Lower output pickups equate to a bigger tone?

[papersoul]

Is this a mythe or as I feel it really depends on everything in the equation such as guitar, amp, etc. I have heard it mentioned a lot that lower output pickup yeild a bigger tone due to the less compression factor compared to a hotter pickup like a JB or Custom. To me it doesn't seem that audible other than hotter pickups are hotter...period. Thoughts?

ps

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Lower output pickups equate to a bigger tone?

I don't know about "bigger"....but clearer, breathier and more open and spacious for sure. Lew

 

[JeffB]

Re: Lower output pickups equate to a bigger tone?

I don't know about "bigger"....but clearer, breathier and more open and spacious for sure. Lew

Yup..and this sense of "open-ness" creates aural width or space...thus the "bigger" comments you hear.

Higher the output the less of the instruments natural voice you hear...hence why many guys prefer a Strat or tele over a HB equipped guitar..and many P-90 guys cite the same thing vs. a bucker...

A Paula with a 8K PAF/Copy sounds like a Paula

A Paula with a DD or SuperD, or EMG 81 in it, pretty much sounds like any other set/neck through guitar...a little more low end than most...but you lose the complexity of the mids....

 

[PoorMan]

Re: Lower output pickups equate to a bigger tone?

All things being equal, a colder pickup will also be brighter .

 

[papersoul]

Re: Lower output pickups equate to a bigger tone?

I was listening to Neil Zaza on some of those clips running the Duncan CC and he sounds huge and that is with a high output pickup.

maybe we all hear things differently (d'oh!) and I know John LaGrassa (forum member) tried a bunch of lower output boutique pickups and ended up finding the Duncan C-5 had the biggest tone.

 

[fenderiarhs]

Re: Lower output pickups equate to a bigger tone?

I was always sceptical regarding cliches like "low output pickups give a bigger tone" or the classic "using no effects at all makes you a real goooooooood guitarist" and after trying both the approaches i can only say those are bu....it..............the usual crap everybody has heard from someone or read somewhere and keeps repeating without even thinking about it..................................

 

[BowerR64]

Re: Lower output pickups equate to a bigger tone?

The low output pickups to me sound flat. Thats why i like the 10k pickups. Not all of them ive liked but the majority of the medium output pickups i like better then a low output or somthing liek a 16k mud machine.

That should be a new pickup name, the mud machine. Punk bands would love it. :laugh2:

 

[papersoul]

Re: Lower output pickups equate to a bigger tone?

I think the fullest pickups I've tried thus far are the Rio Grande BBQ/Texas set but I haven't tried the CC in my guitars yet!

 

[tfb1990]

Re: Lower output pickups equate to a bigger tone?

it will give you a clearer, cleaner tone, but not bigger imo

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: Lower output pickups equate to a bigger tone?

I think most of the fattest tones recorded were with low output pickups. Even the famous EVH brown sound is low output PAF humbuckers.

 

[fab.regnaut]

Re: Lower output pickups equate to a bigger tone?

It will have a bigger, more open tone, but IMO they lose some of the tightness and fast tracking of higher output pickups.

With low ouput p-u you WIN the fast tracking and response:
a Jazz is faster than a 59 and a Demon faster than a Custom .

Once i compared a guitar (mine) loaded with a ToneZone and an other (not mine) loaded with a Demon , and the Demon was MUCH LOUDER , cause more attack and less compression .

 

[Dirtyking]

Re: Lower output pickups equate to a bigger tone?

I think mid output pups, such as the Demon, C-5, CC, and Full Shred offer the best of both worlds. With a little EQ and Volume tweeking you can have that "openness and clarity" of a low output pup and the punch of a high output pup.