Medium output, punchy, bold, tight and - NOT compressed......

bonedish

bonedish

New member
..... bridge humbucker for a alder HSS Strat (w/ maple neck).

I currently have a DiMarzio Tone Zone with 2 Fast Track 1's in there, and it is too compressed, not loud, tight or punchy IMHO. The FTs are a little too thin sounding to me as well, so I may be looking towards some Quarter Pounds in the neck and middle.

I am looking for something that will be most versatile to cover from blues to hard rock (think 80's hair metal).

I'm going onto this thinking what may be punchy, bold, and tight may mean different things to different people, but I am open to any suggestions!


Thanks!!! :dance:
 
Re: Medium output, punchy, bold, tight and - NOT compressed......

Duncan '78? A good ol' '59B? Maybe a Dimarzio PAF.

What's your price range?
 
Re: Medium output, punchy, bold, tight and - NOT compressed......

appar111 said:
Duncan '78? A good ol' '59B? Maybe a Dimarzio PAF.

What's your price range?
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Thanks! I'll leave the price range wide open.

I am at the point where I've tried enough pickups out that I'm narrowing it down to what I *think* I need (tone wise) to meet my tonal needs.

What are the differences, in your opinion, between the pups you suggested?
 
Re: Medium output, punchy, bold, tight and - NOT compressed......

Start with a 59b. If that doesn't do it order some mags and start swapping.
 
Re: Medium output, punchy, bold, tight and - NOT compressed......

Brobucker.
 
Re: Medium output, punchy, bold, tight and - NOT compressed......

Since you said no price range, I would look into Bareknuckle. Very pricey, but they are awesome pickups. As far as BKP I'd recommend a Nailbomb for those qualities, although it's leaning towards higher output. Also, an emerald might be an option. Not compressed at all, very punchy, very tight, and VERY bold. Maybe too bold, as it might be too bright in a Fat Strat. You never know.
 
Re: Medium output, punchy, bold, tight and - NOT compressed......

bonedish said:
Thanks! I'll leave the price range wide open.

I am at the point where I've tried enough pickups out that I'm narrowing it down to what I *think* I need (tone wise) to meet my tonal needs.

What are the differences, in your opinion, between the pups you suggested?
Click to expand...

The '78 is a little brighter, but chewier sounding-- the notes sound like there's just a bit of sag to them. But still very aggressive and pissed off sounding. Good harmonics too and sounds good clean. Does well with alot of styles, like the other two below, but does so in a more pissed off fashion. Esspensive though at around $168 new.

The 59B is a great standard to go with-- bright, good bass, sort of scooped in the midrange. Sounds great clean, and one of my favorites with distortion. With a midrange strong amp, it's a really great choice. Does funk, rock, pop, metal, all equally well. If it's a little too scooped for your liking, then you can pop an A2 magnet in there to fill the midrange in a bit and shave a little bass and treble off. $75-ish new, and $45-50-ish used.

Dimarzio PAF-- sort of like an A2 59B, but more balanced and "woody" sounding (as in a good interaction between bass and mids). Good harmonics, open sounding, and like the 59B, does well with all sorts of genres.

I'd probably seek out a used 59B for a good price and see if you like it. If you don't like it you won't take a hit on it when you sell it. Also a good candidate for magnet swapping, so grab an A2 or UOA5 if you don't like it stock.
 
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Re: Medium output, punchy, bold, tight and - NOT compressed......

+1 on PATB-3 Blues Saraceno. For hair metal the PATB-1 Original bridge can be better, but for low output the PATB-3 is easier to work with.

The dynamics of the Parallel Axis series are just amazing. Once you get the pickup at the right height for your playing style/guitar/amp, they just sing. Dig in for a sharper tone, smoothes out with a lighter touch. Can go from a bright crunch to smooth leads without touching a control, and the range available from just the guitar knobs is ridiculous.

They're great for beefing up a superstrat to behave more like a thick Les Paul. The design offers lower string pull from a softer magnetic field, increased sustain, improved articulation, enhanced harmonics, better string balance and higher output with paradoxical ridiculous dynamics.

A PATB-3 with the volume at around 85% is almost indistinguishable from a '59, but has a bit of extra output on tap.

The Custom 8 is a great choice as well, but it's a lot higher output so may push your amp into compression, despite it's open feel. It is also great for a wide gamut of styles. If you like a lot of usable bass, it's a great choice.

EDIT:
Given you are talking about Quarter Pounds, sounds like you want higher output, not just a bolder sound. I'd look at the PATB-1b or the Custom 8, then.
 
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