Tone for AC\DC AND Blues

[fingerace]

you guys here are the best !

anyway... how about some ideas on this: i want a KIND of ACDC tone BUT not exactly that, i want it to be more Bluesy and warm (on neck probably?)...

i do want to play acdc kind of stuff but also Bluesy SLOW stuff...

my guitar is mahogany with rosewood fingerboard and a vintage trem which only dives down (it is set so the back side of the trem touches the guitar- kind of locked but one way only)

i thought of the (standard) combination of jazz-2 neck and JB for bridge...

thanks for your sugestions...

EDIT: i will also split the pickups if that makes any difference to the choice...

 

[gripweed]

Re: Tone for AC\DC AND Blues

I'd try a Seth in the neck and a '59 in the bridge. The '59 would give you the AC/DC tone and the Seth would give you the bluesy tone. You could also try the AIIPro in the neck for a little sweeter bluesy tone. I'd stay away from the Jazz in the neck if you want a sound more bluesy than AC/DC.

If you're looking for something hotter than the '59, stay away from the JB. It won't get you the AC/DC sound. A Custom 5 is apparently closer to a '59 than a JB.

 

[zionstrat]

Re: Tone for AC\DC AND Blues

JB does ac dc great and splits great if you wants some mixed ciol sounds-
But honestly, and PAFish pup woud get you in thi sballpark iMHO-
cheers

 

[fingerace]

Re: Tone for AC\DC AND Blues

oh bytheway.. i forgot to mention that i will split the pickups also... so if that makes any difference here it is....

 

[fingerace]

Re: Tone for AC\DC AND Blues

gripweed: both the seth and the alnico2pro are for brighter guitars... will they fit the rosewood and mahogany ??

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Tone for AC\DC AND Blues

AC/DC...well, he has 8.1K or 8.2K 60's Gibson alnico 5 humbuckers in his 60's SG and the 59B is a near exact recreation of those pickups. Same pickup BB King used in all of his ES-355's and that was was the standard humbucker in all early 60's Gibsons. So the 59B is a no brainer. The 59N is the same pickup but underwound a little for more clarity and to balance with the 59B. So a set of 59's might be nice in that guitar.

Personally, I like a pickup with a little less bass than the 59N and the Seth Lover (if you like nickel covers) or Alnico 2 Pro (if you like exposed coils) would both be a good choice for a warm, clear neck pickup.

Lew

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Tone for AC\DC AND Blues

I would go with a Pearly Gates/Pearly Gates + set up. It's pretty similar to a 59 set, but the neck pickup won't have such a big low end and the bridge pickup will be a bit more aggressive and tighter.

 

[fingerace]

Re: Tone for AC\DC AND Blues

How about 59Neck and the Sh-5 custom for the bridge ? the custom has a bit more treble attack i think... would that be a good choice?

 

[gripweed]

Re: Tone for AC\DC AND Blues

AC/DC...well, he has 8.1K or 8.2K 60's Gibson alnico 5 humbuckers in his 60's SG and the 59B is a near exact recreation of those pickups. Same pickup BB King used in all of his ES-355's and that was was the standard humbucker in all early 60's Gibsons. So the 59B is a no brainer. The 59N is the same pickup but underwound a little for more clarity and to balance with the 59B. So a set of 59's might be nice in that guitar.

Personally, I like a pickup with a little less bass than the 59N and the Seth Lover (if you like nickel covers) or Alnico 2 Pro (if you like exposed coils) would both be a good choice for a warm, clear neck pickup.

Lew

Lew answered the question better than I could (even though he suggested the same pickups)! I don't think you'll find a problem with the Seth or AIIPro in that type of guitar. In fact I think you find having the less bass (as Lew suggested) will be great in that type of guitar. If not, there is always the Duncan 21 day return policy.

 

[fingerace]

Re: Tone for AC\DC AND Blues

ok now how about the sh-14 custom 5 for gridge (since i might be going slighly heavier) and the alnicoIIpro for the neck ? although i am still worried about the lost lows from the neck... so maybe even a 59 for the neck ?

how does that sound to you? and also when i split them will they sound good as well ?

