So many pickups (and magnets), so little time, so few guitars....

[jmcorey]

With all the reading I do here, I'd like to try way more pickups than I have time for or am inclined to spend. The number of magnets available for swapping increases the number of pickup combinations I could try.

I get a bit green with envy regarding all these options of things that I could do. Buy more guitars (which would serve as a mechanism for trying more pickups, of cpourse)? Try swapping speakers? Improve my chops? I've definitely gotten to the point where my interest in gear has supplanted my interest in playing.

This is, in a way, ridiculous.

And your experience?

 

[blueman335]

Re: So many pickups (and magnets), so little time, so few guitars....

You're preaching to the choir, baby. I buy guitars just so I can put certain PU's in them. Love setting up, tweaking, swapping mags, etc. But, you can't lose sight of the goal, which is playing and sounding better. It's a balance. Sometimes guys keep playing guitars that are desparately in need of a set up, new PU's, or even a string change. Other guys spend all their time tweaking gear and don't have time practice. If you can play an hour or two a day, then your gear collection isn't interferring. And you can continue guilt-free.

Ann Arbor, great hippie town back in the day, Haven't been there in a long time.

 

[CTN]

Re: So many pickups (and magnets), so little time, so few guitars....

I've definitely gotten to the point where my interest in gear has supplanted my interest in playing.

This is, in a way, ridiculous.

And your experience?

It is totally ridiculous, and I'm sure more than a few of us here have gone through this as well. I know I have.

But you've gotta reign yourself back. Take stock of what you have in terms of gear. Make sure you have clear goals of where you want your tone to go. Be patient, and try to make the necessary gear trades/purchases/mods to get you there, but stay focused on your playing. Because if you are constantly on a gear hunt, then it doesn't leave much time for playing - the problem with that is that it's a pointless journey.

You could end up chasing your supposed ideal tone for the rest of your life, and if you're so focused on that, you've missed the whole point of having good tone - USING IT TO PLAY AWESOME MUSIC.

So play. play the ever-loving bejesus out of your guitars, and make sure you're also making steps towards improving your tone. The nice thing about doing this is that you're already improving your tone in one of the most important areas - your playing, your touch, your rhythm and feel. These are things that no piece of gear can do for you, only practice will.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: So many pickups (and magnets), so little time, so few guitars....

These days I spend way more time playing and getting better...The tweaky stuff is like a bad addiction! ;o)

 

[blueman335]

Re: So many pickups (and magnets), so little time, so few guitars....

Gotta say, I sure like having all the choices. So many aftermarket PU's these days. Besides the huge selection of guitars, there's always new amps and pedals being introduced. All kinds of info available for doing your own set ups and working on your guitar. And for those who actually get around to playing :14:, there's tons of instructional material: YouTube, DVD's, CD's, books, online tab, etc. This is a great time to be a guitarist.

 

[WGTP]

Re: So many pickups (and magnets), so little time, so few guitars....

Fortunately, I went thru that phase years ago when there weren't so many options. Now it is overwhelming. I enjoy reading about it and try a few things, but with so many magnets, hybrids, "airing", pot size, re-gaussing, pole pieces, etc. it's easy to lose focus. Plus, I started building my own distortions... The real challenge is figuring out home/computer recording.

 

[lazyfinger]

Re: So many pickups (and magnets), so little time, so few guitars....

You're preaching to the choir, baby. I buy guitars just so I can put certain PU's in them. Love setting up, tweaking, swapping mags, etc. But, you can't lose sight of the goal, which is playing and sounding better.

You have corrupted me! I don't have enough pickups now. Now, I'm having to buy pickups just so I can swap them. Oh no.... I need intervention, need to go rehab!

 

[blueman335]

Re: So many pickups (and magnets), so little time, so few guitars....

You have corrupted me! I don't have enough pickups now. Now, I'm having to buy pickups just so I can swap them. Oh no.... I need intervention, need to go rehab!

You're doing just fine son. There's a whole world of PU's out there waiting to be discovered. Step boldly into it, with your head held high.

 

[Ironbird666]

Re: So many pickups (and magnets), so little time, so few guitars....

I feel the same way. I'm JUST digging into the Seymour Duncan line coming from EMG's and Dimarzio's so I definitely feel your pain. In fact, my first SD humbucker ('59 neck, PATB-1B on the way, more on that to come . . . ) just came in yesterday and I'm LOVING it. Thankfully I have two more guitars that are on the pickup changing list so I can explore a bit but after that? :scratchch

I won't be getting rid of the Dimarzio pickups I already have since they completely satisfy my needs even though I'd love to try out several SD models I know I'll never get to. I think blueman335's words are wise and we shouldn't really worry so much about all the models available out there. Is it fun to wish and dream? HELL YES it is! But you know what? Listening to recorded clips of myself I still sound fairly similar no matter what guitar I'm using. There might be subtle difference in tone, more mids/highs, more grind, whatever, but I think if you're finding YOUR tone in a variety of pickups you're doing pretty good.

Just my humble opinion on the matter, sorry to be such a boring dream crusher hahaha! :soapbox:

 

[blueman335]

Re: So many pickups (and magnets), so little time, so few guitars....

I think blueman335's words are wise

You'll find that Blueman's words are not only wise, but also moving and inspirational. It's advice from the heart that you can pass on to your grandchildren. :14:

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: So many pickups (and magnets), so little time, so few guitars....

