Tell me I'm not just hearing things...

sandmannn69

sandmannn69

New member
I originally had a Duncan Custom Custom installed as the lone pickup (bridge) in my VH clone (alder body/maple neck-board w/OFR), mounted directly to the body. It sounded too thick w/o enough cut for pre-Hagar VH.

So I stuck it in a Charvel So Cal, same as the VH but with HH/control top routing in body and an ebony board. Has much better cut/not as thick-sounding in the So Cal.

Is this because the So Cal has the bigger routing and/or the pickup is mounted on a pickguard instead of screwed down to the body?
I know the ebony board has more snap than maple, but shouldn't make that much difference in sound.

Unplugged, the So Cal is louder than the VH, presumably due to the bigger routing in the top.

I know, just shut up and play, but I'm curious.....:scratchch

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Re: Tell me I'm not just hearing things...

As you obviously know, even two guitars of the same design & wood types can sound pretty different. I have set out to do pickup swaps being fairly sure of what the results would be, and been dead wrong. So, there'll always be a degree of trial & error w/p'up replacing. Thankfully, it's a fun road to travel.
 
Re: Tell me I'm not just hearing things...

I don't know, but I'd like to have both of those guitars.
 
Re: Tell me I'm not just hearing things...

Charvel probably had that wood dried a good bit longer than the wood for your clone. The wood for the So Cals probably passed the tap test and were from a known supplier... other than that, I couldn't tell ya. Maybe the routing has an effect too.
 
Re: Tell me I'm not just hearing things...

All of those differences that you mentioned can affect the tone.
 
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