Output Level - How Do You Get Your Crunch?
- Thread starter Evan Skopp
- Start date
DrNewcenstein
He Did the Monster Mash
Re: Output Level - How Do You Get Your Crunch?
For me it's about as mixed a bag as you'll find short of a music store :lol:
I've got about 20 electrics and very few of them have the same pickups or combo. I think I have two with PATB2s in the bridge, 2 with DDs in the bridge, and one with a JB+ in the bridge. Neck pickups are probably not as varied - Jazz, JB, 59, one Anderson, and I think one Custom.
Scanning the bridge pickups in the room, I've got:
-Invader
-Alt8
-JB7
-81
-TB6
-59/JB
-59A2
-TB5
-PATB1
-PATB2
-P-Rail
-SH6
-DistLite
The others I'd have to take apart to tell you for sure.
They each have their own reactions to the same crunch settings, and each tonal style has merit. Some I like better for leads, some I like better for rhythms, and that depends on the song in particular. I can swap guitars instead of crunch settings and go from AC/DC to over-saturated meedly. I don't get too much from picking dynamics due to the Kung-Fu-grip I have on a Jazz III (as compared to a more flexible pick).
For me it's about as mixed a bag as you'll find short of a music store :lol:
I've got about 20 electrics and very few of them have the same pickups or combo. I think I have two with PATB2s in the bridge, 2 with DDs in the bridge, and one with a JB+ in the bridge. Neck pickups are probably not as varied - Jazz, JB, 59, one Anderson, and I think one Custom.
Scanning the bridge pickups in the room, I've got:
-Invader
-Alt8
-JB7
-81
-TB6
-59/JB
-59A2
-TB5
-PATB1
-PATB2
-P-Rail
-SH6
-DistLite
The others I'd have to take apart to tell you for sure.
They each have their own reactions to the same crunch settings, and each tonal style has merit. Some I like better for leads, some I like better for rhythms, and that depends on the song in particular. I can swap guitars instead of crunch settings and go from AC/DC to over-saturated meedly. I don't get too much from picking dynamics due to the Kung-Fu-grip I have on a Jazz III (as compared to a more flexible pick).
allbutromeo
New member
Re: Output Level - How Do You Get Your Crunch?
I like medium-low end of hot. Screamin Demon is one of my tops.
I like medium-low end of hot. Screamin Demon is one of my tops.
daveyisgreat
New member
Re: Output Level - How Do You Get Your Crunch?
I'm loving moderate output pickups and fuzz pedals these days running straight into my amp. If I need to clear sound I play more lightly in turn down the volume on my guitar. If I need some added gain or a boost for those thick and smooth sounding leads, I kick in the fuzz pedal and ride the volume knob on my guitar wide-open. I don't use a ton of gain on my amp so that's where the fuzz pedal comes in handy.
I'm loving moderate output pickups and fuzz pedals these days running straight into my amp. If I need to clear sound I play more lightly in turn down the volume on my guitar. If I need some added gain or a boost for those thick and smooth sounding leads, I kick in the fuzz pedal and ride the volume knob on my guitar wide-open. I don't use a ton of gain on my amp so that's where the fuzz pedal comes in handy.
Gibson 1964
New member
Re: Output Level - How Do You Get Your Crunch?
Mostly my amps though I like several hot pickups a lot.
Mostly my amps though I like several hot pickups a lot.
Re: Output Level - How Do You Get Your Crunch?
Low output pups like S.Lover and a good tube amp, small-Blues Jr.3 or a Big-Hot Rod Deluxe 40 watts, let the tubes do the yelling and the pedals do the screaming. But always let the pickups do the singing.
Low volume pup on a strong tube amp is the way. It will do anything you ask. Dire Straights chime to Led Zeppelin Live.
With the OP on this one,
SJBuffington
Low output pups like S.Lover and a good tube amp, small-Blues Jr.3 or a Big-Hot Rod Deluxe 40 watts, let the tubes do the yelling and the pedals do the screaming. But always let the pickups do the singing.
Low volume pup on a strong tube amp is the way. It will do anything you ask. Dire Straights chime to Led Zeppelin Live.
With the OP on this one,
SJBuffington
Psykel
New member
Re: Output Level - How Do You Get Your Crunch?
I prefer lowerish output. The stock Gibson P90s in my SG is pretty much my ideal output (tho my Destroyer with a 16k DiMarzio in the bridge is my main player atm - gonna switch them out for some lower output Duncans).
I run a clean AC30 and get dirt exclusively from pedals.
I prefer lowerish output. The stock Gibson P90s in my SG is pretty much my ideal output (tho my Destroyer with a 16k DiMarzio in the bridge is my main player atm - gonna switch them out for some lower output Duncans).
I run a clean AC30 and get dirt exclusively from pedals.
