Suggestions for Blues/Rock Pickup Combo

[sufferinrewind]

Alrighty, here's the deal. I'm planning on buying a new guitar (and amp) soon, but... I don't quite know what I want.

Basically what I like is stuff from the 70s (Pink Floyd, Tom Petty, a bunch of others... so many great bands in the 70s) and the 90s (Better than Ezra, Candlebox, Gin Blossoms... most of the 90s alt-rock stuff). I've been looking up info on guitar tonewoods and pickups and which ones fit best with what but I can't reach a conclusion. I've listened to sounds and I've heard things that I've liked, but I'm just not sure and I don't have the money to try a bunch of different pickup combinations. I like the way the Pearly Gates combo sounds in a poplar guitar, but I'm not totally sure that it's what I'm looking for. Any suggestions on guitars, body and neck woods and pickups (of any brand, not just Duncan) would be great.

Thanks in advance.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Suggestions for Blues/Rock Pickup Combo

Alrighty, here's the deal. I'm planning on buying a new guitar (and amp) soon, but... I don't quite know what I want.

Basically what I like is stuff from the 70s (Pink Floyd, Tom Petty, a bunch of others... so many great bands in the 70s) and the 90s (Better than Ezra, Candlebox, Gin Blossoms... most of the 90s alt-rock stuff). I've been looking up info on guitar tonewoods and pickups and which ones fit best with what but I can't reach a conclusion. I've listened to sounds and I've heard things that I've liked, but I'm just not sure and I don't have the money to try a bunch of different pickup combinations. I like the way the Pearly Gates combo sounds in a poplar guitar, but I'm not totally sure that it's what I'm looking for. Any suggestions on guitars, body and neck woods and pickups (of any brand, not just Duncan) would be great.

Thanks in advance.

Are you looking at buying a Gibson style dual humbucker guitar(Humbucker neck/bridge) ......You're talking Les Paul or SG,335 etc right?

 

[koolkat]

Re: Suggestions for Blues/Rock Pickup Combo

If you're going with a strat, I would get an alder-bodied one with a rosewood fingerboard, a cool rails in the neck and bridge, and a vintage rails in the middle. This combination will be very versatile and should easily be able to cover the styles and bands you mentioned.

If full-sized humbuckers are more your thing, the Custom Custom is an excellent bridge pickup. Very thick and smooth sounding and works great for the 90's alt rock type of music. The Alcino II Pro or Pearly Gates would match up great in the neck.

 

[neosadist]

Re: Suggestions for Blues/Rock Pickup Combo

Alrighty, here's the deal. I'm planning on buying a new guitar (and amp) soon, but... I don't quite know what I want. Basically what I like is stuff from the 70s (Pink Floyd, Tom Petty, a bunch of others... so many great bands in the 70s) and the 90s (Better than Ezra, Candlebox, Gin Blossoms... most of the 90s alt-rock stuff). I've been looking up info on guitar tonewoods and pickups and which ones fit best with what but I can't reach a conclusion. I've listened to sounds and I've heard things that I've liked, but I'm just not sure and I don't have the money to try a bunch of different pickup combinations. I like the way the Pearly Gates combo sounds in a poplar guitar, but I'm not totally sure that it's what I'm looking for. Any suggestions on guitars, body and neck woods and pickups (of any brand, not just Duncan) would be great. Thanks in advance.

I don't know that style all too well, but here's what I'd recommend. First, ask Tone Wizard. Then, do research on what guitars these artists used. Find some common ground, or just pick based on their choices. Are you ordering a guitar that already comes with SD pickups, or adding your own later? Or are you building your own?

 

[gripweed]

Re: Suggestions for Blues/Rock Pickup Combo

I don't think you can go wrong with a set of '59's if you're doing the humbucker route. I prefer a more articulate neck pickup, so I use a Jazz in the neck of my LP instead of the '59.

For a Strat, I think most players prefer the Surfers.

For a Tele I'd recommend the Donahue bridge.

 

[drpietrzak]

Re: Suggestions for Blues/Rock Pickup Combo

If you're going with a strat, I would get an alder-bodied one with a rosewood fingerboard, a cool rails in the neck and bridge, and a vintage rails in the middle. This combination will be very versatile and should easily be able to cover the styles and bands you mentioned.

