PAF Pro/Humbucker from Hell combo

A

appar111

New member
I'm currently using just a single EVH Wolfgang humbucker in the bridge with a single 500K volume knob in my hardtail strat. I'll soon be updating to an HH setup.

I'm about to pull the trigger on a Humbucker from Hell for the neck position. I'm going to pair it with a PAF Pro I have here in the drawer. Going for 80's rock bridge sounds, as well as a couple versatile clean and semi-dirty tones. Probably just going to use a regular 3-way switch and a single volume pot. The goal is an assortment of excellent clean and dirty tones with a minimum of switches, pots, etc.

I know there are a ton of single coil choices for the neck, but I really want to go for a dual humbucker look, so the HFH looks like the best choice for that.

Anyone use a HFH/PAF Pro combo in their guitars? Should I be using a 500K pot or a 250K?
 
Re: PAF Pro/Humbucker from Hell combo

I had a HFH, it's really bright and thin, and that's in the neck slot. There are probably local ordinances that ban it from being used in the bridge position. Are you sure that's what you want?
 
Re: PAF Pro/Humbucker from Hell combo

HFH in the neck is something I've always wanted to check out. One of these days I will.

The PAF Pro in the bridge is a pickup I really like. I've never been a huge fan of it in the neck, but always thought it killed in the bridge. I have a feeling that this setup will work pretty well, with the only caveat that the HFH may be significantly brighter than the PP. Please try it and let us know. HFH's always seem to move on the trading forums so if you don't like it you can either exchange w/ Dimarzio's return policy, or sell it to someone like me!
 
Re: PAF Pro/Humbucker from Hell combo

blueman335 said:
I had a HFH, it's really bright and thin, and that's in the neck slot. There are probably local ordinances that ban it from being used in the bridge position. Are you sure that's what you want?
Click to expand...

I don't want to use the HFH in the bridge position, I would be using it in the neck position. I want a bright, articulate neck pickup tone that sounds good clean and with high gain and can be bluesy with medium gain.

For the most part, I don't like neck pickups, mainly because they always sound muffled, muddy or too bassy. The only one I've really liked is the EVH Wolfgang neck humbucker, and it is ridiculously fat/bassy/full. Sounds like a fuzz pedal kicked on, which I dig for distorted leads, but don't like for clean tones (sounds very rolled off).

If I don't go with the HFH in the neck, my fallback is the Duncan Jazz neck.
 
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Re: PAF Pro/Humbucker from Hell combo

I have never liked the HFH but that's just my opinion, I don't like bright pickups. I don't like the Jazz either. I have never played a guitar I liked a Jazz in.
All you can do it and see what it does. Pickups are easy to swap.
 
Re: PAF Pro/Humbucker from Hell combo

What I may do before I drop the funds on either the HFH or JazzN is put the PAF Pro that I already have in the neck position and see if I like it there. If I do, I can either snag another PAF Pro used and do dual PAF Pros, or at least I'll know I have a good stand-in for the HFH if I buy it and it doesn't work out.
 
Re: PAF Pro/Humbucker from Hell combo

appar111 said:
I want a bright, articulate neck pickup tone that sounds good clean and with high gain and can be bluesy with medium gain.
Click to expand...


I look for the same thing in neck PU's. You can do that with any HB, by wiring for spin-a-split.
 
PAF Pro/Humbucker from Hell combo

I have an HFH in the neck, and either a Mo' Jo or a PAF Pro in the bridge, in a Spector ARC6 that is *incredibly* bass heavy (basswood body). The combination works well..

I *think* this is the clip I recorded when I was trying to get the pickups balanced in the guitar...



ETA: Hm. File is set to public, and able to be played outside of the SoundCloud app... not sure why it won't show...

Aaaaand after listening to another clip, I realized that that's a Fred in the bridge, not a PAF Pro... The PAF Pro is in another guitar with... A MoJo, I think.
 
