weapon of choice? hot or medium or low output pups?

[That90'sGuy]

Re: weapon of choice? hot or medium or low output pups?

It's all about the low output for me. It just seems to make more sense for my needs. I have powerful amps, but I love the clarity of the low output pups. There is something to that vintage tone. However, I think that medium output stuff might be reasonable for a bit more modern tone. Hot stuff never balances with anything else besides other really hot stuff so I stay far away.

 

[Neeradj]

Re: weapon of choice? hot or medium or low output pups?

Medium, defenitely! I don't like hot pick ups like actives because they suck away your natural guitarsound. I can however deal with most ceramic mag-equipped high output pick ups, though most of them just aren't for me. If there's one thing I don't like, it's not having enough output, so low-output is usually not ok in my book. I am suprised how some of you call high output pick ups mediums. My standards:
Low= 1 - 8k (1>250mV)
Medium= 8 - 13k (250 - 350mV)
High= 13 - whatever (375>Whatever mV)

They seem to match up perfectly with the descriptions Duncan and DiMarzio supply with their pick ups, that's how they became my standards in the first place

I like pick ups between 8.5k-16.5k (280-425mV), most pick ups a lot lower or a lot higher than that aren't really my style. It's obvious pick ups like the Screamin' Demon, Paf Pro, Air Norton, Custom, JB, Humbucker from Hell, Distortion (maybe), Fred, Pearly Gates and many more are the type I prefer.

 

[kickin AXE]

Re: weapon of choice? hot or medium or low output pups?

all i know is the pu has to have a good tone first then i worry about output second,if it is hot and has a crappy tone then it is out the door,and likewise if it has a great tone but does not have the power i need forget it also,so i dont know how to vote on this one :laugh2:

 

[papersoul]

Re: weapon of choice? hot or medium or low output pups?

Medium, defenitely! I don't like hot pick ups like actives because they suck away your natural guitarsound. I can however deal with most ceramic mag-equipped high output pick ups, though most of them just aren't for me. If there's one thing I don't like, it's not having enough output, so low-output is usually not ok in my book. I am suprised how some of you call high output pick ups mediums. My standards:
Low= 1 - 8k (1>250mV)
Medium= 8 - 13k (250 - 350mV)
High= 13 - whatever (375>Whatever mV)

They seem to match up perfectly with the descriptions Duncan and DiMarzio supply with their pick ups, that's how they became my standards in the first place

I like pick ups between 8.5k-16.5k (280-425mV), most pick ups a lot lower or a lot higher than that aren't really my style. It's obvious pick ups like the Screamin' Demon, Paf Pro, Air Norton, Custom, JB, Humbucker from Hell, Distortion (maybe), Fred, Pearly Gates and many more are the type I prefer.

I am a little confused because most consider the Custom series to be medium output.

 

[Neeradj]

Re: weapon of choice? hot or medium or low output pups?

If you mean C5 Custom and CC by Custom series you couldn't be right, if you were aiming at the Custom itself I don't think you're right either. The Custom is defenitely a high output pick up, I believe it was also advertised to be (I could be mistaken). I don't think I've ever heard a full sized humbucker loaded with ceramic magnets be any less than high output, but tonally I also think it's got plenty!

 

[Dirtyking]

Re: weapon of choice? hot or medium or low output pups?

I like 'em in the middle. I got a gain monster of an amp so medium output pups hit the spot.

 

[570ex]

Re: weapon of choice? hot or medium or low output pups?

"There is no such thing as too much gain. Only players that can´t control it"

Hot is good, hotter is better





Zerburus saw you say that a few days ago, already used it twice myself to my mates,
possibly the best quote ive seen on this board!

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: weapon of choice? hot or medium or low output pups?

I like traditional output from my pickups, PAF class for buckers, and standard single sound from my strats and teles.

 

[Neeradj]

Re: weapon of choice? hot or medium or low output pups?

"There is no such thing as too much gain. Only players that can´t control it"

Hot is good, hotter is better





Zerburus saw you say that a few days ago, already used it twice myself to my mates,
possibly the best quote ive seen on this board!

