Ascension
Well-known member
AGREED! This one of the very few Dimarzio pickups i really like!
Pickups made for The Brown Sound? (*NOT* EVH history)
- Thread starter GilmourD
- Start date
AGREED! This one of the very few Dimarzio pickups i really like!
ErikH
Well-known member
The Custom definitely gets in the ballpark as LLL mentioned. Excellent choice. One that I was able to get some really nice brown sound tones from is the Gibson '57 Classic Plus. In my Frankenstrat, it just had "it". Had it paired with a regular '57 Classic in the neck. But that Plus in the bridge was something else.
JOLLY
Super Simonologist
I know this is an old ass thread, but.................
https://www.angelfire.com/ca2/smithtone/evhfrank_hum.html
https://www.angelfire.com/ca2/smithtone/evhfrank_hum.html
Ashurbanipal
Well-known member
In the interest of science, and keeping info in one thread, someone (Pete Thorn) went ahead and did a massive, 23 pu shootout from various winders (SD included, of course), in relation to speculating on the tone of the first couple of albums.
The guitar used for most of the clips is a VH I era Frankie replica (ash body, vintage trem, brass nut, you know the deal), with select appearances of an original 70s Ibanez Destroyer, Peavey Wolfgang, and another Frankenstrat. Played through a Suhr SL68 amp.
Get some snacks/beers, it's a long 'un.
The guitar used for most of the clips is a VH I era Frankie replica (ash body, vintage trem, brass nut, you know the deal), with select appearances of an original 70s Ibanez Destroyer, Peavey Wolfgang, and another Frankenstrat. Played through a Suhr SL68 amp.
Get some snacks/beers, it's a long 'un.
eclecticsynergy
Well-known member
Don't know if Wolftone's Marshallhead has been mentioned in the thread or covered in the vid, but it's in the ballpark too.
Ascension
Well-known member
Virtual Hot Dimarzio PAF is a real killer for this
Dimarzio Gravity Storm also is very very good.
The Dimarzio Liquifire with the right amp in the bridge is another
Duncan Perpetual Burn
Duncan Custom 5
Duncan 78
Duncan Brobucker
Sure there are more but those all to me work well with the right amp in the right guitar. Big open touch sensitive and with moderate gain is the ticket. Exception here is the Gravity Storm wish I had kept mine really really cool pickup! Just never really could get the right tonal match with a neck pickup for what I was trying to do is why I sold it.
Dimarzio Gravity Storm also is very very good.
The Dimarzio Liquifire with the right amp in the bridge is another
Duncan Perpetual Burn
Duncan Custom 5
Duncan 78
Duncan Brobucker
Sure there are more but those all to me work well with the right amp in the right guitar. Big open touch sensitive and with moderate gain is the ticket. Exception here is the Gravity Storm wish I had kept mine really really cool pickup! Just never really could get the right tonal match with a neck pickup for what I was trying to do is why I sold it.
Drak
New member
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
It was mentioned briefly in a previous post, but the 59/C hybrid with an A2 is a pretty good brown sound pickup.
Since EVH history was explicitly barred I won't go into detail, but there I've found some pretty solid evidence that point to an A2 59/C being what was used in VH2. Granted, the terminology to call it that didn't really exist yet. I'll dig up a link to the thread where I damn near wrote a whole essay on the subject if I can find it
Since EVH history was explicitly barred I won't go into detail, but there I've found some pretty solid evidence that point to an A2 59/C being what was used in VH2. Granted, the terminology to call it that didn't really exist yet. I'll dig up a link to the thread where I damn near wrote a whole essay on the subject if I can find it
Drak
New member
I don't know Jackson Diddly Brown compared to most of you about Ed, he's not at the top of my priority list usually.
My understanding was that the early sound (classic Brown Sound) was a slightly hot PAF of some sort.
Coupled with the standard trem (Frankie) and/or hardtail, as the case may be.
So yes, not much compression there.
And where the Custom Custom and the hotter winds come in is when he started using floating trems, like a Floyd.
To fatten up the tone to compensate for the floating trem.
Am I right here?
My understanding was that the early sound (classic Brown Sound) was a slightly hot PAF of some sort.
