Help me pick a set of pups for my new Hamer.

[Gr8Scott]

I've got a maple cap, mahogany body and neck with rosewood fingerboard. I'm thinking of going with a jazz in the neck and a pearly gates in the bridge. Good combo? Do both come in gold-tone metal covers? Can I split the bridge or wire in different sequence? Any and all suggestions welcome. I'm looking for a good classic tone with these and I don't want anything too bassy or fat sounding (that's what my strat is for). I've always wanted a guitar with a jazz pickup in the neck and now I have my chance. The pearly gates is a great pickup, but I wonder how well it will work in conjunction with the jazz? Maybe I should get something fatter to balance out the super clean and chimey jazz?

What's in it to begin with? I know they are duncan designed, but I don't know which ones they are.

Whaddaya think?

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Help me pick a set of pups for my new Hamer.

The PGb will match up well with a Jazz at the neck. It comes with four conductor wiring, so you can do all sorts of wiring options with this pickup. You can order both pickups with gold plated covers (at extra cost). AS far as what's in your guitar, I don't know. :burnout:

 

[Gr8Scott]

Re: Help me pick a set of pups for my new Hamer.

I guess I ought to let you folks know which guitar it is eh?... Sorry bout that. It's a Korean Hamer Archtop with flamed maple cap.

 

[Stevo]

Re: Help me pick a set of pups for my new Hamer.

The PG/jazz combo works just fine. If you want a little less upper midrange in the bridge, another choice would be a 59. Both are nice, but I seem to add mids when I play the jazz and the 59(b) both. It's a great combo, considering common eq on your amp.

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Help me pick a set of pups for my new Hamer.

Why not a set of seths?

B

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Help me pick a set of pups for my new Hamer.

I like you're first pup choice...PG/Jazz. I have this pre-conceived notion that the Jazz will just be too damn bright for my tastes, and I know that's stupid. Hell, a set of PG's might be nice as well.

I'm thinking 59's in mine, I'll have to see if that's too bright. I'll have to see what the damn thing sounds like first! Seths would be sweet also, especially if the 59's are too bright. I don't know why, but something about spending $200 for a set of Seth's in a guitar that I paid $250 for just doesn't seem right. Not that I can't afford it, it's just wierd.

 

[rspst14]

Re: Help me pick a set of pups for my new Hamer.

The American models come stock with either a JB/'59 or a '59/'59 set, depending on the year. I like the combo I have in mine, although it sounds like you're after a brighter tone than I am. Bassy and fat pretty much sums up the BBQ and Alnico II Pro. The '59, Jazz, Pearly Gates, or Seth Lover models would all work well. If you want to go with something higher in output, I'd recommend the C5 or the JB.

Ryan

 

[Stevo]

Re: Help me pick a set of pups for my new Hamer.

I don't know why, but something about spending $200 for a set of Seth's in a guitar that I paid $250 for just doesn't seem right. Not that I can't afford it, it's just wierd.

haha weird but very cooool I love my SL bridge. I replaced the neck SL with a 59n, which I keep going back to.. but then, next week... heh heh.. phat cat stack

 

[jimlp]

Re: Help me pick a set of pups for my new Hamer.

You use your strat to get a bassy/chunky sound over your humbucker equipped guitar? That's..........different!

 

[Travis]

Re: Help me pick a set of pups for my new Hamer.

The model name for the Korean archtops with a flame top is the SATF or "Studio Arch Top Flame".

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Help me pick a set of pups for my new Hamer.

The American models come stock with either a JB/'59 or a '59/'59 set, depending on the year. I like the combo I have in mine, although it sounds like you're after a brighter tone than I am. Bassy and fat pretty much sums up the BBQ and Alnico II Pro. The '59, Jazz, Pearly Gates, or Seth Lover models would all work well. If you want to go with something higher in output, I'd recommend the C5 or the JB.

Ryan

Hi Ryan, My '92 and '95 Hamer USA Studio Custom guitars came with Jazz neck and JB bridge. I tried many other pickups in those guitars.

(Fralin 8K/9K, 7.5K/9.5K, 7.75K/9K...and Duncan Antiquity neck/CC bridge, Antiquity neck/C5 bridge, Seth Lover neck/CC bridge, Seth Lover bridge used as a neck pickup/CC bridge...)

Because they have a double cutaway and slightly thinner body than a Les Paul, I felt the a4 magnet 7.5K/9.5K Fralin set and the original a5 Jazz/JB set actually produced the strongest tones in those guitars. Couldn't get a2 humbuckers to sound deep enough and went back to the Jazz/JB set, which I thought sounded deep, lively and strong.

As for putting a $200 pickup set in a $250 guitar: I DO THAT KIND OF THING ALL THE TIME! Makes a $250 guitar sound like a $1000 guitar so why not? :dance: Lew

 

[Gr8Scott]

Re: Help me pick a set of pups for my new Hamer.

I'll have to see what's out there. I'm dead set on the jazz neck pickup, but the bridge is wide open. A Seth might be just the ticket too. I've heard so many nice things about Seths and it would work well with the Jazz too.

I'm not going for high output. I don't want a tightly focused sound or hard hitting chunk. I'm looking for sweetness and complexity. Good tone whether it's distorted or not. Given the bright and chimey tone of the Jazz, it would make sense to have a very balanced bridge pickup and not go for anything too bright.

Thank you all for the suggestions. This helps me narrow down the field tremendously.

Upon studying the tone chart further, I think a 4 conductor Seth is the way to go. It will provide a perfect blend of smoothness to the chime of the Jazz and add the complexity I'm looking for.

 

[Gr8Scott]

Re: Help me pick a set of pups for my new Hamer.

You use your strat to get a bassy/chunky sound over your humbucker equipped guitar? That's..........different!

Invader bridge pickup, Hotrails mid, Duckbucker neck. Pretty versatile rig. Mahogany body, maple neck, ebony fingerboard. Dense painted finish that brightened the tone so much that an invader was required to tone it down to acceptable levels. It's not just a heavy guitar, it's a sledgehammer.