Parallel Axis Trembucker Owners: Tell me about 'em!

[theAeronought]

I'm seriously considering getting a set of these Parallel Axis Original Trembuckers (PATB-1) for my Ibanez hollowbody - don't judge, she's not for jazz. I play a combination, hard rock, surf, and blues (heavy emphasis on blues), I use a light fuzz about half the time (the other half, completely clean), and I want pickups with high output and clarity. My question is not really "Will these do the trick?", because I'm quite certain they will, at the very least better than the stock pickups I've got - I'm curious about to what extent these pickups will do the trick. What do you think about them?

Really what I want is your anecdotes: What have you done with these pickups? What style do you play with them? What are other factors of your setup that lead to the sound you like? In what kind of guitar, through what kind of amp/effects, at what levels of volume, etc.? If you use the Parallel Axis Distortions or Blue Saracenos, or the single-coil sized ones, or any combination of any of those, in any position, tell me about that too. Give me all the details you can!

Thanks in advance, guys!
- Aero

 

[jtougas]

Re: Parallel Axis Trembucker Owners: Tell me about 'em!

Not sure they're what you want. Unless you get the Distortion model, they're not really high output (but they most certainly have clarity).

Problem is, in most pickup designs you sacrifice some of one for the sake of the other.

Don't get me wrong, they're great pups (I've got a full set I'm looking for the right guitar for). But if you're doing hard rock, surf, and blues on a hollowbody, I'm not really sure these are what you want.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Parallel Axis Trembucker Owners: Tell me about 'em!

I have a patb3 that I put an alnico II magnet in and I love it. I play blues and classic rock and it sounds great, not a paf type tone but more full and clear with a similar feel

 

[Toejam]

Re: Parallel Axis Trembucker Owners: Tell me about 'em!

I had the PATB-2 in a Jackson RR1T and it was crushing! Loved everything about it. I used it mainly for metal, but it worked fine for clean tones, and it cleaned up fairly well when rolling the volume back.
I had a Jazz in the neck, and it paired up pretty nicely with it.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Parallel Axis Trembucker Owners: Tell me about 'em!

Glad to hear about someone who's not afraid to mix styles of pickups.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: Parallel Axis Trembucker Owners: Tell me about 'em!

Was hoping Artie would chime in,I 'think" he's got a Nk & Br pair in something...

I've gotta PA-2(Dist) that I'm gonna pair with an old Seymourizer,really looking forward to that!!!
Dark-ish Squier Stagemaster(bolt),Duncs should light it up!Sounded great w a 500T,but PAF Pro nk got floppy...
:headbang:

 

[Mincer]

Re: Parallel Axis Trembucker Owners: Tell me about 'em!

There is no reason this shouldn't be amazing with a hollowbody & fuzz.

 

[Gibson 1964]

Re: Parallel Axis Trembucker Owners: Tell me about 'em!

I use them in a thinline alder tele with maple top I made. Sounds very rich. Pinch harmonics are a dream. The 2 is cool as well. It provides the most easy and prominent harmonics of any pickup I have ever heard. Crazy 8 is pretty cool. I do not have the PATB-3.

 

[Artie]

Re: Parallel Axis Trembucker Owners: Tell me about 'em!

Was hoping Artie would chime in,I 'think" he's got a Nk & Br pair in something...

Yup. I have a pair of PATB-1's in my Les Paul Custom. It's my #1 axe. Like jtougas said, I wouldn't call them "high" output, but that's what we have pedals and volume controls for. For cleans, they're amazing, and take to dirt and OD pedals very well. You should try a pair. Maybe sub the PATB-3 (Blue's Saraceno model), for the bridge. I had it first. A little more bite and grit. Sorta like the Pearly Gates version of the PATB series.

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Parallel Axis Trembucker Owners: Tell me about 'em!

There is no reason this shouldn't be amazing with a hollowbody

You might run into installation problems if must be slanted. The rings are flat and there are no other equivalent on the market, being the Trembucker a proprietary format, designed for instruments with low to no neck tilt.

HTH,

 

[Chad]

Re: Parallel Axis Trembucker Owners: Tell me about 'em!

To fit Trembuckers, I've modified rings with a utility knife, sandpaper, and/or files with no problems. As a matter of fact, as I think about it I've never used the ring that SD provides.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Parallel Axis Trembucker Owners: Tell me about 'em!

Rings can be modified with sand paper and a knife, but be careful- I've cut myself. But I'd use the ring that came with the guitar rather than the one with the pickup.