Pickups for an All Maple Guitar?

C

CJRocker

New member
Basically, I need pickups for a guitar made of maple. Its an Epi X-1000 neck thru with a maple neck and wings and ebonol (composite) fretboard. Because of this, the tone is very bright and somewhat thin. The EMG selects in it aren't bad, but don't have much in terms of balls. I will be playing a lot of 80's metal on this guitar, but also some light and clean stuff in church. My amp is a Crate Vintage Club 60. I need a humbucker that coil taps well and two singles (not stacked humbuckers). So far I've come up with two ideas for configs:

Duncan Custom Custom Bridge
Duncan SSL3 Hot for Strat Middle
Duncan SSL5-2 Five-Two Neck

OR

Duncan Pearly Gates Bridge
Alnico Pro II Flat APS-2 Middle
Alnico Pro II Flat APS-2 Neck

I'm leaning towards the Custom Custom - SSL3 - SSL5-2 setup, but I'm not good when it comes to picking out single coils, so does anyone have any ideas? I'm not really into actives or looking to fork out for Custom shop made pickups for this particular guitar.

On a side note, does anyone know if I would need trembuckers for the guitar, since it uses a Steinberger KBX tremolo?

Thanks.
 
Re: Pickups for an All Maple Guitar?

CJRocker said:
Basically, I need pickups for a guitar made of maple. Its an Epi X-1000 neck thru with a maple neck and wings and ebonol (composite) fretboard. Because of this, the tone is very bright and somewhat thin. The EMG selects in it aren't bad, but don't have much in terms of balls. I will be playing a lot of 80's metal on this guitar, but also some light and clean stuff in church. My amp is a Crate Vintage Club 60. I need a humbucker that coil taps well and two singles (not stacked humbuckers). So far I've come up with two ideas for configs:

Duncan Custom Custom Bridge
Duncan SSL3 Hot for Strat Middle
Duncan SSL5-2 Five-Two Neck

OR

Duncan Pearly Gates Bridge
Alnico Pro II Flat APS-2 Middle
Alnico Pro II Flat APS-2 Neck

I'm leaning towards the Custom Custom - SSL3 - SSL5-2 setup, but I'm not good when it comes to picking out single coils, so does anyone have any ideas? I'm not really into actives or looking to fork out for Custom shop made pickups for this particular guitar.

On a side note, does anyone know if I would need trembuckers for the guitar, since it uses a Steinberger KBX tremolo?

Thanks.
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Ive done so much research into this. PATB-3( mellowist but least expressive tone..... , Dimarzio Super D.- most time honored bright guitar pickup, but it wont match up well with too many other neck pickups being so high output, and isnt really any more of a true tone pickup than the PATb3. Or,... one I am looking into, that may be and probally is brighter, but may represent the best compromise in overall sound , and will amtch up better with more neck pickups is the Dimarzio Air Norton.
 
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Re: Pickups for an All Maple Guitar?

jerryjg said:
Ive done so much research into this. PATB-3( mellowist but least expressive tone..... , Dimarzio Super D.- most time honored bright guitar pickup, but it wont match up well with too many other neck pickups being so high output, and isnt really any more of a true tone pickup than the PATb3. Or,... one I am looking into, that may be and probally is brighter, but may represent the best compromise in overall sound , and will amtch up better with more neck pickups is the Dimarzio Air Norton.
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I've thought about DiMarzio, but I'm not a fan of their voicings in general... too modern for me and they always feel a bit thin. Did not like th eSuper D in my RG, but it was basswood. ToneZone is alright, gets the job done in my Charvel with the tone rolled back to about 9. I appreciate it though. PATB3 did come to mind though.
 
Re: Pickups for an All Maple Guitar?

A Super 3 is another alternative. I have one in my all-maple Lado Earth. It is great set-up....its got both balls and clarity.


Cheers
 
Re: Pickups for an All Maple Guitar?

Big Red said:
A Super 3 is another alternative. I have one in my all-maple Lado Earth. It is great set-up....its got both balls and clarity.


Cheers
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Hmm, I know they use though in the Jackson PC1, which is all maple IIRC. DiMarzio also suggests the Tone Zone, though I don't really want to pull the one from my Charvel to try it atm.
 
Re: Pickups for an All Maple Guitar?

I had a couple of maple bodied guitars. One had a Duncan Distortion and the other had a 59. Great tone!
 
Re: Pickups for an All Maple Guitar?