If full-sized humbuckers are more your thing, the Custom Custom is an excellent bridge pickup. Very thick and smooth sounding and works great for the 90's alt rock type of music. The Alcino II Pro or Pearly Gates would match up great in the neck.

One of my favorite gutiars has the APII neck and CC inthe bridge. Great sounds from it.

 

[sufferinrewind]

Re: Suggestions for Blues/Rock Pickup Combo

Thanks for all the replies. I posted this thing pretty late last night. I know not to do that anymore.

Now, on to what I'm looking for: I'm looking for dual humbuckers particularly. It's a lot less expensive to buy two humbuckers than 3 single coils or single coil sized humbuckers.

I'm planning on ordering a guitar from Rondo or somewhere like that, so that I can get a good guitar for less money that I can upgrade. I had my eye on a couple of Lace Huntington guitars (made by the people who make Lace Sensor), but I'm just not really sure. I'll try to describe the sound I'm going for:

I want relatively low output humbuckers. If they have the right tone, medium output would be fine, though I wouldn't find much of that here. I'm looking for a sparkly, glassy tone, with an "airiness" in the highs but I want the pickup to be a bit warm, but not really warm (I suppose this rules out mahogany bodied guitars... I'm not really a fan of mahogany, anyway). I don't want it to be really bright, and I don't want the tone to be wide open. I'd like it to have a pretty round tone. I guess it sounds like I'm looking for a custom pickup. If that's the case, I suppose I'd shell out the money, if it'll do what I need.

Sorry if this is complicated. I've been playing guitar for 10 years, but I haven't really gotten into replacement pickups. They're relatively new to me. The only pickups I've used other than stock are a few EMG pickups that friends of mine had in their guitars.

So... any suggestions?

 

[sufferinrewind]

Re: Suggestions for Blues/Rock Pickup Combo

Are you looking at buying a Gibson style dual humbucker guitar(Humbucker neck/bridge) ......You're talking Les Paul or SG,335 etc right?

I'm looking for a dual humbucker guitar. Not a Les Paul, though. The body is too thick and warm for me. Maybe an SG or similar guitar. I'm thinking maybe an SG would be what I'm looking for. I'm looking for a sparkly, glassy tone, with a bit of warmth, but not too warm. But, I don't know for sure. I'm new to all this stuff. I've really only used strat style guitars. Used a few dual humbucker Ibanez and Jackson guitars or similar that friends of mine had, but they all had either EMGs or stick pups.

 

[tone4days]

Re: Suggestions for Blues/Rock Pickup Combo

yunno, after reading what you say you want (sonically), i think you actually want a tele ... prolly one with two (splittable) humbuckers (JBb+JAZZn = TELE-GIB!!) ... with a push/pull or mini toggle, you can get 6 different sounds outta this arrangement ...

you keep saying 'glassy sparkly' ... and unless you go to a strat, i think a tele is gonna give you the 'sparkly, but yet still kinda warm' thing .. i am just not hearing those tones you describe from an H-H gibson style

good luck
t4d

 

[sufferinrewind]

Re: Suggestions for Blues/Rock Pickup Combo

yunno, after reading what you say you want (sonically), i think you actually want a tele ... prolly one with two (splittable) humbuckers (JBb+JAZZn = TELE-GIB!!) nds outta this arrangement

you keep saying 'glassy sparkly' ... and unless you go to a strat, i think a tele is gonna give you the 'sparkly, but yet still kinda warm' thing .. i am just not hearing those tones you describe from an H-H gibson style

good luck
t4d

I didn't say Gibson, necessarily. Could be a Double Fat Strat or something. I'm really unsure, but I figured that Gibson style guitars were the wrong road for me.

And, where can I find a H-H Tele? The only one I see that I could afford is the Squier Tele Custom made of Agathis. There's also the Squier Tele Special with a H-S combo made of Alder...

 

[Corbic]

Re: Suggestions for Blues/Rock Pickup Combo

You could always try an H-S-S Stratocaster so you can get the sparkly, glassy Stratocaster tone, and then a humbucker in the bridge for the 90s Alt-Rock, using some of the above suggestions. It really gives you a best-of-both-worlds Fender and Gibson tones in one guitar.