Coupled with the standard trem (Frankie) and/or hardtail, as the case may be.
So yes, not much compression there.
And where the Custom Custom and the hotter winds come in is when he started using floating trems, like a Floyd.
To fatten up the tone to compensate for the floating trem.
Am I right here?
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
This thread looks awfully familiar...
Artie
Peaveyologist
How did that turn out? I have a CC, and a UOA5 stuck to the side of my file cabinet.
Drak
New member
TBH, once I put it in there, I sandbagged the project I had in mind for it, so its been patiently waiting for me to re-address it.
And its been +/- 2 years since I swapped it, so its not like I even have a fresh memory recall of the original CC anymore, tho I do remember it to an extent.
It has a gold cover on it, so its slightly more difficult to find the right project to affix it to.
Artie
Peaveyologist
That's cool. I too, have at least a dozen projects waiting for my time and inclination.
I think so. I wasn't familiar with the CC but the description from the site is....
The Custom Custom humbucker delivers that familiar alnico 2 warmth, along with the rich midrange harmonics of a hotter pickup. The result is a humbucker that sounds full and sweet, and has a warm lower midrange growl that really brings chords to life. The Custom Custom has a fatter treble response than any other pickup, and that gives solos a round, sweet, singing quality.Great for adding fullness and warmth to any humbucker equipped instrument. Pair it with the Jazz model or Pearly Gates model in the neck position for a balanced, versatile setup.
Hand built in Santa Barbara, CA, the Custom Custom medium output humbucker pickups use an alnico 2 bar magnet, nickel silver bottom plate, 4-conductor lead wire for multiple wiring options, are vacuum wax potted for squeal-free performance, and are available in either standard humbucker or Trembucker spacing.
The description I put in bold is...bold. It's at 14.1k in the bridge. The dirty sound clip sounds great and can back the claim.
Ascension
Well-known member
Agreed on the VH PAF wish i still had one as sold the guitar i had one in.
Couple other Dimarzios that will get you there IMO.
first off would be the Gravity Storm bridge. Huge sounding pickup taht is super touch sensitive and respons very well to volume roll offs. That is one of the absolute key things for the "Brown Sound " IMO having a pickup that responds to touch and will open up and get sweet when you roll the volume back. the Gravity Storm is REALLY good at this!
The Other is the Liquifire neck used in the bridge. More of a more modern twist overwound PAF vibe big warm and very dynamic.
To me the fabled "Brown Sound" is not just about EVH. i also hear that open sweetness and dynamic response to touch in say Gary Moors playing style here. Most pickups won't take you here.Eddie was an absolute master of the use of touch and a volume roll off for playing dynamics just like Gary was.
https://youtu.be/LWvygv933H0
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Bill Dennis
New member
Found this thread while researching an EVH homage guitar build I am starting. I think the reason no one can really agree on pickup specs is because there really wasn't just one spec in play. Franky was probably the PAF he speaks of but much of VH1 was done with the Destroyer which I think had either a super distortion or the Mighty Mite clone of it. When VHII came along, the Destroyer had been chopped up into the Shark so you hear a lot more of the Frankie. Their are many photos of them in the studio with Les Pauls and others around. I would not be at all surprised if those were used as well. Even in later years he used a Flying V on 1984, a Steinberger on 5150, a tele on at least one track of "Knowledge. He has a track record for using a variety of guitars. He didn't have an attic full of guitars just to store them.
The trick is to find the pickup that works in conjunction with your particular instrument to get that sound. Tweak pot values etc. They will all work paired with the right instrument. Case in point. An earlier poster was extolling the Gravity Storm. I have no doubt is was perfect for their rig/style/application. I love Vai and his sound as well. I could not get that pickup to sound right even plugged into a Legacy. It didn't fit me.
The trick is to find the pickup that works in conjunction with your particular instrument to get that sound. Tweak pot values etc. They will all work paired with the right instrument. Case in point. An earlier poster was extolling the Gravity Storm. I have no doubt is was perfect for their rig/style/application. I love Vai and his sound as well. I could not get that pickup to sound right even plugged into a Legacy. It didn't fit me.
