Pickup suggestions for C tuning

[marcello252]

I have a couple of guitars tuned to C, two whole steps lower than standard tuning.
They're bolt on, short scale, one with agathis, the other alder, stringed .012. The agathis one has an overwound alnico pickup, the alder has a PAF like where I put a ceramic magnet (way better on the bass side than original A5 but a bit too shrill now).
I play with them some stoner rock, distorted but not so much.
The problem with the C tuning is it's easy to get a muddy sound, the pickups I have plays enough but I'm not completely satisfied.

Please, I'd like to know what would be your suggestions about.
thank you



(I wrote this thread before but it wasn't so clear, so I deleted it).

 

[Frogman]

Re: Pickup suggestions for C tuning

Full Shred....tight and articulate down low.

 

[dominus]

Re: Pickup suggestions for C tuning

Duncan Custom in the Agathis, Dimarzio Evolution Neck in the Alder.

 

[Got_tone?]

Re: Pickup suggestions for C tuning

My friend plays in C and he loved my tele with an C8 in the bridge. He also uses a distortion set in his SG. That set always sounds good to me.

 

[80's_Metal]

Re: Pickup suggestions for C tuning

I have used Invader, Distortion SH-6, and Alt 8, as well as 18volt Livewire HMET in my drop C Les Paul and Explorer.
The livewires are the loudest pickups I have ever used and bar none the most gain ever.

But I have been happiest with the regular Duncan Distortion as far as overall tonal and sound qualities. Never muddy, but enough gain to rip your face off or clear enough to do pretty much anything those normal guitar players do.

I like the Alt-8, but don't Luuuuv the Alt-8.

Invader seemed too fuzzy and no clarity.

I think its Hard to better the perfection in the SH-6.

Edit to add (Strings and effects also have great influence on sound when dropped to C )

My humble .02 worth.

 

[ex-250]

Re: Pickup suggestions for C tuning

i also quite like the duncan distortion for C

 

[marvelous_seven]

Re: Pickup suggestions for C tuning

Full Shred....tight and articulate down low.

+1
C'mon get a Full Shred and post a review about it. I wanna know too :naughty:

 

[marcello252]

Re: Pickup suggestions for C tuning

Thank you.
I tried once a Full shred and didn't like it at all, it's been some ago, too much edgy (but actually it was in standard tuning).
I think I'm going to find a 2nd hand Custom or a Distorsion as you suggested

I'd really like to know what the heck Josh Homme mount on his guitar: on his Ovations seems a super distortion, in the description of SD pickups there is an endorsement on a CC but I tried it and the bass are at least 'strange' on C tuning, so who knows?

 

[bagouser]

Re: Pickup suggestions for C tuning

I tune CGCFAD and I can tell you, the Custom 5 is awesome for drop tunings.
Some like the Custom, but it's too midsy for me. The C5 is POWERFUL, SLAMMING, and retains a vintage sort of voice......seriously.

In the neck, the Full Shred Neck is sweet. Jazz works well too.

 

[LatsMcGee]

Re: Pickup suggestions for C tuning

I have an Agathis guitar tuned to C and I like the Bill Lawerence XL500. Maintains clarity and brightens things up a bit in the dark wood.

 

[daemon barbeque]

Re: Pickup suggestions for C tuning


The Agathis needs a PATB1 in the bridge for the Low chug
The Alder will be fine with a Custom 8, or a Full Shred.
The Distortion is too "sharp edged" to feed Stoner/Desert Rock goodness.
The PATB2 is another option, but too compressed for the music you are doing.

 

[marcello252]

Re: Pickup suggestions for C tuning

The suggestions by Dominus and Daemon Barbeque regarding the pickup based on wood type are interesting, I'd like to know more.
For what I understand (and ear) Agathis react in a similiar way to mahoghany, a bit warmer with some sparkles, alder seems more 'even', I think that's the reason why Dominus suggested a ceramic on the agathis, right?

thank you

 

[Franknfilms]

Re: Pickup suggestions for C tuning

I tune CGCFAD and I can tell you, the Custom 5 is awesome for drop tunings.

