Praise for some non-duncan pups...

[Scott_F]

I put the stock McCarty pups back into my BLE that is going to ship to T4D soon. Those are some pretty decent pups. Gotta give credit where credit is due. Coil tap works pretty good there as well, quacky and funky where it should be.

Of course, I was playing it through a Two Rock Custom Reverb and TR 2x12 and I think some rusty wire, a magnet and a 4x4 post would sound pretty good through that amp. :dance:

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Praise for some non-duncan pups...

PRS makes some kick ass pickups (like the McCarty's & #7s), as well as some not so great ones (don't know the model). They're the only guitars that have good, useful split tones.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Praise for some non-duncan pups...

I've always thought the Gibson 496R's were pretty good. I'm also really diggin the stock Gibson P-90's in my SG Juniors.

 

[big_black]

Re: Praise for some non-duncan pups...

MM-90s (Musicman P-90s), pretty close to the original. Tight, warm and focused.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Praise for some non-duncan pups...

The McCarty pickups seem to highly respected by players I respect. Never heard a bad word said about 'em.

There's a picture in the Guitar Player issue devoted to PRS of the PRS pickup winding machine. It appears to be entirely guided by computor rather than by hand. It looks like the whole machine is inside of some kind of plexi glass box.

Is that possible?

 

[papersoul]

Re: Praise for some non-duncan pups...

They are nice pickups, I use em for everything from classic rock to blues to slamming metal with the right amp.

RS Guitar Works makes an upgrade kits with hotter pots/caps and better wiring to really open em up!!!

 

[Mike M.]

Re: Praise for some non-duncan pups...

I love the Lindy Fralin Blues Specials I put in my Tele. Could'nt believe how alive they made that guitar.

 

[mrid]

Re: Praise for some non-duncan pups...

It looks like the whole machine is inside of some kind of plexi glass box.

Is that possible?

Was there an assassination attempt? :laugh2:

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Praise for some non-duncan pups...

Was there an assassination attempt? :laugh2:

uh, the "pup" mobile? arr arr arr arr :laugh2:

 

[BlueGuitar]

Re: Praise for some non-duncan pups...

I love the Lindy Fralin Blues Specials I put in my Tele. Could'nt believe how alive they made that guitar.

I felt the same way about the Blues Specials I put in my MIM '69 Thinline Tele RI, but I put a Fender NoCaster pickup in my 52 Butterscotch Blonde and never play the Thinline anymore... :blackeye: The NoCaster (like the stock pickups in that guitar) uses Alnico 3, which gives it a sound unlike Alnico 2 or 5. I think it's like a rock hard fist in a velvet glove... :dance:

Not to quibble... the Lindy Fralin Blues Specials are great! I have a set of them in my favorite strat and it is like day and night comparing them to other strat pickups...

 

[\m/(00)\m/]

Re: Praise for some non-duncan pups...

i like the EMG 81

 

[January_Embers]

Re: Praise for some non-duncan pups...

I've gotta agree . . . the McCarty pups are pretty damn good. Much better than the HFS and also the DragonIIs IMO (which are okay). However, the one time I did a back to back sound test between a stock Les Paul (498t and 490r) and a PRS Singlecut (#7), the PRS killed the LP! Smoother, more body, more clarity. I wonder how the #7's compare to Duncans . . . ?

 

[Loserchief]

Re: Praise for some non-duncan pups...

EMG 81,60 and 89

 

[papersoul]

Re: Praise for some non-duncan pups...

Many guys do find the McCarty pickups muddy under high gain however and many replace with the Dragon IIs which are a bit hotter and clearer.

Many guys seem to replace the #7 pickups in the Singlecut and that is a guitar I'd love to own! I think and LP and Singlecut are different guitars that really can't be compared. Many people much prefer an LP after head to head comparisons and many prefer the SC. It really is apples to oranges.

I myself, find LPs sound much deeper and organic than a SC.

 

[Falstaff]

Re: Praise for some non-duncan pups...

This is a great time to buy pickups, for sure. So many great choices.

 

[Simon_F]

Re: Praise for some non-duncan pups...

I like the DiMarzio FS-1 in the bridge position of my Strat. Think I'll get some Blue Velvets to go with it.

Gotta go, being attacked by a labrador ....... :yell:

 

[chcjunior]

Re: Praise for some non-duncan pups...

This is a great time to buy pickups, for sure. So many great choices.

I've been thinking lately it's time to check out some Dimarzios. My pup knowledge is solely limited to the SD arena. For that matter, I heard someone playing some EMG's thru a Les Paul and Single Rec yesterday at Guitar Center that made me turn around.

 

[51501984]

Re: Praise for some non-duncan pups...

Dimarzio Tone Zone T for Telecasters! It will be going in the next Tele I buy and IMO it does Hard Rock and will handle Metal without being over the top with output.

 

[Inge Malmstein]

Re: Praise for some non-duncan pups...

I like the DiMarzio Super Distortion because it is like a vintage-high-Output pickup.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Praise for some non-duncan pups...

I know that you guys are talking about high quality stock pickups and non Duncan after market pickups but I want it to be know that the Stock pickups on a Jimmy Vaughan Strat are KILLER...I much prefer the tone of Alnico II magnets but these are everything a Strat should be...in fact I am gonna keep them after I put new pickups in my JV Strat...