 

[gripweed]

Re: Tone for AC\DC AND Blues

ok now how about the sh-14 custom 5 for gridge (since i might be going slighly heavier) and the alnicoIIpro for the neck ? although i am still worried about the lost lows from the neck... so maybe even a 59 for the neck ?

how does that sound to you? and also when i split them will they sound good as well ?

I don't think you'll really *lose* lows. The lows are a little softer and therefore less boomy though. The AIIPro has more lows than the '59, but the character is different -- more spongey. If you like Slash's neck tone, I'm sure you'd like it. I'm sure the '59 would be a great pickup for you. It is a little too boomy for my tastes.

The Custom 5 is wound hotter than a '59, so it probably splits pretty well. It is supposed to sound a lot like the '59, although some claim it is too scooped for their tastes.

Whoops! I read it wrong. Edit -- I think you would lose some of that Angus vibe with the ceramic. Angus' tone is a5 all of the way!

 

[Scott Miller]

Re: Tone for AC\DC AND Blues

The other important thing to mention is whether you want Angus' tone, or Malcom's tone. For Angus' sound, all of the previous recommendations are perfect. But Malcom has always used Gretsch guitars with Filtertron pickups and stuff. He even used on of those trippy White Falcon hollow body things for a while---each of those humbuckers is actually four separate coils, and the switching set-up is ridiculously complicated. Also, Malcom does not use ANY distortion---ever. Which is different from Angus playing an SG through a distorted Marshall. Listen to Highway to Hell, and pan all the way to one side. Angus has all the dirt, and Malcom is completely clean. On some songs it's almost funny (Beating Around the Bush is a great example).

 

[PRG]

Re: Tone for AC\DC AND Blues

You can do AC/DC with a Custom bridge easily. It's very tight and bright with some aggressive mids, which is what I hear in Angus's tone.
If I knew how to post a sound clip, I've got some that I recorded through my Hi Octane of my Custom-loaded neck-thru guitar (of course, it's a maple/ebony neck with a mahogany body, so a different kind of guitar)

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Tone for AC\DC AND Blues

The 59 set in an SG would be straight up Angus, although I like having a slightly stronger bridge pickup, so the C-5/59 is my favorite for that wide open Marshall tone.

For Angus, but bluesier.....like Ride On, a Seth Lover set into a Marshall is a beautiful thing. I have my two main LP's setup with C-5/59 and Seth set.
The C-5/59 rocks a bit harder, but the Seth set is sweet and smooth and a bit more vintage sounding.

 

[metal]

Re: Tone for AC\DC AND Blues

why dont you get a signature angus young bridge pickup!

 

[dr.barlo]

Re: Tone for AC\DC AND Blues

I wouldn't right away go for a 59b. You've got a tremolo right? Those things tend to make the bridge tone a little more icepicky and metallic. That's why I'd check custom customs if I were you. My perception of them is that on tremolo bridge guitars CCs do a very good job washing off them possibly annoying highs.

Good luck.

B

 

[fingerace]

Re: Tone for AC\DC AND Blues

oh come on... no audio clip for the sh 14 custom 5 !! btw the AIIpro is probably for sure but i am stil thinking about the bridge... sh5 custom ? sh 11 custom custom or sh14 custom 5... i am trying to stay away from REALLY vintage pups at the bridge because i might be doing a bit heavier that classic rock...

i liked the comment about slash's neck pup !! the AIIpro... maybe thats one of the reasons i am picking it !! also going towards the custom 5 since it is an A5... but arent the mids too low...

anyways thank all of you... this forum is great...

 

[Leather Rebel]

Re: Tone for AC\DC AND Blues

The JB gets a great AC/DC tone, and cleans up well when the volume is rolled off. It's so versatile that you'd also be covered on the stuff "a bit heavier than classic rock". Hard to go wrong with that one.

 

[Bludave]

Re: Tone for AC\DC AND Blues

I have a custom Tele Thinline. It has a Jazz neck and a 59 bridge. It is coil tapped also. I don't think it gets the AC/DC sound, but is gets a real good blues sound. I think this guitar sounds a lot like a 335. Thats a great sound for Blues.

 

[fingerace]

Re: Tone for AC\DC AND Blues

the jb and the custom 5 i think are quite similar but i think i ll go with the custom 5 !