Odd/Unconventional/Suprising pickup combos

Zhaggy

New member
Hi, long time no see :)

I was just recently wondering about pickup combos. We all know the very well known and used pickups combos: JB/Jazz, SuperDistortion/PafPro, 81/85 etc, you know what I'm talking about.

Have you ever used yourself or seen or heard anyone else use some combo that in a way doesn't make sense or just caught you off guard?

These are the one's I've come across.

Schecter Zacky Vengeance isg uses JB's on both bridge and neck. And I think some Jackson RR's use those as well. I bit unusual to use such high output pup in the neck as well, but not totally unheard of.
Caparison Michael J Romeo sig uses Dmz X2N in the bridge and Tone Zone in the neck. That's a pretty powerfull combo I think.
I remember some Dime guitars had Dimebucker in the bridge and Dmz Super Distortion in the neck, which again is quite alot of power for the neck pickup. Even Dean's Dime Time sig neck pickup is similarly spec'd. And of course the the SD Dime set is the Dimebucker and 59b so more of a paf sound in the neck.
ESP Jon Donais model used EMG 81 and 85 but reversed so so the 85 was in the bridge and 81 in the neck. Though now that he is with BC Rick he uses them in the more conventional order.
I remember seeing one Youtube video where a guy had Paf Pro in the bridge and Tone Zone in the neck which would be hard to balance the outputs. He said it worked for him.
Lastly Chapman Guitars Rob's sig model has Little 59 in the bridge and Hot Rail in the neck. I know the Hot rails neck has reduced output but still more often than not the high output model is used in the bridge.

I'm not by any means saying these are wrong or bad combos. Whatever works for you, go for it. And also I know it's quite common to use the same exact pup in both positions but more when using lower output pups. Although 81/81 combo is quite common.

What unusual pickup combos have you come across/used? I'm very interested to know.
 
Re: Odd/Unconventional/Suprising pickup combos

I have a shadow s100 with a bkb sinner in the neck and a willburn metalbucker in the bridge. I would bet that its the only guitar like it in the world with that pickup combo.
 
Re: Odd/Unconventional/Suprising pickup combos

I ripped the idea off from Christopher Amott when he was still using Caparisons. I have a DMZ Liquifire in the bridge and an Air Norton in the neck. Not a particularly "out there" combo, but being as the Liquifire is generally marketed as a neck pickup, I figured it deserved a post. I have also used a Liquifire in the brige with a '59 in the neck.
 
Re: Odd/Unconventional/Suprising pickup combos

Not completely weird, but I use a Tone Zone and PAF 36 wired out of phase.
 
Re: Odd/Unconventional/Suprising pickup combos

85 in the bridge with an 81 in the neck is a more *logical* combo.
 
Re: Odd/Unconventional/Suprising pickup combos

Distortion Neck with an A4 in the neck and Alternative 8 in the bridge.
 
Re: Odd/Unconventional/Suprising pickup combos

Pearly Gates Neck and Screamin' Demon Bridge. Heaven and Hell.
 
Re: Odd/Unconventional/Suprising pickup combos

85 in the bridge with an 81 in the neck is a more *logical* combo.

It may be so but still 70% who use EMG's use 81 bridge and 85 neck, 29 % use 81/60 combo and the rest 1% something else. (I pulled those numbers out of my arse but you get the idea)
If I were to buy new set of EMG's ("normal" actives, not the 57/66 which are cool too) I'd buy 85 bridge 60 neck just for the giggles :)
Although I did just recently return to my 81/85 set guitar and the 81 is ****ing beast of a pickup.
 
Re: Odd/Unconventional/Suprising pickup combos

Maybe I'll include some that I have in my guitars atm.
I wasn't trying to be unconventional per se but they are somewhat uncommon

My Tokai LP has 3 Lace Sensor Dually's in it.
Red/Silver in the bridge, Purple/Emerald in the middle and Blue/Gold in the neck, so that the most powerful is in the bridge and weakest is in the middle.
It also has 3 SD Triple Shot's and 4 push/pull pots. The number of coil configurations was either 160 or 200 odd. Can't remember the exact number anymore ;)

My Ibanez HSS has Parallel Axis Distortion in the bridge, Parallel Axis Stack in the neck and YJM Fury in the middle. Wired to a 5-way super switch, push/pull pot and a "John Petrucci" switch.

My Ibanez AR (Black Beauty coloured) has WHITE (why not) EMG 81TWX and 89RX.
"Splittable", X-series, the active coil when singlecoil mode is the one closer the fretboard (hence the R), and I like how the white pups look on a black and gold guitar.
 
Re: Odd/Unconventional/Suprising pickup combos

My Ibanez HSS has Parallel Axis Distortion in the bridge, Parallel Axis Stack in the neck and YJM Fury in the middle. Wired to a 5-way super switch, push/pull pot and a "John Petrucci" switch.

I remember this guitar; pretty sweet, if I do say so myself ;) :D.
 
Re: Odd/Unconventional/Suprising pickup combos

My Tele has a Hot Rail in the bridge and a TV Jones Classic Plus in the neck. I thought the TV Jones would be a bit too hot there but they seem to play nice together.

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Re: Odd/Unconventional/Suprising pickup combos

Pearly Gates Neck and Screamin' Demon Bridge. Heaven and Hell.

I am really...REALLY tempted to try this combo and replace current '59/JB. Must be one hell of a battle in the middle position :)
 
Re: Odd/Unconventional/Suprising pickup combos

I'm very fond of my Super Distortion/Phat Cat and AT-1/Phat Cat combos. The former Phat Cat has A5 and A4 mags in it, which in all honestly would probably pair better with the AT-1 than the stock Phat Cat thats with it, but I don't really feel any need to switch them.
 
Re: Odd/Unconventional/Suprising pickup combos

Jazz neck and screaming deamon bridge, not super in usual on its own, but add that its a Les Paul studio and its a little more unusual
 
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