It's pretty addicting for a while, I learned a lot, tried things no one else had (as far as I know), learned what I like and what I don't. After a lot of experimentation I'm able to somewhat determine what will sound good and what won't, based on that experience, so I'm kinda done swapping mags at this point... once I put the OC in my Bro.

 

[marcello252]

Re: So many pickups (and magnets), so little time, so few guitars....

I tweak and play with these toys because I have a lot of fun doing it, thats' it.
Consider I'm a diy pedal maker and amp modder too, just imagine how many variables I'm able to put on the table to work on, hours and hours of pure joy, even when things get troubled or simply don't work.
But I've never stop playing music and after all these years, even if I'm still a rookie with the guitar, almost everyday I still grab my old acoustic at least for some minutes, no cables, no pickup, just notes.
Music is the only lady my wife is scared of. Music is a great friend.

 

[Ironbird666]

Re: So many pickups (and magnets), so little time, so few guitars....

You'll find that Blueman's words are not only wise, but also moving and inspirational. It's advice from the heart that you can pass on to your grandchildren. :14:

My kids are pretty young, guess I better write this down. So about those Custom Custom's in bright guitars . . . . :naughty:

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: So many pickups (and magnets), so little time, so few guitars....

You'll find that Blueman's words are not only wise, but also moving and inspirational. It's advice from the heart that you can pass on to your grandchildren. :14:

I get the feeling you are pretty old Rick! ;o)

 

[blueman335]

Re: So many pickups (and magnets), so little time, so few guitars....

I get the feeling you are pretty old Rick! ;o)

I was a teenager during the era of hippies and underground FM. Not quite old enough to come and go as I pleased, but old enough to enjoy the explosion of music as it happened: Cream, Hendrix, Zeppelin, Iron Butterfly, Blue Cheer, Jefferson Airplane, Procol Harum, Fleetwood Mac, Ten Years After, Spooky Tooth, King Crimson, Savoy Brown, Jeff Beck Group, Amboy Dukes, Ultimate Spinach, Pink Floyd, Quicksilver, Spirit, MC5...those were incredible times to be growing up.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: So many pickups (and magnets), so little time, so few guitars....

I was a teenager during the era of hippies and underground FM. Not quite old enough to come and go as I pleased, but old enough to enjoy the explosion of music as it happened: Cream, Hendrix, Zeppelin, Iron Butterfly, Blue Cheer, Jefferson Airplane, Procol Harum, Fleetwood Mac, Ten Years After, Spooky Tooth, King Crimson, Savoy Brown, Jeff Beck Group, Amboy Dukes, Ultimate Spinach, Pink Floyd, Quicksilver, Spirit, MC5...those were incredible times to be growing up.

Very cool....Yeah you don't have your age listed in your avatar... ;o)

 

[youngthrasher9]

Re: So many pickups (and magnets), so little time, so few guitars....

Dude, I have spent so much time in the same position as you, I have wanted to try hybrids, mag swaps, etc for the longest time but money always intervenes. I have recently had a TERRIBLE case of GAS for a new PRS Mira, but I am broke. It sucks. I've also been dying to try a C8, Custom/59, a Fullshred, and a seth lover, but, I have no money for them, or another guitar. *Screw Responsibility

Luckily, I manage to fit about an hour of playing in my normal day.

 

[LtKojak]

Re: So many pickups (and magnets), so little time, so few guitars....

My process start being able to flawlessly play the darned song.

THEN I start to think what I'd do differently to make it sound better.

I've done whole albums for different artists playing different styles of music in different countries with guitars costing less than $ 300, modelers costing less than $ 50 and amps costing less than $ 400.

Good tone is good tone, it doesn't matter how much you've spent or where is coming from.

Last year I've played the solo in a rock song for a local band. I've used a MIK Vantage LPC copy with my usual A4 '59n//A8 Custom set through a Johnson J-Station direct to the mixer. When asked about it, and tell, almost everytime I get people smiling and going "No, seriously...".

Food for thought, people...

 

[AniML]

Re: So many pickups (and magnets), so little time, so few guitars....

:naughty:

I tweak and play with these toys because I have a lot of fun doing it, thats' it.
Consider I'm a diy pedal maker and amp modder too, just imagine how many variables I'm able to put on the table to work on, hours and hours of pure joy, even when things get troubled or simply don't work.
But I've never stop playing music and after all these years, even if I'm still a rookie with the guitar, almost everyday I still grab my old acoustic at least for some minutes, no cables, no pickup, just notes.
Music is the only lady my wife is scared of. Music is a great friend.

+1 I'm 48 and only into guitars since I'm 39, and it is a hobby... With tentacles...

I started with tweaking guitars, wound pickups, built pedals, built guitars (most recently cigar boxes) and enjoy every aspect of it.

I will never be an advanced player but I'm ok with that. It's all for fun, tinkering and curiosity.

My only regret is the first time I learned anything on guitar I was 6 years old, but did not return for another 33 years!

Like the song says, "what is and what should never be"

 

[Damian]

Re: So many pickups (and magnets), so little time, so few guitars....

My first post here.....I own quite a few guitars...I record these days, no more gigs...
I'm very happy with Gibby 57 Classics, yet, it's time to learn ALL about pickups, from all angles....And about S.D.pickups as well.....I want to upgrade many stock pickups as well....