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Elessar [Sly]
New member
I'm thinking about getting SH-4 and SH-5 for my Les Paul. Which sounds better in the neck?
SH-4 SH-5
- Thread starter Elessar [Sly]
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Elessar [Sly]
New member
Re: SH-4 SH-5
Ahh cool.
Well I'm thinking SH4 for the bridge. I'd like something that does nice cleans but can also handle high gain distortion for the neck (and compete with the SH4 in terms of volume). What would be the best neck pup to pair with it?
Ahh cool.
Well I'm thinking SH4 for the bridge. I'd like something that does nice cleans but can also handle high gain distortion for the neck (and compete with the SH4 in terms of volume). What would be the best neck pup to pair with it?
misterwhizzy
Well-known member
Re: SH-4 SH-5
My experience with the SH-4 in the Les Paul was not good. I MUCH prefer the SH-5 (especially with an Alnico 8 magnet). A lot of people, myself included, like to pair it with the SH-1 59 neck model.
My experience with the SH-4 in the Les Paul was not good. I MUCH prefer the SH-5 (especially with an Alnico 8 magnet). A lot of people, myself included, like to pair it with the SH-1 59 neck model.
Elessar [Sly]
New member
Re: SH-4 SH-5
Interesting. Why didn't it work well?
Interesting. Why didn't it work well?
Re: SH-4 SH-5
For bridge, either can work. The SH4 (JB) probably has the best lead tone of any pup I've heard. It has an upper mid spike that some don't like and can be trebly which can be mitigated by 300k pots. The bottom end is a bit loose (not as bad as some say imo) but still aggressive. It's a great, very expressive pick up. The thing about it is that it will always sound like a JB, no matter how you EQ, what style of music you play, it has a very distinct sound which you may or may not like. The JB tonaly is also really associated with 80s metal (although it is way more versitile than that) and has that distcint tone that people recognize.
The SH5 is a very balanced pick up. Even in the lows, mids and highs. Very tight, VERY aggressive on the bottom end so that when you hit a low E power chord you FEEL it. Palm mutes are very tight and focused and cut well. It handles loads of gain very well but is great with rolled off volume and low gain so it can do anything from down tuned modern metal to blues pretty well. (probably better for hard rock/metal) It has more of a classic vibe to it. There are notes that will remind you of some of your favorite PAF tones (hence the PAF on steriods marketing slogan) however it is not a PAF clone or PAF type pick up. The one adjective that can descrbibe it is huge or just big sounding with lots of muscle.
I look at the Custom as kind of a timeless pick up in that it can do most things from most eras pretty well and never really sounds dated. I chose the Custom as my main pup for the balance between great rythym and lead tones but in the end it's all subjective. The JB has a better lead tone and sings better, but overall I like the Custom in my main axe as I play a lot of diverse styles with it.
For bridge, either can work. The SH4 (JB) probably has the best lead tone of any pup I've heard. It has an upper mid spike that some don't like and can be trebly which can be mitigated by 300k pots. The bottom end is a bit loose (not as bad as some say imo) but still aggressive. It's a great, very expressive pick up. The thing about it is that it will always sound like a JB, no matter how you EQ, what style of music you play, it has a very distinct sound which you may or may not like. The JB tonaly is also really associated with 80s metal (although it is way more versitile than that) and has that distcint tone that people recognize.
The SH5 is a very balanced pick up. Even in the lows, mids and highs. Very tight, VERY aggressive on the bottom end so that when you hit a low E power chord you FEEL it. Palm mutes are very tight and focused and cut well. It handles loads of gain very well but is great with rolled off volume and low gain so it can do anything from down tuned modern metal to blues pretty well. (probably better for hard rock/metal) It has more of a classic vibe to it. There are notes that will remind you of some of your favorite PAF tones (hence the PAF on steriods marketing slogan) however it is not a PAF clone or PAF type pick up. The one adjective that can descrbibe it is huge or just big sounding with lots of muscle.
I look at the Custom as kind of a timeless pick up in that it can do most things from most eras pretty well and never really sounds dated. I chose the Custom as my main pup for the balance between great rythym and lead tones but in the end it's all subjective. The JB has a better lead tone and sings better, but overall I like the Custom in my main axe as I play a lot of diverse styles with it.
