Maching the bridge and the neck pickup

[mongrollo]

I have question about conecting two pickups in parallel.

Some poeple really like the way the Jazz and the JB mix togheter. But my experience it is that when the pickups have the same DC mix better together. I have made an experiment with a 59 mixed with a JB full and split. The sound resulting it is a better mix of both with the JB in split mode. Just notice that the JB has 16K DC (8k in split mode which it is almost the same as the 59). When the JB it is in full mode the tone of both pickups in parallel it is more like the neck one.

Same happens with two humbucker. I have two DiMarzio PAF classics (think in a vintage paf based pickup with alnico II magnets). They are about the same resistance. The tone they have together it is different from the pickups separately.

Do you players really like when a low output and a high output are mixed together? For me there isn't much difference with the tone of the low output one.

Does anyone have the same feeling about this?

 

[Nightburst]

Re: Maching the bridge and the neck pickup

I don't like how the JB and '59 mix at all, IMHO they are not the best match out there. On their own they are both fantastic humbuckers with great sounds.
The biggest reason for using lower output pickups and medium/high output pickups in the same axe is the versatility. A low output bucker in general has better cleans than a high output one and a medium/high output bucker does distorted stuff much better.
Split positions somehow always sound a little muffled to my ears.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Maching the bridge and the neck pickup

Just depends. I use an a2 Seth Lover neck (under 7.5K) and an a2 Custom Custom (14.4K) on my Hamer Monoco and love it. The neck pickup stays cleanish for bluesy solos and jazzy chord voicings and the bridge pickup pushes my amps harder for more "modern" overdriven tones: anything from Truth-era Jeff Beck right up to present day rock tones. Just depends what you're after. The Jazz neck (or 59 neck) and JB is much the same idea, only alnico 5 with more bass and treble...it's a great combination in a Les Paul. Just a matter of personal taste whether it's for you or not...it's clearly for a lot of players cuz alot of players love that combo.

I just remembered: my Monoco DID come with two pickups of the same output! I didn't like it. It came with a Custom for a neck pickup and a Custom Custom for a bridge pickup. I couldn't get the clean tones I like and the overall tone was to dark and woofy...for me. :burnout: Lew

 

[garublador]

Re: Maching the bridge and the neck pickup

I notice the same thing. I'm guessing it has to do with how inductors combine in parallel. The resulting inductance is always lower than the lowest inductor so it seems to make sense that the resulting sound from two pickups would sound more like the lower output pickup, especally if they have the same magnet type. That's just a shot in the dark, though.

 

[rhmcfarland]

Re: Maching the bridge and the neck pickup

I like having a weaker neck pickup. The Gibson minihumbucker in the neck position mixes well with the Antiquity bridge in my Les Paul. Also, generally speaking, weaker pickups allow for greater playing dynamics. I don't feel like I have to fight the pickup to get cleaner, thinner sounds.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Maching the bridge and the neck pickup

I will say this: as far as two pickups combined in the middle setting of a three position selector switch, I DO like that tone better when the two pickups are more closely matched. 7.5K neck and 8.5K to 9.5K bridge works well for me. The tone is chimier when the two are both on at the same time. But I think it's just because the bridge pickup isn't dominating the neck pickup so much when they're mixed. Lew

 

[Jono_L]

Re: Maching the bridge and the neck pickup

I run a VERY hot bridge pickup, and a relatively low-output neck pickup with my axe. I wouldn't have it any other way. I tried running both pickups together, but imho, it didnt sound that good, so I ditched the position for split bridge pickup only.

TB-6 = 17.6K (overwound from the factory, due to TB spec)
FSn = 7.4K

 

[mongrollo]

Re: Maching the bridge and the neck pickup

Thanks for your answers!

It seems that some of you think like me. I was just remembering that many blues and jazz players likes to play in the middle position. And the so called jazz guitars ussually have the same output pickups.