SH-5 for early VH/RATT/80s? Basswood Wolfgang

B

bara686

New member
Hi all,

Despite swapping my pup orientation on my Indo EVH Wolfgang Standard I’m starting to itch for more bite (upper-mid/top end).

Thoughts on a SH-5 in this guitar (basswood body, maple quilt top- likely super thin though, and maple neck)? Ideal tone is VH1 album, “Round and Round” tone from RATT. Probably pairing with the 59 or Jazz neck for articulate lead playing like what you hear on Europe’s Final Countdown album.

I know I need to go the custom route with short legs, would this prohibit me from returning if I don’t like the sound? I’d love to get it right the first time of course!

Bonus points for tips from anyone who has replaced pups in these- I remember when swapping bridge for neck that the wiring seemed tough to pull out of the body route. In fact, I simply just swapped pickups and didn’t change the wires when moving bridge to neck for instance...

Cheers!
 
Re: SH-5 for early VH/RATT/80s? Basswood Wolfgang

if you want upper mids and 80s tone, look no further than the JB. The custom is very scooped, but with an A2 mag, it becomes all mids.
 
Re: SH-5 for early VH/RATT/80s? Basswood Wolfgang

STLMTLHD79 said:
if you want upper mids and 80s tone, look no further than the JB. The custom is very scooped, but with an A2 mag, it becomes all mids.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I know the JB can be a polarizing pup but I do hear it a lot for this era.

Any recommendations on a neck pairing? 59 vs Jazz?
 
Re: SH-5 for early VH/RATT/80s? Basswood Wolfgang

Yea Custom is great, though JB is probably your best bet for that era’s tones. The custom is maybe more accurate for VH since that’s what he allegedly used at one point, but for Ratt and such the jb has the voicing, and will do VH well too. Go for the jb/jazz set. It’ll do anything you want humbuckers to do.
 
Re: SH-5 for early VH/RATT/80s? Basswood Wolfgang

Another vote for the JB/Jazz set, which when all is said and done will most likely be remembered as the ultimate 80s set.
 
Re: SH-5 for early VH/RATT/80s? Basswood Wolfgang

Mincer said:
Another vote for the JB/Jazz set, which when all is said and done will most likely be remembered as the ultimate 80s set.
Click to expand...

Assume I need TB-4 in bridge and standard Humbucker on the neck since I have a Floyd? Just gotta find short legs or order via custom shop!
 
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Re: SH-5 for early VH/RATT/80s? Basswood Wolfgang

Yes about the spacing. TB for bridge, standard for neck. That said, if both are standard there’s no harm except the bridge may have the pole pieces a mm or so off center of the strings. The sound will be the same.
 
Re: SH-5 for early VH/RATT/80s? Basswood Wolfgang

Wolfgang standard is a SUPER DARK sounding guitar. The pickups that come stock suck. Get a US spec Wolfgang pickup and try it out. Also, change the pots. Get the tone control out of the circuit.
 
Re: SH-5 for early VH/RATT/80s? Basswood Wolfgang

Mincer said:
Another vote for the JB/Jazz set, which when all is said and done will most likely be remembered as the ultimate 80s set.
Click to expand...

It already is for hard rock/classic metal IMO. I know you're just trying to be modest. lol
 
Re: SH-5 for early VH/RATT/80s? Basswood Wolfgang

Hot Octopus said:
Wolfgang standard is a SUPER DARK sounding guitar. The pickups that come stock suck. Get a US spec Wolfgang pickup and try it out. Also, change the pots. Get the tone control out of the circuit.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input! I’m not sure I have the cash for the real deal EVHs but I am leaning a lot more towards the JB especially to brighten this thing up.

Do you know what kind of pots I’d need for this model? I am considering a total rewire if I do this.
 
Re: SH-5 for early VH/RATT/80s? Basswood Wolfgang

Hot Octopus said:
Wolfgang standard is a SUPER DARK sounding guitar. The pickups that come stock suck. Get a US spec Wolfgang pickup and try it out. Also, change the pots. Get the tone control out of the circuit.
Click to expand...

HOW does a maple/maple + basswood guitar end up sounding dark???
 
Re: SH-5 for early VH/RATT/80s? Basswood Wolfgang

Warren used a JB on an alder bodied Charvel with maple neck.

So a JB should get you in the ball park.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Re: SH-5 for early VH/RATT/80s? Basswood Wolfgang

Adieu said:
HOW does a maple/maple + basswood guitar end up sounding dark???
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Same way that a mahogany/maple/rosewood guitar can sound bright. No two woods, even from the same species, are the same.
 
Re: SH-5 for early VH/RATT/80s? Basswood Wolfgang

The person posting that wasn't the OP, though, and seemed to be gneneralizing the design, not describing a specific axe
 
Re: SH-5 for early VH/RATT/80s? Basswood Wolfgang

OP here! I wouldn’t say it’s super dark but I am having trouble with articulate uppermids/treble so I would agree it’s affecting things in that direction.
 
Re: SH-5 for early VH/RATT/80s? Basswood Wolfgang

The jb should have those mids and high end. The jazz is also clear. Try them, then if needed replace the pots
 
Re: SH-5 for early VH/RATT/80s? Basswood Wolfgang

Nagisa said:
The jb should have those mids and high end. The jazz is also clear. Try them, then if needed replace the pots
Click to expand...

I honestly don't think the JB has that many treebles in its stable. What most people hear as treble is the upper mids, and in some darker guitars those upper mids move further down and translate into a dark and congested tone.

I say look to the Custom. It won't give you the exact tones you are looking for, but it would work really well with the Jazz neck in your Wolfgang. Most of the popular tones from the 80s can be had from a Strat with a JB bridge, but that's not quite the same as a Wolfgang with a JB bridge.
 
Re: SH-5 for early VH/RATT/80s? Basswood Wolfgang

The JB has more high end than what I am used to. It always seems painfully bright to me, but I don't play the kind of music it is known for.
 
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