Neck mini humbucker or humbucker
- Thread starter CarlosG
- Start date
The best neck tones for me are Slash (aph I and II), Kee Marcello in Europe Out This Worls (59 model) and Gary Moore (I dont't what model he used).
I liked the 59 in Strat/Superstrat. I have not used Alnico Pro/Slash, They seem to be made for the Les Paul.
The 59 sounded great with Distortion or JB.
But now I want to use something low output for the bridge, 59, Pearly Gates, maybe 78.
When I played with low/mid output sets of pickups, I noticed that they lacked balance in tone.
Typically when switching from the neck to the bridge the bridge sounded thin in comparison and when switching to the neck the sounded too muddy.
That's why I'm wondering if a regular 59 wouldn't give me the same effect with PG, 59 or 78 on bridge.
In theory the little 59 is narrower so it should give a less muddy sound, so it should be more suitable for a low output bridge pickup.
What do you think?
I liked the 59 in Strat/Superstrat. I have not used Alnico Pro/Slash, They seem to be made for the Les Paul.
The 59 sounded great with Distortion or JB.
But now I want to use something low output for the bridge, 59, Pearly Gates, maybe 78.
When I played with low/mid output sets of pickups, I noticed that they lacked balance in tone.
Typically when switching from the neck to the bridge the bridge sounded thin in comparison and when switching to the neck the sounded too muddy.
That's why I'm wondering if a regular 59 wouldn't give me the same effect with PG, 59 or 78 on bridge.
In theory the little 59 is narrower so it should give a less muddy sound, so it should be more suitable for a low output bridge pickup.
What do you think?
Teleplayer
Active member
I guess you mean a single coil sized humbucker rather than a vintage Gibson mini humbucker. If so, I think the lil 59 will be quite warm and low output (I call it muddy, but ymmv). Coolrails neck is more likely to work IMO, but you may need to roll off the tone sometimes.
Otherwise if hunting for a suitable full size neck humbucker, I would aim for something with A2 magnet and a light vintage wind so it has less output than a 59n or Jazz.
Otherwise if hunting for a suitable full size neck humbucker, I would aim for something with A2 magnet and a light vintage wind so it has less output than a 59n or Jazz.
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2nd on Jazz for this..
But cool rail with parallel gives you extreme variety.
It is not muddy and it's a little bit hot.
But cleans up very nicely if you back off the volume just slightly
And the parallel is magical.. still has the clarity and brightness of the cool rail but it loses a little punch and gains a little more shimmer, which really isn't a real pup word, but kind of the way it sounds.
But cool rail with parallel gives you extreme variety.
It is not muddy and it's a little bit hot.
But cleans up very nicely if you back off the volume just slightly
And the parallel is magical.. still has the clarity and brightness of the cool rail but it loses a little punch and gains a little more shimmer, which really isn't a real pup word, but kind of the way it sounds.
eclecticsynergy
Well-known member
Long ago I was in a band with a guy who played a '62 Strat with a Gibson mini hum in place of the middle singlecoil.
Never seen that configuration before or since. Sounded great through a blackface Bassman.
Makes an odd sort of sense from one perspective though: many Strat players don't like their middle position. Some don't use it at all.
Never seen that configuration before or since. Sounded great through a blackface Bassman.
Makes an odd sort of sense from one perspective though: many Strat players don't like their middle position. Some don't use it at all.
I never use mine by itself. It makes more sense to me to have position 3 be the outside 2 pickups.
Hiwatts and Gibsons
New member
I was going to post that this sounds like a job for a Firebird pickup. Hell, just buy a Firebird and be a happy camper.
Hiwatts and Gibsons
New member
I never got that either, to me the middle position might just be the most beautiful clean and light OD sound on a Strat.
Hiwatts and Gibsons
New member
Let me ask these questions?
What kind of music do you intend to use the guitar for?
Do you plan on using the neck for mostly clean tones, mostly dirty tones, or both clean and dirty tones?
Do you want a more vintage or modern voicing?
If vintage are you looking more for P90ish, alnico rod magnet single coil, or humbucker tones?
What type of output are you wanting?
Do you want really good coil split tones?
Any artist whose tones you love that could give us a ballpark example?
What kind of music do you intend to use the guitar for?
Do you plan on using the neck for mostly clean tones, mostly dirty tones, or both clean and dirty tones?
Do you want a more vintage or modern voicing?
If vintage are you looking more for P90ish, alnico rod magnet single coil, or humbucker tones?
What type of output are you wanting?
Do you want really good coil split tones?
Any artist whose tones you love that could give us a ballpark example?
Bleh. It is also in the way for me.
Hiwatts and Gibsons
New member
I get it. I learned to play on a Strat, so middle pickups never bother me. I've always loved the middle tone. Same thing with the 3 P90 LP Custom, Gary Clark Jr SG, and '78 Les Paul SG Custom I had.
Funny, I learned on a Strat, too. I always lowered the middle pickup a bit, though.
Hiwatts and Gibsons
New member
Well, the positive is we never have to worry about sounding the same.
Pickups or not, that's the truth.
Hiwatts and Gibsons
New member
Not sure if this should be taken as a compliment, a dig, or with my usual response of ambivalence. :33:
The same way I take it, I guess.
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
I'd personally say, given the option and since you're starting from scratch, I'd go HSH if what you want is a humbucker tone from the neck.
The SC-sized hums I've tried all kinda *want* to sound like a full-size humbucker, but always fall short. Some sound cool, but I don't think I've ever read or heard anyone say "yeah, the Super Distortion S totally sounds better than the full-sized Super Distortion!".
I'm not sure how the physics work on the SC-sized hums work, but they tend to be thinner in the lows, but also darker in the highs than their full-sized counterparts.
The SC-sized hums I've tried all kinda *want* to sound like a full-size humbucker, but always fall short. Some sound cool, but I don't think I've ever read or heard anyone say "yeah, the Super Distortion S totally sounds better than the full-sized Super Distortion!".
I'm not sure how the physics work on the SC-sized hums work, but they tend to be thinner in the lows, but also darker in the highs than their full-sized counterparts.
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