Most versatile pickups?

K

kirby15

New member
hey all...about to begin a build and starting to think about pickups...
i have never had my own guitar with duncans (i do have a bass with them tho), and i'm a fairly young player, can't say i've found my 'favourite tone' yet...or a 'preffered genre'....sooo i'm thinking maybe some really versatile pu's maybe? to give a wide range of tones... what would you guys think is a really versatile setup?


I'm thinking of going HH setup at this point..

also, re music style, i play anything up to classic rock sot...dont think i'll ever get much heavier than that (!) like metal so i guess i'm not looking into that sort of pickup

thanks, and cant wait to get this build on the go :) :fingersx:
 
Re: Most versatile pickups?

What you’re going to get is everyone recommending their favorites.

For classic rock and classic blues I’ll recommend Seth Lovers if you want nickel covers.

I prefer uncovered. It’s livlier.

So I take the covers off, just like Clapton and Beck did in the 1960’s.

Or just get a set of Pearly Gates without covers.

Equally great pickups.
 
Re: Most versatile pickups?

Black Winters, Jazz/JB, 59/Custom, Full Shred/Custom 5, Jazz/Dimebucker, P-rails with triple shots, the list goes on and on. All of them can do pretty much everything.

Also, what amp and guitar do you use?
 
Re: Most versatile pickups?

First set of Duncans?

I'd say start with the classic JB/Jazz combo, the Pearly Gates set or the Custom/'59 combo.

Keep it simple. Those are the pickups that really put Duncan on the map and for good reason. They are all exceptionally versatile and, as you discover what you like/don't like, we can guide you on future choices, if needed.
 
Re: Most versatile pickups?

Custom in bridge and Screaming Demon in the neck and you'll have the best tones ever .
 
Re: Most versatile pickups?

I will add Pegasus/Sentient to the growing list.

I don't think most of the typical 44AWG offerings (JB/Distortion/Black Winter/Dimebucker) are appropriate:

kirby15 said:
i play anything up to classic rock sot...dont think i'll ever get much heavier than that (!) like metal so i guess i'm not looking into that sort of pickup
Click to expand...
...and to me, the Screamin' Demon in the neck sounds absolutely horrible. :earl:
 
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Re: Most versatile pickups?

Ok, 59 in the neck with a Custom 5 in the bridge. Both in Triple Shots.

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Re: Most versatile pickups?

IMO, Bill Lawrence Twin Blades (Humbucker or Single Coil size) are the absolute most versatile pickups. Can handle Country Twang to Heavy Metal with everything in between.
 
Re: Most versatile pickups?

I feel that the Jazz set is really versatile too, the name is just misleading


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Re: Most versatile pickups?

I agree, most of the middle output sd humbucker sets are super versatile and fantastic. Dimarzio Tone Zone and Air Norton are just awesome in an Ibanez, so I would think they would suffice for most other instruments
 
Re: Most versatile pickups?

I have to add the Mayhem set, in Triple Shots.

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Re: Most versatile pickups?

I'd go middle of the range for the bridge.....the c/59 has enough of both ends to get heavy but stay clear for lower gain applications.
 
Re: Most versatile pickups?

kirby15 said:
also, re music style, i play anything up to classic rock sot...dont think i'll ever get much heavier than that (!) like metal so i guess i'm not looking into that sort of pickup
Click to expand...

I'm not sure everyone has seen this part?

I would have thought P-Rails with Triple Shots would be the most versatile, simply due to the variety of tones.
 
Re: Most versatile pickups?

I dont know but i find the Screamin' Demon to be very versatile. It can shred, chug, and clean up with the best of them. I like it even more with an RCA8 mag, but it is definitely a bit more compressed.

The 59/Custom Hybrid is an awesome pickup as well and can cover many of the same bases as the Screamin' Demon.

Some will say the JB is pretty versatile, but it doesnt clean up that well in most applications (with stock A5 mag). I bet it would be a tad more versatile with an A2.

as Neck pickups go, I find the 59 and APH-1 to be my favorites. I prefer an A2 mag neck pickup in most cases, but the 59 is a very nice and full sounding pickup. I personally am not a fan of the Jazz-i find it to have little character and a little sterile sounding.
 
