higher output pickup gain or lower output pickup gain

[gregory]

Re: higher output pickup gain or lower output pickup gain

APH-1 is medium output?

 

[ThisDyingSoul76]

Re: higher output pickup gain or lower output pickup gain

To me it is. It's basically like my Stock Gibson 490/498 pickups in my SG Special, but less muddy.

 

[gregory]

Re: higher output pickup gain or lower output pickup gain

Interesting. What's your opinion on the SH-1B?

 

[Mincer]

Re: higher output pickup gain or lower output pickup gain

The APH-1 is about as vintage as it gets, really.

 

[AlexR]

Re: higher output pickup gain or lower output pickup gain

^ Yep. It is not typical PAF as it is fuller in the mids. But in terms of output it is for certain low........unless you count vintage type singlecoils as well.

 

[ThisDyingSoul76]

Re: higher output pickup gain or lower output pickup gain

Maybe it's that Mid range that comes across as hotter to me.

Never tried the sh-1b.

 

[AlexR]

Re: higher output pickup gain or lower output pickup gain

It can be the guitar in question too.

Lets face it, Duncan made the Slash pickup so that other guitars with them keep up with the regular A2pro's in his Derrig

 

[ThisDyingSoul76]

Re: higher output pickup gain or lower output pickup gain

It's in an SG Faded Special.

The pickup model I'm using is actually the same model as he used in all his guitars before the signature Slash set.

But yes, you're right... The reason his signature pickup exists is the newer Les Paul guitars he was getting just didn't sound right with the same pickups he'd sworn by.

 

[AlexR]

Re: higher output pickup gain or lower output pickup gain

I've got a guitar that is sort of the same.....a 75 LPC which makes the t-tops in it drive almost like a medium output pickup. Its just an insane guitar that has so much more crunch than any other guitar I own.

 

[gregory]

Re: higher output pickup gain or lower output pickup gain

My LPC is a 76 and with a Custom in the bridge it's a complete brute. I've been thinking about a 59/Custom, but it will probably do just fine with a RA5 SH-1. I have other guitars for high-gain rhythm and don't mind SH-1s for high gain soloing.

The only issue is that it is HHH and the Custom + middle T-top sound so effing killer for cleans. I don't really want to sacrifice that.

 

[blueman335]

Re: higher output pickup gain or lower output pickup gain

Interesting. What's your opinion on the SH-1B?

I like the bridge & neck '59's best with RC UOA5's. That should have been the Vintage Blues set.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: higher output pickup gain or lower output pickup gain

High output pup's, high gain amp w/ the lead channel's gain dimed \m/



Ok...maybe not that last bit ..but yeah, the gain between 4 1/2 - 7 (depending on the amp) that's my fave tone!

I don't really care for the tone/feel of low output pup's for high gain stuff.. medium output sometimes works/sounds great though..

 

[Mincer]

Re: higher output pickup gain or lower output pickup gain

I like the bridge & neck '59's best with RC UOA5's. That should have been the Vintage Blues set.

I bet that sounds great! But any of the 'named sets' will always be popular, stock pickups, I am guessing.

 

[BleedingFingertips]

Re: higher output pickup gain or lower output pickup gain

Wow, after tonewood it's maybe the second most important meta-discussion in our field

In my experience, high output pickups seems to really get somewhat mushy with high gain tube amps what can be easily cured with OD, though. I have yet to learn whether I'd get the insane tone of Nazgul (pick attack!) or Black Winter through 805 overdrive into Randall Diavlo with Pearly Gates or Custom 5. The latter, maybe. The former, dunno, wouldn't even consider buying. I also regret a bit that I sold my Pegasus before I bought my amp. Maybe I should give it another chance.

Anyway, I think, if you're on the darker and heavier side of music, there's no must to go medium output because you happen to have a br00tal amp. First, if it's mushy, you can shape your tone with an in-between OD or booster pedal. I prefer this combination ten times to the actives with a built-in preamp: more control. Second, it's ok for certain music styles to have compressed sound. Third, high output PUs sound amazing with digital amp modelers. So, overall, I think a high-high setup can be quite flexible.

 

[metalmachine1983]

Re: higher output pickup gain or lower output pickup gain

Seems like most people here think high output pickups are obsolete; I'm not complaining about that, but I actually am eager to hear someone "defend" higher output pickups, since the fashion is to do the opposite thing.

(I have my own opinion on high output and single coils, but to me the point becomes a lot more blurred with humbuckers which have a lot more variable design, and I can't really generalize so much myself.)

I usually run high output passive pickups. Preferably with double thick ceramics.

Recently I have been running a manluis hot rod 59 in one guitar. It is a overwound (9.2k 42g) A5 paf. It's thick and clear. Works amazing with my 5150. Definetly able to do crushing metal.

There is a anger it's missing in the palm mutes that is so important to me though.
My nazgul, distortion, manluis custom hot (20k small ceramic) 2x thick custom all have that anger. I just can't get that sound from a lower output pup no later how much gain a pile on.

Both have there benefits but that's my defense.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

 

[metalmachine1983]

Re: higher output pickup gain or lower output pickup gain

Btw.... the closest I have gotten to best of both is the thick ceramic custom

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[Bubba Z]

Re: higher output pickup gain or lower output pickup gain

I love high output pickups (Black Winters in the Les Paul, EMG 81 in the bridge of my Strat). I can't help it, I'm a sucker for chunky, chugging guitar tones. I taught myself guitar by playing along with Metallica's first three albums, so there's just something about those heavy palm mutes that sound "right" to my ears. I also love playing clean, which can be a challenge with higher output pickups sometimes, but the Black Winters do that great as well. My SG does have the stock 490 pickups in it, though, and I like those as well, but I suppose those are still fairly hot compared to PAF type pickups.

 

[Demanic]

Re: higher output pickup gain or lower output pickup gain

The lowest gain pickup I have in a guitar, bridge wise, is a JB with an RCUOA5. I like all that I have, but I almost wouldn't mind having one guitar with a set of 59's in it, just for a change.

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[gregory]

Re: higher output pickup gain or lower output pickup gain

I prefer hotter, but they're fun. I have a set in one of my SZs. Middle position is both humbuckers rather than just the inner coils (preserving that option would have been perverse).

 

[jalguitarman]

Re: higher output pickup gain or lower output pickup gain

I like the bridge & neck '59's best with RC UOA5's. That should have been the Vintage Blues set.

What does that do to the sound of the 59's?