need loud, upfront sounding bridge humbucker for thinner sounding strat

A

appar111

New member
Originally I thought I was looking for a big sounding humbucker for my hardtail strat (alder, with maple neck and rosewood board), but I thought about it some more and what I'm really looking for is something upfront and loud sounding. Something that really cuts through and doesn't sound compressed or subdued. Raw and rude.

Doesn't need to necessarily have high output, it just needs to have the right EQ curve to it to sound loud.

Right now I'm running a PAF Pro that just sounds too compressed compared to my other guitars (an EVH Wolfgang Special and a Fender CS Esquire). Those both have this really forward sound to them, the EVH being fuller, and the Esquire having more "kerrrang!". The strat is just kinda... there. I used to love the PAF Pro with this guitar, but ever since I changed amps (to an EVH 5150iii) the PAF Pro just ain't cutting it in this guitar, especially compared to the other two guitars.

So what should I be looking for?
 
Re: need loud, upfront sounding bridge humbucker for thinner sounding strat

Pearly Gates bridge, maybe. Or perhaps a Screamin Demon? Both are pretty aggressive without being overly compressed. The Demon really comes into its own at volume (edit: though I guess it might not be fat enough in a thin sounding guitar). I have a Pearly Gates Plus in a 25½"-scale Showmaster. It nicely straddles the line between stinging and singing.

I know you specified a humbucker, but for raw & rude don't overlook the possibilities of humbucker sized P90s. Would give you a third character to work with, kind of a middle ground between the Wolfgang and the Esquire.
 
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Re: need loud, upfront sounding bridge humbucker for thinner sounding strat

The 59/Custom hybrid might be what you are after. It works great in my Alder/Rosewood Charvel San Dimas, very open and big sounding, but it's always got this wicked growl to it and a ton of great tones all the way through the range of the volume knob.
 
Re: need loud, upfront sounding bridge humbucker for thinner sounding strat

eclecticsynergy said:
Pearly Gates bridge, maybe. Or perhaps a Screamin Demon? Both are pretty aggressive without being overly compressed. The Demon really comes into its own at volume. I have a Pearly Gates Plus in a 25½"-scale Showmaster. It nicely straddles the line between stinging and singing.

I know you specified a humbucker, but for raw & rude don't overlook the possibilities of humbucker sized P90s. Would give you a third character to work with, kind of a middle ground between the Wolfgang and the Esquire.
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Hadn't thought of that-- I have a couple different pickups laying around here from an aborted project. Never tried them out (well, for the HFH, at least not in the bridge position): a Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell and an Dimarzio EJ Custom bridge humbucker. I know those aren't really P90 flavored, but they're bright and clear. I may try them out tonight and see if one of them works. If not, I can always sell them and pick up a more appropriate HB-size P90 to try out.

What's your recommendation on humbucker sized P90's? Phat Cat, Bluesbucker?
 
Re: need loud, upfront sounding bridge humbucker for thinner sounding strat

On humbucker sized P90's, I've tried a handful from various sources (in other words, from cheap to boutique) with mostly good results.
To my ears, the closest to true P 90 tones were BG Pure 90's. Great pickups. I've also had great results with Vintage Vibe. I've only used a Bluesbucker in the neck, so can't comment on the bridge, but it was great in the neck of a tele.

On the lower end of the price spectrum, a set of H90's from guitarheads I received in trade (probably Artecs) proved to be quite tasty and a great value. I took a flyer on a used set of GFS Mean 90's (darn near new for $20) and put them in a very nice 70's LP Copy. No name, bolt on neck with maple fretboard. They were pretty darn good, but made that LP copy sound more like a tele than a LP! Not what I was expecting at all, but I liked the tone, so kept em in. I've also tried several that sounded like a beefier strat pup. No P90 tones in sight!

I've had mixed results with Phat Cats. Perfect in one guitar, not so in another. In addition to Zhang, I'd love to try Lollar's and Fralins. firebirdguy1972 winds some fantastic pups too. I don't know if he does the H90 thing, but might be worth a shot.

On last thing, if you decide to stick with buckers, check out a BG Smoke Stack. Your request for "something raw, rude, upfront and loud, that really cuts through" describes it to a T. I have one and it's a killer LP bridge pup. I just don't have an LP!
 
