New Strat bridge humbucker: Alnico II Pro vs. Seth Lover?

Re: New Strat bridge humbucker: Alnico II Pro vs. Seth Lover?

I have the Slash AII's in a Les Paul, but out of the two you suggested I would go with a Seth vrs the AII. The AII is one of myvorite PAF type of pickup, but I am more of a traditionalist and prefer singles in a Strat & buckers in a les Paul. That said is if you go with a Pearly gates( or whatever you choose) you could wire it with a 250K pot in postion 1(for the neck & middle volume), then set the middle pot(also 250K) as a master tone & put a 500K pot in the back position. This would give you a 500K for the bucker, and 250K for the singles & tone!
 
Re: New Strat bridge humbucker: Alnico II Pro vs. Seth Lover?

I know you said you wanted an A2 bucker, but you might want to look into a PATB-3b. Open, organic, vintagey, and keeps its beef in a trem Strat. It's the perfect vintagey bucker for a Strat imo.
 
Re: New Strat bridge humbucker: Alnico II Pro vs. Seth Lover?

Considering your screen name, wolf5150, I seem to recall a certain kid from Pasadena who spent hour upon hour practicing for years, played hundreds of gigs befor he turned 20, revolutionized modern guitar playing, tone and managed to wind his own pickups, switch magnets and stick a humbucker in a hand-built Strat before anybody else.

Some people ARE obsessive about details, customize gear screw-by-screw and still play professionally.

Yes, wolf5150, I think your comments sound a bit jaded and inflammatory. Good luck with that. Yngwie, by the way, installs his own pickups, wires his own guitars, scallops his own fretboards and apprenticed with a violin luthier.
 
Re: New Strat bridge humbucker: Alnico II Pro vs. Seth Lover?

IanBallard said:
Some people ARE obsessive about details, customize gear screw-by-screw and still play professionally.
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Don't you dare get me started on EJ jokes!
 
Re: New Strat bridge humbucker: Alnico II Pro vs. Seth Lover?

I did not see where he said that SD folks recommended a 500k pot for a Dmz pup. I saw a recommendation to use one with a Custom Custom (as in SD) pup.

If the "pros" only worried about playing, we wouldn't have the Screamin' Demon, AIIPro Slash, JB, YJM Fury, Mick Thomson Signature Blackouts, George Lynch Super V (bridge), etc.

In fact, Seymour probably would not have started a pickup winding business.

Add to that the Dmz Fred, EJ Custom, Breed, Evolution, LiquiFire, Mo' Joe, PAF Joe, Steve Morse Model, etc.

I don't disagree that practicing will improve tone. I contend that the overall picture is much broader than suggested.
 
Re: New Strat bridge humbucker: Alnico II Pro vs. Seth Lover?

wolf5150 said:
Why in a HSS is the tone pot for the humbucker not connected ??

It is in every guitar I've ever owned or played

The A2 PG is quite bright and 250K pots tames it nicely.. that's exactly what I have in my Strat with Kinmans.
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As far as i know, ANY factory standard HSS and SSS and HSH three pickup strat with 1 volume and 2 tones does NOT have a tone control for the bridge. single coil, or HB. the first tone controls neck, second controls middle. no tone pot for the bridge position unless you do a rather simple mod, that is.

so the volume is the only knob to consider for the bridge humbucker.

There wont be any worry about the 250k tone pots muddying the bridge pup.

So i dont get why there would be any reason to worry.
 
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Re: New Strat bridge humbucker: Alnico II Pro vs. Seth Lover?

Holy crap - did I miss this one.

I appreciate all of the advice and I'll definitely consider the Custom Custom as well as the PATB-3. Thanks! :D
 
Re: New Strat bridge humbucker: Alnico II Pro vs. Seth Lover?

Something interesting I keep reading (even if it's A5) is that the PAF Pro pairs fairly well with Strat singles...any comment on that?
 
Re: New Strat bridge humbucker: Alnico II Pro vs. Seth Lover?

Chrismo said:
Something interesting I keep reading (even if it's A5) is that the PAF Pro pairs fairly well with Strat singles...any comment on that?
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DiMarzio has the peculiar ability to squeeze midrange out of A5 mags, like no other company can. The PAF Pro has a similar Kohm rating as a '59 but has more mids (EQ states 6 treble 5 mids 5 bass for the PAF Pro, but the '59 is 6/3/8), so I Paul Gilbert's words it gives you more "Aww" mid tone. It would work quite well with singles as would a '59. Typically Strat singles are scooped in the middle and having a bridge that does as well, would obviously make a nice match. I had a '59 in my Strat when it had singles and it was a perfect fit. But I really don't like the sound of Strat singles coils for my own style... I just like the body design, so I went another direction.
 