 

[sufferinrewind]

Re: Suggestions for Blues/Rock Pickup Combo

You could always try an H-S-S Stratocaster so you can get the sparkly, glassy Stratocaster tone, and then a humbucker in the bridge for the 90s Alt-Rock, using some of the above suggestions. It really gives you a best-of-both-worlds Fender and Gibson tones in one guitar.

That's the thing, though. I don't really have a bunch of money to spend on pickups, especially when they're $70+ a pop for a guitar with 3 pickups. If I did, I'd try as many as I needed until I found my sound, and I wouldn't have to post suggestion threads here.

 

[sufferinrewind]

Re: Suggestions for Blues/Rock Pickup Combo

I've been looking at DiMarzio pickups, too. Thier pickups are interesting. The Bluesbucker with the hot coils turned inward in the neck and bridge positions is supposed to sound Tele-like. Maybe that's the way to go? I'm also interested in the Air Classic, the Eric Johnson Custom, and the Humbucker from Hell neck models. I wouldn't know what kind of guitar to put them in, though. Maybe a dual humbucker strat or tele?

I also found a basswood bodied H-H Tele to compare with the Squier Tele Custom and Special models. Also, the Squier Master Series Thinline Semi-Hollow Tele.

 

[sufferinrewind]

Re: Suggestions for Blues/Rock Pickup Combo

The Virtual PAF looks like a good choice, too. Man, this is getting hard.

 

[sufferinrewind]

Re: Suggestions for Blues/Rock Pickup Combo

Finally got going in some kind of direction and everything stops. Figures.

 

[gripweed]

Re: Suggestions for Blues/Rock Pickup Combo

I'm looking for a dual humbucker guitar. Not a Les Paul, though. The body is too thick and warm for me. Maybe an SG or similar guitar. I'm thinking maybe an SG would be what I'm looking for. I'm looking for a sparkly, glassy tone, with a bit of warmth, but not too warm. But, I don't know for sure. I'm new to all this stuff. I've really only used strat style guitars. Used a few dual humbucker Ibanez and Jackson guitars or similar that friends of mine had, but they all had either EMGs or stick pups.

I'll stand by my recommendation of the Jazz neck '59 bridge combo. I think it would go nicely into an SG, Strat, or Tele (routed for humbuckers of course.) It'll give you exactly what you described.

 

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: Suggestions for Blues/Rock Pickup Combo

I do the blues/rock thing with my set of 59's in my les paul. Seriously..they're designed after the pickups that defined blues rock (PAF's) so why use anything else?

 

[sufferinrewind]

Re: Suggestions for Blues/Rock Pickup Combo

I'll stand by my recommendation of the Jazz neck '59 bridge combo. I think it would go nicely into an SG, Strat, or Tele (routed for humbuckers of course.) It'll give you exactly what you described.

Any particular body/neck/fingerboard woods that'll work best? I can get a really cool trans purple H-H Tele with a basswood body, quilted maple top, maple neck and rosewood board. Something like a lot of the new ESPs, only it's a Tele and it's not an ESP.

 

[tone4days]

Re: Suggestions for Blues/Rock Pickup Combo

Any particular body/neck/fingerboard woods that'll work best? I can get a really cool trans purple H-H Tele with a basswood body, quilted maple top, maple neck and rosewood board. Something like a lot of the new ESPs, only it's a Tele and it's not an ESP.

sounds like a winner! ... make it so !!

another thing to consider might be a brian moore i model guitar with H-H ... you can get some that come stock with SD pups(AIIPn - JBb) ... throw in a 5-way mod (P-type megaswitch) and you will be SET for a LOT of versatile tones ... you'll have to dig a relatively thin / flat neck with high-ish frets with the moore ... i know i do

good luck
t4d

 

[sufferinrewind]

Re: Suggestions for Blues/Rock Pickup Combo

sounds like a winner! ... make it so !!

another thing to consider might be a brian moore i model guitar with H-H ... you can get some that come stock with SD pups(AIIPn - JBb) ... throw in a 5-way mod (P-type megaswitch) and you will be SET for a LOT of versatile tones ... you'll have to dig a relatively thin / flat neck with high-ish frets with the moore ... i know i do

good luck
t4d

Awesome. Would it be considered a Shop Floor Custom if I ordered a set of humbuckers in black/white? I can't find any Duncans in black/white.