Ok..I gotta do it...new pups for the Hamer..advice

[JeffB]

I hate to say it cos I've had good experiences with them in other guitars, but the 59s in my Hamer just sound horrible. They are crisp, and clear and have good note definition, but just are lacking any kind of growl and attitude...they also crap out under gain compared to the BBpros...they sound too "high fi" or sterile at crunch ,and then turn to mush as the gain goes up. I think they really need to be in a Paula that has more low end and low mids= to beef up the sound.

So I'm at a loss. I love the Gibson BB pros, but not sure I wanna go that route, I'm worried about them having the same problem the 59s do (i.e. they need to be in a Paula).I want crunch. The BBPros crunch...and they sing, and they bite. The 59s sing a bit in this guitar, twang like crazy and that's about it.(BTW, acoustically the guitar is just brilliant...I know it's not an issue with the axe)

Most of you know the tones i'm going for...Thin Lizzy to mid 80s Iron Maiden. Pup has to be warm but have some "crunch" to it. I don't want smooth or compressed...so CCs, Antiquities and Seth's are out. PGs are out too as they are brighter than 59s, and the 59s are at my limit for that.

I've been contemplating the following for the bridge:

DiMarzio Super Distortion bridge (crunch like hell, but I know cleans will suck)

Duncan Custom (same issue and compressed)

I'd rather not go THAT high in output, and really don't want to go ceramic if I can help it.

Some other things I've been throwing around in my brain:

DiMarzio V Hot PAF (worried about too much high end again)

Screamin' Demon (anyone ever put these in a Paula or similarly made instrument?)

Hell I've even contemplated a JB due to the added mids and the "crunch" factor.

Someone told me to search out a 70s/early 80s DiMarzio Super...anyone know what kind of price these are gonna run on Ebay?

I also have a DiMarzio AZ, Gibson 57 classic plus and 57 classic laying around...

TOO MANY FRIGGIN CHOICES

BTW...can't afford BKs or other "custom" pups now, otherwise I'd go that route. Need to keep prices in the Duncan/DiMarzio range (i.e 60-90 bucks a pop).


once I decide on a bridge then I guess I'll try and match a neck....

ughhh...I hate this.....:baby:

CALGON TAKE ME AWAY

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: Ok..I gotta do it...new pups for the Hamer..advice

Jeff,

Try a set of Seths in it. I think you'll be happy with them.


Jeff

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Ok..I gotta do it...new pups for the Hamer..advice

I don't think BBV's would give you something that is quite different from what you hear with 59s. I seriously doubt it. I think your guitar is what makes the tone the way you hear it. So you gotta match that wood with particular set of pickups to squeeze the best (dictated by your tastes) out of it.

I seriously think that a CC would not sound that smooth in your guitar. Yes it is not the thinnest pickup but don't give in to the hype that CC's sound too smooth without bite and all. After reading your comments CC was the bridge pickup I was thinking of. And if it sounds too smooth (which I'd doubt) you can do finetuning by swapping the magnet with an a3 or even an a5.

That said I think you ought to try a set of alnico 2 pros. They will be fatter and they still sting, listen to GNR!

BTW PG, I think, might also be an excellent choice. They are not that bright, they are a2 pickups. They are thick. People often confuse uppermids with highs, PG does not have that much highs, is basically an a2 PAF clone regarding all the eq frequences but the uppermids. And them uppermids would make your guitar bite. So you'd have spongy bass, smooth lowermids, biting uppermids and present but nonstingy highs. Well that's why I'd go for a set of PGs if I were you, because that description to me sounds like the tone of Thin Lizzy (e.g. Cowboy Song).

Good luck.

B

 

[jimlp]

Re: Ok..I gotta do it...new pups for the Hamer..advice

I hate to say it cos I've had good experiences with them in other guitars, but the 59s in my Hamer just sound horrible. They are crisp, and clear and have good note definition, but just are lacking any kind of growl and attitude...they also crap out under gain compared to the BBpros...they sound too "high fi" or sterile at crunch ,and then turn to mush as the gain goes up. I think they really need to be in a Paula that has more low end and low mids= to beef up the sound.

