Neck Humbuckers with "vocal" tone

H

Humbucker

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I'm looking for a better neck pickup for my Les Paul Goldtop. I've tried a number of pickups, mostly Alnico V humbuckers except for a Burstbucker 1, but so far they've all been a bit too much on the "eeeeeeee" side (for lack of a better term), and not enough on the "oooooooooo" side.

I definitely want a PAF type pickup and I'm thinking I should give more Alnico II pickups a shot, so I'm looking at Antiquities, Seth Lovers and Pearly Gates. Would the PGs be my best shot since according to the tone chart they seem to have a more present mid-range? I'm also considering using the bridge versions of these pickups in the neck position, my reasoning being that the slightly higher output might deepen the voice of the pickup. One thing I also want is as little bass as possible, so the '59 is out.

Any suggestions/guidance?
 
Re: Neck Humbuckers with "vocal" tone

I reckon the PAF Pro might be what you are looking for too. It's very vocal like, and not too bassy.
 
Re: Neck Humbuckers with "vocal" tone

I kind of want to stick with the more screw/slug pole piece configuration (I like keeping the pickup covers, too).
 
Re: Neck Humbuckers with "vocal" tone

Seth Lovers are pretty honky with the vocal type midrange. I'd reckon they'd be your best bet. The PG can get harsh as the mids it emphasises can be bitey.
 
Re: Neck Humbuckers with "vocal" tone

Seth Lovers are pretty honky with the vocal type midrange. I'd reckon they'd be your best bet. The PG can get harsh as the mids it emphasises can be bitey.
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Interesting. Even in the neck position? I don't mind if it has bite, as long as it's sort of a deeper voiced bite, rather than a more high pitched one.
 
Re: Neck Humbuckers with "vocal" tone

Moving through the vowel range is about low midrange content vs higher midrange or treble content, from uuuu to oooo to aaaahhhh to weeee can be demonstrated by slowly rocking through a wah, right? So the presence of lower mids, from things like higher inductance, more turns, lower resonant peak will produce more "ooohs". The P-Rails neck in HB mode has that, so does the Dimarzio Air Norton and Breed neck. Higher resonant peaks produce more eeee's. Using bridge versions of vintage output pickups as you've suggested usually helps too.
 
Re: Neck Humbuckers with "vocal" tone

frankfalbo said:
Moving through the vowel range is about low midrange content vs higher midrange or treble content, from uuuu to oooo to aaaahhhh to weeee can be demonstrated by slowly rocking through a wah, right? So the presence of lower mids, from things like higher inductance, more turns, lower resonant peak will produce more "ooohs". The P-Rails neck in HB mode has that, so does the Dimarzio Air Norton and Breed neck. Higher resonant peaks produce more eeee's. Using bridge versions of vintage output pickups as you've suggested usually helps too.
Click to expand...

Droppin' science!!!
 
Re: Neck Humbuckers with "vocal" tone

The wah analogy is great, because that's sort of what I'm going for; more of the throatier pedal up sound than the squashed wah down sound. I'm thinking I might try a Seth Lover or Pearly Gates bridge in the neck.
 
Re: Neck Humbuckers with "vocal" tone

Seths AND the PG are considered some of the greatest neck pickups around here... either one would probably be fine, just have to decide if you want more oomph and potting or unpotted, I would say the seth would give that more open vocal sound, it seems the less gain the more that open throaty sound becomes apparent for me.
 
Re: Neck Humbuckers with "vocal" tone

Put covers on your pickups. One reason so many of the great jazz and blues players who play guitars with humbuckers tend to use humbuckers with nickel or chrome covers, is that covers tend to give a humbucker a warmer and more vocal tone. Uncovered humbuckers are brighter and have a sizzle to the treble compared to the same pickup with the cover soldered on.

I also prefer alnico 2 magnet humbuckers. The sound is more mallable.

That vocal tone you're after is also imparted by the way you shape and mold the note with your hands and pick. You might just have to work at it - you can work on it unplugged.
 
Re: Neck Humbuckers with "vocal" tone

From my limited experience, if you want bite & growl in a LP, the PG neck is pretty great.
 
Re: Neck Humbuckers with "vocal" tone

JB in the neck has a nice vocal tone, though you might want to wire it in parallel to cut the bass for cleans.
 
Re: Neck Humbuckers with "vocal" tone

Gypsyblue said:
That vocal tone you're after is also imparted by the way you shape and mold the note with your hands and pick. You might just have to work at it - you can work on it unplugged.
Click to expand...

mmhmm... :beerchug: you can get more of that vocal quack if you try to snap the string a little harder with the pick, it just takes practice, you have to dig in a bit more I feel... the seth will enhance that for sure
 
Re: Neck Humbuckers with "vocal" tone

59/jazz hybrid, seth bridge, alnico2pro neck, 59 neck a4, pearly neck. those will give you what you want, all with a slightly different quality to them. thicker, clearer, more smooth, more open. etc etc.
 
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