Pickup for AC/DC?

[formula73]

Re: Pickup for AC/DC?

Thanks for the eq settings Formula.
On Friday I'll give a try to the studio room amps and see what's the output.
If I can, no problem to provide an audio clip

Pardon my sloppy playing but I just wanted to throw this up real quick. This is a korina Dean Z with a used Duncan Detonator through an old, weird 100w called a Metaltronix, and this was quiet enough for the wife to watch TV in the other room lol. I generally run my gain maxed and this was no exception. All I did was actually use the guitar volume(though I did rewire it ‘50s mod’ style to retain more highs with the volume rolled back). I’m sure this is a lot less dirt than you were expecting but in the mix, it’s plenty.

The Detonator is NOT the kind of pickup most would choose for AC/DC, but if you know enough about how to dial your rig, you can get close with any humbucker out there unless it’s pure mud, tonally. It’s not exact Malcom and Angus rhythm tone but it’s plenty good enough to jam with a band.

 

[formula73]

Re: Pickup for AC/DC?

Lol btw, that head shake at the end wasn’t for anybody but me and my hamfisted playing. I am DAMNED rusty.

 

[Toejam]

Re: Pickup for AC/DC?

Lol btw, that head shake at the end wasn’t for anybody but me and my hamfisted playing. I am DAMNED rusty.

LOL I'm rusty, too! Sounded pretty damn good.

With a little EQ adjustment and rolling back of the guitar volume pot, you can get fairly close. If not, a '59 is very nice in most guitars.

 

[formula73]

Re: Pickup for AC/DC?

LOL I'm rusty, too! Sounded pretty damn good.

With a little EQ adjustment and rolling back of the guitar volume pot, you can get fairly close. If not, a '59 is very nice in most guitars.

Thanks lol. It’s really easy to spend money chasing tones that are already in your gear. That’s all I’m saying.

Having spent tens of thousands on gear in the 2000s and never progressing past crappy bar band, believe me, all that really matters is ‘close enough’ lol

 

[Aceman]

Re: Pickup for AC/DC?

So many comments:

#1 Brandon and I are both saying that any pickup in a Shredstick into a solid state Crate isn't gonna be that "AC/DC" or at least not more so that any other.

#2 We both say that AC/DC is attainable with a cheap solid state amp, and a Distortion (The Detonator is a Distortion with Invader caps. I have a regular Distortion and a Detonator)

#3 Dialing in the amp correctly - not too much gain, guitar volume, right eq (which could be 3/9/7 or 5/4/9 or whatever B/M/T) should be reasonable and doable.

#4 A used last generation (or older) modeling amp (Roland, Spider, whatever) would cost maybe twice as much as the pickup, or maybe 4-5 times that, but get him 80% closer.

#5 Even a larger Marshall MG wouldn't cost that much - he could trade the Amp he has....

#6 Brandon is a big sweety. That was totally awesome to throw that clip up. But he forgot that sting noise ruins recordings. Gotta put phone towards amp speakers not yourself! But he's rusty, and I agree - he got the point across.


But I agree - he should be able to get a serviceable (but not stellar) AC/DC sound with the gear he has. Less gain, less volume (Guitar) and dial the EQ.
- Just be cause he WANTS a pickup, does not mean it is gonna work. So I'm not gonna say that.

 

[formula73]

Re: Pickup for AC/DC?

But I wanted you to look into my eyes...

And yes, if you must have an AC/DC (Angus, I assume) pickup, as many have already mentioned, 59 or any other flavor of PAF clone will do it. T Tops are great for that but overpriced and unpotted lol

 

[Aceman]

Re: Pickup for AC/DC?

Yeah - 59 is never a bad choice. Right amp, and knowing what to do can get a lot of tones from a 59....

And yes - a T-Top is great too. I have a bridge one that I'm not using but you can't have it! Waiting for vintage market to believe they are worth $500. (Just get a Jazz instead...)

 

[formula73]

Re: Pickup for AC/DC?

It wasn’t even that long ago that people junked them for practically identical Duncans and Dimarzios. I was guilty of it, myself.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Pickup for AC/DC?

I will play solos and some difficult riffs (e.g. Thundestruck) as the other guitarist cannot play solos.
In some songs I will be the rythm (Marcus) guitar.

In that case (covering both roles at times), I would put your Malcolm tones in the bridge pickup, and your Angus solo tones in the neck and bridge single coil spots.

Personally, my first experiment would be EJ Custom bridge, Fast Track 1 middle, and a Cruiser Bridge in the neck spot...and make sure your guitar has 500K pots at the least (1Meg would be good too). Just an initial stab, and I'd adjust from there if it didn't work (but I think it would).

This is all avoiding discussion of the amp, which is the most important thing. You want something that has headroom, but not too much (unless you are playing venues that require it). You want at least 40 watts IMO. A clean channel for Mal and a crunch/lead channel for Angus would be nice. Personally, I'd probably track down something like a mid-power-level JCM2000 DSL. I like the 2000 series, even though most people online pan them. If you hate them, you could go for something else that has controls you prefer, but that has roughly similar features: about 50 watts, dual channel with foot switch.

 

[mxaniac]

Re: Pickup for AC/DC?

I have quite a few guitars and the closest PUP to the AC/DC sound I have is the original Dimarzio DP103.

 

[Cob85]

Re: Pickup for AC/DC?

Thank you all guys, tomorrow I'll check the amps and see the sound I can get.
BTW, for a good eq setting I should go easy with low freq?

 

[formula73]

Re: Pickup for AC/DC?

Thank you all guys, tomorrow I'll check the amps and see the sound I can get.
BTW, for a good eq setting I should go easy with low freq?

Yes.

 

[Adieu]

Re: Pickup for AC/DC?

Hmm maybe just use a distortion pedal? Not sure which one would get you there though

 

[Cob85]

Re: Pickup for AC/DC?

Yes.

Thanks

 

[formula73]

Re: Pickup for AC/DC?

Good luck, man!

 

[Hot Octopus]

Re: Pickup for AC/DC?

FWIW, live ACDC run their amps full blast with the tubes biased super hot. So If the tubes blow every night, that's ok because ACDC has the money to afford new tubes every night for every show. Its not just the pickup. You need to run a wall of marshall amps full-bore.

 

[Troll]

Re: Pickup for AC/DC?

You need a slightly overdriven amp and a classic PAF pickup. It will bring you a long way. The Distortion will never do the job. You need something with vintage output.
For pickups i can recommend the 59 or Pearly gates. I have a Bare Knuckle Black Dog in an SG 61RI and it does sound fantastic for low gain settings.

 

[formula73]

Re: Pickup for AC/DC?

Any humbucker or P90 will do the job. It’s more about the rig than the pickup or guitar.

 

[smitty302]

Re: Pickup for AC/DC?

Get you a SG and put Whole lotta humbuckers in it. DO NOT go any hotter. People always make a mistake and put to hot of a pickup for the Angus sound. A lot of people don't know the potential of the WLH. Also I can crank up the gain and get some awesome Iommi tones from even using the neck, such as sweet leaf. So the WLH is a very versatile pickup.

 

[dave74]

Re: Pickup for AC/DC?

I'm in the camp of basically anything will work ok for ac/dc if you just get the gain and EQ about right.

If you want perfection then of course copy their gear.

Volume knob (guitar's) is big with this.