Lower or higher outputs? Calling Hard Rockers!!!

[warner-211]

Hey i wanted to start a discussion for all of you hard rock and heavy metal guys. How many of you like lower output pickups such as the screamin demon, custom custom, custom , and the famous 78, Alnico2 pro, or how many of you prefer high outputs such as JB, Distortion, Duncan custom, and full shred. I know alot of players use the whole spectrum in a specific genre. For example EVH, Cinderella, and Slash get their tones from lower outputs. Lynch cant seem to decide on which he likes. But guys like Ace Frehley, Sambora, Ford, Stanley, Perry, Vincent, and so many others use high outputs. ive only been through 2 seymour duncans and i wasnt feeling the Alnico 2 pro but im lovin the JB.
What do you prefer??

 

[Lucy Diamond]

Re: Lower or higher outputs? Calling Hard Rockers!!!

I prefer the tightness of a high(er) output (specifically) ceramic magnet pickup.

 

[Dahla]

Lower or higher outputs? Calling Hard Rockers!!!

My opinion?

For riffing ala Hetfield, Mustain and whatnot with lots of palm mutes (chugging) etc and I need a punchy, focused (i.e. tight) sound: high gain pickups all the way. I prefer ceramics too.

For Slash-type balls out rocking, open power chords "Ramones-ing" it Foo Fighters type of rawk: I prefer low output pickup and/or PAFs.

It depends on how you play and what you play. That was my revelation once I got my WLH pickups.

I love the feel of high output humbuckers, but low output pickups blend more with the rest of the band. They don't "stick out" as much, feels softer and broader. Playing Metallicas Battery on low output humbuckers feels plain wrong. Likewise, picking/strumming Hotel California feels better on low output humbuckers.

If someone put a gun to my head and made me choose, I would go with high output pickups and ride my volume knob instead for the "softer" tones. Dynamics isn't an issue for me. I can the way I want either way.

EDIT: I play rythm though. Lead players might feel different...

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[Brandenburg]

Re: Lower or higher outputs? Calling Hard Rockers!!!

i like medium output paf sounding 'pups

 

[Aceman]

Re: Lower or higher outputs? Calling Hard Rockers!!!

First off, warner, we need to have a discussion about output. You are a little loose in your listings.

Also - generally older guys dig the high outputs because JCM800 just doesn't go to "11"

All of that said - I select pups based on the tone and EQ, not so much output. I'll say I generally am a fan of ceramic in the bridge and A2's in the neck.

I play Stage guitars currently using a Marshall VS100 (more than enough gain for whatever) and these pups:
PG, JB, JB8, Custom Custom, And occasionally a superD or a Distiortion.

The PG is by far the best tone, IMO and used on most Eb tunes. We play Cinderella, Bon Jovi, GnR, Van Halen (ld and new) among others

 

[Jeff5]

Re: Lower or higher outputs? Calling Hard Rockers!!!

In general, I prefer high output pick ups, even when playing more classic rock and blues rock stuff. They just sound, and maybe feel is the right word, better to me. Yes, I know that amp distortion these days can do what high output pickups used to be required for. (i.e. pushing an amp that didn't have a ton of gain) However, there is something about the sound and feel of a great high output pup that can't be replicated by pedals or an amp. My favorite high output pups right now, and the ones I've used the most in the past are:

-PRS Tremonti
-SD Black Winter
-SD Custom and Big Custom (Custom with big Ceramic)
-SD Distortion Parallel Axis

I'm also using an EMG 81x in one axe and I like it a lot.

 

[Boogie Bill]

Re: Lower or higher outputs? Calling Hard Rockers!!!

Not a metal guy, but I tend to go with vintage output PAF pickups, boosted slightly with a clean boost pedal into the Mesas.

Bill

 

[Demanic]

Re: Lower or higher outputs? Calling Hard Rockers!!!

I tend to prefer hb's on the more modern hotter side. I do like vintage to hot P.A.F. syle in the neck.

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[Guitaraxz]

Re: Lower or higher outputs? Calling Hard Rockers!!!

I like having guitars with different pickups for different tones. Low output pups with high gain pedals and preamps are noizy compared to a high output pickup. A high out put pup well soldered, shielded with great cables eliminate the use of noise gates (noise gates colour your tone!). High gain metal requiers low noise issues.

So on one guitar I have an El Diablo bridge and Black Winter neck. On another 2XN bridge and 59/Custom in the neck.

I also love the sound of PAF's and use a Mod 78 bridge and 59 Alnico 2 in the neck. That babe works great for playing Death Metal or Blues and I love it.

My all purpose guitar has an Eclair (think of a JB alnico 2) bridge and WLH in the neck.

