Neck pickup discussion - please drop your thoughts

[Rex_Rocker]

Actives have the low lows and high highs chopped out by the preamp.

Yep, for sure. But an active combo, both the bridge and neck pickups have the bandpass sound in both positions. So they work in context of each other. I'm not sure how well an active/passive combo would work together. I don't think they would, although, I've never tried it.

 

[AdrianSD]

Yep, for sure. But an active combo, both the bridge and neck pickups have the bandpass sound in both positions. So they work in context of each other. I'm not sure how well an active/passive combo would work together. I don't think they would, although, I've never tried it.

For smooth and buttery try the Alnico 2 Pro. I put an A2 magnet in one of my Jazz neck pups, it pairs really nice with the double ceramic Custom. Less volume ofc, but they complement each other very well. Otherwise BW neck as suggested above, it's an amazing neck pickup.

 

[ToneFiddler]

i think you should try the serie cap. with the right value you can get the same low cut like the EMGs. That is the part i like about them the most. (and the fact that the cable quality & length is not so important).

Then i think John Petrucci uses these type of neck buckers you might like. But i am no expert, it's about his 5th pickup pair now?

 

[weepingminotaur]

For smooth and buttery try the Alnico 2 Pro. I put an A2 magnet in one of my Jazz neck pups, it pairs really nice with the double ceramic Custom. Less volume ofc, but they complement each other very well. Otherwise BW neck as suggested above, it's an amazing neck pickup.

Damn, how did I forget the Alnico 2 Pro? It's a fantastic neck pickup and yeah, so smooth. I'm honestly amazed by how well it cleans up but it handles gain too.

 

[Coma]

Rather than a recommendation or review or whatever thread, I guess this is more of a broad discussion. I wanted to get you guys' thoughts on the issue.

I remember when I was using actives, I always liked how both pickups sounded in conjuction with each other, especially the Fluence Moderns or the KSE's, but the EMG 81/60 and even the EMG 85 managed to work fine for me.

But I've been thinking... what is my issue with passive neck pickups? I have the problem where I try one that sounds great clean, but then it sounds meh distorted. The Duncan '59 is the perfect example of that for me. Then there are ones where they sound great distorted, but then sound lifeless clean. The Air Norton comes to mind. And all in-betweens seem to be a compromise, which I've never felt with actives.

I haven't tried as many passive neck pickups as I have bridge ones. Maybe that's part of the issue. That being said, I've tried enough to know what I don't like. I don't like neck pickups that are overly attacky. So no Fender-style single coils for me. I like chimey cleans, but not to the point of shrillness. I like full leads, but not to the point of bloated mudiness. I also hate output so low that they won't balance with the bridge pickups that I like. But that also leads to the problem that passives that are too overwound tend to sound a bit dark and meh in the neck.

So... is it a matter of trying out more until I find the one? At this point, I kinda feel I'd just be lumping a lot of money into something that I'm not even sure will pay off in the end. Or am I overly romanticizing actives? Because it's been at least 2 years since I've had them in my guitar, so the memory of how they sound isn't all that fresh. Maybe I should just settle? Like have a guitar with an Air Norton and one with a '59, and be done with it?

What do you guys think? What would you guys do?

Thanks for reading.

I feel you, man. I have the Air Norton neck in one of my guitars, it's fantastic for a smoother solo tones with a lot of gain, but not all that grand clean. It can be coil split for a more Fendery chime - it doesn't exactly exceed at that, but it's a functioning compromise.

My take on the whole ordeal: very few humbuckers actually sound all that great in the neck. At least not if you want them to balance well with a hotter bridge pup. The closest I've found to a solution is to either pick one that just sounds good clean, accept that it's there to do a different job than the bridge and ignore the middle position, or try to find one that sounds good in split mode.

The best one I ever tried in that latter category was the made-for-Charvel A2pro with hex screws. Phenomenal cleans, bright and chimey without sounding harsh.

 

[Chistopher]

My take is that neck humbuckers aren't as one-size-fits-all any other configuration.

Anything that can be played on an electric guitar can be made to sound good on almost any bridge pickup. But neck humbuckers are bassy and middy, so it limits what you can make sound good with them. But on the other side of things, some things the neck does exceptionally well and can't be replicated on the bridge.

Monophonic legato runs will sound more fluid on a neck humbucker than any other pickup in any other position, for example.

As for the middle position, if you don't like it, just put it out of phase. If you still don't like it, at least you have a unique sound rather than a mostly redundant middle position.

 

[uOpt]

In the neck of a Les Paul I like the SD Antiquity and the Lollar Imperial.

Some WCR was in the mix, too, but I forget the details right now.

 

[Mincer]

The Antiquity is a fantastic pickup in an LP, but not for everyone. If your playing has high gain/volume, and don't need a super dynamic pickup, it will squeal due to it being non-potted.

 

[Top-L]

But I've been thinking... what is my issue with passive neck pickups? I have the problem where I try one that sounds great clean, but then it sounds meh distorted.

I have had the same issue. The majority of "neck humbuckers" seem designed to have a good clean sound, but are not well defined for soloing.

I have usually enjoyed "bridge humbuckers" in the neck, but they often don't tonally or output match the bridge humbucker.

Over the years, from all the experimenting with random pickups, I found that of all the "neck humbuckers" I have tried, I preferred the Ibanez INF1 and the Ibanez QM1 the most, which are *ceramic* neck pickups. You have probably realized by now that this is rare, most neck humbuckers are a5. It seems that Ibanez in their infinite wisdom realized that the people buying their superstrats prefer tight soloing over clean/bloom type sounds.

