Neck humbucker recommendation

[SFW]

Alder body maple neck and board Charvel ProMod SoCal. I have a Custom Custom in the bridge that I really like. (Very mid 80s EVH vibes). I need a good neck humbucker to compliment it. Was thinking maybe the Pearly Gates neck… but am open to suggestions. Playing hard rock through my Kemper using various SLO100 and Plexi profiles. Go!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[beaubrummels]

Alnico 2 Pro is the first obvious companion. Seth is a good mate also, IME. You could also try a 78 model neck, now that it's a production pickup. But what kinds of tones and music do you want to get out of the neck?

 

[SFW]

Alnico 2 Pro is the first obvious companion. Seth is a good mate also, IME. You could also try a 78 model neck, now that it's a production pickup. But what kinds of tones and music do you want to get out of the neck?

I mainly use the neck pickup when I cross the 12th fret for soloing. So that smooth lead tone that happens with the right pickup and some gain.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mincer]

Alnico 2 Pro is the first obvious companion. Seth is a good mate also, IME. You could also try a 78 model neck, now that it's a production pickup. But what kinds of tones and music do you want to get out of the neck?

Yes, the Alnico II Pro works very well with the CC...it is my favorite set. Works especially well in bright guitars, or if you just like buttery mids.

 

[Aceman]

You used the word "Compliment" so I am going to give a literal interpretation and recommendation:

Since the CC is a Monster-Mid, with fat highs, and loose bass, I recommend the 59. Why?
- In the neck you will get an opposite EQ curve; Bass + Treble, scooped mids
- In that guitar a 59 bass will be tight, the highs cutting.

So you get the CC Bridge
An Opposite EQ neck
And in the middle spot - You add a little cut to the highs, don't augment the mids, and add a little bottom, and tighter bottom, for a very full sound, and different, 3rd sound in that position.


An A2P is not a bad choice either, but it is the same buttery highs as the bridge, the same boosted mids. That is more of a "match". A DiMarzio PAF Pro wouldn't be a bad choice there either
I personally went for a Pearly Gates...but I was using in a Les Paul, so I needed a little less bass than the 59, and a little more upper mid cut. The A2 in a PG does jive nicely with the CC though.

 

[Artie]

Yes, the Alnico II Pro works very well with the CC...it is my favorite set. Works especially well in bright guitars, or if you just like buttery mids.

I have an AII Pro, and a CC. I need to put these into something. :scratchch

 

[beaubrummels]

Another one to consider is the Eric Steckel "Candy" pickups. At 2:30 you can hear him doing leads above the 9th fret on the neck pickup alone. He even gets a little harmonic chirp out of it.

 

[GuitarStv]

'59 neck would work well there.

 

[Mincer]

I have an AII Pro, and a CC. I need to put these into something. :scratchch

Oh hell yeah! At some point, I will get another set to put in my Dean Flying Bee guitar.

 

[Clint 55]

Mincer, to change it up from all your A2P necks you should try an A2 59. Similar feel but different tone color.

 

[SFW]

You used the word "Compliment" so I am going to give a literal interpretation and recommendation:

Since the CC is a Monster-Mid, with fat highs, and loose bass, I recommend the 59. Why?
- In the neck you will get an opposite EQ curve; Bass + Treble, scooped mids
- In that guitar a 59 bass will be tight, the highs cutting.

So you get the CC Bridge
An Opposite EQ neck
And in the middle spot - You add a little cut to the highs, don't augment the mids, and add a little bottom, and tighter bottom, for a very full sound, and different, 3rd sound in that position.


An A2P is not a bad choice either, but it is the same buttery highs as the bridge, the same boosted mids. That is more of a "match". A DiMarzio PAF Pro wouldn't be a bad choice there either
I personally went for a Pearly Gates...but I was using in a Les Paul, so I needed a little less bass than the 59, and a little more upper mid cut. The A2 in a PG does jive nicely with the CC though.

The 59n was on my mind as well. Just a pain to get in zebra and short legs... first world problems I know.

 

[esandes]

You used the word "Compliment" so I am going to give a literal interpretation and recommendation:

Since the CC is a Monster-Mid, with fat highs, and loose bass, I recommend the 59. Why?
- In the neck you will get an opposite EQ curve; Bass + Treble, scooped mids
- In that guitar a 59 bass will be tight, the highs cutting.

So you get the CC Bridge
An Opposite EQ neck
And in the middle spot - You add a little cut to the highs, don't augment the mids, and add a little bottom, and tighter bottom, for a very full sound, and different, 3rd sound in that position.


An A2P is not a bad choice either, but it is the same buttery highs as the bridge, the same boosted mids. That is more of a "match". A DiMarzio PAF Pro wouldn't be a bad choice there either
I personally went for a Pearly Gates...but I was using in a Les Paul, so I needed a little less bass than the 59, and a little more upper mid cut. The A2 in a PG does jive nicely with the CC though.

wow I thought you had tone cred. a paf pro?

 

[Mincer]

Mincer, to change it up from all your A2P necks you should try an A2 59. Similar feel but different tone color.

Nah, I don't change things just to change. If I like something, I stop worrying about something that is 'more better'.

 

[Clint 55]

I meant if you had a spare guitar to try 1 in, not to replace all the A2Ps. But yeah that's a good way to be - not expending strain trying to improve gear that is already ideal.

 

[EmiAba]

I don't like A5 neck, A2 bridge. The 59 is a perfect choice for your guitar but if I were you I will put a UOA5 in the custom custom to better match the 59

 

[Mincer]

I meant if you had a spare guitar to try 1 in, not to replace all the A2Ps. But yeah that's a good way to be - not expending strain trying to improve gear that is already ideal.

What can I expect from an A2 59? I know Allan Holdsworth loved them (a neck version in the bridge, with 2 screw poles).

 

[Aceman]

wow I thought you had tone cred. a paf pro?

For the neck. With a Custom Custom. Try it.

 

[Clint 55]

What can I expect from an A2 59? I know Allan Holdsworth loved them (a neck version in the bridge, with 2 screw poles).

The mids, treble, and chewy attack of an A2 59 are about the same as an A2P. The main differences are the bass is slightly broader and the tone color is different.

 

[beaubrummels]

But that sounds like we're back to the same problem of a 59n being boomy in the neck?

 

[Clint 55]

Depends on if you want a healthy dose of bass or not. Was just recommending it to Mincer since it's similar to the A2P.