Pickup replacement - Newbie Question

[scogzy]

Hi, A friend gave me a DeArmond Starfire Special electric guitar - semi-hollow body. Electrics are completely new to me, been an acoustic "snob" ;^) for sometime. Since receiving such a nice guitar I "had" to get something decent to play it thru. After looking around I found a Fender Hotrod Deville 4X10 which does a pretty decent job - actually that is a sweet amp for what I want to play.

The DeArmond does not produce the humbucker sound, and that makes sense since it has a pair of single coils on it. They sound OK but I am looking for a Blues sound like Alvin Lee or John Lee Hooker, and Classic Rock of Alman Bros, Lynerd Skynerd. The guitar is a nice player, so I would like to keep it, but I am blown away by the choices of pickup both here and at other p-up manufacturers. Heh, this would be so much easier if this were an acoustic! ;^)

Question 1: I need some help in putting a pair of p-up together that will give me "that" sound. Of maybe a vintage Gibson 335? Preferably I would like a p-up that requires no modification to the guitar - except wiring of course. Some of the combos I have considered are a SDBR-1 Duckbucker for the neck and a SM-3 SeymourizedTM Mini Humbucker or SJBJ-1 JB Jr. Any ideas - suggestions?

Question 2: I would prefer to do the install/setup myself, I do the setup and pickup installs on all my acoustics. Is that possible to do for a novice to electrics?

Sorry for the long first post and TIA,

 

[BigBazz]

Re: Pickup replacement - Newbie Question

i have the duckbucker on my strat. its a humbucker that will give you a hendrix, srv SINGLE coil quack. its low output very bright and glassy. the jb jr is the greatest thing invented for people who want a humbucker strat tone because its brilliant. its soo clear allways and sounds so amazing. it will do blues, jazz, rock and even full out metal. its in my oppinion along with the full size JB the best pickup of any company. the lil 59 would also be good. i have one on my strat. in the neck position i find it really warm sounding very nice for clean and gives that old gibson les paul sound. the george lynch lil screaming demon is one to check out but i think it may not be for you. saying that ive seen a couple of blues players happy with its warm powerfull yet bright tone. these are the only mini humbuckers i can talk about since i own them all. but their great.

the electronics on electric guitars are simple. just look at the easy to work out instructions that come with your pickup/pickups and solder them in. its a 10 minute job, nice and simple.

 

[italic zero]

Re: Pickup replacement - Newbie Question

I think a Duckbucker neck and a lil 59 bridge would do you good.

 

[mongrollo]

Re: Pickup replacement - Newbie Question

If I remember correctly the starfire has DeArmond single coils. I don't think this will have any standard size so I recomend you to check whether the pickups are going to fit or not. You can check the exact dimensions of the SD pickups in their descriptions in the web page...

About soldering you need a 25-45W soldering pencil/gun, solder and patience. I recomend you to stat with very simple things. I'll take an old pot and I will try to solde a cable to it. Things like that. Soldering it is very easy but you have to et used to it. When you feel confortable then go for it.

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Pickup replacement - Newbie Question

Scogzy Welcome to the forum, we're glad to have you and hope we can help you out.

As far as the pups go on your guitar...Are your current pups these? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33040&item=3777588659&rd=1

If so the SD mini-humbuckers should be approximately the same size. I'd suggest a Vintage neck and a Seymourized bridge. I'm sure you've already done a bit of research and found out Hooker also used Mini's As far as Duane Allman goes, I think Whipping Post when I think of his tone. I think you could get close with the vintage mini, even though he had full size. The size difference makes the minis brighter, but they work very well in my opinion.

If your pups ARE humbucker sized or you decide to alter your guitar, I would recommend a pair of Seth Lovers, 59s, or Jazzs, Or mix and match 59 or jazz neck Seth Bridge. I think that Seths would overall be closer to Allman. Although his sound is bright it's not as the 59's would make.

Hope some of that helps.

Luke

 

[scogzy]

Re: Pickup replacement - Newbie Question

Hey Luke - after satisfying my "thirst for tone" with my current acoustics, this forum is a real find for me. There is so much I don't know about electric tone, how to shape it, heh, even what to do with it! Thanx for the welcome.

The Starfire Special does those De Armond 2K single coil pickup. Mini Humbuckers would be a nice option. Didn't Pete Townsend also used minis in his LP Deluxe?

So far the recommendations are 1. a JB Jr. on the bridge and duckbucker on the neck and 2, a vintage mini on the bridge and a seymourized mini on the neck. From the sample cuts I have listened to I would have to go with vintage mini on the bridge over the JB jr., on the neck that duckbucker is very nice! Can these pickups be mixed up like that?

