Warm, full, singing tone

[Helios]

First post everyone, so go easy

For my LP clone, i'm looking to add a more open, singing, and warmer tone. Generally speaking, i'm looking for more/fuller bass, and more/fuller midrange in the neck, with more of a 3D sound. I'm not worried about distortion or overdrive as i will typically get that from the amp or effects.

I've been using search quite a bit and have some ideas, but I was hoping to get some opinions/recommendations from those here. Thanks much.

 

[alex1fly]

Re: Warm, full, singing tone

Dimarzio's Virtual PAF neck model fits your description quite well. I have one in the neck of my LP and it has some vocal qualities, its warm, bassy but not too much, and the Virtual PAF series is known for its "3D" qualities as well. It is no longer being made, but I'm sure you could find one used.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Warm, full, singing tone

Pearly Gates neck model.

 

[jimijames]

Re: Warm, full, singing tone

Pearly Gates neck model.

+1

Or a seth lover neck model. Antiquity will do what you want too. Choose one of those three, at random if you want to. Trust me, once you hear them, you won't care that you didn't try any others.

 

[Chickenwings]

Re: Warm, full, singing tone

59's pair. And pick softly.

 

[JB6464]

Re: Warm, full, singing tone

For more 3D,alive sounds. Go with Unpotted 59's and if the bridge pu is just a little to bright,put a 250k pot on the bridge volume pot.:smokin:

 

[wanmei1]

Re: Warm, full, singing tone

In my opinion 59's aren't going to give you a "more/fuller" midrange.

I go along with Benjy and Jimijames.
Pg, Seth or Ant.

All exceptional for their warmth, openness, clarity and full mids.
The PG being the highest output.

 

[Helios]

Re: Warm, full, singing tone

Interesting suggestions everyone.

What prompted to think about about a change was hearing a Burst bucker Pro in the neck. While it wasn't the ideal tone I was looking for, what did surprise me, and what I did like was the amount of bass in the neck (currently have a 59). The Pro seem to have quite a bit more bass/midrange, which made it sound quite big. The 59 doesn't do much for me right now (I know I'm in the minority), but the Seths and Anquities, and Dimarzio choices are all interesting as well.

What I was considering was an Alnico II Pro (neck), and PG bridge, but the dual PG is interesting. Would the Alnico II have more bass and midrange than the PG? How would you compare the tone of the Alinco II/PG to a PG/PG to a Burstbucker Pro in terms of openness, "bigness", bass, and midrange?

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Warm, full, singing tone

The PG is going to have a bigge, grainier midrange than that of the APH. The APH seems to have a bit more low mid content, along with a sweeter high end.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Warm, full, singing tone

What prompted to think about about a change was hearing a Burst bucker Pro in the neck. While it wasn't the ideal tone I was looking for, what did surprise me, and what I did like was the amount of bass in the neck (currently have a 59). The Pro seem to have quite a bit more bass/midrange, which made it sound quite big.

You're liking the A5 magnet, which has lots of treble & bass, and the neck position fills in the (otherwise) scooped mids. I think it's the best magnet for a neck HB. A2's are more focused, with less treble & a spongy low end. Some guys are crazy about them; I can't see it, but hey, we all have different tastes.

What are you going to do for a bridge PU? What kind of music are you playing?

 

[Nagarajah725]

Re: Warm, full, singing tone

I've got a pearly gates bridge on the neck on my mahogany set neck. I also replaced the slot screws with hex ones. It really helped with the clarity and articulation of the pup.

 

[Helios]

Re: Warm, full, singing tone

You're liking the A5 magnet, which has lots of treble & bass, and the neck position fills in the (otherwise) scooped mids. I think it's the best magnet for a neck HB. A2's are more focused, with less treble & a spongy low end. Some guys are crazy about them; I can't see it, but hey, we all have different tastes.

What are you going to do for a bridge PU? What kind of music are you playing?

Interesting.....are you suggesting that an A5 would have more bass than the A2? (you'll forgive me if I ask exactly what you mean by spongy?). It's also interesting that I don't care much for the 59 (also an A5 mag).

The bridge, I have found to be pretty happy with, but the neck is difficult for me. Music I play ranges from classic rock, to alternative (think BRMC, old Verve, Banshees, Cure) to Lenny Kravtiz.

 

[super rad stuff]

Re: Warm, full, singing tone

Interesting.....are you suggesting that an A5 would have more bass than the A2? (you'll forgive me if I ask exactly what you mean by spongy?). It's also interesting that I don't care much for the 59 (also an A5 mag).

The bridge, I have found to be pretty happy with, but the neck is difficult for me. Music I play ranges from classic rock, to alternative (think BRMC, old Verve, Banshees, Cure) to Lenny Kravtiz.

a5 has more lows and highs, whereas a2 genereally has more mids.
spongy just refers to how your attack 'feels', meaning how fast your pickup and amp respond to your playing. spongy specifically meaning a slower response.

edit: for the cure stuff, go for a seymour duncan 59n. that's what they use.

