So how long did it take you to find the right pickups?

[SF audio]

As the title says...

Most of us seem to pickup swap, searching for that sound that works. If you have multiple guitars, its even more work...:eyecrazy:

So, I've finally settled on keepers -

Ibanez RG1570 -full shred set. Just the right tone for this guitar - warm enough and tight. Went through many different duncans that were good, but just not right IMO.

Gibson Explorer studio - 59 set. This guitar has a low mid kind of build up to the sound. The clear nature of these pickups and the mid scoop probably do it for me. I went through countless pickups on this one...

Les paul standard - Dimarzio SD bridge and PAF pro neck. Classic setup, probably very popular too. Just works.

Frankenstrat - Fender MIM body/warmoth neck - fender custom shop 54's. Good spank/grit with a maple neck/fretboard.

This has been a long process, a few years in the making. Am I done? I think so. Of course all this is extremely subjective, but if we all agreed ths forum would be boring...

So are you done looking for pickups? :scratchch

 

[AniML]

Re: So how long did it take you to find the right pickups?

Silly rabbit...

 

[Johtosotku]

Re: So how long did it take you to find the right pickups?

I think my pickup seeking days lasted nearly five years.

These last couple of years I've just somehow felt that chasing new gear isn't that nice. I'm thoroughly pleased with the way I sound now and would rather concentrate on playing. I can mostly find my sound with almost any kind of gear.

I may change my find when I win the Lotto though.

 

[blueman335]

Re: So how long did it take you to find the right pickups?

It never ends.

Sure, you get one dialed in, then you get another guitar, or another PU, and you start over with that one. Then you trade a guitar for another one and...

One way or another things eventually stabilize, more or less, but there's no big hurry. You learn a lot as you take this journey.

 

[VanDerchuck]

Re: So how long did it take you to find the right pickups?

I bought my guitar in Oct. of 91, and I just settled on a set of Pearly Gates. Tried a bunch, then I tried these, and then I tried something else. Now I'm back to the PG's.

Now onto a Tele I've had since 98.

 

[marcello252]

Re: So how long did it take you to find the right pickups?

I think I'll never be satisfied.

The only PU I'm quite sure I'll never change anymore is my SSL-1 neck on my 1988 MIJ 72' reissue, I put it there in 1992 and it's still in its place, that sound is really unbeatable, the rest is in constant evolution

 

[Soulcrusher_X]

Re: So how long did it take you to find the right pickups?

I bought my guitar in Oct. of 91, and I just settled on a set of Pearly Gates. Tried a bunch, then I tried these, and then I tried something else. Now I'm back to the PG's.

Now onto a Tele I've had since 98.

Ive been like this with the 59/JB in my LP. Im going to try a PG set next.

 

[orpheo]

Re: So how long did it take you to find the right pickups?

Some guitars are done in the first go, others get tweaked on for years.

 

[SFW]

Re: So how long did it take you to find the right pickups?

It took me eight years to find the pickups that I have decided to stick with on my Les Paul Classic. I have lost count of how many different pickups I've had in the guitar. In the end, I discovered that I love the sound of Burstbucker Pros in this particular guitar. I'm done.

In my Tele, I got the bridge down in two swaps. I had a Quarter Pounder in it that was cool, but the Broadcaster is just the bomb in this guitar. Still haven't found a neck pickup that I like.

My Les Paul 60s Tribute with P90s still has the stock pickups. I bought the guitar because I loved every thing about it from the get go. I see no point in fooling with something that already sounds great.

The Strat that I am currently building will have Lace Sensors in it, as I am trying to recreate a Strat that I owned in the 90s. Loved that guitar.

 

[Zhaggy]

Re: So how long did it take you to find the right pickups?

I think it's the beauty of it that you CAN change them when you fell like doing it. Everybody's taste changes little over the years and then you can change them. Of course some guitar+pickups combos are matches made in heaven and should not be touched ever. But I think it's refreshing to change every now and then.

That being said... I think I'm settling on most of my guitars:

Epiphone Demon (Randy Rhoads model) has EMG 81/85 set. It's not a high-end guitar and EMG tend to ignore flawes in bad guitars and sound good anyway but that one does sound even better than expected.

Tokai Les Paul has 3 Lace Sensor Duallys (every coil is different colour). I can get 190 "different sounds out of it with 3 Triple Shots and Jimmy Page-ish wiring. I might end up simplyfying hte wiring a bit but the pups are staying fo good.

Ibanez PL1770 has Parallel Axis stack and Parallel Axis Distortion in the neck and bridge and YJM Fury in the middle. Might change the PA Distortion to a normal or Blues Sarasceno PA but I could live with that combo.

Ibanez RG465m with DMZ Air Zone and Air Norton S is a fantastic combo.

Other guitar are in the process of getting there.

Some day I'll get there... (Yeah right, who am I kidding...)

