Re: new pickups for my G&L
im a new user and this is my first post so here it goes...i need a single coil that sounds like a single coil but still can handle distortion farely well....may like a hotter single coil...but it still needs the vintage touch to it...and hum cancelling...tone is the most important issue though it has to sound good.....thanks for the help
LOL! Don't want much, do you!
You don't mention WHICH G&L model you have. I love G&L guitars--I have 15 of them. Here's what I know.
The alnico pickups in the Legacy are great for vintage tones. A Legacy is my Number ONE guitar. I use it for Classic Rock, Blues, Country--any time I want a CLASSIC Strat tone.
The MFD pickups in the S-500 model have very high output, and a very wide-range, high-fidelity, yet aggressive tone. They demand that you use a top quality V1 preamp tube in your amp. If you find them harsh, use a Graphic EQ to put a 2-4 dB notch at about 2K before the signal hits your amp, and they will sound much sweeter. They are single coils, but with a very high signal-to-noise ratio due to the brilliant Leo Fender design. Like the Legacy, position #2 (B+M) and Position #4 (N+M) are hum-cancelling--the middle pickups are RW/RP. These guitars are great for Hard Rock and Tejas Blooze. When I have a bad attitude and really want to rip somebody to shreds--I grab the S-500!
The Z-coils in the Comanche are very similar to the S-500 pickups in tone and design, but they have split coils (like a P-Bass) and are dead quiet. I really drop the Treble and Presence on my Mesa amps when I use my Comanches to get a dark, powerful, punchy tone--yet the notes stay clear and defined. Not the guitar for you if you want to copy vintage Strat tones; but if you are looking for a "blank slate"--a guitar to create YOUR signature tone--this could be the guitar you've dreamed about. When I can only take ONE guitar--it's a Comanche.
My other favorite G&L is the Legacy Special. These have a dual blade humbucking design, and are made for this guitar by Gotoh. They're very powerful--the bridge is especially hot--and they have a thicker, PAF humbucker type tone, with a little more clarity than a PAF. With G&L's Passive Treble and Bass tone controls, you can get a really wide range of tones--even close to the tone of a vintage alnico pickup. Roll the Treble control down and switch to the neck pickup--you'll hear a beautiful "woman tone" that would make Santana weep! I like this guitar for Hard Rock, Fusion, Blues.
Now, it's no secret that I really like the G&L guitars and their stock pickups. But, I do have one Legacy that is fitted with Duncan Texas Hot Antiquitys. I have the Custom Power Bridge pickup, and of course--the middle pickup is RW/RP. While my other Legacys are bright and bite-y, this one is warm, dark, smokey and sensuous. The mid-range of these pickups is very complex, like a great red wine--say, a Pinot Noir or an aged Cabernet Sauvignon--or like a great European dark chocolate, with a soft velvety taste on your tongue. Very, very smooth. It's a very different take on the Legacy sound, though I wouldn't want these pickups in all of my Legacys. They are expensive, and they're worth every penny.
Good luck in your search.
Bill
