Recommendations for single coil sized humbucker in neck

Birdman642

New member
Just like the title says, I’m looking for a recommendation for this. This would be going into an alder mustang. I’m currently leaning on putting a Dimarzio Sugar Chakra in the bridge. The neck pickups I’m considering are a Chopper, Pro Track or Air Norton S. While I do like Duncan Hotrails, I have them in several guitars and want to try something different.
I play Melodeath, Black Metal and things in that wheelhouse. My amp is a Marshall DSL-100H, and I use a Tube-screamer to push it a little more.
I generally use the neck pickup for clean tones and solos. I’d like to have something that’s somewhat chimey, and sort of “liquidy”. My current favorite full size neck is a Jazz, so something similar to that would be cool, but I’m not opposed to trying something completely different.
If anyone has experience or suggestions, feel free to chime in!
Thanks
 
I'm sure those would be good options. The only one I've tried is the Cruiser which is the thinnest and chimiest one. So I think if you put the fattest one in the bridge, you'd be good to put one of those mid output ones in the neck to have it balance and be liquid-y.
 
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Cool Rails is definitely a sweet pup. It's one of my favorites. Never thought of it as a Jazz, but I suppose it could be characterized that way.
 
Of the DiMArzios, while I love the Chopper, I think the Pro track does what you want best.

From what I’ve been reading, it seems like the Chopper has an almost P90-esque attack. Would you say that’s accurate?
Is the Pro-Track essentially a rails version of a PAF-Pro?
 
From what I’ve been reading, it seems like the Chopper has an almost P90-esque attack. Would you say that’s accurate?
Is the Pro-Track essentially a rails version of a PAF-Pro?

Yeah - I can see the P-90-esque factor a little. It is punchy as hell.

I wouldn't call the Pro a PAF-Pro, but definitely very PAF like as blades go. I think it will sound a little fatter, and little louder maybe than the chopper. Doesn't have that vowel thing like a PAF pro though, and not nearly as bright.

You'll get more chimes out of the Cool Rail, and more liquid out of the PAF Pro.
 
You'll get more chimes out of the Cool Rail, and more liquid out of the PAF Pro.

Sounds like I might have to try the Pro-Track. Sounds like it would be my thing. As weird as it sounds, I don’t like mixing different brands of pickups. I don’t know if it’s superstition of whatnot, I just never have haha
 
I would avoid using a hot pickup in the neck of a Mustang, since it is a short scale guitar. It is never going to sound like a SH-2n Jazz neck in super-strat guitar. The hottest I suggest would be the Satch Track DP425. It is a more mid-focussed pickup than the cool rails. It has both warmth and interesting harmonic overtones.
 
You might also take a look at the Injector neck. Likely more chime than the side-by-side humbucker designs.
Described as modern sounding, louder and warmer than the Areas that target vintagey Strat tone.
 
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