OK guy's lets see why. Who prefers what and why, I like Hi/Hi, the JB and DD IMO do Metal the best, but alot of members here like the SD, C, CC, & C5 not to mention the FS and Dime. So whos right ? You can allways turn the gain down but you cant turn the p/u's output up. There is no right or wrong here, just wanted to know.
Hi Output & Hi Gain vs Low/Med Output & Hi Gain
- Thread starter Gary S.
- Start date
ntotoro
New member
I prefer medium-output pickups and have for a long time. They are more articulate to me when using high-gain and much more responsive to nuances in my playing. Just give me a pickup with tight bass, smooth mids and highs, a little grunt and let my amp handle the gain. My VHT has more than I'll ever need, anyway, and a mid-output pickup makes it sing the best.
I used to like hotter pickups, then I changed when I realized I could use a medium-output pickup with tight bass and keep more clarity at high-gain levels.
Nick
I used to like hotter pickups, then I changed when I realized I could use a medium-output pickup with tight bass and keep more clarity at high-gain levels.
Nick
Reckless Abandon
New member
You can turn the gain down but then the amp does not sound as full. I agree with the last post. I like med output. Let the amp work
shreder75
New member
I like high output with a nice scooped eq curve...I've found out (the hard way) that ceramic magnets don't sound right in my guitar. I replaced my Demon with a DD and while I was originally impressed by the output and the harmonics, it sounded overly compressed and the mids were just way to high..high to the point where I had to all but take them entirely out of my rig's settings!
so I ordered a JB trembucker...just arrived actually...I'Ll be getting it put in on wednesday..when I get my axe back I'll post my thoughts and some sound samples =)
so I ordered a JB trembucker...just arrived actually...I'Ll be getting it put in on wednesday..when I get my axe back I'll post my thoughts and some sound samples =)
TwilightOdyssey
Darkness on the edge of Tone
I like Medium Output and Hi Gain amp .... my DiMarzio Breeds are nice, but I much prefer a lower output. Every time I switch to the JEM, I have to make sweeping changes in the gain structure and EQ.
WARRENLEELYNCH
New member
I like a hot pup that is clean also
like the duncan custom even though it is very powerful it is a clean toned pup.
to test a hotter pups cleanness,i play a suspended chord with a lot of gain,i mean 5150 or triple XXX gain:14: if i heaqr every note in the sus chord the pup passes my test
like the duncan custom even though it is very powerful it is a clean toned pup.
to test a hotter pups cleanness,i play a suspended chord with a lot of gain,i mean 5150 or triple XXX gain:14: if i heaqr every note in the sus chord the pup passes my test
korovamilkdud
WhoDatologist
I totally dig high gain with PAF-style pups. Nothing better for hard rock and blues. Low-output pups just sound so ALIVE. And then there's the clean factor too.
Rock your PAFs beeeeee-ooooooootch!!!:argh:
Rock your PAFs beeeeee-ooooooootch!!!:argh:
TwilightOdyssey
Darkness on the edge of Tone
Zerberus said:No such thing as too much gain, only players that can´t control it
I use the Dime with and without an onboard preamp, or the Custom, or EMGs. If I want it cleaner, I´ll use single coils or a Neck Humbucker
Zerb, once again you speak truth! lol
Everyone has their own threshold of where there's too much gain (except zerb, apparently ...
), but you are correct in saying that you need to have clean technique for dirty guitars, as it were.
\m/(00)\m/
HeadBanginologist
i like medium output, they just distort better than higher ones. super high output pickups just dont catch that Jim factor 
is the Custom considered high output, or medium?
is the Custom considered high output, or medium?
WARRENLEELYNCH
New member
IMHO it is high output but clean\m/(00)\m/ said:i like medium output, they just distort better than higher ones. super high output pickups just dont catch that Jim factor
is the Custom considered high output, or medium?
ntotoro
New member
\m/(00)\m/ said:i like medium output, they just distort better than higher ones. super high output pickups just dont catch that Jim factor
is the Custom considered high output, or medium?
It's has a higher resistance number, but it really doesn't seem much hotter than any PAF-replica I've ever used. I'd say it was mid-output with a bit more edge. Ya... that's it... :6:
Nick
Vasshu the humanoid typhoon
Unseen
I stick to PAF-style humbuckers with the Demon as the most hot one, I have a Wolfgang and a funny Silky Edge humbucker that is medium hot, but I tend to stick to my 59's and the Screamin' Demon, and I just got an APH-1 II humbucker as well.
While I like highgain stuff my own preference is more oldfashioned, but I would not mind having a hardcore highgain thing.
While I like highgain stuff my own preference is more oldfashioned, but I would not mind having a hardcore highgain thing.
R
RACER X
Guest
I hear ya Rid.
Vasshu the humanoid typhoon
Unseen
Hehe I am looking for an Invader......I like the whole deal too much sometimes.....lol
I've found that I prefer High Gain as I don't have amps that seem to have enough gain.. For instance, if you want the EVH sound, you use lower output pups, but then you have to counter it by using a marshall that has a 5k alteration to give you more gain.. Why not just get a really good Hi Gain Pickup with articulation.. I love the DD, but just stuck an EMG 85 in my washburn and it was made for that guitar.. Now I can use it with some pedals direclty to the board since it's low impendance.. and with a cab immulator, etc.. and it will sound good enough.. Just my experience.. It's easier for me to control the guitar with high gain pups as I can get harmonics, and sustain, and control easier .. For me at least..
Tim
Tim
papersoul
New member
I hear ya Tim.....and I use a Line 6 Vetta so many times I wonder if low impedance EMGs would be my best bet. I need to try a Steve lukather model through my amp to see what the 85 would do. The nice thing about EMGs is you can have them practically touching the strings with no issues.
Right now I am going to be trying the C-5 sinc eit is medium-high.
Right now I am going to be trying the C-5 sinc eit is medium-high.