So I'm at a loss. I love the Gibson BB pros, but not sure I wanna go that route, I'm worried about them having the same problem the 59s do (i.e. they need to be in a Paula).I want crunch. The BBPros crunch...and they sing, and they bite. The 59s sing a bit in this guitar, twang like crazy and that's about it.(BTW, acoustically the guitar is just brilliant...I know it's not an issue with the axe)

Most of you know the tones i'm going for...Thin Lizzy to mid 80s Iron Maiden. Pup has to be warm but have some "crunch" to it. I don't want smooth or compressed...so CCs, Antiquities and Seth's are out. PGs are out too as they are brighter than 59s, and the 59s are at my limit for that.

I've been contemplating the following for the bridge:

DiMarzio Super Distortion bridge (crunch like hell, but I know cleans will suck)

Duncan Custom (same issue and compressed)

I'd rather not go THAT high in output, and really don't want to go ceramic if I can help it.

Some other things I've been throwing around in my brain:

DiMarzio V Hot PAF (worried about too much high end again)

Screamin' Demon (anyone ever put these in a Paula or similarly made instrument?)

Hell I've even contemplated a JB due to the added mids and the "crunch" factor.

Someone told me to search out a 70s/early 80s DiMarzio Super...anyone know what kind of price these are gonna run on Ebay?

I also have a DiMarzio AZ, Gibson 57 classic plus and 57 classic laying around...

TOO MANY FRIGGIN CHOICES

BTW...can't afford BKs or other "custom" pups now, otherwise I'd go that route. Need to keep prices in the Duncan/DiMarzio range (i.e 60-90 bucks a pop).


once I decide on a bridge then I guess I'll try and match a neck....

ughhh...I hate this.....:baby:

CALGON TAKE ME AWAY

Contact BachtoRock about his hybred pickup, it sounds like it might be what you are looking for.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Ok..I gotta do it...new pups for the Hamer..advice

Jeff,

Try a set of Seths in it. I think you'll be happy with them.


Jeff

Won't they have the same issues though as the 59s with "crapping out" under gain?..and they are brighter and less tight than a 59 (are to my ears anyway?). I know they will have the midrange punch I want, though they are "smooth", and I really want some crunch...

I love them in a Paula..but I also love the 59s in a Paula...:smack: This is why I'm at a loss...

 

[Davey]

Re: Ok..I gotta do it...new pups for the Hamer..advice

wait for the BKP Painkiller

they're the reason i pushed the work on my custom rhoads back for about a month. i do hope they will be worth the wait.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Ok..I gotta do it...new pups for the Hamer..advice

I'm on par with the dr on this one. I really think the CC would turn that guitar in to a tone monster, compressed or not. What I love about it, and you've heard me say it before, is it doesn't behave like a hot pickup. It cleans up really well too. That with an A2P in the neck would be sweet. A set of A2P's would work too. Not sure of the PG though cause I'm not much of a fan of it.

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Ok..I gotta do it...new pups for the Hamer..advice

wait for the BKP Painkiller

they're the reason i pushed the work on my custom rhoads back for about a month. i do hope they will be worth the wait.

What are they?

B

 

[Davey]

Re: Ok..I gotta do it...new pups for the Hamer..advice

i dont have a lot of info apart of that they are a metal pup, have a tight bass, a nice midrange and singing heights. along with sounding absolutely brutal =P oh.. resistance is near 16k and they're ceramic

voiced after (as the name implies) judas priests Painkiller (that era), they'll be out late this year

might not be what you are looking for jeff, though =P

lol

maybe some emeralds or crawlers, if you want to nail that exact era.

 

[WICKED LESTER]

Re: Ok..I gotta do it...new pups for the Hamer..advice

jeff go virtual hot paf
even though i am not a real big dimarzio fan these are the BOMB!
they smoke the 59's and have the attitude you want:beerchug:
you already own a AZ so you have heard that right?
well the V hot paf is warm like(smooth top end) that but is not compressed and has more sparkle than the air zone
killer paf tude to it!
i had one but wanted wwaaaaayyyy more output so i puts back in the ole DD's! LOL!!

 

[Davey]

Re: Ok..I gotta do it...new pups for the Hamer..advice

wait a second


you scored a dead log of wood..


and need to send it to me for inspection IMEDIATELY!!!!