My opinion is that a5 magnet pickups have the presence and clarity so they sound better clean, but lack focus, especially in the neck position. I don't think that most aftermarket neck pickups are "made for" the neck, they are made for the bridge position and then sometimes chosen for the neck so they match output or tonally. In the case of the Ibanez pickups, they were actually made for the neck, for people who demand good solo tone. And (surprise, surprise) they happen to be ceramic.

In the case of EMG matched sets, those are also custom tailored to work well together and because the preamps filter out "jank" frequencies, it is similar to having a focused ceramic pickup (regardless of what construction they use.)

So... is it a matter of trying out more until I find the one? At this point, I kinda feel I'd just be lumping a lot of money into something that I'm not even sure will pay off in the end.

Are there any moderate output ceramic humbuckers with reduced bass frequencies made by SD? If so I would look at them first. (I am not aware of any. ) Otherwise (and I'm not even kidding) you can buy INF 1/2 sets or old Quantums for around $20. Those Ibanez pickups ain't sexy, but they were made to shred. Of course they won't sound quite as open as a 59 or Jazz, but you can coil split them and single coil usually preferable to humbucker for clarity and openness anyway.

This is where I'm at with neck pickups, imo:

EMG 66 (very good)
Liquifire (very good) <- ceramic
Evo Neck (very good) <- ceramic
QM1 / INF1 (very good) <-ceramic
Super Distortion (very good, but needs X2N or DActivator in bridge) <-ceramic

Norton (good, but hot hard to match bridge) <- a5
Paf Pro (passable) <- a5
Fred (passable) <- a5
Air Norton (meh) <- a5
HFH (meh) <- a5
Breed Neck (meh) <- a5
P.A.F. (meh) <- a5
Jazz (just no) <-a5

 

[GuitarStv]

The Antiquity is a fantastic pickup in an LP, but not for everyone. If your playing has high gain/volume, and don't need a super dynamic pickup, it will squeal due to it being non-potted.

I have an antiquity neck in a Les Paul and there's a love/hate thing there for me. The mids are really nice for mildly overdriven stuff . . . but the bright sparkly highs I like from a neck are missing. I alternate between thinking it sounds beautiful and sweet and thinking it's a little too dark.

 

[ehdwuld]

I kinda like a single coil neck and an overwound bridge

Neck for clean
Bridge for distortion

Neck humbucker I like is the Jazz
It is bright enough to make me smile

 

[jeremy]

i use an a3 magnet in the antiquity neck bucker in my lp. i really like it

 

[ehdwuld]

Hmmm A3

How is that different for an A5 or A2 which i have now

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Are there any moderate output ceramic humbuckers with reduced bass frequencies made by SD?

The Omega, I think.

I agree with your post overall, but I'm not sure I agree in that all A5 pickups are meh. I like the Air Norton distorted, personally.

But I also liked the Evo neck. And I did like it better.

 

[Top-L]

The Omega, I think.

I agree with your post overall, but I'm not sure I agree in that all A5 pickups are meh. I like the Air Norton distorted, personally.

But I also liked the Evo neck. And I did like it better.

Air Norton was OK distorted, but not as hot as the PAF Pro, so it wasn't as focused, not as good distorted. So I would pick the PAF Pro over it.

And I would pick any of the ceramics over the PAF Pro.

A5s sound better clean.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Air Norton was OK distorted, but not as hot as the PAF Pro, so it wasn't as focused, not as good distorted. So I would pick the PAF Pro over it.

And I would pick any of the ceramics over the PAF Pro.

A5s sound better clean.

Oh, I HATE the PAF Pro in the neck with a passion, LOL. I hate that it's so attacky. In the neck, the high notes all sound like scratch scratch scratch squelch squelch squelch. Kinda like a single coil.

 

[Sam SG]

I havent had very many neck pickups I like. A couple strat pups. And the neck in my O'Hagan Shark( either dimarzio or schaller paf) only ones Ive really liked.
Other than that most other axes Ive had range from meh to only use the bridge.
My SGs with 490r are soso Im thinking on swapping um out. As ive posted a few times.

 

[Top-L]

Oh, I HATE the PAF Pro in the neck with a passion, LOL. I hate that it's so attacky. In the neck, the high notes all sound like scratch scratch scratch squelch squelch squelch. Kinda like a single coil.

I know what you mean, but its hot enough that is still has some focus. Extra output is the only thing that makes a5 neck pickups bearable to me. The Norton is a blast actually, but it would probably need to be paired with a Super Distortion. And with the Norton in neck forget about good cleans.

I typed alot of words, but a simple way of saying it is that I would choose an INF1 or QM1 (ceramic) over any aftermarket alnico passive neck bucker.

All the a5 pickups suffer the same thing that the PAF Pro does to varying degrees, unless they are really dark, but you really don't want a dark neck bucker.

 

[NotDemanic]

Try a Jazz N/59N hybrid with an A5.

 

[Mincer]

I have an antiquity neck in a Les Paul and there's a love/hate thing there for me. The mids are really nice for mildly overdriven stuff . . . but the bright sparkly highs I like from a neck are missing. I alternate between thinking it sounds beautiful and sweet and thinking it's a little too dark.

That darkness is one of the things I really love in a neck pickup. For jazzy stuff, it is fantastic.