I Need a Pickup that has Reduced 2.3 Kh

[fingerstyle]

I love and use single coils, i also like humbuckers and use them, but... I need a pickup that has reduced 2.3 Kh... the upper mids, or what maybe considered as lower highs; between 1.9 and 2.8 Kh... the 2.3 always sounds harsh and hard on the ear... and all my guitars have that to various degrees.
I notice this with many amps also, tube and especially solid state, so though amps play a role, what I can say is I do use a tube amp, and the treble is never above 5, and is usually at 3, 3.5, depending on the guitar etc.
Keep in mind that I do like high end, I'm literally talking a center notch on 2.3 Kh with the Q stretching out from 1.9 to 2.8 or so, but the highs above that are fine... I love shimmer and sparkle etc. My sound and style is a combination of "Mark Knopfler," "Albert Lee," "Clapton" and "Billy Gibbons."
I've tried and own many Seymour Duncan pickups (and other brands). Though It's mostly the bridge position that bothers me in this range, though neck pu's seem to have some of that harshness also.
I've been using a Boss Eq and that helps, but i still hear this harshness, so I'd still like to find a pickup or pickups that are notched accordingly, if in fact any exist.
Thought's?

 

[Chistopher]

Re: I Need a Pickup that has Reduced 2.3 Kh

If all your guitars have this issue, it might be more to your advantage to get an amp that tames the issue across your whole stable rather than a few pickups that only help one guitar. Adjusting your picking location and technique (or even trying different picks or, you know, finger style) can also help to alleviate this issue.

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: I Need a Pickup that has Reduced 2.3 Kh

Tone knob?

 

[Blille]

I Need a Pickup that has Reduced 2.3 Kh

I've been using a Boss Eq and that helps, but i still hear this harshness, so I'd still like to find a pickup or pickups that are notched accordingly, if in fact any exist.
Thought's?

I would try parametric EQ to find the specific frequency and kill it rather than change all pickups [emoji4]

Edit: sorry this is the third answer without a pickup recommendation which was your ask. The ask felt very specific to me so quite hard to deliver accordingly.

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: I Need a Pickup that has Reduced 2.3 Kh

...and this will be number four. I have tried several different pickups trying to get rid of harsh highs. The Dimarzio Super 3 seemed to work for me for a while but it always sounded dull to me (in both senses of the word) because it chops off all the highs, not just the ones that bother my ears. So I am back to using an always-on 7-band eq pedal. That allows me to boost the freqs I like AND cut the ones I dislike. And it works with all my guitars without any surgery or pickup swapping.
Maybe try a different EQ pedal? I like the DOD FX40B.

 

[AlexR]

Re: I Need a Pickup that has Reduced 2.3 Kh

Yep, eq pedal or similar. There will be no pickup ever that contains a notch at such a frequency only. In fact many pickups such a frequency is an integral part of the resonant peak.

 

[Discharged]

Re: I Need a Pickup that has Reduced 2.3 Kh

I love and use single coils, i also like humbuckers and use them, but... I need a pickup that has reduced 2.3 Kh... the upper mids, or what maybe considered as lower highs; between 1.9 and 2.8 Kh... the 2.3 always sounds harsh and hard on the ear... and all my guitars have that to various degrees.
I notice this with many amps also, tube and especially solid state, so though amps play a role, what I can say is I do use a tube amp, and the treble is never above 5, and is usually at 3, 3.5, depending on the guitar etc.
Keep in mind that I do like high end, I'm literally talking a center notch on 2.3 Kh with the Q stretching out from 1.9 to 2.8 or so, but the highs above that are fine... I love shimmer and sparkle etc. My sound and style is a combination of "Mark Knopfler," "Albert Lee," "Clapton" and "Billy Gibbons."
I've tried and own many Seymour Duncan pickups (and other brands). Though It's mostly the bridge position that bothers me in this range, though neck pu's seem to have some of that harshness also.
I've been using a Boss Eq and that helps, but i still hear this harshness, so I'd still like to find a pickup or pickups that are notched accordingly, if in fact any exist.
Thought's?

You haven't told what p'up you're using. If it's with all of'em, then it obviously comes from the amp/cab/speaker you're using.

/Peter

 

[fingerstyle]

Re: I Need a Pickup that has Reduced 2.3 Kh

Reduces all the highs, does not solve the problem. But yes, I use the tone knob for certain styles such as Jazz and when I need that Clapton "Woman tone."

 

[fingerstyle]

Re: I Need a Pickup that has Reduced 2.3 Kh

Amps I've used or use: Fender Twin, Fender Deluxe Reverb, Brugera 22 watt all tube, Peavey Delta Blues all tube, Fender Mustang IV, Marshall jcm 800, marshall dsl 100, There's others....

