Rio Grande BBQ

January_Embers

New member
I'm just wondering what's the general consensus on this pickup. Would you consider it a high-output pickup? How are the lows, mids, and highs? I've got a C-5 in my LP, so how would this compare to it? Thanks.
 
Re: Rio Grande BBQ

I'd say it's medium output, slightly less output than the C5. It has a nice bass and midrange, with rolled back highs. It's a great pickup, but I don't recommend it for dark sounding guitars or guitars that are going to be played in lowered tunings.

Ryan
 
Re: Rio Grande BBQ

rspst14 said:
I'd say it's medium output, slightly less output than the C5. It has a nice bass and midrange, with rolled back highs. It's a great pickup, but I don't recommend it for dark sounding guitars or guitars that are going to be played in lowered tunings.

Ryan

My LP is unusually bright, so it might be a good fit. I don't know what the right words are, but my C-5 feels a little stiff (which i don't like). It always seems like old school tones (acdc, zep, etc.) have a bit of give/softness to the notes. Does that make any sence? Well anyways, does the BBQ have the same stiffness to it?

Just wondering, how does that '59 with the alnico 3 sound?
 
Re: Rio Grande BBQ

rspst14 said:
...I don't recommend it for dark sounding guitars or guitars that are going to be played in lowered tunings.

Hmm... that sucks. I wanted to check out a BBQ at some point in time, but if this is the case.... :evil:
 
Re: Rio Grande BBQ

JB_From_Hell said:
Hmm... that sucks. I wanted to check out a BBQ at some point in time, but if this is the case.... :evil:

It depends. If you were playing it half a step down, you'd be fine. But if you're one of those people who tunes to C, forget it. It would be nothing but a muddy mess. I wouldn't use it in a really dark guitar, as I could see it being too warm for most people.

If your LP is unusually bright, the BBQ would be a good choice. It really nails the AC/DC sound, and is a great overall pickup for classic rock. I never really liked the C5, it had too much bass and treble, and not enough midrange. The BBQ has a little less bass, a lot more midrange, and a high end that sounds warm and sweet instead of bright and piercing. It definitely has more output than a PAF-style pickup, but not as much as the Duncan Custom series. Measuring output by ear is always tricky, because the EQ can make a pickup sound hotter than it really is. But I'd say the BBQ is medium output, whereas I'd consider the Custom series to be on the low end of the high output spectrum.

The A3 '59 is a pretty cool pickup, it definitely captures the classic A2 PAF sound. I went with A3 because it sounds pretty similar to A2, but it has a little more bottom end. I always recommend it to people who want that classic Van Halen sound without going the custom shop route.

Ryan
 
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