I love the tones of all my guitars, whether high gain, mid or low gain pickups.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Lower or higher outputs? Calling Hard Rockers!!!

Another "trick" you can do, that I find very useful (in addition to working the vol pot with a high output pup), is to use a high output pup with lots of balls, like the invader, or Distortion, or even the C8, and when you want a low output chimey tone, flip a mini to put it in parallel mode. The Invader really sounds great in parallel.

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Lower or higher outputs? Calling Hard Rockers!!!

First off, warner, we need to have a discussion about output. You are a little loose in your listings.

Also - generally older guys dig the high outputs because JCM800 just doesn't go to "11"

All of that said - I select pups based on the tone and EQ, not so much output.

this

 

[Mincer]

Re: Lower or higher outputs? Calling Hard Rockers!!!

I always like vintage output neck pickups. For bridge pickups, I like them hot enough to sound good split, but not hot enough to start sounding compressed. I don't dig overly compressed pickups as it tends to start homogenizing guitar tones.

 

[Artie]

Re: Lower or higher outputs? Calling Hard Rockers!!!

I select pups based on the tone and EQ, not so much output.

I gotta go with Aceman on this one. For one thing, I rarely play straight into the amp. There's usually anywhere from 3 to 6 additional level/gain/volume controls between my pickups and amp. "Output", per se, just isn't a consideration.

The Invader really sounds great in parallel.

This can't be overstated.

 

[Leon Of Late]

Re: Lower or higher outputs? Calling Hard Rockers!!!

For the Classic Rock, 80's Rock or "Metal" that I play, super high output is not needed. I prefer to have a lower to medium output pickup with great tone and the mix of bass/mids/treble I'm looking for. The JB will do a lot of this stuff and I have a PATB Original if I need more. Honestly, the few times I've recorded with the PATB it sounds a tad to compressed and fizzy. I don't hear that in person though. I want to switch that one to a PATB-3 at some point.

With todays amps and the gain they have, I just prefer lower output or vintage pickups. Then again, I'm apparently a dinosaur geezer who doesn't play djent.

 

[superpete]

Re: Lower or higher outputs? Calling Hard Rockers!!!

i prefer higher output pickups. even if somehow all things were equal tonewise, there is a certain feel that more powerful pickups give that suits me much more than a lower output humbucker.

 

[NjuiMusic]

Re: Lower or higher outputs? Calling Hard Rockers!!!

For me, it depends on the amp I wanna jam on, if I am using my Plexi or my JCM800 I will go for a hotter pickup cause the amp is already relatively low output already, if I am playing my JCM2000 I will go for a medium output pickup, like around 13k maximum, and 10k minimum or else it gets to be to much gain in my opinion.

 

[htwheelz67]

Re: Lower or higher outputs? Calling Hard Rockers!!!

I like both, I have a couple Mahogany strats that rock with dmz virtual hot pafs and At-1, my favorite strat is a MIJ contemporary strat with a dmz super 3 bridge and it can do anything, my fave tele is a MIJ contemporary HH with P-rails and it rocks as hard as the super 3. Medium output would probably be my choice overall but body wood,bridge or trem,neck wood and string gauge play a part too. I am a bit spoiled though a play mainly thru a fractal axe fx ultra or factal axe fx 2 and you can make the crappiest guitar sound great thru them.

 

[Shooter.556]

Re: Lower or higher outputs? Calling Hard Rockers!!!

I like both, it depends on what I am playing. That being said, I tend to prefer the PAFs in my Les Pauls because with 50s wiring you can get a lot more tone from PAFS and the volume and tone knobs and an OD pedal than what high output humbuckers deliver. I have guitars with hot pickups and one is a Les Paul and while it has more balls it also doesn't really sound like a Les Paul and is not near as versatile as my PAFS are. It's all preference to me, AC/DC Skynyrd Zepp or G&R and I go PAFs all day.. Metallica AIC and Pantera stuff it's HO humbucker time..

 

[blueman335]

Re: Lower or higher outputs? Calling Hard Rockers!!!

Low to medium output; I like their dynamics. I want tone from the PU's and volume from the amp.

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: Lower or higher outputs? Calling Hard Rockers!!!

i prefer higher output pickups. even if somehow all things were equal tonewise, there is a certain feel that more powerful pickups give that suits me much more than a lower output humbucker.

x2
Higher-output humbuckers just impart something you can't get with lower output, no matter how much you boost the signal or how much gain the amp has. For the past 20 years I've played nothing but a JB, a few Super Distortions, a vintage Ibanez V-2 (NOT the same as the '80s V2) and an M22SD. I tried an old L500 but we just didn't gel, and the JB sounded too thin in all but one of my guitars. I even prefer them for clean and rockabilly, but I absolutely insist on them for hard rock and punk.