Help me pick one of my existing pickups for my EVH 5150 kit guitar clone!

[doctadre]

I've done a lot of research and figured it might be good to ask my specific question here. I have tried and had many pickups before, and have a few extras laying around. I'd like to select one for use on a just-completed kit guitar tribue to EVH.

BYO Guitar shredder kit (5150 kramer style) - Swamp Ash body (1 piece), maple on maple neck. single bridge humbucker, Original Floyd Rose. I'm not trying to exactly nail the brown sound or anything, but I am trying to get something closer to an EVH tone, something versatile enough to cover many things, but favoring some of the 1984 tones. I personally tend to gravitate towards hotter pickups (Custom range 13-14k), but also have vintage and vintage hot (8-10k) pickups.

I primarily use a Mesa Mark V amp, but also have a Tiny terror british glory mod and a Marshall DSL 40. This is meant to be used at home for recording or for fun in my cover band that does rock covers.

Pickups I have:

BYO Guitar Eruption (research tells me it is basically a JB clone)
Zhangbucker Duanebucker with A8 (Pure handwound and splat)
Zhangbucker Duangebucker A2
SD Custom (SH-5)

I also have some magnets in case I need to use one (Unoriented A5, A4, A3)

I've tried the BYO first, and it was very cool, had a nice brightness to it, higher gain, cleaned up nice. I wasn't full sold, so I also tried the Zhangbucker with A8. Likewise, I like it, it has a lower output but the A8 adds lots of power and mids/highs. Still, I don't know if either of them gets me where I want to go.

I've read many of the posts and articles on what Eddie used in the 80s for various eras. Some claim JB with Roughcast A5, Custom or Custom Custom, or something lower like the 78 EVH.

I'd like to try a Custom Custom for this guitar, but don't have one and don't feel like messing with the Custom I have right now.

Should I try the other Duanebucker with A2 in it, or the Custom? should I try to magnet swap the UA5 into the BYO Eruption pickup, see if that gives me what I'm looking for?

Trying to use what I have but if you guys think it's easier to just get something specific, let me know.

Thanks,

Dre

 

[superpete]

of those 4 i'm only familiar with the custom, but that's a good choice. i know you said you dont want to mess with the custom, but an A2 mag swap will be even better IMO, esp for those 1984 tones.

 

[doctadre]

Thanks! Yea, I'm trying not to overcomplicate it. I used to do magnet swaps in the past but recently messed up a coil in the process so I dont want to risk it. Also, don't you need to re-wax the pickup after breaking up the wax in the swap process? I'd rather not do that, but could if I need. I've heard the Custom with the ceramic mag could be good too.

I'm more tempted to try the UA5 on the JB Clone as that might be close to what I want and it's lower risk to the coils since that pickup was cheaper.

Dre

 

[superpete]

i've never rewaxed after mag swaps, just hit it with a hair dryer to get the wax that's already there flowing again and it'll get the job done.

 

[beaubrummels]

Might depend on what albums/songs you want to play. EVH used different guitars on albums, and changed pickups in his frankenstein across albums.

SH-5 Custom would be my first choice
A8 Duanebucker would be my second

Don't know how hot the Duanebucker is, but the A2 version might also work if the Duanebucker is thinner/brighter sounding than most A2 PAF type pickups. (The 78 Model is thin and bright while using A2; IME it's able to simulate tha Variac-starved-power sound with a normal Marshall because of it's thinness and brightness. It's like a Pearly Gates with the bass rolled off a bit.)

 

[jeremy]

i dont bother with the wax at all with a mag swap. the wax is to keep the coils from being microphonic. as long as the baseplate is tightened firmly ive never had an issue and ive swapped a lot of magnets over the years

 

[Leon Of Late]

I have heard some amazing VH covers done with the SH-5, so I would start right there. The Duanebucker A2 being a 9.5k A2 is right in the spec range (roughly) of the 78’ that Seymour makes. I’m not saying they are wound the same, but they are both hot PAF type A2 pickups in that mid to high 9k range. I think that is worth a 2nd place shot right there. The other two I just don’t know.

As has been said, very easy to turn that Custom into a CC for the 1984 tones....but if you don’t want to risk it, you should be able to buy a used one for $40-$50 bucks.

That’s my $.02.

 

[doctadre]

Thanks guys, lots of good info here. It's tough and tempting to just get lost into trying all of the various combos, but it just takes time. Also tough since this is only a 1 pickup guitar and the other pickups want to eventually go to a home too. I use a Duncan Custom in my main PRS Custom 24, and it has been very good to me over the years. It's definitely a different guitar than this one, and hopefully if I try it, the differences will come through. I originally got this other Custom as a backup in case my main one ever had an issue.

It's always a tough choice between the vintage hot and hotter 13-14k options. I always gravitate towards the hotter stuff in that range since it drives my amp the way I like. It's a mid-driven chewyness that I like to get, it's hard to describe. I've been able to get it with A2 pickups in the bridge many times, and also A5 when I dial the volume back a tad.


the only thing about the Duanebucker A2 is that it is part of a set with a neck that are both in creme color. I was hoping not to have to break them apart and was waiting for a guitar to throw them in eventually. I feel like I'd like the A2 in the Duane. The A8 is also very good, just not completely flooring me at this time.

I won't be too afraid of a mag swap but I'll probably only do it to the Custom or the JB Clone. I think the UA5 might be interesting in the JB Clone, but really not sure. I guess I'd have to try the Custom first as-is, then see where I'm at. I probably should have recorded the other pickups I've tried so far to be able to compare more back to back.

Dre

 

[doctadre]

Hey guys, here is an update. So I tried many pickups in the past week. Luckily the floyd allows a pretty quick swap without having to restring, and haven't broken any yet in that process.

I liked the "Eruption" pickup, which I've read is a JB clone that came with the kit guitar. It wasn't too bad, but still didn't meet it all. I also tried that with Unoriented A5 and also dug the sound.

I had tried the A8 Duanebucker plus (9.9k DC) and it was very good too but not quite the Van Halen tones I was looking for. I think it was the A8 that added too much highs and high mids.

I really liked the SH-5 Custom - even with the ceramic it had some of that chewy tone, I liked the split tones too. I dont yet have an A2 mag to try it as a Custom Custom but might in the future.

I also tried another creme colored Duanebucker (9.5k DC) which had A2. I think this one is also very good and the A2 helps add the mids that are needed for that chewey tone. I recorded some clips of each pickup, both through my amp (Mesa Mark V) with a microphone and dry to play with other EVH amp sims. I think eventually I'll either pop an A2 into the Duanebucker plus or the Duncan Custom, as both are black and I think match the guitar better. The creme Duanebucker is part of a matched set I'd like to throw in a future guitar with 2 humbuckers, but for now I'll see how it goes. I'll order a couple of A2 mags to have on hand and use the other pickups for other guitars in future.

I think the tone in the Duane is closer to a Duncan 78, at least with DC resistance, has somewhat mismatched handwound coils and the A2. If I need more power since I play with higher gain I can always go back to the Custom which I liked a lot. I may not even need the Custom with the A2 but might be good to say I tried.

Dre