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Re: PAF Pro/Humbucker from Hell combo

Do any Duncans have unbalanced coils? I'm trying to remember which Dimarzios do-- I think the Fred does?
 
Re: PAF Pro/Humbucker from Hell combo

appar111 said:
Do any Duncans have unbalanced coils? I'm trying to remember which Dimarzios do-- I think the Fred does?
Click to expand...

The coils on Fred's are very imbalanced, but combined they're 10K, which may be a little hot for the neck slot. BB's are unbalanced, and the BB1 would be the brightest of the three BB's.
 
Re: PAF Pro/Humbucker from Hell combo

blueman335 said:
I had a HFH, it's really bright and thin, and that's in the neck slot. There are probably local ordinances that ban it from being used in the bridge position. Are you sure that's what you want?
Click to expand...

It's meant to sound close to a strat single coil in EQ and output. We know you just don't like those already. You also recommend a spin-a-split. What if someone still wants hum-cancelling? To me, spin a splits/splitting humbuckers in general just result in a weaker and thinner sound than true single coils.
 
Re: PAF Pro/Humbucker from Hell combo

appar111 said:
What I may do before I drop the funds on either the HFH or JazzN is put the PAF Pro that I already have in the neck position and see if I like it there. If I do, I can either snag another PAF Pro used and do dual PAF Pros, or at least I'll know I have a good stand-in for the HFH if I buy it and it doesn't work out.
Click to expand...

Try the PAF Pro in the neck and wire it in parallel. That'll brighten it up. I've actually got an Air Zone in the neck of a guitar wired in parallel and it works.
 
Re: PAF Pro/Humbucker from Hell combo

I used to love the Jazz for a bright neck.
Still do, but found something better IMHO, Electric City Pickups make many era specific pups. I bought a Mike Bloomfield bridge pickup. It was massively bright, in a good way. It was so Bright, I put it in my neck position SG RI. It is far brighter than the Jazz but still sounds full, and keeps up with my Bridge Antiquity - which I changed the magnet to an A4 for more output and an evenly EQ'd pickup.
My SG kicks hard ass in the bridge and the neck could not be more articulate and bright, and oddly strong as the reading 7.7K or so, while my re-mag A4 Antiquity reads 8.3K or so. Together they sound like an angel singing. Almost Strat-like, but strong, a great and beautiful pairing.
Yes I would marry them. It is a joy to play and I haven't put it down for maybe 3-4 months, however long I have had them. I am noted as having some memory issues. I'm 62, it happens, at least to me and a few guys my age I know.
Man, call Bill at ECPickups, tell him Steve Buffington sent you, he likes me, I buy his stuff, and Duncan, Fender are the only brands I know and do well with. Bloomfield bridge=humbucking's best bright neck pup I've ever heard.
Steve Buffington
 
Re: PAF Pro/Humbucker from Hell combo

Myaccount876 said:
To me, spin a splits/splitting humbuckers in general just result in a weaker and thinner sound than true single coils.
Click to expand...


No, because they're partially HB, which has more mids than a single coil. When you dial spin-a-split all the way down, you get a bright, thin tone, with a little hum; just one coil. As soon as you dial in a little of the second coil, it immediately starts to get thicker and louder.
 
Re: PAF Pro/Humbucker from Hell combo

The original question still stands. Does the HFH in the neck go well with the PAF pro in the bridge?
 
Re: PAF Pro/Humbucker from Hell combo

jmcorey said:
The original question still stands. Does the HFH in the neck go well with the PAF pro in the bridge?
Click to expand...


Yes, if you want a bright, thin neck PU. As far as what sounds good or goes together, that's a matter of taste and what kinds of music you're playing.
 
Re: PAF Pro/Humbucker from Hell combo

"Bright & thin" depends a lot on the guitar, Blue... Listen to my clip - I would call the HFH a lot of things, but "thin" ain't one of them - *in this guitar*.
 
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