 

[hanumanlangur]

Re: Warm, full, singing tone

"Singing" tones come from a pickup that has extra upper-mids. Warmth comes from full mids and a bit of bass, with less treble. None of the pickups I can think of that are really full, warm, and rich have those singing upper-mids. And none of the pickups with singing upper-mids have really warm, full midranges.

But I do know that you can take a pickup that does sing with extra upper-mids, like a JB, and play it through a warm, full amp or pedal with a rich midrange, to get both characteristics (warm, full-bodied tone that sings). I don't think that there is any real way to get both characteristics in just the pickup itself.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Warm, full, singing tone

Interesting.....are you suggesting that an A5 would have more bass than the A2? (you'll forgive me if I ask exactly what you mean by spongy?). It's also interesting that I don't care much for the 59 (also an A5 mag).

The bridge, I have found to be pretty happy with, but the neck is difficult for me. Music I play ranges from classic rock, to alternative (think BRMC, old Verve, Banshees, Cure) to Lenny Kravtiz.

A5's generally have a strong, tight low end (an exception is JB's in some guitars). They also have the most treble of any alnico, and the least mids. A2's are heavy in mids, with a decent amount of bass, but little treble, making their high end very rounded. Their low end is often described as loose or flabby. In a bridge PU that's not as noticeable, and if a neck PU is made a certain way, it can mask some of that looseness. Some guys (like me) like an A5's bite, others prefer an A2's smoothness. All a matter of taste.

As far as a '59, like any PU, they'll sound different depending on the wood (no two pieces are identical, due to grain, density, mineral content, water content, etc). You may like a '59 in another guitar. There are many PU's that players like in mahogany but not maple, and vice versa. That's where changing magnets & pots comes in; you can make a PU fit the wood better, and not go broke buying dozens of PU's. For example, I like the basic qualities of a '59B, but it's a little bright & thin for me. So I use two 250K pots with it to give it warmth. Then it sounds very good to my ears. I do the same thing with C5's. I'll also use a warmer magnet if an A5 is too bright, or a brighter magnet when an A2 is too rounded. You're dialing in your tone, a notch at a time, to get what you want.

 

[wanmei1]

Re: Warm, full, singing tone

A5's generally have a strong, tight low end (an exception is JB's in some guitars). They also have the most treble of any alnico, and the least mids. A2's are heavy in mids, with a decent amount of bass, but little treble, making their high end very rounded. Their low end is often described as loose or flabby. In a bridge PU that's not as noticeable, and if a neck PU is made a certain way, it can mask some of that looseness. Some guys (like me) like an A5's bite, others prefer an A2's smoothness. All a matter of taste.

As far as a '59, like any PU, they'll sound different depending on the wood (no two pieces are identical, due to grain, density, mineral content, water content, etc). You may like a '59 in another guitar. There are many PU's that players like in mahogany but not maple, and vice versa. That's where changing magnets & pots comes in; you can make a PU fit the wood better, and not go broke buying dozens of PU's. For example, I like the basic qualities of a '59B, but it's a little bright & thin for me. So I use two 250K pots with it to give it warmth. Then it sounds very good to my ears. I do the same thing with C5's. I'll also use a warmer magnet if an A5 is too bright, or a brighter magnet when an A2 is too rounded. You're dialing in your tone, a notch at a time, to get what you want.

Bluemann and I disagree about A5's and A2's, but in my opinion it's undeniably true what he says regarding an individual guitars sound re the wood it's made of ( and the resultant tone) and it's effect on pickup selection.

Magnets as well as the value of pots and caps are used to ameliorate a pickups tone and these selections, to a large extent, shape the final outcome.

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Warm, full, singing tone

man if you want smooth, singing tone go with the alnico II pros. I them both (neck and bridge) in my les paul classic and they can do smooth blues, crunchy leads and if you are playing lead, you can use the neck pup, roll off the tone knob all the way and that puppy will sing like no other

 

[Christopher Caruana]

Re: Warm, full, singing tone

oh and they call the A2pros the "players pickups" because they have even coil wind and an A2 mag, so they are one of the smoothest/warmest pickups that seymour makes. They also are not hot pickups, so they are for players that want to get their gain anly from the amp and not have anything extra coming form the pickups, and they clean up very nice too

 

[blueman335]

Re: Warm, full, singing tone

Bluemann and I disagree about A5's and A2's, but in my opinion it's undeniably true what he says regarding an individual guitars sound re the wood it's made of ( and the resultant tone) and it's effect on pickup selection.

Magnets as well as the value of pots and caps are used to ameliorate a pickups tone and these selections, to a large extent, shape the final outcome.

+1. And the amps, tubes, and speakers we're using, plus our different tastes. One size won't fit all, and that also makes it a lot more fun getting your personal ideal tones.

 

[Thunder]

Re: Warm, full, singing tone

Pearly Gates