Most versatile pickups?

[Mincer]

Re: Most versatile pickups?

I do like the idea of versatility, though. I really don't like changing guitars, so using a pickup set that gets me the sounds I need is always a good thing. Generally, they aren't super high output, and are slanted towards the mids, but that is me. I can be happy with a lot of things- and get where I want to go with other aspects (technique, sound design, etc). I generally don't go for super-specific pickups as I play a wide range of stuff.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Most versatile pickups?

JB & 59 is the most versatile combination I have found

There's enough posts on this forum show that's not an opinion held by all. JB's are usually very good in bright woods, especially for metal. Things can occasionally go wrong in warmer woods, with a 'ice pick spike' high-end and a flabby low-end. It's not a universal PU. While ''59N's are good for many applications, but a regular comment is that they can be bassy/boomy in some Les Pauls, and sometimes 335's.

Regardless of my personal favorites, a '59/Custom hybrid is a pretty versatile bridge PU, and a JazzN is popular in the neck slot with a lot of players.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Most versatile pickups?

The most versatile pickup I have ever owned was a Duncan Distortion. I say that, because for a decade or so, it was the bridge pickup in my only electric. If I played it, it was on a Distortion. Amazing how versatile a pickup can be when you don't have a box full of them or half a dozen guitars with other options.

And ion you didn't like that one...
- True versatility comes from a great amp and a few choice pedals. With those, I can get a Seth to do Metallica and a Dimebucker to do BB King.

And finally....

A JB/Jazz is pretty freaking versatile.
A 59 and 59/Custom or Custom is pretty darn everything too.
A pair of 59's might not be best for anything, but there is nothing I'd be worried about doing with them.
Other options might include PG/Custom, or a set of PG's.

 

[chadd]

Re: Most versatile pickups?

My blue strat has an incredibly odd combination of pickups, but it gives me the most versatility out of any guitar that I own. I have a Burstbucker 2 in the bridge, APS-1 in the neck and an Alnico III from RH factor (who doesn't appear to sell their own pickups anymore) in the middle. The APS-1 in the neck gives me a fantastic clean strat neck tone, exactly what I want to hear out of that position. The A3 pickup gives me a middle pickup that sounds close enough to a strat bridge that I can cop those tones and the humbucker in the bridge gives me enough beef to play just about anything. I don't do metal, but it can do convincing hard rock type of stuff.

 

[kirby15]

Re: Most versatile pickups?

Thanks everyone for the replies/opinions/experience etc...
i'd say i'm leaning towards the pearly gates atm, cos it seems like it would suit me/my playing, even if it is not strictly the most versatile

i'm surprised though, that the p-rails has not been mentioned much - in *theory* a set of them should be the most versatile pickups money can buy....
unfortunately, cost is going to play a large part in my purchase...interested to see that the '59 set is relatively low price so that is interesting me as well

also, i guess a HSS setup is pretty versatile, although not necessarily be able to specialise in anything

 

[CaptainWhizz]

Re: Most versatile pickups?

HSH with splitting would be versatile. Something like the "full-size Everything Axe" setups where you have an actual SH-4 and SH-1n instead of the single-coil-sized versions, and a 5-way super switch that means you have both coils in series in positions 1 & 5, but they're split when combined with the middle pickup in positions 2 & 4. You could start with that concept, but choose whichever pickups you wanted. Or a set of P-Rails with a Cool Rails between them?

You do end up with a lot of options, but it might be overkill.

If you're building a guitar where all the electronics are mounted to a pickguard, like a Strat or Tele Deluxe, you could always use solder-less connections for the ground and the output jack, and then have multiple pickguards set up with different options that you can switch between- this is a bad idea for playing live, but for "versatile speciality" at home or recording or whatever it's cool.

 

[gregory]

Re: Most versatile pickups?

You can do 1&5 in series and 2&4 auto-split with middle using a standard 5-way.

 

[CaptainWhizz]

Re: Most versatile pickups?

You can do 1&5 in series and 2&4 auto-split with middle using a standard 5-way.

Cool, I didn't know that. Even easier then!

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: Most versatile pickups?

One more vote for the Demon. I had to put an A2 in it to fit my rather-bright Les Paul, but I swear it can do anything. Pair it with a 59 neck, and the pickup sector can take you from polite, warm cleans to roaring, aggressive crunch.