PearlyHellhound
New member
I have heard people talk about the Duncan Custom, I think, as the holy grail of pickups. I understand tone is subjective, but have there been attempts at acheiveing this feat?
Is there such a thing as a holy grail pickup?
- Thread starter PearlyHellhound
- Start date
Re: Is there such a thing as a holy grail pickup?
I think the subjectivity you mentioned plays too big a role for there to be one end-all pickup. PAFs aside, what about Strat and Tele guys? It's like asking who is the best guitarist of all time. Some say Jimi, some say Yngwie, some say Michael Angelo Batio. Are any of those wrong?
I think the subjectivity you mentioned plays too big a role for there to be one end-all pickup. PAFs aside, what about Strat and Tele guys? It's like asking who is the best guitarist of all time. Some say Jimi, some say Yngwie, some say Michael Angelo Batio. Are any of those wrong?
F
Funkfingers
Guest
Re: Is there such a thing as a holy grail pickup?
"There shall be three. Not two or four but three."
"There shall be three. Not two or four but three."
LtKojak
New member
Re: Is there such a thing as a holy grail pickup?
Just when you thought it was safe... HERE IT COMES; OUT OF THE BLUE ANOTHER EXCITING THREAD BY THE DREADMASTER HIMSELF: OUR OWN PEARLHELLHOUND! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!!!!!!!!!! :smack:
Just when you thought it was safe... HERE IT COMES; OUT OF THE BLUE ANOTHER EXCITING THREAD BY THE DREADMASTER HIMSELF: OUR OWN PEARLHELLHOUND! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!!!!!!!!!! :smack:
Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: Is there such a thing as a holy grail pickup?
WHOOOO! Rejoice for i have found it!
:notworthy
http://www.lacemusic.com/electric_pickups/holy_grail/holy_grail_specs.php
lol
WHOOOO! Rejoice for i have found it!
:notworthy
http://www.lacemusic.com/electric_pickups/holy_grail/holy_grail_specs.php
lol
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Is there such a thing as a holy grail pickup?
Don't know who you've been talking to, but Customs sure ain't the Holy Grail. That sacred title has been reserved for decades for PAF's. And Duncan makes some of the best. The Custom family is very good, but it hasn't achieved sainthood like PAF's have. And there's no way a high output ceramic PU has the tone color, dymanics, responsiveness, or versatility of a vintage wound alnico.
Don't know who you've been talking to, but Customs sure ain't the Holy Grail. That sacred title has been reserved for decades for PAF's. And Duncan makes some of the best. The Custom family is very good, but it hasn't achieved sainthood like PAF's have. And there's no way a high output ceramic PU has the tone color, dymanics, responsiveness, or versatility of a vintage wound alnico.
DrNewcenstein
He Did the Monster Mash
Re: Is there such a thing as a holy grail pickup?
I think he's been tripping over posts by people who think EVH's tone from VH I, II, and WACF are the beginning and end of guitar tone, and thus all the clamor about the Custom.
Personally I don't see the PAF tone as anything greater or lesser than any other pickup tone. Each one is what it is, and "the Holy Grail" is as individual as "the best" anything.
I think he's been tripping over posts by people who think EVH's tone from VH I, II, and WACF are the beginning and end of guitar tone, and thus all the clamor about the Custom.
Personally I don't see the PAF tone as anything greater or lesser than any other pickup tone. Each one is what it is, and "the Holy Grail" is as individual as "the best" anything.
V
Varg
Guest
Re: Is there such a thing as a holy grail pickup?
Its not reserved for PAFs. We all know some guitars respond better to certain pickups - some guitars wont like PAFs, wheres your holy grail then?
That leads me to my answer - the Holy Grail of pickups is either whatever sounds great in a particular guitar OR a magical pickup that sounds great in ANY guitar.
If you are Kerry King you might think that means an EMG, but you would be very, very wrong. :smack:
DiMarzio PAFs I have to admit seem to work in any guitar I try them in so I suppose Bluemans shout is a fair one, probably better than most other pickups.
Its not reserved for PAFs. We all know some guitars respond better to certain pickups - some guitars wont like PAFs, wheres your holy grail then?
That leads me to my answer - the Holy Grail of pickups is either whatever sounds great in a particular guitar OR a magical pickup that sounds great in ANY guitar.
If you are Kerry King you might think that means an EMG, but you would be very, very wrong. :smack:
DiMarzio PAFs I have to admit seem to work in any guitar I try them in so I suppose Bluemans shout is a fair one, probably better than most other pickups.
richard parker
Active member
Re: Is there such a thing as a holy grail pickup?
