PATB-1 or PATB-3 forWarmoth Van Halenesque guitar build?

[Cdwillis]

Thought about getting a custom custom TB-11 after seeing it recommended for later Van Halen tones but the Parallel Axis pickups seem cool. The magnets being beside the strings instead of directly under is such a clever idea for increasing sustain.

Guitar is maple neck/fretboard, ash body, original Floyd Rose vibrato. I plan on using a 500k volume pot with a push/pull to switch from series to parallel output. And a treble bleed to keep the highs when I lower the volume to clean up the sound.

I like the guitar sound in Panama. I figure it's the frankenstrat, but I think the reverb is adding a little bit of high end. My other favorite tones are from Girl Gone Bad and Drop Dead Legs which I know were played on the Flying V with its original PAFs. I realize that there isn't some magic pickup that's going to make me sound like EVH, but I'd like something in the ballpark.

I previously had a Dimarzio Tone Zone in an Ibanez S470. It made the skinny neck and skinny body guitar sound thicker, but I never bonded with it. It had that vocal kind of wah sound from the mids that I really didn't like. The guitar itself didn't resonate very well either which I chalk up to the ZR Trem and the thin woods.

I'm not sure if I want a PATB-1 or a PATB-3. Will the PATB-1 be too hot to roll the volume pot down to clean up my sound? Blues described the PATB-3 as honky with a retro vibe. It doesn't sound like it from any clips I heard but I don't want that vocal wah sound like the tone zone has.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: PATB-1 or PATB-3 forWarmoth Van Halenesque guitar build?

Welcome to the forum. From reviews the PATB-1 is similar to a JB and the PATB-3 is more PAF like with a thicker/rounder tone.

 

[Cdwillis]

Re: PATB-1 or PATB-3 forWarmoth Van Halenesque guitar build?

Welcome to the forum. From reviews the PATB-1 is similar to a JB and the PATB-3 is more PAF like with a thicker/rounder tone.

Thanks. That helps a lot. I remember reading that the 3 was more like a 59 but couldn't remember what they equated the 1 to. I do like to jam out some hair band riffs on occasion (RATT, Motley Crüe, etc), but I think the more PAFish pickup would fit me better. I can always mess with the mids on my amps EQ if I want to dial in a different sound.

 

[orpheo]

Re: PATB-1 or PATB-3 forWarmoth Van Halenesque guitar build?

I'd go with the PATB3. It's by far one of the best pickups SD makes. It's one of my favorite pickups by far and yeah. Great one. Too bad it's such an ugly pickup to look at, but the tone is there. for sure. It's got the chewy, organic lower mids for the tight rights, the singing highs but with enough cut for your solo's. It's really, really a great pickup.

The PATB1 is imho more like the custom (43awg if I recall correctly) and the patb2 is more like the jb (44awg if I recall correctly). I love the PATB12 hybrid with the a8 magnet.

but the patb3 is better.

 

[GilmourD]

Re: PATB-1 or PATB-3 forWarmoth Van Halenesque guitar build?

I'd go with the PATB3. It's by far one of the best pickups SD makes. It's one of my favorite pickups by far and yeah. Great one. Too bad it's such an ugly pickup to look at, but the tone is there. for sure. It's got the chewy, organic lower mids for the tight rights, the singing highs but with enough cut for your solo's. It's really, really a great pickup.

The PATB1 is imho more like the custom (43awg if I recall correctly) and the patb2 is more like the jb (44awg if I recall correctly). I love the PATB12 hybrid with the a8 magnet.

but the patb3 is better.

Just remember, though...

 

[orpheo]

Re: PATB-1 or PATB-3 forWarmoth Van Halenesque guitar build?

Just remember, though...

Yup. Jim's awesome, for sure. But Khan is better. he said so himself!

 

[Cdwillis]

Re: PATB-1 or PATB-3 forWarmoth Van Halenesque guitar build?

I'm mulling over a neck pickup. I thought it would be cool to be a single humbucker, but I thought down the road I would want a neck pickup since this is my planned main guitar.

What would pair up well in the neck? The PATB-3 page says a PATB-1n is usually paired up as the neck pickup. Would I have to sit the pickup pretty close to the body to even out the volume? How about a 59 in the neck?

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: PATB-1 or PATB-3 forWarmoth Van Halenesque guitar build?

You can use another PATB-3. Thats what Blues did but you can also do a PATB-1n as well.

 

[Cdwillis]

Re: PATB-1 or PATB-3 forWarmoth Van Halenesque guitar build?

You can use another PATB-3. Thats what Blues did but you can also do a PATB-1n as well.

Cool. I didn't realize the pole pieces from the bridge pickup would line up if used in the neck position.

 

[Rockstar216]

Re: PATB-1 or PATB-3 forWarmoth Van Halenesque guitar build?

Cool. I didn't realize the pole pieces from the bridge pickup would line up if used in the neck position.

The poles are lined up so the string is between them it will work in any position.

 

[elelpe]

Re: PATB-1 or PATB-3 forWarmoth Van Halenesque guitar build?

With PATB-3, just roll off your tone knob and you'll get your neck HB tone. It's versatile for single pickup guitar. If you want neck pickup, I'd say go with strat pickup like STK-S7 for variety. And of course H-S guitar is so '80 rock machine :fing2:

 

[orpheo]

Re: PATB-1 or PATB-3 forWarmoth Van Halenesque guitar build?

for a humbucker? I"d go with a screaming demon. that pickup really shines in the neck and it gives you so much sparkle and chime.