Looking for a less boomy neck pickup(still fat and sweet) for my semi-hollow.

B

bolek

New member
Hello,

I have a greco SA550 which is 335 looking but without a wood block inside(like 330, but with 2 humbuckers)

It came with a fralin regular humbucker(8K) which should be very nice sounding one, but I cannot take the boominess out of the 6th and 5th string at all. I tried to lower the pole pieces and set the bass side pretty low, but it doesn't really solve the issue much.

Acoustically, the guitar is very well-balanced, I don't hear these lower string any louder than the others.

Overall, I like the sound of the pickup on the higher strings...

What would you suggest? I'm thinking of SH-1, APH-1... I heard the SH-1's are bassy, but what if you compare it to Fralin's? I've tried Seth before didn't like it, was too bright(and too "light"). Maybe APH-1 would be better?

I play jazz most of the time and use neck pickup. I want my neck pickup fat and clean(doesn't have to be super clean and articulate, since I always lower my tone knob) some smokey sound is fine and mid-rangy would be nice, but without the 6th and 5th string too boomy.

Any suggestion or help would be appreciated, Thanks!!
 
Re: Looking for a less boomy neck pickup(still fat and sweet) for my semi-hollow.

I am unfamiliar with the Fralins and I dont own any semi hollows but I will say putting an a4 magnet in my 59s in my les paul made it much less boomy. I dont know what magnets come in your humbucker but a mag swap might be all you need. I am sure some of the more experience mag swappers can make better recommendations than I can. But experience says try an a4
 
Re: Looking for a less boomy neck pickup(still fat and sweet) for my semi-hollow.

I have used the Jazz (n) with good results. I have heard on this forum that PG(n) will work well too or most A2 based pickups.
 
Re: Looking for a less boomy neck pickup(still fat and sweet) for my semi-hollow.

The Pearly Gates N has less low end boom, more midrange and what the product description calls "sizzle". I have used one in a semi-hollow guitar. It goes nicely with the tone control rolled back - especially with valve overdrive! I have also tried a A4 PAF style humbucker. It does what you say you desire.

Alternatively, you could use an adapter mounting ring to install a Firebird-sized mini humbucker or a Filter'Tron replica.
 
Re: Looking for a less boomy neck pickup(still fat and sweet) for my semi-hollow.

bolek said:
I play jazz most of the time and use neck pickup. I want my neck pickup fat and clean(doesn't have to be super clean and articulate, since I always lower my tone knob) some smokey sound is fine and mid-rangy would be nice, but without the 6th and 5th string too boomy.

Any suggestion or help would be appreciated, Thanks!!
Click to expand...

I've had the same problem with my Gibson L-5 CES copy. This guitar DOES HAVE an acoustic peak in the low mids.

The solution was an A3 Jazz neck. All the articulation known to mankind, sweet, smooth highs, nice present mids, good, solid lows with NO boom or mud.

The Bridge p'up is an A2 Jazz bridge. It tonally matches the neck beautifully.

Another contender could be an A3 neck/UOA5 bridge modded Seth Lover set. Be sure your pots are real measuring 500K or higher and have the guitar wired Independent '50s style.

You can thank me later! ;)

BTW, if you're in Europe, I can sell you a modified Seth Lover set or just the magnets. PM me if you're interested.

HTH,
 
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Re: Looking for a less boomy neck pickup(still fat and sweet) for my semi-hollow.

Thanks everyone!

I believe that the Fralin's humbucker is A4 already, and what I really care is only clean sound for playing jazz. No rock, no blues. I'm not looking for traditional jazz sound, my style is more like Metheny, Rosenwinkel, Monder and such.

Kojak, thanks for the offer but I don't live in Europe(wish I did..)

Nobody has any experience using APH-1s in semi-hollows? That's the one I'm interested in most...

Still, more suggestions will be appreciated!!

Thanks!
 
Re: Looking for a less boomy neck pickup(still fat and sweet) for my semi-hollow.

bolek said:
Nobody has any experience using APH-1s in semi-hollows? That's the one I'm interested in most.
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Actually A2P's are a good choice, they're a warm A2 PU that would be good for jazz (better suited for jazz than Duncan's bright 'Jazz" PU's). I've used A2P's in Les Pauls and like them a lot. PG's are another option; the neck is a little warmer than an A2P neck, but the bridge is noticeably brighter than an A2P bridge. The best A2 HB's Duncan makes, which are one of the world's best PAF's, are Seth's. Warm, clear, open, and airy.
 
Re: Looking for a less boomy neck pickup(still fat and sweet) for my semi-hollow.

