High output with vintage output?

Calsip

New member
If you placed a pickup like the 59 (any other low output pickup) with a pickup like the distortion (or other high output), would you have a large difference in volume that would be bothersome, or would it be fine? I'm not planning on doing this I am just curious?
 
Re: High output with vintage output?

Hot bridge humbuckers are often paired with vintage output neck pickups. Jazz neck with a JB at the bridge is one of the most popular combinations ever. The amplitude of a string's vibration is larger by the neck than it is near the bridge, so the balance between pickups is better using a bridge pickup that's more powerful.
 
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Re: High output with vintage output?

The eq between pickups is generally more important in whether they play well together in instruments.
 
Re: High output with vintage output?

Small matter of pickup heights, and possibly one notch or so on the volume, to balance. They work fine together.
 
Re: High output with vintage output?

I agree that EQ of each pickup is a factor. Also, some want a volume increase when switching to the bridge. I like them more balanced, but this is a very personal preference. It depends on how (if) you use the switch and knobs on your guitar.
 
Re: High output with vintage output?

Not in every case but generally speaking you will find that vintage + vintage often results in EQ and volume match-up problems. The bridge often can't keep up with the neck and on the EQ side, if you EQ it right for the bridge, the neck is muddy. EQ for the neck and the bridge is a syringe rammed into your ear. (This problem got me into winding.)

Thus pairing mid-output or at least hot vintage bridge with a vintage neck stands a better chance of good match-up both volume and EQ-wise than vintage+vintage. (Super hot ceramic metalhead bridge winds maybe not, but again that's just a generalization.)
 
Re: High output with vintage output?

Not in every case but generally speaking you will find that vintage + vintage often results in EQ and volume match-up problems. The bridge often can't keep up with the neck and on the EQ side, if you EQ it right for the bridge, the neck is muddy. EQ for the neck and the bridge is a syringe rammed into your ear. (This problem got me into winding.)

Thus pairing mid-output or at least hot vintage bridge with a vintage neck stands a better chance of good match-up both volume and EQ-wise than vintage+vintage. (Super hot ceramic metalhead bridge winds maybe not, but again that's just a generalization.)

This is generally what I go for in guitars. But I am constantly using all of the controls and switch. It might not be the right thing for people who leave the pickup selector in the same place for several songs in a row.
 
Re: High output with vintage output?

Not in every case but generally speaking you will find that vintage + vintage often results in EQ and volume match-up problems. The bridge often can't keep up with the neck and on the EQ side, if you EQ it right for the bridge, the neck is muddy. EQ for the neck and the bridge is a syringe rammed into your ear. (This problem got me into winding.)

Thus pairing mid-output or at least hot vintage bridge with a vintage neck stands a better chance of good match-up both volume and EQ-wise than vintage+vintage. (Super hot ceramic metalhead bridge winds maybe not, but again that's just a generalization.)

Ain't that the reason why SD makes the bridge version of a pickup a bit more output then the corresponding neck version? Do they call it calibrated set?
 
Re: High output with vintage output?

I've always tended to have low output neck pickups and high output bridge pickups.
I like having quite a bit more air in the neck, it can be tricky but it works for me. Matter of preference, really.

Then there's the matter of having an OD/boost in front of your guitar and how you can make it interact with your pickup output difference.
Frankly, output is almost irrelevant to me. As long as it sounds good I'll make it work with my rig.
 
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Re: High output with vintage output?

I found the 59 in neck loud enough but not gainy/dirty enough when switching from say a super distortion bridge. It's a personal thing & would prefer the sound to not clean up alot when switching from B to N position, i use the N+B position for that purpose. Its really a personal preference thing though like others have said.
 
Re: High output with vintage output?

If you placed a pickup like the 59 (any other low output pickup) with a pickup like the distortion (or other high output), would you have a large difference in volume that would be bothersome, or would it be fine? I'm not planning on doing this I am just curious?

No, the actual volume of most humbuckers is pretty similar. The hotter pickups have roughly the same number of winds, just with a thinner wire. On the contrary, a '59 in the neck of a Les Paul can be very boomy and even overpower a hotter bridge pickup.

Exceptions apply, for example I perceive an A8 magnet as significantly louder.
 
Re: High output with vintage output?

Ain't that the reason why SD makes the bridge version of a pickup a bit more output then the corresponding neck version? Do they call it calibrated set?

Exactly. This should balance out the relative volume differences between vibrational energy in the different positions.
 
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