 

[misterwhizzy]

Re: So how long did it take you to find the right pickups?

The bridge of my Les Paul was challenging. I listened to advice on the forum before I became a member and bought a Distortion. It turned out to be not my thing. The DD8 was close, but it was still too tight, and it screamed too much. It didn't have the lower mid growl that I wanted.

Then along came a forum bro who offered to lend me his MJ-wound Custom 8. I was sold as soon as that came along. I tried the ceramic Custom, and it wasn't the same. The Custom I bought to replace his never has been removed from the guitar.

For the neck, it was a similar story, but a little different. I went from the Distortion neck with oversized ceramic to Alnico 2, which was way worse than the ceramic. It only said "Oooooohhhh" with any note. It was not my thing. No bite at all. I tried an Alnico 5, and I was close to being satisfied with that. Really, the DDn with A5 is a pretty nice pickup, but a little hot and a little bright.

Next I got a 59. With A5, it was too boomy, so I tried A4, and it was just about right. I left it that way for a long time. But I got the bug to try something different and put an Alnico 2 in there. Much better pickup than the DD2n. But after a while, I missed the little bit of sizzle and sparkle I lost with the A2. I finally put the A4 back in, and I think I'm all set for that guitar.

Whew.

 

[TheLivingDead]

Re: So how long did it take you to find the right pickups?

I'm pretty content with what I have right now but I'm always open to giving new pups a shot. So no, I'm not done.

 

[gvis]

Re: So how long did it take you to find the right pickups?

1 year for 1 guitar. Just finished, finally. Now I can focus on improving my crappy playing instead of obessing over setups and gear.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: So how long did it take you to find the right pickups?

It always depends...

Sometimes I get it right on the first try...I had my Les Paul dialed in with new pickups right off the bat, my Strat on the other hand...I've had it since 2005 and I've had loads of great pickups in it and as happy as I am right now I can't say that I wound't try something new in hopes of finding something "better"!

 

[formula73]

Re: So how long did it take you to find the right pickups?

1 year for 1 guitar. Just finished, finally. Now I can focus on improving my crappy playing instead of obessing over setups and gear.

Unless you abandon the internets completely, that will never happen. You'll hear about some cool amp, google it, post a thread on here, save your pennies, get it, post about it, it's not your thing, miss your old amp, post about it...

man, what about this badass guitar, here? can't find it at your local store so you go out on a limb, not your thing, post a thread...

We all do it.:banghead:

 

[ErikH]

Re: So how long did it take you to find the right pickups?

My Frankenstrat has had a lot of changes. For the first 10 years or more of it's life it had the same set, then I joined this forum...LOL. Thing is, it sounds great no matter what I put in it. A truly good piece of wood, body and neck. So, then I had to decide what I am happiest with. I think I'm there...........almost...lmao.

My SG Classic sounds great as is.

Both Kramers are set.

The SG Jr. hit the bullseye first shot.

The PRS SE Singlecut took a few swaps but I found a set that works great in it.

For now, I'm done swapping.

 

[blueman335]

Re: So how long did it take you to find the right pickups?

For now, I'm done swapping.

Then you obviously need another guitar. :naughty:

 

[ErikH]

Re: So how long did it take you to find the right pickups?

Then you obviously need another guitar. :naughty:

No, not really. I may want another guitar, but I don't need it. There's a difference. I value my marriage.

 

[Jessie's ghost]

Re: So how long did it take you to find the right pickups?

Sometimes it's easy, and sometimes it takes some experimentation.

Ibanez RG550: Got it on the second try.
Ibanez RG520: Still not sure about first try.
Ibanez RG270DX: Third try. Sometimes prefer alternate bridge pickup.
Ibanez RG7621: Got it on the first try.
Jackson DK2R: Got it on the first try.
Jackson SL2HT: Mag swap on neck pickup.
Kramer "Music Yo" Baretta: Got it on the first try.
Epiphone LP-100: First try, plus mag swap on neck pickup.
Epiphone LP Custom: First try.
Ibanez JEM 7DBK: Ibanez got it right.
Gibson Faded V: Gibson got it right.
Kramer Focus 1000: Kramer got it right.
Kramer Focus 8000 bass: Never played it that much.
Squier Stagemaster: First try.
Peavey Wolfgang Special EXP: In development.
Jackson SL3: Factory choices are perfect for me.
Squier Mini Strat: I don't want to call it "right", but one change was enough.

 

[blueman335]

Re: So how long did it take you to find the right pickups?

No, not really. I may want another guitar, but I don't need it. There's a difference. I value my marriage.

Well, there's the 'Blueman Plan' for acquiring guitars, which depends on a combination of gradually buying guitars similar-looking to what you already have and the female's inattention to detail. Eventually you have a bunch and she doesn't know when or how they got there. It works.