Lifted from an article I found in Seymour's blog.. worked for me in a couple of cases, it really tames the woofy neck pup syndrome.. and it's easy to do.. cheaper than buying a new pickup too

"Using a capacitor as a high pass filter...

Here’s another trick for those who are comfortable with using a soldering iron. If you are finding that a pickup is sounding a little too muddy for your liking you can use a capacitor as a high pass filter.

Solder a 0.047uf non-polarised capacitor between your pickup’s ‘hot’ wire (black for Seymour Duncan pickups) and the pickup selector to cut out some of the low end frequencies the pickup produces. If this isn’t quite cutting enough for you experiment with a few slightly smaller value capacitors (0.022uf, 0.01uf, etc) to dial in your perfect tone. This is a great little fix for any pickup in any position, single coil or humbucker."
 
Re: Looking for a less boomy neck pickup(still fat and sweet) for my semi-hollow.

bolek said:
Hello,

I have a greco SA550 which is 335 looking but without a wood block inside(like 330, but with 2 humbuckers)
Click to expand...

Yeh. low frequency feedback is a killer in thinline (or any) hollowbodies.
I've found a winning combination for my 175, but i'm sure it would work equally well in a hollow thinline such as yours. I also play a 335 a lot and my previous axe was a 1966 casino.
SD jazz neck is good because its not so bass heavy or dark as the 59 or PG neck pickups. Less bass in this case is a good thing. However, as a jazz player i found it to be a little sterile and cold for clean amps and the top string sounded a little thin. Swapped the magnet for an a2 which smoothed out the top and and reduced the output by a touch ending in a warmer, more forgiving sound that is thick and syrupy enough and a perfect complement to a naturally resonant and bassy guitar.
In the bridge, an a2 equipped 59 kept the warm thick vintage vibe, but just added enough extra output and beef to balance the normally large volume disparity found in full hollow body guitars between neck and bridge, so even tho you (and i) dont often switch to the bridge pickup, it becomes a useable and groovy sound if and when you decide to use it.
 
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Re: Looking for a less boomy neck pickup(still fat and sweet) for my semi-hollow.

How about Spin-a-split, which allows you to dial in how much, or little, of one coil you want. You go from full HB to single coil, and everywhere inbetween. HB's have more mids and lows, & less treble than a single coil. Using this method you combine the sound of a HB and a single coil, and easily re-create the unbalanced coils of a vintage PAF.
 
Re: Looking for a less boomy neck pickup(still fat and sweet) for my semi-hollow.

Guys, thanks for all the suggestions!

I decided to go for SH-1n with the cover that I found pretty cheap on ebay.

Will ask you more help if it doesn't work out!

Thanks a lot!
 
Re: Looking for a less boomy neck pickup(still fat and sweet) for my semi-hollow.

bolek said:
Guys, thanks for all the suggestions!

I decided to go for SH-1n with the cover that I found pretty cheap on ebay.

Will ask you more help if it doesn't work out!

Thanks a lot!
Click to expand...

I have a Dimarzio Evolution neck installed in a semi-hollow/ hybrid guitar. The sound is fat and not boomy. Maybe you should consider that too.
 
Re: Looking for a less boomy neck pickup(still fat and sweet) for my semi-hollow.

bolek said:
I decided to go for SH-1n with the cover that I found pretty cheap on ebay.
Click to expand...

If you didn't get it to mag swap, you've actually gotten the most "prone-to-mud" p'up of the entire Duncan line...

I'd start with an A4 in it...
 
Re: Looking for a less boomy neck pickup(still fat and sweet) for my semi-hollow.

blueman335 said:
Actually A2P's are a good choice, they're a warm A2 PU that would be good for jazz (better suited for jazz than Duncan's bright 'Jazz" PU's). I've used A2P's in Les Pauls and like them a lot. PG's are another option; the neck is a little warmer than an A2P neck, but the bridge is noticeably brighter than an A2P bridge. The best A2 HB's Duncan makes, which are one of the world's best PAF's, are Seth's. Warm, clear, open, and airy.
Click to expand...

Yeah, "fat and sweet" brings Alnico II Pro as the first thing I'd consider. I have them in the neck slots of two of my guitars..
 
Re: Looking for a less boomy neck pickup(still fat and sweet) for my semi-hollow.

I am not a 335 fan (see post in guitar room). That said, I am a pickup fan.

I have to say, I kind of like the Pearly Gates recommendation. It tilts the 59 EQ curve down in the bass, up in the upper miss, and the A2 mag ices the cake with just the right touch of sweetness. Great neck pickup period.

However, A2P is an obvious jazz choice. Bottom is not as tight as the 59, yet not totally loose either (A2 mag characteristic usually). Bass, mids and sweet fat highs.
 
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