Although I often agree with Zerb, and he was the first to welcome me on the board I just can't seem to totally agree with this quote. Yes it does mostly depend on what you're playing and kinda sound you want, but I believe too much gain will cover up your playing, while your technique might not be that good. Marty Friedman once said gain should be compensated with volume as much as possible. This is because your notes will be more defined and articulate, and you'll be able to learn from your flaws. Kinda like the respect a player gets when playing clean. If you're able to handle an ocean of notes, piled together by the massive turned up distortion, at high speed I'd be very interested to hear that. Some players don't let it get that far, but then again I don't believe they use all the gain they can get. You can do Speed Metal like Megadeth or Children of Bodom and have your notes defined, or you can play them like Nu-Metal bands who don't even hear most of the notes they're playing because of the gain.

Just sharin' my thoughts here

 

[Mattt]

Re: weapon of choice? hot or medium or low output pups?

Hot.... nothing else can do the distorsion tones quite as well.

 

[Mac-P]

Re: weapon of choice? hot or medium or low output pups?

It depends on the guitar and what the guitar is in need of.....

I can't make a blanket statement like that.....

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: weapon of choice? hot or medium or low output pups?

PAF style all the way....juice it up with an amp. Low output pups articulate the way I like them.

 

[Lee_M.]

Re: weapon of choice? hot or medium or low output pups?

PAF style all the way....juice it up with an amp. Low output pups articulate the way I like them.

I agree. After going through a short phase with a 500T, I've decided that low output is the way to go.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: weapon of choice? hot or medium or low output pups?

Although I often agree with Zerb, and he was the first to welcome me on the board I just can't seem to totally agree with this quote. Yes it does mostly depend on what you're playing and kinda sound you want, but I believe too much gain will cover up your playing, while your technique might not be that good. Marty Friedman once said gain should be compensated with volume as much as possible. This is because your notes will be more defined and articulate, and you'll be able to learn from your flaws. Kinda like the respect a player gets when playing clean. If you're able to handle an ocean of notes, piled together by the massive turned up distortion, at high speed I'd be very interested to hear that. Some players don't let it get that far, but then again I don't believe they use all the gain they can get. You can do Speed Metal like Megadeth or Children of Bodom and have your notes defined, or you can play them like Nu-Metal bands who don't even hear most of the notes they're playing because of the gain.

Just sharin' my thoughts here

Hey, different strokes for different folks. It´s all good, just a matter of preference.

I prefer my "gain level" to be such that my Charvel starts feeding back after about 3 seconds unmuted without touching anything. That way, with the mids boosted, she just tears eyerything apart that decides to stand in her way. Me included :headbang:

 

[jeremy]

Re: weapon of choice? hot or medium or low output pups?

overall i like lower output pups, antiquitys pearlys and such but i also have a 17k ccc flame thrower when the gig calls for it.

the duncan pup booster works just like it says. it boosts the output of your pup without changing the tone with the res switch off, with it on it fattens up the sound. very cool little unit

 

[rhmcfarland]

Re: weapon of choice? hot or medium or low output pups?

Low output w/ a big, meaty amp.

Antiquity
Soldano SLO-100
Bogner Metro.

 

[Metalblaze]

Re: weapon of choice? hot or medium or low output pups?

Hey, different strokes for different folks. It´s all good, just a matter of preference.

I prefer my "gain level" to be such that my Charvel starts feeding back after about 3 seconds unmuted without touching anything. That way, with the mids boosted, she just tears eyerything apart that decides to stand in her way. Me included :headbang:

I completely agree.

 

[sgstrat]

Re: weapon of choice? hot or medium or low output pups?

Definitely low output, PAF style pickups for me. I have Antiquities in my SG and 59n/JBb in my Hamer Studio, although it may someday get a pair of Seths.

 

[RACER X]

Re: weapon of choice? hot or medium or low output pups?

High output, you can allways turn your amps gain down but you cant turn your p/u's output up.

 

[Guitarist]

Re: weapon of choice? hot or medium or low output pups?

Low to Mid output, I'll let my amp do all the "heating".