Let's say that... (hotter pickups)

[Guest]

Let's say that: I'd go out and buy a Tokai Love Rock, I'd switch the pups and put some hot pups in it. Would it be a MUCH more highgain/heavier sound using that guitar with my now fairly lowgain rig, tele with Alnico Pro II into Ts808 into a Bluesbreaker combo?

Curious if you think it would be alot heavier than now? I case i might go that route instead of buying a distpedal. Would be interesting to know anyways, cause I havn't tried out alot of different pups really.

And of course what Pups would you recommend in case you think it work!

 

[SpiderVenom]

Re: Let's say that... (hotter pickups)

Personally, I think the pedal would be better. Hot pups will drive the amp harder, but if your rig doesn't have the gain to really kick it out now, hot pickups aren't gonna get you all the way there. I'm a believer in more medium gain pickups, and making your amp and gear do the work for you. But that's just my opinion.

 

[Guest]

Re: Let's say that... (hotter pickups)

Hmm, kay...have to think about it. I have to admit that I share your belief in medium gain and vintage pups myself. Would feel a little wrong to use some monster metal pickups for playing classic hard rock. The use of a pedal is of course alot more common but when the thought came up in my mind I had to ask

What do you other guys think?

 

[hans-jürgen]

Re: Let's say that... (hotter pickups)

I can't see from your avatar if you modded your Tele with a bridge humbucker, since you've mentioned Alnico II Pros. If it's still the usual single coil, any humbucker equipped guitar will sound heavier than that of course. Then it's important how the guitar sounds acoustically, i.e. does it have a loud sound with lots of bass or rather bright or thin, because this will also be heard through the pickups. And only then you should consider switching any stock pickups with Seymour Duncans or other brands.

 

[Guest]

Re: Let's say that... (hotter pickups)

hans-jürgen, I don't know if you completeley followed my questions. Gonna describe a little more detailed

No it's single coil Alnico II pro's in both positions on my tele.

I'm not gonna mod my tele to a bridge humbucker.

I am planning to buy a Les Paul (probably copy eg. Tokai)

I case I buy I would change the pup's. I like the alnico II pro's very much and thought about switching to those in the LP as well, and then drive it even more with a dist pedal(especially when playing low volume at home) and use the TS808 as a solo/boost. To get a decent 80's hard rock tone.

But then I thought that what if putting hotter pups than the stock or alnico pro II's in the LP, don't buy any dist pedal and use the TS808 for the dist. Would I get enough distortion with that.

Then you of course ask what enough dist is for me...as above, 80's hard rock dist.

I hope this is easier to understand

 

[hans-jürgen]

Re: Let's say that... (hotter pickups)

I always wonder why so many people plan to swap pickups in a guitar they have never heard nor played nor owned. Sorry, had to get rid of that... OK, so my advice is taking one step at a time, i.e. buy that Les Paul copy (will cost you more than a new distortion pedal of course), try it with your momentary fuzzbox and Bluesbreaker amp at home and then decide what to do. My guess is that you'll have enough distortion available with that setup, even at bedroom level. But maybe I forgot in the meantime how '80s hardrock band sounded, then please ignore my posting and go buy that distortion pedal and new pickups, too.

 

[Guest]

Re: Let's say that... (hotter pickups)

You've got something to wonder about then ...It's okay, didn't get offened or anything so it's all cool. But I don't know why u use the word fuzzbox for a TS808 (a tubescreamer), don't know if you've ever tried one but it's not a fuzz...they do lowgain things really well, in fact perfect to my ears.

But 80's hardrock,nah not really! Of course you can put the distortion pot on full on it...but it doesn't sound really 80's hard rock it doesn't really shine at all, higher 2 o'clock it loses it's great sound IMO.

Gonna keep looking into it anyway...you know you always have something to think about and plan

 

[hans-jürgen]

Re: Let's say that... (hotter pickups)

Yes, I recognized the Ibanez Tubescreamer on your photo, my friend also owns one which I tested some years ago. It works quite well in front of a non-master volume tube amp for delivering a good amount of distortion (at least with a humbucker guitar) that can also sound transistorized when turning the treble up. But it seems that you have other bands in mind, and as far as I know back then most of them either used "Super Strats" or those pointy heavy metal axes with thin necks, not a Les Paul (was rather "out" in the '80s). Anyhow, have fun seeking "that sound in your head"...