I'm curious...

[FretFire]

I've taken an initial look at my taxes, and it looks like I'll have a couple hundred bucks to play with and still put some in the bank, so I'm considering dropping some nice pickups into my new Hamer (Rio Grandes aren't impressing me much). A few options so far include Bare Knuckle Mules or Emeralds, Fralins of probably 8K neck and 9 or 9.5K bridge, Duncan Antiquities, and Wagner/WCR Darkbursts.

Now, this guitar is my modern blues/rock guitar (mostly Skynyrd and Black Crowes type stuff, nothing heavier than Stone Temple Pilots type tones), and has a mahogany body w/ maple cap, set mahogany/rosewood neck, Gibson scale length, etc.

Can anyone with experience with some of these pickups chime in and tell me what I can expect?

 

[FretFire]

Re: I'm curious...

Nobody has played any of these pickups in an LP style guitar?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: I'm curious...

I can comment on the Fralins. They're alnico 4 and one of the most articulate HB's I've played through. They lack the familiar warmth of Duncans like the Seth Lovers or A2Pro HB's, but have terrific string separation and a very detailed but ballsy tone.

"Balls with clarity" is how they were described in one review.

I love the Fralin 7.5K neck humbucker...but in all honesty, I have Duncan HB's in almost all of my HB guitars.

Lew

 

[FretFire]

Re: I'm curious...

Cool, thanks for chipping in Lew. I think Rich Robinson of the Black Crowes actually uses Fralins in some of his axes, so that's probably a somewhat decent indication that they can handle what I'm looking for.

Anyone care to comment on the Antiquities? Or maybe even if Seth Lovers would be applicable here?

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: I'm curious...

Wagners, bare none! Have I ever led you wrong before?

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: I'm curious...

Cool, thanks for chipping in Lew. I think Rich Robinson of the Black Crowes actually uses Fralins in some of his axes, so that's probably a somewhat decent indication that they can handle what I'm looking for.

Anyone care to comment on the Antiquities? Or maybe even if Seth Lovers would be applicable here?

I'll comment on both and compare them to the Fralins: warmer and more familiar and vintage accurate tone from the Duncans. And to my ears, the Seth is just a little brighter and has perhaps a slightly stronger output than the Ant...maybe due to the full strength magnet in the Seth and the slightly degaussed magnet in the Ant. A little less bass and treble, IMO, from the Duncans compared to the Fralin HB...maybe more pronounced mids from the Duncans. The Fralins do seem to have the more articulate tone with better string separation...clearer I guess. But the Seths and Ants have that classic 50's paf tone that we all know and love and have heard all of our lives and which many of us feel so comfortable with...I know I do. Lew

 

[FretFire]

Re: I'm curious...

Wagners, bare none! Have I ever led you wrong before?

I've been reading up a lot on the Darkbursts, they are very interesting for sure. It'd hurt to shell out that kind of cash for a pair of pickups, but that's why I'd wait for my tax return :laugh2:.

 

[FretFire]

Re: I'm curious...

I'll comment on both and compare them to the Fralins: warmer and more familiar and vintage accurate tone from the Duncans. And to my ears, the Seth is just a little brighter and has perhaps a slightly stronger output than the Ant...maybe due to the full strength magnet in the Seth and the slightly degaussed magnet in the Ant. A little less bass and treble, IMO, from the Duncans compared to the Fralin HB...maybe more pronounced mids from the Duncans. The Fralins do seem to have the more articulate tone with better string separation...clearer I guess. But the Seths and Ants have that classic 50's paf tone that we all know and love and have heard all of our lives and which many of us feel so comfortable with...I know I do. Lew

Thanks yet again for chiming in here Lew, your input is greatly appreciated.