+1, I also found the custom 5 great for drop tuning, it is a really bright pickup with tight bass which is a pretty good recipe for mud free tone

 

[daemon barbeque]

Re: Pickup suggestions for C tuning

The suggestions by Dominus and Daemon Barbeque regarding the pickup based on wood type are interesting, I'd like to know more.
For what I understand (and ear) Agathis react in a similiar way to mahoghany, a bit warmer with some sparkles, alder seems more 'even', I think that's the reason why Dominus suggested a ceramic on the agathis, right?

thank you

You are right on the money.
Agathis sounds like a lighter Mahogany, and needs a bit more punch to get enough attack and body. That's the reason for a Ceramic PU, or the PATB1 which is AlNiCo but punchy like hell.
:friday:

 

[Karmadog777]

Re: Pickup suggestions for C tuning

I play alot of proggy-metal type stuff in open C, CGCGCE
I have settled with my Blackouts, they are just slammin and never muddy, but I was also very happy with a Crazy8 (little more sizzle)in the bridge, as well as my last Dimarzio set, D-Sonic in the bridge and I believe Air Norton in the neck(petrucci?)

But the Blackouts are just huge, you know what they say , once you go Black_ _ _......

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: Pickup suggestions for C tuning

Duncan Distortion in the agathis, if you need to play sludgy roll your tone knob back.

Invader in the Alder.

 

[Deckles]

Re: Pickup suggestions for C tuning

i have a question. im just using this thread because its relative to this topic.

i have a baritone (basswood/rosewood) that has some duncan designed distortions in. but the problem is that tuned at A# my clean tone is too bassy. ive been using super slinkies cuz i like the slink. and i keep my tone with mid all the way up, roll off the bass usually, and the treble fairly high. my rhythmic tones and lead tones that i create with my fuzz and filter are pretty phenomenal i must say. id adjust those if my pickup changes made too much of a difference. But like i said, the problem is really my clean tone. i use that a lot. not even just for heavy music. my baritone is fun for jazz and blues. but i cannot for the life of me get a bright enough "option." i just want to know i can do it and then feed off the bass tones from my russian muff for rhythm and cut them with my filter for my leads. so ultimately the question is when im looking at pickups do i want a pickup that has like a 7 for bass to keep my sound less muddy, or a lower bass like say a 3 or 5? ive been looking at the custom or the custom custom mostly.

but if you have different suggestions id love to hear them. im thinking id use one of those for my C standard hollowbody for my "pop" guitar. that or a jazz

 

[daemon barbeque]

Re: Pickup suggestions for C tuning

i have a question. im just using this thread because its relative to this topic.

i have a baritone (basswood/rosewood) that has some duncan designed distortions in. but the problem is that tuned at A# my clean tone is too bassy. ive been using super slinkies cuz i like the slink. and i keep my tone with mid all the way up, roll off the bass usually, and the treble fairly high. my rhythmic tones and lead tones that i create with my fuzz and filter are pretty phenomenal i must say. id adjust those if my pickup changes made too much of a difference. But like i said, the problem is really my clean tone. i use that a lot. not even just for heavy music. my baritone is fun for jazz and blues. but i cannot for the life of me get a bright enough "option." i just want to know i can do it and then feed off the bass tones from my russian muff for rhythm and cut them with my filter for my leads. so ultimately the question is when im looking at pickups do i want a pickup that has like a 7 for bass to keep my sound less muddy, or a lower bass like say a 3 or 5? ive been looking at the custom or the custom custom mostly.

but if you have different suggestions id love to hear them. im thinking id use one of those for my C standard hollowbody for my "pop" guitar. that or a jazz

You can change the filister screws with allen screws. That changes the bass response.
You can also change your volume and Tone Pots to 1 Mega Ohm. That will open up the top a lot.
This is your less expensive way to try out things.

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Pickup suggestions for C tuning

Definitely a C5 or CC for tuning that low. On my "C# Sabbath" guitar, I use a C5 in the bridge and nail those "Into The Void", "Children Of The Grave", and "A National Acrobat" tones.

Of course you have to understand that at that depth and with that pickup it's less about high gain and more about crushing, articulate riffage, so you might have to roll the gain down to 6, 7, or 8.

 

[Deckles]

Re: Pickup suggestions for C tuning

"Of course you have to understand that at that depth and with that pickup it's less about high gain and more about crushing, articulate riffage, so you might have to roll the gain down to 6, 7, or 8."

well naturally. that muff is super high gain in the first place. or at least gives the impression of it because im not sure what the actual decibels of gain are from it. but im just thinking of those pickups because they have that headroom.

"You can change the filister screws with allen screws. That changes the bass response.
You can also change your volume and Tone Pots to 1 Mega Ohm. That will open up the top a lot.
This is your less expensive way to try out things."

huh. i never would have ever thought of that. ill give it a try. although can you explain changing my volume and tone pots? you dont just mean rolling them back on the guitar do you? ive never actually studied the inside of my guitar around the pickups or anything all too closely