Pickup help for reggae

C

Conestone

New member
Hi,

I have been creating my first guitar, basically an Ibanez S470 and decided to experiment a little with the pickups. They are HSH and I have a Duncan SH4 for the bridge and I'm trying PRS Santana for the neck, I'm unsure how these will sound or even work together but I'm gonna try it all the same. I still require a single coil for the middle pickup and I'd like to buy another Seymour as then I know if all fails I can just swap out the Santana.

I'd like some advice on what Seymour Duncan single coil for reggae, after searching the internet and really struggling to find anything substantial I have turned to you people. I'd like something clean and bright (I think) any suggestions?

Thanks
 
Re: Pickup help for reggae

Welcome to tha forum!

If you want clean and bright you're gonna want to use either a true single coil or a stack. The benefit to true single coils is they have a more pure sound. The benefit to stacks is they are hum cancelling. The main choices for true single coils would be the SSL2, SSL6, or SSL4. The SSL2 has max brightness and bounce but will be quieter than the hums. The SSL6 and SSL4 will balance volume wise but will be darker. Although I think they sound good and still provide some good jangles in an HSH set up. I'll defer on stack recommendations.
 
Re: Pickup help for reggae

I really like the SSL-52 in the middle. It is a true single coil that is bright without being ice picky and has a neutral eq. It blends well with humbuckers which is helpful if you are considering splitting the humbuckers in the 2 and 4 position.
 
Re: Pickup help for reggae

Yea, both tone and volume 500k, connected to a COR-TEK 5 way switch.
Although I'm open suggestions? These are the factory ibanez pots for the guitar, from what I've just read the difference is the amount of high end frequencies they allow to pass? I assume single coils are preferred with 250k because they allow more high end frequencies which may be nice with a bright tone?
 
Re: Pickup help for reggae

Yes this is the way I will try to wire it split with the 2 and 4 and by itself in the middle. Thanks for advice will check this out on youtube.
 
Re: Pickup help for reggae

Clint 55 said:
Welcome to tha forum!

If you want clean and bright you're gonna want to use either a true single coil or a stack. The benefit to true single coils is they have a more pure sound. The benefit to stacks is they are hum cancelling. The main choices for true single coils would be the SSL2, SSL6, or SSL4. The SSL2 has max brightness and bounce but will be quieter than the hums. The SSL6 and SSL4 will balance volume wise but will be darker. Although I think they sound good and still provide some good jangles in an HSH set up. I'll defer on stack recommendations.
Click to expand...

That's great, just the kind of reply I was looking for. I will have a look at all of these.

One love
 
Re: Pickup help for reggae

I vote SSL-2 for the middle. No need to get a stack if you're playing reggae . . . that's usually played pretty clean. Hum with singles is mostly an issue when you're using a good amount of gain.

Edit - Forgot you were using 500k pots. That might make things very bright. You might be better off with a darker single like an SSL-6.
 
Last edited:
Re: Pickup help for reggae

with 500k pots id look at the ssl6 or the custom stack plus for the middle. the output will keep up with the buckers and with 500k pots, you should still have good high end. a vintage output strat pup, ssl2 for example, is too bright with 500k pots for me
 
Re: Pickup help for reggae

I might suggest a Lindy Fralin Steel Pole if we are talking about the Bob Marley P90 reggae tone.
 
Re: Pickup help for reggae

Securb said:
I might suggest a Lindy Fralin Steel Pole if we are talking about the Bob Marley P90 reggae tone.
Click to expand...

I have a guitar with the more traditional P90 soapbar style pickups. I'm not trying to match a specific sound just find something that will match the pups I already have in mind. Great advice though ��
 
Re: Pickup help for reggae

Lets not forget that Bob Marley played a Les Paul. These don't all have to be single coil suggestions.
 
Re: Pickup help for reggae

jeremy said:
with 500k pots id look at the ssl6 or the custom stack plus for the middle. the output will keep up with the buckers and with 500k pots, you should still have good high end. a vintage output strat pup, ssl2 for example, is too bright with 500k pots for me
Click to expand...

I'm leaning towards the SSL-6 as this seems to have been a popular recommendation and I like what I've seen on youtube and seems a good choice from what you guys suggest would work in my setup. It just seems a little different from say the SSL-2 which from what I can tell has a more traditional sound.

The other suggestion I liked was the SSL-52. I'm guessing the way the magnets work in this pickup will give me more tonal options.

Will let you guys know it works out, thanks for all the advice.
 
Re: Pickup help for reggae

The SSL-6 is more powerful and darker than the SSL-2. But you're using a 500k volume pot with it . . . which will make an SSL-2 sound extremely bright (traditionally they're used with 250k), so I think it's a good choice for you.
 
Re: Pickup help for reggae

the 5/2 is a great pup, so is the ssl2, but i dont like either of them with 550k pots

bob marley played a lp special with p90s live, not sure in the studio
 
Re: Pickup help for reggae

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:P
 
Re: Pickup help for reggae

Another option may be the APS-II. They are more mellow sounding true single coils and may do well with the 500k pots.
 
Re: Pickup help for reggae

the aps2 have a softer top end but they are still pretty bright pups. i love em, but not with 500k pots
 
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