Thanx,

Dan
--

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: Pickup replacement - Newbie Question

Antiquitys are great in semi-hollows, for blues. Seths too & '59's

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Pickup replacement - Newbie Question

Hey Luke - after satisfying my "thirst for tone" with my current acoustics, this forum is a real find for me. There is so much I don't know about electric tone, how to shape it, heh, even what to do with it! Thanx for the welcome.

The Starfire Special does those De Armond 2K single coil pickup. Mini Humbuckers would be a nice option. Didn't Pete Townsend also used minis in his LP Deluxe?

So far the recommendations are 1. a JB Jr. on the bridge and duckbucker on the neck and 2, a vintage mini on the bridge and a seymourized mini on the neck. From the sample cuts I have listened to I would have to go with vintage mini on the bridge over the JB jr., on the neck that duckbucker is very nice! Can these pickups be mixed up like that?

Thanx,

Dan
--

Dan, you can mix and match in anyway you want...there are NO rules! There are, however, recomendations a slightly hotter bridge pup is a recommendation. With the vintage bridge seymourized neck you might have a bit of a lop sided sound, but if that's what you want :cool3:

The problem I have with recommending is that I have had experience with vintage minis and only listened to the sound bites of the SD minis. My dad's old LP has a strong strong tone. I'd say akin to the Seymourized version. I think you would be fine with a set of vintages. I'm sure you are learning that all the Duncans sound great, it's all a matter of preference and application.

Though, for a very authentic sound with adjustable polepieces you can't beat the antiquity series. Imagine...taking the mojo from an old Martin or Gibson and putting it in a newer guitar. Notice I said mojo though....not the wood tone!

Luke

 

[tone4days]

Re: Pickup replacement - Newbie Question

i think a lil 59 matched set will get you what you want, as long as they'd fit and mount properly ... i like he tone of a duckbucker, but i dont think it'll get you 'that' 335-esque sound

and yes, a simple two humbucker, 3 way install is pretty easy as these things go but be warned, a semihollow is usually not the best choice for one's first guitar surgery

welcome to the board and good luck
t4d

 

[scogzy]

Re: Pickup replacement - Newbie Question

. . . With the vintage bridge seymourized neck you might have a bit of a lop sided sound, but if that's what you want

Understood.

I'm sure you are learning that all the Duncans sound great, it's all a matter of preference and application.

That is a fact - which is a problem in and of itself, some p-ups sound VERY similar clean and quite different "dirty". Also, still tyring to educate my ear for this stuff . . .

Imagine...taking the mojo from an old Martin or Gibson and putting it in a newer guitar. Notice I said mojo though....not the wood tone!

Yeah, I have resigned myself to the fact that this will probably not be the last set of p-ups I purchase. Can't complain about that though. ;^)

So, I have heard the differences between the neck and bridge p-ups, is that difference just because of location or is there something different in how they are made?

Thanx,

 

[scogzy]

Re: Pickup replacement - Newbie Question

Interesting find - Just came across a new Guild Starfire III with 2 Guild H1 humbuckers - heh, maybe I should buy a guild pick guard and put some full sized humbuckers on this baby!

http://www.guildguitars.com/gear/gear.php?partno=3607300

 

[Luke Duke]

Re: Pickup replacement - Newbie Question

So, I have heard the differences between the neck and bridge p-ups, is that difference just because of location or is there something different in how they are made?

A bit of both actually, not that I'm trying to make your life difficult lol! I'm going to relate this stuff to you, universal guitar truisms, via a accoustic analogies.


Think of plucking the string/s closer to the neck. It's a deeper/bassier sound, and has more string movement. Now think of plucking the string/s closer to the bridge. It is more trebley sounding and not quite as loud. The placement of the pups in your guitar reflects this. The bridge is where the movement is less and and eventually ceases. Since there is less movement and thus less disruption in the magnetic field pups are generally wound hotter (with more wire) or for higher output for more signal transmission. So the bridge tone is, in fact, a combinatin of these factors.

You can go one step further but putting a different type of magnet/pup style in the bridge. This is illustrated, in minis, by going with a vintage, antiquity, or seymourized neck pup; then paired up with a hot (mini) bridge pup. It has a ceramic magnet which has a stronger field and thus can create more electricity/signal than the others which have A5 magnets. In addition each magnet also has specific properties.

A2 a looser low end with more mids and smoother highs

A5 tighter low end with fair mids (usually in the upper mid range) and brighter highs

Ceramic tightest low end with more mids than A5 but less than A2 and more treble.

As you can see the A5 specs are the middle ground, thus the widespread use of A5 in pups. This is illustrated best by comparing the custom series of high output pups. The Custom, Custom Custom (CC) and Custom 5 (C5).

Hope this helps you man!

Luke