 

[fingerstyle]

Re: I Need a Pickup that has Reduced 2.3 Kh

Duncan pickups: Alnico Pro II humbuckers, Alnico Pro II Tele pu's, Everything loaded pick guard for strat, Jazz Neck HB, Lil' 59 tele HB, Jerry Donahue tele bridge, Reverse Stagger Single coil Reverse wound for middle position strat, there's many other duncans i've used and still use, and i love many of them. Gibson Burtbucker I, II and III, 57 paf, Dimarzio: Fred, HB from Hell, Chopper for tele bridge and strat, Fast Track for tele bridge and strat, Super Distortion hb and also Super Distortion for tele bridge, (there's more dimarzio) Lindy Fralin srat pickups and humbuckers, Bullfrog Tele pickups, bill lawrence HB from the 70's and some of his tele pu's from the late 90's, etc

 

[fingerstyle]

Re: I Need a Pickup that has Reduced 2.3 Kh

Reduces all the highs, does not solve the problem. But yes, I use the tone knob for certain styles such as Jazz and when I need that Clapton "Woman tone."

 

[fingerstyle]

Re: I Need a Pickup that has Reduced 2.3 Kh

i play a ton of finger style lead rhythm, all flesh, no nails. I play near the bridge for certain sounds and over the neck for effect, but mostly in the middle of the guard. When needed i use a thumb pick along with the fingers, and sometimes i grab a pick for that standard way of playing and sound.

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: I Need a Pickup that has Reduced 2.3 Kh

Holy cow, dude! That list pretty much eliminates amp, speaker, guitar, and pickup from the list of potential problem sources!
Strings? That's about all I can think of.
Sounds like time to invest in a better eq. Perhaps MXR 10-band or a good parametric?

 

[Toejam]

Re: I Need a Pickup that has Reduced 2.3 Kh

Call the Custom Shop and explain what you want. They could probably get you pretty close to or exactly what you want.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Re: I Need a Pickup that has Reduced 2.3 Kh

+1 on an EQ pedal. Especially because it'll work with all your guitars and amps. If you're targeting one specific frequency get a parametric, and you can dial it exactly where you want it, then tweak the width and depth to taste.

IMO it's unlikely that any particular pickup would give the precise results you want across the board in various different-sounding guitars. Let alone with different-sounding amps.

 

[freefrog]

Re: I Need a Pickup that has Reduced 2.3 Kh

The design of magnetic transducers doesn't allow to filter frequencies so selectively... at least no so easily.

Granted, it's not that rare to see the inductance of a pickup and the whole "stray capacitance" of the coil(s)+ wiring + cable cooperating to set @ 2.3k the "resonant peak" of a pickup - IOW: the frequency where it's the strongest sounding, the most powerful... and as this frequency range is often enhanced by guitar speakers, it creates an unpleasing high mid content.

Granted, it's possible to move the "resonant peak" of any pickup below or beyond 2.3k. All is needed for that is to modify either its inductance (thx to a dummy coil in series or in parallel with the pickup), either the overal stray capacitance (thx to a buffer or preamp just at the output jack of the guitar, OR a low capacitance cable OR the "Zerocap" cable sold by Atlantic Audio)...
BUT it won't scoop the 2.3k range. It will just avoid to enhance it.

Granted, it would be easy to scoop the response of any pickup @ 2.3k thx a modified Q filter. But it would just make any single pickup sound like the 2d or 4th position of a Strat... And with MANY pickups, such a filtering just gives a muddy tone...

The only efficient solution here seems a post processing of the sound: as specified above by other members, an EQ would do that well, especially if it's in the FX loop of an amp, or if it filters the tone of a miked amp.
Modifying the EQ stack of the amp used would work too : reducing to 120k the 250k of a treble pot in a Fender amp will tame any high mid bark much more efficiently than any of the tricks mentioned above about pickups...

FWIW (= my two cents).

 

[AlexR]

Re: I Need a Pickup that has Reduced 2.3 Kh

Call the Custom Shop and explain what you want. They could probably get you pretty close to or exactly what you want.

Not a chance.....there is nothing about any part of the laws of physics that will give you a high q notch in any pickup wound with wire the way it has been done throughout history.

 

[freefrog]

Re: I Need a Pickup that has Reduced 2.3 Kh

+1... At best, it would be doable to create an inherent notched dip @2.3k by putting a low value cap to ground between the coils of a humbucker (which would be an extrapolation on the Gibson "fat tap" principle and would just make the pickup muddier in most cases).

Some HB's generate high Q notches thanks to a differential design of their coils, but it happens @ a higher frequency than 2.3k in the audio spectrum if the PU is played in typical conditions...

EDIT - All that being said, if a SUBTLE erosion of the high mids is needed, a controled use of "Eddy currents" might be a solution. More later about that if necessary (and if I've not yet disgusted any reader with my drivel - LOL).

 

[Toejam]

Re: I Need a Pickup that has Reduced 2.3 Kh

Not a chance.....there is nothing about any part of the laws of physics that will give you a high q notch in any pickup wound with wire the way it has been done throughout history.

Oh, okay. Figured they might be able to get something close.

 

[Jacew]

Re: I Need a Pickup that has Reduced 2.3 Kh

I actually have been there. There's a certain upper mid frequency that makes a lot of gear just gratingly bad sounding to my ears.

I tweaked my guitar darker and pushing the amp with EHX Worm. That pushes a wide and very level upper frequency range.

I got that finally in control by swapping speakers. Most guitar speakers, especially V30 (and Eminence versions) push that particularly annoying frequency in front. Even Greenback does.

G12H was answer for me. Eminence PA speakers didn't have that either I used earlier.