I have the Holy Grail of pickups but I'm not going to tell you what it is. Go find your own Holy Grail. Whenever I gig with it and hit the final chord of the night beams of angel fire shoot out from it and disintegrate everyone in the audience. Some clubs don't like that.
I have the Holy Grail of pickups but I'm not going to tell you what it is. Go find your own Holy Grail. Whenever I gig with it and hit the final chord of the night beams of angel fire shoot out from it and disintegrate everyone in the audience. Some clubs don't like that.
speed2dirt
Butterball
Re: Is there such a thing as a holy grail pickup?
This sounds like another Jack Black movie: Tenacious D in the Pickup of Destiny!
This sounds like another Jack Black movie: Tenacious D in the Pickup of Destiny!
Franknfilms
New member
Re: Is there such a thing as a holy grail pickup?
The answer lies in a nearby thread
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=221119
The answer lies in a nearby thread
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?t=221119
DrNewcenstein
He Did the Monster Mash
Re: Is there such a thing as a holy grail pickup?
Actually, you know what? It would probably be worth doing. Classic Guitar God Tones all have one pickup in common - a mystical pickup that was in a guitar used in the studio to record every influential record from the 50s til today - Chet Atkins, Billy Gibbons, EVH, Steve Vai, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Clapton, Rhoads, Dick Dale, Blackmore, Hendrix, SRV - anyone who has been declared a Guitar God has used this guitar. It's Buddy Holly's Strat - the only survivor of the crash that killed him - and the vintage trem never goes out of tune, the strings never get dull, the frets never wear out, the pots and switch are always mint, etc etc.
It's also the most tonally versatile guitar/pickup ever made, so just by tweaking the knobs even one number, you get a wide range of tones.
It's basically The Strat Of The Gods, and Jack has to find it so they can have that first "big hit" which will bring them fame and fortune and get him the Guitar God status as well. When played with the Pick Of Destiny, it's even better.
Or it could be a Les Paul with a Bigsby. It's gotta have a trem in order to do the whammy work of EVH.
Actually, you know what? It would probably be worth doing. Classic Guitar God Tones all have one pickup in common - a mystical pickup that was in a guitar used in the studio to record every influential record from the 50s til today - Chet Atkins, Billy Gibbons, EVH, Steve Vai, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Clapton, Rhoads, Dick Dale, Blackmore, Hendrix, SRV - anyone who has been declared a Guitar God has used this guitar. It's Buddy Holly's Strat - the only survivor of the crash that killed him - and the vintage trem never goes out of tune, the strings never get dull, the frets never wear out, the pots and switch are always mint, etc etc.
It's also the most tonally versatile guitar/pickup ever made, so just by tweaking the knobs even one number, you get a wide range of tones.
It's basically The Strat Of The Gods, and Jack has to find it so they can have that first "big hit" which will bring them fame and fortune and get him the Guitar God status as well. When played with the Pick Of Destiny, it's even better.
Or it could be a Les Paul with a Bigsby. It's gotta have a trem in order to do the whammy work of EVH.
speed2dirt
Butterball
Re: Is there such a thing as a holy grail pickup?
I'd see it! Can we have James Hetfield as the cowardly lion instead of Dave Grohl as the devil this time?
Ebert's giving it a big thumbs up. :fing2:
I'd see it! Can we have James Hetfield as the cowardly lion instead of Dave Grohl as the devil this time?
Ebert's giving it a big thumbs up. :fing2:
DrNewcenstein
He Did the Monster Mash
Re: Is there such a thing as a holy grail pickup?
Het would have to grow his hair and 'stache back out.
Maybe we could have Ralph Macchio as the devil doing the Headcuttin Duel thing again, and Vai as an old washed up Jack Butler on the comeback trail :lol:
Het would have to grow his hair and 'stache back out.
Maybe we could have Ralph Macchio as the devil doing the Headcuttin Duel thing again, and Vai as an old washed up Jack Butler on the comeback trail :lol:
voggin
Well-known member
Re: Is there such a thing as a holy grail pickup?
The P90 is the holy grail of pickups. I don't have a guitar with one because I am not yet worthy.
Really, though, is there any guitar that a P90 would sound bad in? From Jazz box to tele to les paul to semi hollow. Hard to say that about any other pickup.
The P90 is the holy grail of pickups. I don't have a guitar with one because I am not yet worthy.
Really, though, is there any guitar that a P90 would sound bad in? From Jazz box to tele to les paul to semi hollow. Hard to say that about any other pickup.
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