Help me choose which pickups to use (which I already have)

[75lespaul]

I kinda of ran this thread once before, but my stock has changed a bit since then...so! Type of music is anything from hard rock and Southern to old and newer metal.

I've got that H/S/S guitar made of ash, I suspect northern, because the guitar is 12--yes, 12--pounds. Probably from the custom design work on the face (the jesus guitar). The tonal qualities I've read for this kind of ash are bright with a lot of sustain. For the bridge, I have the choice of three humbuckers; the Duncan A2P, Dragonfire cream screamer (Super Distortion copy) and the Dimarzio Super II. I have to think that in a bright guitar, the A2P will be the way to go, as it is a darker pickup than the Super II, correct?

For the neck, I want to get that classice, smoky, searing blues/rock tone that can be heard anywhere from SRV to Led Zeppelin. The two pickups I have are the Duncan SSL-2 and the Dimarzio DP402 Virtual Vintage Blues.

Please remember that this is a hard, heavy ash, and not the sweet sounding light ash. Thanks Bros!

EDIT: Added the Dragonfire; forgot I had it.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Help me choose which pickups to use (which I already have)

I'd go with APHb/VV Blues.

 

[75lespaul]

Re: Help me choose which pickups to use (which I already have)

I'd go with APHb/VV Blues.

Tis the way I was leaning as far as the bridge. What is it that makes you thing the Dimarzio would be the better choice for the neck? Is the Duncan a brighter pickup?

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Help me choose which pickups to use (which I already have)

The Duncan is brighter, but the reason I chose the VV Blues is because ti sounds fantastic in a friend's Albert Lee model. It's big, juicy, and LOUD while still sounding like a good strat pickup when you lighten up your touch.

FWIW, it'll get along well with the APHb OR the Super D copy (which is my second choice for the bridge).

 

[75lespaul]

Re: Help me choose which pickups to use (which I already have)

The Duncan is brighter, but the reason I chose the VV Blues is because ti sounds fantastic in a friend's Albert Lee model. It's big, juicy, and LOUD while still sounding like a good strat pickup when you lighten up your touch.

FWIW, it'll get along well with the APHb OR the Super D copy (which is my second choice for the bridge).

That's a great description, thank you.

 

[bluesbend]

Re: Help me choose which pickups to use (which I already have)

If it were mine I'd install the SSL-2 and the A2P.

 

[75lespaul]

Re: Help me choose which pickups to use (which I already have)

If it were mine I'd install the SSL-2 and the A2P.

Hi Blues, thanks for the suggestion. What makes you pick the SSL-2?

 

[bluesbend]

Re: Help me choose which pickups to use (which I already have)

It's a flatpoled version of the SSL-1 so you'll get a nice vintage tone from it.

 

[75lespaul]

Re: Help me choose which pickups to use (which I already have)

I swapped both pickups into the guitar, and the Virtual Vintage won out. The SSL-2 didn't have the grind that I wanted. I think it was just too "glassy" for this guitar. The VV has a nice smoky sound, and pretty much nailed what I wanted while mixing beautifully with the stock middle pickup. One caveat though, I don't know what value the vol or tone pots are. The VV works on 500k as does most hummers, which I'm putting in the bridge, so the CTS pots I already have will go in at 500k. Hopefully, the sound either stays the same or gets better.