Re: need loud, upfront sounding bridge humbucker for thinner sounding strat

What's this BG company you speak of?


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Re: need loud, upfront sounding bridge humbucker for thinner sounding strat

appar111 said:
Something that really cuts through and doesn't sound compressed or subdued. Raw and rude.

Doesn't need to necessarily have high output, it just needs to have the right EQ curve to it to sound loud.
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Turn it into a real fire breathing superstrat.

JB in the bridge with 250k pots all round.

For a real presence kick, bypass the tone control ala Eddie. You could also choose to do this via a push/pull tone pot. If you still want more, you can go for 500k pots but i really don't think you'll need em ;)
 
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Re: need loud, upfront sounding bridge humbucker for thinner sounding strat

I haven't had a JB for a while-- I wonder how it would do with the amp I just got (an EVH 5150iii 1x12 combo)?

I never use tone pots in my guitars anymore-- and usually just 500K pots for volume.

The guitar in question is a single humbucker hardtail strat, so the bridge pickup choice is everything!
 
Re: need loud, upfront sounding bridge humbucker for thinner sounding strat

appar111 said:
I haven't had a JB for a while-- I wonder how it would do with the amp I just got (an EVH 5150iii 1x12 combo)?

I never use tone pots in my guitars anymore-- and usually just 500K pots for volume.

The guitar in question is a single humbucker hardtail strat, so the bridge pickup choice is everything!
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That would sound blistering!
 
Re: need loud, upfront sounding bridge humbucker for thinner sounding strat

Go with a Fralin High Output humbucker. It screams but does it with an alinco IV not a ceramic, so it sounds open and warm. They have a very organic tone to them, great definition and string separation.
 
Re: need loud, upfront sounding bridge humbucker for thinner sounding strat

For any thinner sounding Strat, the Custom Custom is always my choice. Really big sound, and not too compressed at all.
 
Re: need loud, upfront sounding bridge humbucker for thinner sounding strat

The Pearly Gates + works really well in the bridge position of a Strat. The Screamin Demon is also a great choice.

Might also consider the StagMag. With a split switch you can change that fire-breather to a true Strat.
 
Re: need loud, upfront sounding bridge humbucker for thinner sounding strat

Just a thought, I was having issues with my SSS (Fender Fat 50s) sounding thin in the bridge. A back plate on the bridge pickup fixed the thin issues for me.
 
Re: need loud, upfront sounding bridge humbucker for thinner sounding strat

Mincer said:
For any thinner sounding Strat, the Custom Custom is always my choice. Really big sound, and not too compressed at all.
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I tried one of them in this guitar a couple years ago in the bridge position and it sounded like a neck pickup. Too middy and thick sounding-- hard to get cut out of it in this guitar because it just didn't provide enough high end.
 
Re: need loud, upfront sounding bridge humbucker for thinner sounding strat

treyhaislip said:
Just a thought, I was having issues with my SSS (Fender Fat 50s) sounding thin in the bridge. A back plate on the bridge pickup fixed the thin issues for me.
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how does the Stag-Mag sound un full humbucker mode? I've always been a bit curious about that one...
 
Re: need loud, upfront sounding bridge humbucker for thinner sounding strat

If it's a br p/up only guitar,I'll chime in for the "regular" Custom as well.

Or a DiM Norton or Super Dist."Maybe" a Super III.

The only single hum(br) guitar I have at the moment has an EMG 85,but some prefer the 81...
 
Re: need loud, upfront sounding bridge humbucker for thinner sounding strat

appar111 said:
What's your recommendation on humbucker sized P90's? Phat Cat, Bluesbucker?
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I don't really consider it a P-90 in a traditional sense, I do like the Bluesbucker.

When I had a similar issue with a guitar was a bit on the overly bright side, I tamed it with an alnico Nailbomb. But I get where not everyone wants to drop that much scratch.
 
Re: need loud, upfront sounding bridge humbucker for thinner sounding strat

appar111 said:
how does the Stag-Mag sound un full humbucker mode? I've always been a bit curious about that one...
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It sounds big, strong, articulate, nice chimey highs, strong lows, powerful mids. Will be surprisingly good in a thin sounding Strat. And you still have the option to split to a true single coil pup. Also sounds good in parallel.
 
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