Single-sized humbucker for downtuned extreme metal

[shivasage]

Hi guys. I want to replace the single coil bridge pickup in my Mustang without routing for a full-sized humbucker. I want to play downtuned death metal with a scooped mid tone. Any recommendations for single coil sized humbuckers?

 

[ToneFiddler]

Re: Single-sized humbucker for downtuned extreme metal

lil screamin demon?
i only know the fullsize version, but if the lil verison sounds anything like it's big brother:
scooped-> check
tight and articulate -> check (downtuning)
the duncan description is accurate to me (fullsize version).

i would buy the lil version this instance, if it would be available for a tele bridge...

 

[shivasage]

Re: Single-sized humbucker for downtuned extreme metal

lil screamin demon?
i only know the fullsize version, but if the lil verison sounds anything like it's big brother:
scooped-> check
tight and articulate -> check (downtuning)
the duncan description is accurate to me (fullsize version).

i would buy the lil version this instance, if it would be available for a tele bridge...

Thanks for the recommendation. What about the Lil '59? It seems similar.

 

[ToneFiddler]

Re: Single-sized humbucker for downtuned extreme metal

i only have the tele version which is different to the strat version (way different DCR).
to my ears it is NOT scooped sounding like the full size SH-1 59.
more of a round sounding pickup.
see also:
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/sho...-Tele-Bridge&p=4341977&viewfull=1#post4341977
and:
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/sho...l59-in-a-full-size-humbucker&highlight=lil+59

for the lil buckers i think the demon is the only one who fits the description "scooped"
if there is any other option that fits the bill, i'm also interested.

in my opinion even the fullsize 59 loses in every way to the demon under heavy gain and dropped tunings.

 

[atreidesheir]

Re: Single-sized humbucker for downtuned extreme metal

The strat lil59 has a lot of mids. It sounds good, but not exactly a PAF replica, so to speak. It is just the reality of the proximity of the coils in series canceling fewer mid frequencies. I had a neck/middle version and it sounded best to me in the bridge position.

I cannot say if the lil Screamin Demon has similar sound.

 

[shivasage]

Re: Single-sized humbucker for downtuned extreme metal

i only have the tele version which is different to the strat version (way different DCR).
to my ears it is NOT scooped sounding like the full size SH-1 59.
more of a round sounding pickup.
see also:
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/sho...-Tele-Bridge&p=4341977&viewfull=1#post4341977
and:
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/sho...l59-in-a-full-size-humbucker&highlight=lil+59

for the lil buckers i think the demon is the only one who fits the description "scooped"
if there is any other option that fits the bill, i'm also interested.

in my opinion even the fullsize 59 loses in every way to the demon under heavy gain and dropped tunings.

Ok, cool.

I'm curious, is it possible either to use a scooped pickup to get mid-heavy sounds, or to use a mid-heavy pickup to get scooped sounds, using amp EQ? I guess I'm asking "Is there a pickup that does both?" but I don't expect it to do both without heavily tweaking the amp. Perhaps a totally flat pickup would be best if this is the goal. Does something like that exist?

 

[ToneFiddler]

Re: Single-sized humbucker for downtuned extreme metal

Ok, cool.

I'm curious, is it possible either to use a scooped pickup to get mid-heavy sounds, or to use a mid-heavy pickup to get scooped sounds, using amp EQ? I guess I'm asking "Is there a pickup that does both?" but I don't expect it to do both without heavily tweaking the amp. Perhaps a totally flat pickup would be best if this is the goal. Does something like that exist?

Well the amp and Cabinet are the the biggest part of tone shaping.
and using the mid Control on an amp normally get's you all the scoop you ever should want.
but the sound is still different if use a mid heavy pickup and scoop the mids on the amp,
or you use a scooped pickup and leave the mids neutral or even boost them on the amp.
how to describe it? the texture of the tone is different.
It's quite common to use a mid heavy pickup for high gain and dropped Tunings.
with a lot of gain from a modern high gain amp, everything will be mid heavy at some Point

 

[Mincer]

Re: Single-sized humbucker for downtuned extreme metal

I'd contact the Custom Shop to see if they can make a single coil-sized version of a Custom 5.