Re: New Strat bridge humbucker: Alnico II Pro vs. Seth Lover?

IanBallard said:
DiMarzio has the peculiar ability to squeeze midrange out of A5 mags, like no other company can. The PAF Pro has a similar Kohm rating as a '59 but has more mids (EQ states 6 treble 5 mids 5 bass for the PAF Pro, but the '59 is 6/3/8), so I Paul Gilbert's words it gives you more "Aww" mid tone. It would work quite well with singles as would a '59. Typically Strat singles are scooped in the middle and having a bridge that does as well, would obviously make a nice match. I had a '59 in my Strat when it had singles and it was a perfect fit. But I really don't like the sound of Strat singles coils for my own style... I just like the body design, so I went another direction.
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I understand that completely - not usually a Strat guy, which is why this has been a pain finding the right pickups.

The '59 would be interesting, which is why I originally asked about the A2P/Seth to see if they'd work too - they're all along similar lines.
 
Re: New Strat bridge humbucker: Alnico II Pro vs. Seth Lover?

If you go with a CC in the bridge, then make sure you have 500 k pots. I found it very muddy with 250 k pots in a strat.
 
Re: New Strat bridge humbucker: Alnico II Pro vs. Seth Lover?

jmcorey said:
If you go with a CC in the bridge, then make sure you have 500 k pots. I found it very muddy with 250 k pots in a strat.
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That was my original though was that a hotter pickup deserved higher pots. I might leave that one for another guitar and see what low output pickup I can use for this one. Duncan-wise it looks like a '59; DiMarzio-wise something like a PAF Pro.
 
Re: New Strat bridge humbucker: Alnico II Pro vs. Seth Lover?

One more suggestion mentioned to me today: Humbucker from Hell by DiMarzio. How does this one work in the bridge? The description on the site seems to say it's not very pleasant in the bridge, but that's with a bright guitar and bright amp (mine are both sort of middle of the road...)

Opinions?
 
Re: New Strat bridge humbucker: Alnico II Pro vs. Seth Lover?

Dude you're gonna drive yourself NUTS.

They're right the HFH is designed as a neck pickup.

Personally I think the 59 is gonna be too bright also.

I had a version of the PAF Pro that came as stock in my Musicman and it was out in about 5 mins... thin and awful for my taste.

I've got , as I said, a JB in there and I'm very content.
I'll reiterate that with those singles you've got I'd stick with 250K pots or they'll sound like nails on a chalk board !!

If you're going with 500K pots I'd highly recommend a Tom Anderson H2+ which I think is the best humbucker on the market.

I have them in 2 of my guitars , inc an Anderson.
It splits better than any other pickup but it only sounds right with a 500K vol pot.
 
Re: New Strat bridge humbucker: Alnico II Pro vs. Seth Lover?

Chrismo said:
I spoke to someone at Seymour Duncan that said the A2P would be too weak for a Strat bridge pickup - but Pro Guitar Shop used one in their run of HSS custom Strats...

I was suggested the Custom Custom with a 500K volume pot and 250K tone pots. Anyone have an opinion on any of this at all? Will the Custom Custom be too hot?
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That advice is very shallow. The Custom variants are an entirely different thing from PAF style pickups. The CC in particular has no highs in a hardtail but can sound nice and full ina tremolo Strat. But as I said, not remotely the same as a A2 PAF style. Definitely hot, full and creamy and much more useful with higher gain than clean.

Does your Strat have a tremolo block?

The APH will be too thin then. But the Pearly Gates sound just great with a trem block. Still bright, but it does have the body the APH lacks in that situation.
 
Re: New Strat bridge humbucker: Alnico II Pro vs. Seth Lover?

Chrismo said:
I spoke to someone at Seymour Duncan that said the A2P would be too weak for a Strat bridge pickup - but Pro Guitar Shop used one in their run of HSS custom Strats...

I was suggested the Custom Custom with a 500K volume pot and 250K tone pots. Anyone have an opinion on any of this at all? Will the Custom Custom be too hot?
Click to expand...

Just noticed your Pro Guitar Shop reference. I'll leave the vids anyways.
 
Re: New Strat bridge humbucker: Alnico II Pro vs. Seth Lover?

Again, I will say that I found, in my strat and with my rig, that the A2P humbucker in the bridge was thin sounding.

I don't think that 1 rig is the same as the other. Playing styles also affect one's tone, also. I tend to strike the strings so that the brightest sounds come out. Don't know why or how.
 
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