Re: Output Level - How Do You Get Your Crunch?
Psykel,
The guy I play with uses a Rat. The first one ever made I think. And his sound with his Tele is very clean, but when he uses that Rat, it's like a JB on steroids, with a much higher frequency, of course. He uses a Hot Rod Deville, and a Blues Jr. for smaller venues. It's so old, there is almost no paint anymore. I think you can still see the v for volume and the R & T are barely there for RAT. Very cool.
SJ
Psykel,
The guy I play with uses a Rat. The first one ever made I think. And his sound with his Tele is very clean, but when he uses that Rat, it's like a JB on steroids, with a much higher frequency, of course. He uses a Hot Rod Deville, and a Blues Jr. for smaller venues. It's so old, there is almost no paint anymore. I think you can still see the v for volume and the R & T are barely there for RAT. Very cool.
SJ
Archer250
New member
Re: Output Level - How Do You Get Your Crunch?
And I use a modded Dirty RAT in unison with a JB-loaded guitar. Ha.
And I use a modded Dirty RAT in unison with a JB-loaded guitar. Ha.
Stratman
Guitaris Maximus
Re: Output Level - How Do You Get Your Crunch?
I like lower output pickups and get my crush tone from a variety of amps and pedals.
Having a lot of different guitars, pedals, and amps - I have found that different pickup / pedal / amp combinations can be used to obtain similar amounts of clean tone as well as crunch...
My greatest concern is the amount of gear that I have to take to different clubs, especially since each club has it's own tone characteristics that you need to match...
One oddity is that I do not like 'Duckbuckers" but I like Vintage Rails, which I have been told are the blade versions of the Duckbucker pup.
I like lower output pickups and get my crush tone from a variety of amps and pedals.
Having a lot of different guitars, pedals, and amps - I have found that different pickup / pedal / amp combinations can be used to obtain similar amounts of clean tone as well as crunch...
My greatest concern is the amount of gear that I have to take to different clubs, especially since each club has it's own tone characteristics that you need to match...
One oddity is that I do not like 'Duckbuckers" but I like Vintage Rails, which I have been told are the blade versions of the Duckbucker pup.
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El Supremo
New member
Re: Output Level - How Do You Get Your Crunch?
That's what I personally mean with clarity under gain concerning high output pickups. I usually check this by arpeggiating some full chords and playing some fast palm muted thrashy stuff. If the notes stay well defined and the attack remains well articulated, I'd define that as a pickup with clarity.
For me, cutting through a mix can always be achieved by adding some mids on the amp. The way a pickup sounds in this situation has more to do with its EQ than output (although the 2 are related in a technical manner of course). Some may sound too honky or nasal through certain rigs.
For airy cleans, lower output pickups are the best bet. Opening up the amp's gain and adding some additional boost might not give the appropriate definition and tightness some of the more intricate high gain stuff requires though.
Great post. Haven't given much thought about the different interpretations of clarity.
That's what I personally mean with clarity under gain concerning high output pickups. I usually check this by arpeggiating some full chords and playing some fast palm muted thrashy stuff. If the notes stay well defined and the attack remains well articulated, I'd define that as a pickup with clarity.
For me, cutting through a mix can always be achieved by adding some mids on the amp. The way a pickup sounds in this situation has more to do with its EQ than output (although the 2 are related in a technical manner of course). Some may sound too honky or nasal through certain rigs.
For airy cleans, lower output pickups are the best bet. Opening up the amp's gain and adding some additional boost might not give the appropriate definition and tightness some of the more intricate high gain stuff requires though.
Great post. Haven't given much thought about the different interpretations of clarity.
ThunderLizard
New member
Re: Output Level - How Do You Get Your Crunch?
I usually prefer medium to medium high output pickups. Generally nothing hotter than a JB. I got an Epi Les Paul with Blackouts in it and just hated it. The Blackouts were super high output with a ton of articulation but just sounded sterile to me. I prefer a lot of lower midrange growl with a presence peak at around 2K that is just on the verge of breaking loose and screaming. I've never had any luck getting the Blackouts or any other high output pickups to do that. That guitar now has a '59 set in it and though I have to boost the preamp level a bit, it will give me the sound I like.
I usually prefer medium to medium high output pickups. Generally nothing hotter than a JB. I got an Epi Les Paul with Blackouts in it and just hated it. The Blackouts were super high output with a ton of articulation but just sounded sterile to me. I prefer a lot of lower midrange growl with a presence peak at around 2K that is just on the verge of breaking loose and screaming. I've never had any luck getting the Blackouts or any other high output pickups to do that. That guitar now has a '59 set in it and though I have to boost the preamp level a bit, it will give me the sound I like.
80's_Metal
Underglazed Hair Metalologist
Re: Output Level - How Do You Get Your Crunch?
I like my pickups like I like my women, the hotter, the better!
