Recommendations for Custom Shop pickup set?

[Chistopher]

So I'm thinking of getting custom shop set of humbuckers for a strat with two 500k pots. I was thinking of an "almost pearly gates" matched with an "almost 59/custom hybrid".
For the PG I was thinking of mismatching the coils a couple hundred turns or so and replacing the A2 with either an A4 or UOA5 (or keeping it the same, that's one thing I'm stuck on)
For the 59/C I was thinking of replacing the A5 with an A2 to better match the neck eq-wise and putting Allen screws instead of flat heads (I can't hear the difference but I think they look cooler in this strat, that's how the current HB's are). Also, could I get them to rewind it so that the coils work better for a tuned coil split? For those who don't know it's shunting a coil with a 3.3k resistor instead of all of it to the ground.
I'm also considering doing an overwound A2 '59/'78 hybrid for the bridge. I hear some of you have experience with normal A2 '59/'78 hybrid.
And finally, could I get them to "calibrate" the individual humbuckers to match better in output and tone?
EDIT: Now that I think about it, I should probably tell you what tone I'm after: Neck for Slash and ZZ Top (Pearly Gates stock has that) and Bridge for EVH and ACDC (again stock can nail it, but I want something custom) I want to make my own tone, not simply emulate those before me.

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Recommendations for Custom Shop pickup set?

sounds like you should be able to run all that past MJ and she can work it out for you. although it might be worth looking at what people think of the Fuglybucker before settling on dictating specs.


for the neck and bridge tones you are considering, have you tried an Antiquity set?

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Recommendations for Custom Shop pickup set?

Thanks, and yes, I have tried the antiquities. I don't hear a big enough difference to justify the price though over a simple degausing of the magnets. Or even just doing the half air mod for that matter.
And just another question: Are the covers for allen and flathead screws interchangeable? Because if I do notice any problems with the 59/C, I might switch back to flatheads.

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Recommendations for Custom Shop pickup set?

Thanks, and yes, I have tried the antiquities. I don't hear a big enough difference to justify the price though over a simple degausing of the magnets. Or even just doing the half air mod for that matter.

I like where your head's at on that approach. there are those that suggest Antiquities are good for Angus and Billy G, but there would be a bit of thinking that those guys are used to playing older pickups and so they would prefer/use....yadda yadda. I'd venture to say that a slightly hotter Seth (for example) would be more in line with both those styles. or a really good PAF that actually can reach the best of what a really good PAF can do.

And just another question: Are the covers for allen and flathead screws interchangeable?

as far as I can tell.

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Recommendations for Custom Shop pickup set?

Now that I think about it, I should probably tell you what tone I'm after: Neck for Slash and ZZ Top (Pearly Gates stock has that) and Bridge for EVH and ACDC (again stock can nail it, but I want something custom) I want to make my own tone, not simply emulate those before me.

Well, there are really many players out there that have "their own tone" by playing bone stock instruments.

Just saying...

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Recommendations for Custom Shop pickup set?

Where's the fun in that? I thought we play guitar not to play it, but to have an exuse to mod them, right?

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Recommendations for Custom Shop pickup set?

Your idea for a custom PG 59/C set sounds really good.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Recommendations for Custom Shop pickup set?

This sounds like a cool idea. I am always amazed by the imagination of people coming up with custom pickup winds. MJ will do you right. Contact her here.

 

[darthphineas]

Re: Recommendations for Custom Shop pickup set?

Well, there are really many players out there that have "their own tone" by playing bone stock instruments.

Just saying...

excellent point.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Recommendations for Custom Shop pickup set?

Neck for Slash and ZZ Top (Pearly Gates stock has that) and Bridge for EVH and ACDC (again stock can nail it, but I want something custom) I want to make my own tone, not simply emulate those before me.

A regular set of pearly gates will get you in the ballpark of all that stuff nicely. They are just great pickups with a wide diversity of tone between neck and bridge.
Plus...a strat with pearly gates pups is going to be different to the axes of all the iconic players you mentioned anyway, so you wont be "copying" anyone. If you really want to go custom shop, you could always get them wired as 4 conductor so you have all the coil tapping/series/parallel options for a wide palette of tones.
Making your own tone and forging your own path doesn't come from your pickups tho, it comes from your heart, your brain and your fingers.