Most open sounding humbucker?

[Natman]

Hi guys haven't been around here in a while.

I have a long and storied pickup journey but I'll get to the point: I want a humbucker set that leans toward a single coil sound for a semi hollow D'Angelico DC.

In my experience that means low output. I rather dig filtertrons for that reason but I'm not specifically going for a Gretsch sound.

I had Seth Lovers in my Hamer and they were close, but not enough crispness in the highs or "boing" on the low strings.

I have 4 sets prepped for surgery but I'd rather get it right the first time so your advice is helpful! Currently learning toward the Retrotrons so I put them in order of what I think will work for what I'm after:

-GFS Memphis Retrotrons
-Seths
-Unpotted Pearly Gates
-59/C5 hybrid set with A2

Notice all of them use A2? That was not intentional I swear! I was trying to approximate Seths when I bought the other pickups for other guitars. I also have a few magnets which could swap in easily if it will get me there.

I found PAFs overdrive really well and sing under gain but the clean tones could stand to open up more. This is why I tend to dislike higher output pickups; no chugging needed here! In other words I'd like more snap/zing, clarity and dynamics (ie less compression).

Thanks for your help!

 

[jeremy]

i might try uoa5 seths, little more top and bottom than a2, but without going too far. i havent tried that magnet in seths, but ive done uoa5 in antiquitys and 59s and they sounded great.

ive never seen the memphis retrotrons but that might be a good option too

 

[hamerfan]

It sounds you like underwound A2 pickups like the asymmetrical wound Bareknuckle Stormy Mondays. Cleans starting at 3:00.

 

[jeremy]

The goal here was to recreate the cool vintage sounds. Not just the same boring PAF stuff that everyone's doing- after all- how many times can a grown man play "Stormy Monday"??

 

[justFred]

humbucker from hell is worth a listen to for that....

 

[Mincer]

Check out the Antiquity as well.

 

[GuitarDoc]

If you don't need to stay with SD, my favorite pickup for very clean, clear, and balanced tone, but extremely versatile and can handle lots of OD and sounds very Stratish when split or parallel, is the GFS Dream 180. And at around $35 I don't think you can beat it. They also make a P-90 sized version called the P180.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

You could also try one of Gibson's Burstbucker family of pickups. They have mismatched coils, and have kinda sorta a single coil vibe.

I think the Pros or the 61's are the brightest and most open. But maybe also the BB1 or 2 if you like A2.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Also... try the Jazz. I can't see a situation where the Jazz is not bright/open enough for someone.

 

[Chistopher]

You could also try one of Gibson's Burstbucker family of pickups. They have mismatched coils, and have kinda sorta a single coil vibe.

Mismatch within the standard tolerances of a symmetrical pickup.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Mismatch within the standard tolerances of a symmetrical pickup.

True if you go by DCR... but specs aside, they do lean towards the brighter side IME.

 

[Chistopher]

Also true if you go by turn count. For the BB1 There is roughly a 200 turn coil offset, each coil has roughly 5000 turns. That's roughly 4% difference, and the tolerance on turn count is usually 3-5%

They are definitely bright though. I don't care for any of the Burstbuckers in the bridge of anything reallty.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Also true if you go by turn count. For the BB1 There is roughly a 200 turn coil offset, each coil has roughly 5000 turns. That's roughly 4% difference, and the tolerance on turn count is usually 3-5%

Is there a tolerance in turn count? I did not know that. With computer-controlled machines doing the winding, I would've thought there is 0% tolerance in turn count, but that's just me assuming.

I like the BB Pro in the bridge, personally. The 2 and 3 I had in an Epiphone 1959 I felt were kinda meh, but I wouldn't mind giving them another try.

 

[Chistopher]

It's mostly down to wire tolerances. Diameter, composition, and such.

I forgot about the BB Pros. The Epi version is pretty good in the bridge of my Epi SG that came with them

 

[marcello252]

Are you sure you don't want a P90 ?

 

[esandes]

You could also try one of Gibson's Burstbucker family of pickups. They have mismatched coils, and have kinda sorta a single coil vibe.

I think the Pros or the 61's are the brightest and most open. But maybe also the BB1 or 2 if you like A2.

I have a BB1 & BB2 in my Les Paul. They sound nothing like a single coil.

OP, I'd look at an unpotted antiquity HB if the Seth wasn't quite what you're after. Maybe also 300k pots if possible in your guitar.

 

[Natman]

Thanks everybody for your input!
I'm going to start with UOA5 Seths. It has been a while since I had them in my Hamer Newport and I found them a bit too soft but otherwise very pleasing. That guitar was all mahogany with spruce top and rosewood fb, so maybe it was more the guitar than the pickups? The D'Angelico DC is maple and more snappy to start with.

I recall the neck being as close to perfection as I have heard a humbucker and thought it sounded alot like a single coil. The bridge matched the neck sound wise but slightly too thin/quiet. On its own it delivered the tasty sauce but no matter how I set the height it was always a notch lower than the neck.

I'm apprehensive of the Retrotrons because they might be TOO low output and frankly I suspect the unpotted coils contribute to the sound. I definitely want to avoid P90s because of the hum (ya I know there are some noiseless options).

 

[jeremy]

uoa5 seths should be an awesome set! look forward to hearing the results

 

[Mincer]

So what does an UO magnet do for the Seths?

 

[jeremy]

a2 are uo mags. most a5 are oriented so stronger and have different eq. uoa5 is softer on the highs and lows which seems to give more apparent midrange, but there is less output than a typical oriented a5