I like my pickups like I like my women, the hotter, the better!
Lake Placid Blues
New member
Re: Output Level - How Do You Get Your Crunch?
I like vintage output pickups in everything. Single coils and PAF clones. I use valve Marshalls ABed, a Plexi clone, and a Jubilee. Low output pickups work in both. With the Jubilee I don't need much push from the pup. I have two guitars with high output pickups. They work okay in the Jubilee but they make it more difficult to dial in because of the compression. The high ouput pups don't work well with the Plexi clone at all.
I like vintage output pickups in everything. Single coils and PAF clones. I use valve Marshalls ABed, a Plexi clone, and a Jubilee. Low output pickups work in both. With the Jubilee I don't need much push from the pup. I have two guitars with high output pickups. They work okay in the Jubilee but they make it more difficult to dial in because of the compression. The high ouput pups don't work well with the Plexi clone at all.
Oinkus
New member
Re: Output Level - How Do You Get Your Crunch?
I have all sorts of different output pups and it really doesn't matter to me at all in any way,shape or form. Just depends on if it sounds good to me. That word "tone" bothers me a lot and I usually say it is the knob next to volume. All those words people use to describe sounds mean nothing to me. I get distortion from my amp and I have a multitude of ways to OD/boost my signal , one of which is the guitars with higher output pups.There are so many variables that individually mean nothing in the actual sound of an electric guitar but when you put them all together you get a certain result. Much of the talk about this wood and that wood and fretboard material,hardware and etc... are usually manufacturers trying to use marketing techniques to get your money. If it feels good , plays good and sounds good you might be in the right ballpark. My opinions honestly , feel free to throw rocks and crap at me you can't hurt my feelings and I am not scared of you.
I have all sorts of different output pups and it really doesn't matter to me at all in any way,shape or form. Just depends on if it sounds good to me. That word "tone" bothers me a lot and I usually say it is the knob next to volume. All those words people use to describe sounds mean nothing to me. I get distortion from my amp and I have a multitude of ways to OD/boost my signal , one of which is the guitars with higher output pups.There are so many variables that individually mean nothing in the actual sound of an electric guitar but when you put them all together you get a certain result. Much of the talk about this wood and that wood and fretboard material,hardware and etc... are usually manufacturers trying to use marketing techniques to get your money. If it feels good , plays good and sounds good you might be in the right ballpark. My opinions honestly , feel free to throw rocks and crap at me you can't hurt my feelings and I am not scared of you.
Re: Output Level - How Do You Get Your Crunch?
There's just something about the "umph" of a hotter pick up that I can't get from a lower output one. It's a sound quality thing that can't be mimiced by the amp. My current favorite pick ups are the Black Winter, Big Custom (custom with big ceramic) and PRS Tremonti. I had 57/08s and 59/09s in my PRS for awhile And while I liked them a lot (they were great actually) there was an aggressiveness and punch I just couldn't get no matter how I dialed my amps or what effects I added. (Yes, my amps have way more than enough gain....) Its probably just my ear and personal preference, but what isn't?
There's just something about the "umph" of a hotter pick up that I can't get from a lower output one. It's a sound quality thing that can't be mimiced by the amp. My current favorite pick ups are the Black Winter, Big Custom (custom with big ceramic) and PRS Tremonti. I had 57/08s and 59/09s in my PRS for awhile And while I liked them a lot (they were great actually) there was an aggressiveness and punch I just couldn't get no matter how I dialed my amps or what effects I added. (Yes, my amps have way more than enough gain....) Its probably just my ear and personal preference, but what isn't?
Re: Output Level - How Do You Get Your Crunch?
I should clarify, I am the same way. Hotter in the bridge, lower more vintage in the neck. Again, preference, what I use them for, etc. Neck pups I love are actually the same too, but I'll add the PRS 57/08 in there too. Great neck pup.
I should clarify, I am the same way. Hotter in the bridge, lower more vintage in the neck. Again, preference, what I use them for, etc. Neck pups I love are actually the same too, but I'll add the PRS 57/08 in there too. Great neck pup.
Falloffthebonetone
New member
Re: Output Level - How Do You Get Your Crunch?
Oh dude, don't get my started on the definition of "tone", I have a whole essay written about it saved on my computer for debate occasions. Not rock throwing you know, just me too.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Output Level - How Do You Get Your Crunch?
+1. I like overdrive more than distortion, and want to be able to get a good clean sound when needed. Tone quality and character take precedence. That's why most of my PU's are PAF's. To me, the most unappealing PU's are ones that have the word 'distortion' in their name or description.
+1. I like overdrive more than distortion, and want to be able to get a good clean sound when needed. Tone quality and character take precedence. That's why most of my PU's are PAF's. To me, the most unappealing PU's are ones that have the word 'distortion' in their name or description.
