One more time -- bridge HB for Showmaster

K

Kelsey

New member
I'm still trying to figure out which bridge pickup to use in my new Fender Custom Shop Showmaster. This guitar is light and responsive with a pretty balanced acoustic tone. It has a double-cut mahogany body with lace wood top, set mahogany neck with ebony fretboard (12" radius), Techtonic wrap-around hardtail bridge (not a string through -- think LP Jr), locking tuners, and a single humbucker with a single volume control (no tone control). The stock humbucker is a very hot (20.3K) Dimarzio with 12 hex screw pole pieces. It's not bad and cleans up pretty well, but it's a bit hot and mid-heavy when full up.

I'm looking for something with nice, sweet, warm cleans and a good singing lead voice. With just one pickup and one control, I think the pickup has to be really balanced and versatile. I play clean to moderately overdriven blues and blues-rock through a Bad Cat Cub (EL-84's) and vintage Fender and Gibson amps (6V6 and 6L6). I think an F-spaced or trembucker spacing would be best, but a standard version might work, although it has to have short legs for depth limits in this guitar.

Since the poll function wouldn't work for me, here are some options I'm considering so far:

1. Custom
2. Custom 5
3. Screamin' Demon
4. 59 bridge
5. Pearly Gates
6. PATB3 Blues Saraceno
7. Phat Cat

I also would consider a Dimarzio, but I'm less familiar with their line.

Thanks!
 
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Re: One more time -- bridge HB for Showmaster

If the treble is fair enough, I would take the PATB3. If you like more highs i would take the Screamin Demon, which could be tamed a little treblewise with a A8, if it should be too much. The SD8 is currently my fav in a Super Strat.
If you are on the mid scooped side (the classic LP sound), take the 59 bridge (i have currently one in my Les Paul).
 
Re: One more time -- bridge HB for Showmaster

there are one of those at a local music store in sunburst for aroun 300 and this one has duncans

if i could justify it i would buy it, its sweet, not sure i have a use for it though
 
Re: One more time -- bridge HB for Showmaster

Thanks so far. I have a LP Classic with 59s and an ES-137 Classic with Seths, so I thought I might like something a little hotter than vintage in the Showmaster, but not too hot. Given the wood and scale length, this guitar seems to have pretty good mids and highs, but might benefit from a little more in the lows or low mids. I don't want a real mid heavy pickup -- and I want one that will clean up well when I roll back the volume. Since there is no tone control, I was concerned about too much treble in some of these options, but maybe that shouldn't be a concern since I'm used to Fenders with ash bodies and maple fretboards. Am I correct in assuming that even the brightest of these humbuckers would be nowhere near as bright as vintage style Strat or Tele bridge pickup?

I guess I should ask about the JB as another option for this guitar. I assume the stock volume pot is 500K, if that helps clarify the options.
 
Re: One more time -- bridge HB for Showmaster

OK, after following another thread on the Custom and C5, I listened closely to Stevo's clips. They were very helpful, and I have to say that I preferred the Custom or CC over the C5. I still like the PAF-level pickups, too, so that would include the 59, A2 Pro, and Pearly Gates in trembuckers. I'm also thinking seriously about putting a Phat Cat in the bridge.

I need to be able to roll back on the volume and get a nice clean tone and then roll it up for good bluesy or beefy rhythm and lead tones. Any final opinions for how the Custom, CC, Pearly Gates, A2 Pro, 59, and Phat Cat might sound clean and overdriven in a 25.5" scale mahogany/ebony set neck double-cut hardtail?
 
Re: One more time -- bridge HB for Showmaster

Dimarzio Tone Zone or Air Zone. I had a TZ in my Wolfgang and it was really warm and still screamed when I needed it to, And I beleve the AZ is the same pickup but not as hot...
 
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