Quarter Pound SSL4 Set Questions.

[BeKindRewind]

Hey guys, I just wanted to clarify something that's on the website before I make a purchase here.

On the Quarter Pound SSL4 page, it says this about the calibrated set:

DCR: Neck: 12.37k, Middle: 12.87k, Bridge: 13.4k

But it also says this:

• Neck/Middle/Bridge position models will have the same output, wind direction and magnetic polarity.
• Middle RwRP position (reverse wind/reverse polarity) – choose this to have a pickup that will be hum-cancelling with one of our neck or bridge models.

I think I'm confusing myself here. It's saying if you buy them individually, they'd have the same output , and there's no difference between them. But if you buy this set and only this set, you'd get the 3 different outputs listed above, right? (OR is one of these two statements outdated?)

Reason I'm asking is I recently bought a Quarter pounder and i'm loving it (ha ha)

But I'll make another thread about that, soon.

I can't put the guitar down with this pickup in it! It doesn't seem to match perfectly with the other 2 pickups in the guitar though. It's not terrible, but could definitely be better. I was poking around the Duncan website for some kinda combination of middle and neck pickups to try, and it actually popped up and suggested that I just buy the Quarter pounder set. Honestly, they're designed to match so I don't think I can go wrong here, just wondering about this conflicting info and what I'd actually get if I bought the matched set vs. just purchasing a middle+ Neck version to add.

 

[Clint 55]

As far as I know, the different outputs for a set is just mysto hogwash. If you get a set from any dealer, it will just be 3 with the same output including a rwrp middle. I don't know why they write about the mystical calibrated set. You could get ssl6s if you want the volume to match better. Or just buy 2 more ssl4s and drop them to the pickguard.

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

I asked SD tech support ta similar question when specifying the pickups in my HH Strat, also in my 2015 Gibson SG. I have a 59/Custom Hybrid in the bridge (11.2 kohm DCR humbucker, 11.7 kohm DCR Trembucker) and a Jazz in the neck (7.5 oohm DCR). Quite a big difference there, but they actually balance very nicely.

Bridge pickups tend to have higher DCRs than neck or middle pickups because the amplitude of the string vibrations tend to be lower than they are some distance away from the end points. The lower the amplitude (not the frequency) of the vibration, the smaller the signal from any given pickup (same pickup, different positions), so they add more winds to the bridge (or fewer winds to the middle and neck, take your pick) to compensate.

I would have to ask SD whether or not their middle pickups come as RWRP by default. I think, however, you have to specify if you want an RWRP.

In some situations, e.g. an HSS setup with a coil split, you really need the RWRP in the neck, not the middle. The default SD coil split leaves the slug (north) coil active. To get hum canceling in P2 (bridge plus middle) you want to pair it with a regular (south up) coil in the middle. By extension, to get hum canceling in P4 (middle plus neck) you need the RWRP (north up) pickup in the neck, not the middle. There are workarounds, e.g. RWRP-inf the humbucker yourself, or wiring so the south (screw) coil remains active in the coil split, but...

I would imagine buying a set from SD or a reputable reseller would give you the correct bridge, middle (RWRP) and neck models. Likewise, if you buy them one at a time from SD or a reputable reseller and specify neck, middle, bridge, RWRP where needed, you'd get them. Just buying three pickups from someone on a well known internet auction site, however, could be pot luck, and I've never found the price difference to be worth it.

 

[GuitarStv]

I had always thought that the SSL4s were all the same value. Are they offered as a calibrated set?

 

[jeremy]

ive had a few qp flats and they have all been about the same. ive heard these magical calibrated setups, qp's, ssl1... i dont think they exist

 

[Clint 55]

Are they offered as a calibrated set?

No. A few years ago there was a 30 page troll war about the ssl1/2s and a calibrated set but noone had one or had seen one.

 

[Toejam]

They're not calibrated, but you can have the custom shop do it for you like I did at 12.8k for neck and 14.8k middle. They'll even do shiny plastic tops in cream, black or white.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Yah, creamtop QP is an awesome looking pickup.

For my taste I worry that a QP would be a little too much at the neck.
But I used one in middle position on an HSH for decades and it rocked.

 

[GuitarStv]

I have a QP in the neck of a guitar with 500k pots, and it works/sounds great for me. Back it off the strings a bit and it's got a similar sound to a neck humbucker, but more focused.

Personally, I'd put one in the neck (backed well off the strings) and bridge (up close) and then go with a lower output, brighter middle pickup. Then you'll get a beefy neck solo tone, sparkly clean sounding N+M and M+B, and a really nice lead sound from the bridge.