Being a BIG fan of the old 88-92 shreadder neck Carvins I have a LOT of experiance with all maple neck through the body guitars ( I "only" had 14 all maple Carvins at one time back around 2005 ).
The Tone Zone is a good choice as is the Super III from Dimarzio. I used the Tone Zone with an Air Classic in a couple of my V220's with success.
The best set up I ever used was a Carvin C22B bridge with a C22T which is also know as a bridge pickup in the neck. That combination as well as the old origional pre 1993 M22SD Carvins and an origional M22N was pure magic in an all maple neck through guitar. Frankly right now the best sounding rock guitars I have are the three Carvin "pointies" I have all with the stock M22 SD's and M22N's. Every time I pull those out I get more comments on the tones than any other guitars I have ever owned!! In particular from the Pearl Pink reverse headstock 1990 X220C I have it's just astoundingly good both in playability and in tone!! + the blasted thing is SO light it feels like a TOY ( Maple neck and ebony board but this one has a poplar body and weighs in at an astonishing 4.75 lbs to be exact !!).
Now do be aware that Carvin changed the SD design somewhere around 1993 and the newer ones aren't the same as the older ones. The origionals have a metal braid shield around the leads and wooden spacers under the bobbins. The new ones will measure in at around 17K the origional SD's at around 13K. The new SD Carvins are shrill and harsh + are quite prone to feedback issues.
I love Duncans and 90% of my current guitars have them. The one exception is in an all Maple guitar. Try as I might I just never found a Duncan set up that worked for me in an all maple neck through older Carvin with an ebony board.
 
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Re: Pickups for an All Maple Guitar?

The PC1 is mahogany body with a quilt maple top. It is also a bolt-on neck with a maple board. Ebonol is brighter than maple so the OP's guitar may be a challenge to get what he wants.

One pickup that may not look like it would work well in maple but actually is quite at home there is the JB. I have an old Kramer that is maple but has a rosewood fretboard. The JB sounds incredible in that guitar. Not surprising since that is also what came stock in it.

But, I'm kinda reluctant to recommend it here because of the ebonol AND the neck-thru construction. You could give it a shot but use a 250k volume pot instead of 500k. That should tame down the brightness and since you looking at 2 single-coils as well, 250k pots would work much better.
 
Re: Pickups for an All Maple Guitar?

ErikH said:
The PC1 is mahogany body with a quilt maple top. It is also a bolt-on neck with a maple board. Ebonol is brighter than maple so the OP's guitar may be a challenge to get what he wants.

One pickup that may not look like it would work well in maple but actually is quite at home there is the JB. I have an old Kramer that is maple but has a rosewood fretboard. The JB sounds incredible in that guitar. Not surprising since that is also what came stock in it.

But, I'm kinda reluctant to recommend it here because of the ebonol AND the neck-thru construction. You could give it a shot but use a 250k volume pot instead of 500k. That should tame down the brightness and since you looking at 2 single-coils as well, 250k pots would work much better.
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I was also thinking the same thing as some of the maple bodied Hamers back in the late 80's-early 90's like the Californians and and Chapperells had maple bodies with bolt on maple necks and ebony boards ands came with JB's stock. Those were tones monsters for sure but not at all what we are looking at here.
An all maple neck and body neck through guitar with a hard bright board board is a completly different type of animal tone wise.
Frankly for that combination nothing I have found is better that the Carvin C22B/C22T.
 
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Re: Pickups for an All Maple Guitar?

Thanks for the suggestions all.

Distortion is something I thought of, but it may be a bit too modern sounding for what I need. I had one in my Kelly and it seemed a bit dry and could have a lot of treble/mid range bite. Not that it was bad for what it was being used for, but the jry is out on hwo it would work in the Epiphone.

Carvin pickups were not ones that came to mind honestly. How hard would it be to find older Carvin pickups?

Erik, I discounted the JB right off the bat. Love it in my Jackson, but its Maple Neck/Rosewood Fretboard/Alder Body, and it would be way too bright for Maple/Ebonol if the fact its a rather bright and presence-filled pickup in the Jackson. While it works perfect for the Jackson in a band setting, I hear it would be too much in the maple Epiphone. 250k may round it off though.

250k Volume pot is another good idea I might try, especially if I go with a brighter pickup. I may for grins try a Jackson J50B I have sitting around in the bridge position, though I'd have to disconnect the coil tap for the time being.
 
Re: Pickups for an All Maple Guitar?

I also think from waht ive heard here , the gtes might be too middy/trbebly for the bridge, but may work well in the neck all maple guitar. I assume you mean hard rock maple or is it softer maple? not much difference tone -wise.
 
Re: Pickups for an All Maple Guitar?

From what I've searched on maple, (without ever owning one) I think I would try these:

SD PATB-1, 3 or Crazy 8 (no description needed I guess).
DM Super 3, maybe the Breed (same as above).
Bare Knuckle Holy Diver (killer for that!!! very 80-ish, clear, tight, no fuzz etc), Warpig (fat as hell) or Miracle Man (very precise and extreme tightness).
Adder Plus Persuader Lead Custom (recommended model via email to me from them - smooth and tight tone from what I've heard)

The Blackouts seem to have good low end and the new alterantive 8 maybe cool for that.

Just a thought. (Reminder: I never owned a maple guitar - just out from research).;) Although I've heard the BK Holy Diver on maple and it's insane!
 
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Re: Pickups for an All Maple Guitar?