 

[badco33]

Re: Ok..I gotta do it...new pups for the Hamer..advice

Another great option is the 50th Anniversary A2 pups available at MF. They lowered them to $199 with free shipping so I took the plunge. I installed them a few days ago in my Standard and just love them. They really combine the best qualities of the Seth and the 59, at least to my ears. My bridge measures 8.6k and the neck is 7.5k so I believe they pack more punch than the stock seths or 59's and really have a very unique/complex voice. I love the Seth's but these definitely drive the amp better on high gain but still have a great midrange presence. I would campare the high strings to the 59 but because of the midrange presence and the less boomy bass (A2 mag) the high end does not come across as pronounced as a 59 which I like.

The mids, the highs and the bass just complement each other perfectly to my ears and they even have nice growl and sizzle so I am assuming they have mismatched coils. I'm not too crazy about the engraved covers so I might take them off or replace with regular ones but they are custom shop pups wound by MJ at $100 each. Not a bad deal and they sound great.

 

[JeffB]

Re: Ok..I gotta do it...new pups for the Hamer..advice

Thanks everyone...BKS would be nice and my first choice..just cannot afford $400 bucks for pups and another $70 to have em put in with holidays coming up...so I need something I can at least live with til I can.

Dr.B..thanks for the detailed advice re: the duncan AII pups....I'm still leary of the PG based on my experiences with them in Paulas (don't care for the sizzle..the upper mid spike I'm OK with), but the CCb/AIIPROn may be a good combo...just worried a bit it won't "crunch" well...

Acoustically the guitar is clear, pretty well balanced,extremely resonant and LOUD...perhaps I do need AII to thicken it up...I've got the A2 57 classic plus/classic here already...with nickel covers.....hmmmmm.

Sure Davey....It'll just cost ya 2K (US$) to get it there...:wink:

 

[jeremy]

Re: Ok..I gotta do it...new pups for the Hamer..advice

i find the 57 classics are fairly bright for an aII pup. im with the good doctor in thinking that alnico II pups might be best for that axe. the cc crunches better than you think

 

[JeffB]

Re: Ok..I gotta do it...new pups for the Hamer..advice

i find the 57 classics are fairly bright for an aII pup. im with the good doctor in thinking that alnico II pups might be best for that axe. the cc crunches better than you think

Good to know..thanks Jeremy. I like the 57s in a Paula or SG..may be too much for this guitar though if thats the case. Tonally it's "extreme"..meaning it's far from deficient in top end or low end...I just think the 59s being a top and bottom heavy pickup to begin with are not a good match. The neck 59 I can live with sorta, but the bridge just doesn't have any "raunch" whatsoever.

 

[Davey]

Re: Ok..I gotta do it...new pups for the Hamer..advice

jeff. WFD has proved that the CC will crunch with the best of them, so dont worry bout that

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: Ok..I gotta do it...new pups for the Hamer..advice

Won't they have the same issues though as the 59s with "crapping out" under gain?..and they are brighter and less tight than a 59 (are to my ears anyway?). I know they will have the midrange punch I want, though they are "smooth", and I really want some crunch...

I love them in a Paula..but I also love the 59s in a Paula...:smack: This is why I'm at a loss...

I think they hold up pretty well with gain. I don't find them brighter than the '59's, it's a funny kind of bite it has to the initial attack, otherwise it's definitely warmer than a '59. I think they're a good choice.

 

[shred-dog]

Re: Ok..I gotta do it...new pups for the Hamer..advice

hey JEFF it's funny that you started this thread since i was just about to do the same thing myself . i have 59's in the neck and bridge of my HAMER standard and i like the neck but the bridge has got to go ! i know that they came with JB's for a long time , so i might try that and leave the neck alone . but i was thinking of trying a CC/C5 in it to see what happens . i am looking for GARY MOORE / WARREN HAYNES kinda tones from my HAMER . later scott

 

[EVHindenberg]

Re: Ok..I gotta do it...new pups for the Hamer..advice

I'm curious to see what you put in because my Hamer will be here on Friday.I play the same music with my band(Thin Lizzy,Maiden, Priest).I'm thinking JB though.Possibly Custom.

 

[motorboy29]

Re: Ok..I gotta do it...new pups for the Hamer..advice

i think either custom, custom custom, or custom 5