Total Gear Overhaul: Pickups

[Just Some Dude]

Hey guys. New guy here. My tastes have changed lately and I've come to the realization that I need a new setup. So I'll start with pickups.

I want something low-medium output. Thick and crunchy in the bridge, yet still very open. For the neck, I want something smooth, and bright, with a piano like chime on the low strings. I mostly use the neck pickup for cleans and solos, and the bridge for rhythms. I'd like them to split well also, but that isn't mandatory. I'm open to mag swaps as well as ordering through the custom shop, although if a non-CS pickup would do it, I'd shoot for that first.

Pickups I've thought about are:

59/Custom Hybrid
59/Jazz Hybrid (which I'd have to make myself)
WLH set
Pearly Gates set
59 set
Seth Lover set

I am open to non-Duncan offerings as well.

Playing old blues, and hard rock stuff. Through a Les Paul.

Thanks for the input guys. It's much appreciated.

 

[jimman]

Re: Total Gear Overhaul: Pickups

Im thinking a Pearly gates for the bridge will work great,with a jazz in the neck or maybe a 59 with an a4 magnet. I havnt tried the hybrids so I cant say if those will work, but from what I have read they should also be a good choice. I am sure someone with more experience will chime in on the hybrids.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Total Gear Overhaul: Pickups

Whole lotta humbucker: Thick and crunchy in the bridge, yet still very open
59 neck: smooth, and bright, with a piano like chime on the low strings

 

[Just Some Dude]

Re: Total Gear Overhaul: Pickups

Whole lotta humbucker: Thick and crunchy in the bridge, yet still very open
59 neck: smooth, and bright, with a piano like chime on the low strings

Is that a no on the WLH neck?

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Total Gear Overhaul: Pickups

Hey guys. New guy here. My tastes have changed lately and I've come to the realization that I need a new setup. So I'll start with pickups.

I want something low-medium output. Thick and crunchy in the bridge, yet still very open. For the neck, I want something smooth, and bright, with a piano like chime on the low strings. I mostly use the neck pickup for cleans and solos, and the bridge for rhythms. I'd like them to split well also, but that isn't mandatory. I'm open to mag swaps as well as ordering through the custom shop, although if a non-CS pickup would do it, I'd shoot for that first.

Pickups I've thought about are:

59/Custom Hybrid
59/Jazz Hybrid (which I'd have to make myself)
WLH set
Pearly Gates set
59 set
Seth Lover set

I am open to non-Duncan offerings as well.

Playing old blues, and hard rock stuff. Through a Les Paul.

Thanks for the input guys. It's much appreciated.

For the description given, my first choice would be an APH1 set with an A4/A8 mag combo.

HTH,

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Total Gear Overhaul: Pickups

Hey guys. New guy here. My tastes have changed lately and I've come to the realization that I need a new setup. So I'll start with pickups.

I want something low-medium output. Thick and crunchy in the bridge, yet still very open. For the neck, I want something smooth, and bright, with a piano like chime on the low strings. I mostly use the neck pickup for cleans and solos, and the bridge for rhythms. I'd like them to split well also, but that isn't mandatory. I'm open to mag swaps as well as ordering through the custom shop, although if a non-CS pickup would do it, I'd shoot for that first.

Pickups I've thought about are:

59/Custom Hybrid
59/Jazz Hybrid (which I'd have to make myself)
WLH set
Pearly Gates set
59 set
Seth Lover set

I am open to non-Duncan offerings as well.

Playing old blues, and hard rock stuff. Through a Les Paul.

Thanks for the input guys. It's much appreciated.

For the description given, my first choice would be an APH1 set with an A4/A8 mag combo.

HTH,

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Total Gear Overhaul: Pickups

Is that a no on the WLH neck?

NO way..the WLH neck is superb. I just went with the 59 in my initial reply cos it fits your description more definitely. The wlh neck is meatier than the 59 by a long way. The wlh set also comes with 4 conductor wiring so you can do your coil splits etc, whereas the 59 does not.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Total Gear Overhaul: Pickups

59/Custom Hybrid + 59/Jazz Hybrid - hybrid neck HB's are great! I've made a few myself. Opens up the high-end and thins out some mids. Hybrids are pretty bright in the bridge slot, and you may want a warmer magnet in the '59/Custom, like an UOA5 or A2.

WLH set - pricey.

Pearly Gates set - neck can have a rounded high-end in LP's, bridge is bright and thin in most guitars. Not a well-balanced set EQ-wise.

59 set - neck has a lot of low-end and is often boomy/bassy in LP's.

Seth Lover set - one of the best PAF's made today. open, airy, complex tones. feedback rarely an issue. neck has more treble than a PGN, and less bass than a '59N. bridge isn't as bright and thin as a PGB or '59B.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Total Gear Overhaul: Pickups

Pg bridges many people (including myself) would prefer they had more bass...but in the recording studio you'd be surprised what sounds best when you hear stuff played in a mix. Quite often i find im winding down the bass and cranking the treble, which is something i never to in a live situation because like most guitarists i like to feel a fat and powerful low end, but that doesnt actually translate so well in a recorded mix quite often. PGB's have a spike in just the right spot for a great crunch sound. The neck is one of the best pups known to man.
Anyways...what i'm saying is, regardless of your amps, axes and style of music, what sounds good when you are at home obsessing over your tone is often different to what sounds good in a recording studio.
What (style of) amp are you likely to be using and can you tell us some famous player's tones you would like to use as a template?

 

[DeathMetalRob]

Re: Total Gear Overhaul: Pickups

59/Custom Hybrid + 59/Jazz Hybrid - hybrid neck HB's are great! I've made a few myself. Opens up the high-end and thins out some mids. Hybrids are pretty bright in the bridge slot, and you may want a warmer magnet in the '59/Custom, like an UOA5 or A2.

WLH set - pricey.

Pearly Gates set - neck can have a rounded high-end in LP's, bridge is bright and thin in most guitars. Not a well-balanced set EQ-wise.

59 set - neck has a lot of low-end and is often boomy/bassy in LP's.

Seth Lover set - one of the best PAF's made today. open, airy, complex tones. feedback rarely an issue. neck has more treble than a PGN, and less bass than a '59N. bridge isn't as bright and thin as a PGB or '59B.

'59/Jazz hybrid sounds quite cool - got any video..?