Maple neck through w/ maple wings and you're planning on playing a lot of 80's metal w/ it. And you didn't even think of the JB? Not to mention that a lot of people forget the JB was actually intended to be used w/ 250k pots. Which would work out really well since you intend to use standard singles in the neck and middle and the JB, as much as I hate it, actually does split rather well w/ standard singles.


I've plenty of experience w/ maple bodies. The Screamin Demon and the JB are right at home in that wood type. There was reason Jackson used it as a standard in the 80's on their neck through guitars and are still using it today.

I don't think you can wrong w/ a JB and some SSL 1s or APS's in the neck middle.
 
Re: Pickups for an All Maple Guitar?

9finger said:
Maple neck through w/ maple wings and you're planning on playing a lot of 80's metal w/ it. And you didn't even think of the JB? Not to mention that a lot of people forget the JB was actually intended to be used w/ 250k pots. Which would work out really well since you intend to use standard singles in the neck and middle and the JB, as much as I hate it, actually does split rather well w/ standard singles.


I've plenty of experience w/ maple bodies. The Screamin Demon and the JB are right at home in that wood type. There was reason Jackson used it as a standard in the 80's on their neck through guitars and are still using it today.

I don't think you can wrong w/ a JB and some SSL 1s or APS's in the neck middle.
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whoo! JB/Gates in maple? yeah maybe but better mellow it out with alderpoplar wings. All maple.? Thats gonna be waaay bright.
 
Re: Pickups for an All Maple Guitar?

jerryjg said:
whoo! JB/Gates in maple? yeah maybe but better mellow it out with alderpoplar wings. All maple.? Thats gonna be waaay bright.
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I've never used a Pearly Gates bridge in an all maple body. I have used several maple bodies w/ JBs and SSL 1s and they work quite well. In fact, I won't use a JB in anything but a Maple body cuz I find that it sux in most other body woods. I wouldn't suggest it had I not had any experience w/ it. Even theodie would vouch for it in this set up I do believe and we all know his disdain for the JB.
 
Re: Pickups for an All Maple Guitar?

CJRocker said:
Thanks for the suggestions all.

Distortion is something I thought of, but it may be a bit too modern sounding for what I need. I had one in my Kelly and it seemed a bit dry and could have a lot of treble/mid range bite. Not that it was bad for what it was being used for, but the jry is out on hwo it would work in the Epiphone.

Carvin pickups were not ones that came to mind honestly. How hard would it be to find older Carvin pickups?

Erik, I discounted the JB right off the bat. Love it in my Jackson, but its Maple Neck/Rosewood Fretboard/Alder Body, and it would be way too bright for Maple/Ebonol if the fact its a rather bright and presence-filled pickup in the Jackson. While it works perfect for the Jackson in a band setting, I hear it would be too much in the maple Epiphone. 250k may round it off though.

250k Volume pot is another good idea I might try, especially if I go with a brighter pickup. I may for grins try a Jackson J50B I have sitting around in the bridge position, though I'd have to disconnect the coil tap for the time being.
Click to expand...

On the Carvin pickups I would recomend that you don't hunt down the vintage SD's and M22N's but look at the current C22B for the bridge and then use the C22T also a bridge pickup in the neck. The B is the current default pickup Carvin uses in the bridge. For many years almost all Carvins were like the guitar you have rock maple neck rock maple wings and an ebony board. They did a LOT of design work with that combination and there pickups work well in that type guitar. At one time I had the best collection of all maple Carvin shreadder neck 88-91 pointy guitars at the Carvin Museum. I spent a LOT of time trying different pickup set ups in those type guitars.
The mini volume and tone pots Carvin uses stink and the 500K's were almost as dark as a normal CTS 250 K. Use a set of the C22's with a good set of pots and it will kill in your all maple neck through guitar.
Look on ebay a lot of guys will buy a new all mahogany CT or something like that and yank the pickups because they are too dark. The C22B's sell really cheap on ebay in good shape . The T's in particular were the default bridge bucker and are are pretty weak in output so they are not really popular as a bridge pickup but are almost PAF like in the neck of an all maple guitar.
Here is a link to what I'm talking from the Carvin site
Bridge https://www.carvinguitars.com/products/single.php?product=C22B-1
Neck https://www.carvinguitars.com/products/single.php?product=C22T-1
 
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Re: Pickups for an All Maple Guitar?

Well, the neck plank is probably hard maple. The wings most likely are soft maple due to the fact it the X-1000 was a comparatively budget guitar.

Thought about the Alternative 8 actually, but I wouldn't consider the Epiphone warm, so skipped over it. Also, the PATB was a little more than I was looking to go for this particular guitar. Same for Bareknuckle sadly, as on this side of the lake they are around $200 a pop.

I've been tossing around the JB and Screamin' Demon. The Screamin' Demon caught my eye as I know it works well in maple guitars, but some people say its a little flat sounding tonally. That said, most of those are from people who tired them in other guitars, and I liked it in the ESP Lynch I played awhile back.

Ascension, thanks for the info!
 
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