really think the L500C would be right up your alley for what you're describing as what you want tone wise.

http://www.billlawrence.com/
 
Re: Help me choose a neck pickup please

The Lawrence site is terrible, no info at all.
Think I'll pass.

Any opinions on the Full shred neck ???

Or even the Spin n split mod..anyone use it ?????
 
Re: Help me choose a neck pickup please

chileanguy made a thread recently about trying the spin a split and thinking it was amazing...he equated it to secks, lol, if i recall.

anyways, i did have another thought. i recently picked up a gadow custom hollow. it has a jazz in the neck, which the website claims is tapped, not just regular split. if you can get the specs on this somehow, or just ask the custom shop to duplicate it for you, then i think you might be happy. It sounds way more stratty than any humbucker under regular split mode.

worth checking out anyways

EDIT: just realised you said in your OP that you didnt want tapped buckers. sorry
 
Re: Help me choose a neck pickup please

Have you tried a '59n? Sorry if this is a redundant question. I have a Jazz in my CU22 and a JB in the bridge. I like the JB but I think a '59 would be perfect. The Jazz is ok but it sounds too much like the JB to me and I like to have a a slightly different sound from neck to bridge.
 
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