Elessar [Sly]
New member
Re: SH-4 SH-5
Hmm interesting. I have an Epihpone Les Paul standard, with the type of wood used do you think the outcome wouldn't be so great?
Hmm interesting. I have an Epihpone Les Paul standard, with the type of wood used do you think the outcome wouldn't be so great?
Soulcrusher_X
New member
Re: SH-4 SH-5
I really liked the way the SH5 sounded in my old Epi LP Std. Mine was a little on the brighter side, so it probably would have benefitted from 300k or 250k pots. GREAT pickup. I may get another one soon.
I really liked the way the SH5 sounded in my old Epi LP Std. Mine was a little on the brighter side, so it probably would have benefitted from 300k or 250k pots. GREAT pickup. I may get another one soon.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: SH-4 SH-5
That's just it, it's hard to tell in advance. JB's were made for bright woods (where they are reliable), and are hit or miss in warm woods like mahogany. They can do very well in mahogany or they can get an annoying 'ice pick spike' and a pretty loose low end. You won't know until you put one in your guitar. And those downsides can be accentuated even more in a fat-bodied LP. It's a roll of the dice.
If you're playing metal and hard rock, a Custom (SH-5) is a much better bet. If you're playing hard rock, classic rock, and blues (like I do), a C8 is great (SH-5 with an A8 magnet). The C8 is very popular here. Warm, powerful, full mids, tight low end, high output. Great clean or distorted.
BTW, bridge PU's are overwound to make them warmer and louder, because the bridge slot is naturally bright, sharp, and weak. But the neck position is naturally warm and loud, so putting a hot bridge PU there often means that you get a dark, muffled tone, maybe muddy, that can drown out the bridge PU.
That's just it, it's hard to tell in advance. JB's were made for bright woods (where they are reliable), and are hit or miss in warm woods like mahogany. They can do very well in mahogany or they can get an annoying 'ice pick spike' and a pretty loose low end. You won't know until you put one in your guitar. And those downsides can be accentuated even more in a fat-bodied LP. It's a roll of the dice.
If you're playing metal and hard rock, a Custom (SH-5) is a much better bet. If you're playing hard rock, classic rock, and blues (like I do), a C8 is great (SH-5 with an A8 magnet). The C8 is very popular here. Warm, powerful, full mids, tight low end, high output. Great clean or distorted.
BTW, bridge PU's are overwound to make them warmer and louder, because the bridge slot is naturally bright, sharp, and weak. But the neck position is naturally warm and loud, so putting a hot bridge PU there often means that you get a dark, muffled tone, maybe muddy, that can drown out the bridge PU.
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T
tonello
Guest
Re: SH-4 SH-5
Get an SH-6 in the neck. That's what I did.
Get an SH-6 in the neck. That's what I did.
misterwhizzy
Well-known member
Re: SH-4 SH-5
I kind of have to disagree here too. I have no experience with the SH-6 bridge model in the neck, but I do have experience with a neck model in the neck of an LP. Stock magnet was way too bright, and the A2 was just plain awful. An Alnico 5 helped it, but it was still too bright in that guitar. I ended up with a 59 neck with Alnico 4. I was just short of being satisfied with it stock.
In another guitar, though, with the same wood makeup, the Distortion neck is absolutely brilliant. I'm back to talking about it with the stock magnet, in case this post gets confusing. It will absolutely hold up under any kind of gain you throw at it, and I'm loving the clean tones I get out of it. It's extraordinarily articulate in that guitar. (A PRS SE Custom 22, if you have to be nosy.
) But in the LP, it just didn't work.
I kind of have to disagree here too. I have no experience with the SH-6 bridge model in the neck, but I do have experience with a neck model in the neck of an LP. Stock magnet was way too bright, and the A2 was just plain awful. An Alnico 5 helped it, but it was still too bright in that guitar. I ended up with a 59 neck with Alnico 4. I was just short of being satisfied with it stock.
In another guitar, though, with the same wood makeup, the Distortion neck is absolutely brilliant. I'm back to talking about it with the stock magnet, in case this post gets confusing. It will absolutely hold up under any kind of gain you throw at it, and I'm loving the clean tones I get out of it. It's extraordinarily articulate in that guitar. (A PRS SE Custom 22, if you have to be nosy.
) But in the LP, it just didn't work.
