? re: Holdsworth model AH-1

[darthphineas]

had fun hanging with some great people at the guitar show in Arlington this past weekend. MJ and Boomer from SD...and Buddy and Joyce from Buddy Blaze Guitars. plenty of time to chat with everyone, especially MJ. she's always great to deal with and talking with her always seems to clarify many questions. of course, who visits MJ without walking away with a few pickups.

one of the ones I scored was the Allan Holdsworth model. I've been reading up on it and think I have a spot in mind for it. but before I jump too quickly, I thought I'd check to see who else has spent time with this model and would have suggestions on how it matches up with different woods.
















and since Buddy was across the aisle from the Duncan booth, I managed to pop off some pics.... such as this one:

 

[ErikH]

Re: ? re: Holdsworth model AH-1

I wanted to go this weekend but the wife is recovering from minor outpatient surgery and I had my hands full with the kids' stuff. Plus it would've been too much walking for her. Maybe next year.

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: ? re: Holdsworth model AH-1

Cool Shades...

 

[Mincer]

Re: ? re: Holdsworth model AH-1

This is an interesting history of the Holdsworth pickup: http://www.holdsy.com/viewtopic.php?t=404&p=3330 :
funny that what he actually uses is nothing like was was sold years ago...he uses low output pickups and gets his sound from his unique way of playing and his preamps.

 

[darthphineas]

Re: ? re: Holdsworth model AH-1

This is an interesting history of the Holdsworth pickup: http://www.holdsy.com/viewtopic.php?t=404&p=3330 :
funny that what he actually uses is nothing like was was sold years ago...he uses low output pickups and gets his sound from his unique way of playing and his preamps.

very cool, man. thanks.

I'm starting it out in the middle position of a Honduras mahogany Kramer NightSwan, which is the position the JB usually live. There's a f-spaced non-logo Full Shred wound by MJ in the bridge. won't have time to give it a good testing until tomorrow, but one of two options I have in mind for it.

the other CS pup that MJ threw at me is another case of something she mentioned before and it took me a while to give it a shot. that one went in a poplar Kramer Pacer Custom and I'm liking what I'm hearing on that one as well. I was expecting to have to do a mag swap on it to get it where I wanted but its working out like a champ.

 

[Jocelyn]

Re: ? re: Holdsworth model AH-1

Some where in 95-96 a good freind lent me an old Nov 1987 Guitar world issue .It had the then whitesnake guitar line up interview. That Blaze was the first guitar that had got me interested Duncans, Custom builds and mods.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: ? re: Holdsworth model AH-1

I have a two screw coil humbucker by Bill and Becky Lawrence. Its about 10k. Its an excellent pickup. I don't remember the model. L460 or something?

 

[jeremy]

Re: ? re: Holdsworth model AH-1

i used to have an ah1 and it was sweet. kinda like a less peaky jb with a smoother voice

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: ? re: Holdsworth model AH-1

+1

IMO, an A/B comparison between a stock AH-1 and an SH-4 JB with an A2 magnet would be interesting.

 

[darthphineas]

Re: ? re: Holdsworth model AH-1

before I forget, here are some specs of the AH-1.

18.23k series
9.01k coil
9.21k stud
4.54k parallel
bridge position
alnico 5

spent a little time with it in the middle position of that NightSwan. keeping in mind that guitar usually has a JB in that spot and a FS in the bridge. so yeah, there's some difference when going from one position to the other. but not a huge difference in output. hit a chord and go between them and it's a smooth transition...no big jumps, which is a nice thing. I do have it wired to split and it does have just enough drive and presence where it is not the cleanest when split on a clean amp setting. I may throw down with trying it in parallel before too long. between the open vibe of a PAF voicing and the compressed tones of a hot rod, it does slant a little more towards the hot rod but I don't think it's congested or too thick. although installed in the middle position, I can play riffs and leads and it comes through like it's right at home. I get the impression it'd shine even more in alder. it has full overtones and harmonics pop out freely. it turned out to be a nice change of pace.

the other one I picked up from MJ was the Super V. I've really been dodging this pickup since I first heard about it from Lynch and his tech when they were testing it on the road in late '05. at first, it was because they described it to me as a moderate output pickup. and then the appearance of the etched cover threw me off. but zen's demo and his comments about the pickup got me to thinking and since MJ has a f-spaced one, she hooked me up. but yeah, I did remove the cover. lol! I put it in poplar with a maple neck and rosewood board. very cool pickup. I played it up next to the 78 in a maple neck-thru with alder wings and an ebony board... and while there were some similarities, the Super V has a little more lower midrange bump/grunt where the 78 is a little more on the upper midrange - at least, in these guitars. open-sounding with plenty of bite. nice sustain and harmonics are all there. the voicing makes it more articulate and touch-sensitive. it really surprised me for an alnico 2 pickup, and I was preparing myself to toss an UOA5 in there, but there was no need. I can imagine this one being fine in alder and maybe too chimey for solid maple or a bright ash. mahogany might tame it too much, depending on what you're looking for. the specs on this one are:

18.16k series
9.05k studs
9.11k screws
4.54k parallel
bridge position
alnico 2

 

[darthphineas]

Re: ? re: Holdsworth model AH-1

did some swapping around with a few pickups today and the AH-1 was one of them. took it out of the mahogany NightSwan and put it in the bridge of a poplar Blaze K2 Model1, replacing a custom shop RTM. for a good reference, I also put a TB4J back in that slot that the AH-1 was in with the NightSwan.

even spending a few minutes with it, it was pretty easy to tell is has some JB-type qualities to it. but it's a just a smidge throatier. plenty of drive and bite. I wired it to a P/P pot for parallel. have to say that on a high-gain setting, the difference between series and parallel is a bit of a nuance. on a clean amp setting, it much more obvious. as with any pickup of this type of voicing, you're going to risk getting a bit of some breakup in series and risk being a little sharp when in split mode. in parallel on a clean setting, it's a little smoother than I was expecting from it.

this is one that I was concerned would be a little too thick or too aggressive when it was first brought to my attention, but that's not what I'm getting from it after hearing it in a few woods.

 

[metalchurch79]

Re: ? re: Holdsworth model AH-1

I have one of these AH1's in my Fake E. Lee, and I really like it alot. It took the place of an '07 TB-4, which I just couldnt get along with...Id like to get one or two more AH1's for some future Jake style projects I have in mind. Ive also been wanting to check out those Stephens Design pups that Jake has used. They are like $175 a pup, so I hope they're full blooded and have papers....

 

[dr. ad]

Re: ? re: Holdsworth model AH-1

james hetfield.