Re: Most versatile pickups?

I think most of us here don't want a versatile pickup; we'd rather use the right tool for the job, even if that's ten different guitars. Still don't think I'm contradicting myself when I say the Screamin Demon is my favorite (humbucker) pickup and it happens to be very versatile. It's only bright to people who only use humbuckers; it's still very fat and high output compared to almost any single and covers a lot of ground. It is not a forgiving pickup, however; quick attack and clarity means you need to nail it every time.
 
Re: Most versatile pickups?

I know I love the two I own, though one has been sacrificed to become part of two other pickups. ;)

I swear by either of the these as complimentary neck pickups: JB Jr. Neck and Full Shred Neck. As SK says, regular singles work extremely well, though this should come as no surprise.

If you are at all curious about a Screamin' Demon, go buy one. They work well in mahogany, maple-capped mahogany, basswood, alder; Gibson scale, PRS scale, Fender scale; bolt-on, set-neck, neck-through; fixed tail, floating tail, string-through.

Not once have I missed any JB that was replaced by a Screamin' Demon.
 
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Re: Most versatile pickups?

kirby15 said:
hey all...about to begin a build and starting to think about pickups...
i have never had my own guitar with duncans (i do have a bass with them tho), and i'm a fairly young player, can't say i've found my 'favourite tone' yet...or a 'preffered genre'....sooo i'm thinking maybe some really versatile pu's maybe? to give a wide range of tones... what would you guys think is a really versatile setup?


I'm thinking of going HH setup at this point..

also, re music style, i play anything up to classic rock sot...dont think i'll ever get much heavier than that (!) like metal so i guess i'm not looking into that sort of pickup

thanks, and cant wait to get this build on the go :) :fingersx:
Click to expand...

Instead of recommending a set, I'll evoke several roads that you're free to consider or not.

1)active electronics: a "state variable filter" in the Alembic fashion would give the most versatile tone since it would allow to obtain the EQing of any existing pickup with a few added pots (example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFDSe6p6qK8). Active sets with onboard EQ would be interesting too (see EMG or Fishman Fluence, among others). You might also consider a bridge with piezo saddles.

2)high DCR/inductance (IOW: high power) humbuckers with complex wiring, like series/parallel/split modes + out of phase capabilities ( and possibly a Bill Lawrence style "Q filter" or correctily designed varitone). That's an option applied in many, many guitars during the 80's*... I still remember my first LP copy with my first aftermarket piclups (beefy DiMarzio's), giving more than decent Stratty tones once splitted.

*A few other examples: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/bf/d7/76/bfd7760ade09e6ba1ef4283ab9d992ab.jpg
http://www.redox.com.ua/guitarpics/bcrich/lg_mockingbird_st_honey_burst_data.jpg


3)simple passive pickups with a simple versatile electronics. Standard P.A.F. clones can do wonders if they are paired to 50s wiring : when you lower the volume AND the tone with such a wiring, the tone pot doesn't cut the high no more but starts to "thin out" the tone, giving a single coilish vibe... https://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/tips-and-tricks/lespaulwiring

These solutions are blendable. I mean that you can have a guitar with a complex or simple passive electronics + an active preamp (possibly switchable) to shape the mids or level, for example.
Illustration: http://www.stagecue.com/guitars/17.jpg
http://www.sgp.freewebspace.com/Articles/Mockelectr.html


Let's also recall that contemporary technology gives many ways to produce dozens of tones with a simple basic guitar: pickups emulators, onboard EQ's if not guitar modeling are present in various multieffects units.

Nobody is forced to choose between these options... my most "versatile" instrument is a Variax with an added GK2 transducer + two Duncan Rails with series /parallel modes: it gives me all the tones offered by Roland and Line6 guitar modeling + 10 sounds of "real" pickups + several hundreds of guitar synth tones... But sometimes, I just take an old basic Gibson or Fender and obtain tonal versatility from their tone + volume controls. It's a question of mood and playing situation.

Good luck in your quest! :-)
 
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