What's the thing with "vintage" pickups?

[Inkstained]

Re: What's the thing with "vintage" pickups?

Guitar players like old things, as the adage goes: Econoline vans, jeans, and strippers.

 

[metalmachine]

Re: What's the thing with "vintage" pickups?

Also a paf can be great at pretty much anything besides the brutals. They can do that to its just not ideal

 

[Emile Dalkey]

Re: What's the thing with "vintage" pickups?

The reason that the vintage designs persevere is those modern amps and effects you speak of were all calibrated to work with vintage guitars. If you were to stray TOO far from the old designs, you end up with a signal that is too radically different, and you end up needing a completely rethought EQ circuit. The designs out there SOUND very different from each other because our ears are mightlilly sensitive organs when all is said and done, but they really kick out a fairly specific group of frequncies. Is there variation, of course, but if you were to radically expand your frequncy range, your amp would have a nervous breakdown.

 

[Gypsyblue]

Re: What's the thing with "vintage" pickups?

Why use vintage pickups? Because they sound like this:

 

[cokekolev]

Re: What's the thing with "vintage" pickups?

Why use vintage pickups? Because they sound like this:

My point exactly: sounds old-fashioned and outdated

 

[Gypsyblue]

Re: What's the thing with "vintage" pickups?

My point exactly: sounds old-fashioned and outdated

OK. Your loss. Buzz on bro.

 

[AudioWonderland]

Re: What's the thing with "vintage" pickups?

I didn't say I don't like vintage-type pickups. I'm just wondering why the pickup industry isn't focusing toward innovation.

Because the 6 people who want that won't buy enough to pay for the tooling and startup costs

 

[Gypsyblue]

Re: What's the thing with "vintage" pickups?

All those million dollar Stradivarius violins...so dated and overpriced. The modern plastic ones sound just as good. Yeah....sure they do.

You know, some things are just classic and don't need improving. Great vintage guitars (and violins) are like that.

But I have a feeling that the OP is to young and inexperienced to have ever owned a 50's or 60's Gibson or Fender and doesn't know what he's talking about when it comes to this subject.

 

[indie folk guy]

Re: What's the thing with "vintage" pickups?

All those million dollar Stradivarius violins...so dated and overpriced. The modern plastic ones sound just as good. Yeah....sure they do.

You know, some things are just classic and don't need improving. Great vintage guitars (and violins) are like that.

But I have a feeling that the OP is to young and inexperienced to have ever owned a 50's or 60's Gibson or Fender and doesn't know what he's talking about when it comes to this subject.

I think I'd have to agree and no matter what gear he has it's the reason he sucks and not his technique, etc.

There are some things gear can't do make you tasteful, give you passion, spawn creativity, etc.

I mean I hate to say it but with all the innovations I've seen in gear over the last 50 years or more what has honestly improved? Much of what digital gear is trying to do can't touch what it's designed to improve upon ANALOG GEAR.

If it ain't broke DON'T FIX IT!

 

[AlexR]

Re: What's the thing with "vintage" pickups?

My point exactly: sounds old-fashioned and outdated

You've really almost proved the troll charge here.....

But, please provide an example of what you call 'modern and improved' tone wise.....something you call 'better' so we can see examples of what direction music gear should be going (in your opinion) design-wise.

 

[LtKojak]

Re: What's the thing with "vintage" pickups?

My point exactly: sounds old-fashioned and outdated

If you think that excellent video with great playing by Gary Moore sounds "old fashioned" and "outdated", then there's nothing to discuss. You're living in a different universe, so we can't find anything in common to be able to discuss.

[/thread]

 

[cokekolev]

Re: What's the thing with "vintage" pickups?

You've really almost proved the troll charge here.....

But, please provide an example of what you call 'modern and improved' tone wise.....something you call 'better' so we can see examples of what direction music gear should be going (in your opinion) design-wise.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhrKsFoV9Ac

Based in the 80's, but sounds timeless by any standard

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: What's the thing with "vintage" pickups?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhrKsFoV9Ac

Based in the 80's, but sounds timeless by any standard

No.. by your standard. By modern metal standards its pretty outdated.

Not sure why you guys cant realize that different people like different tones.

This place and the world at large would be really freaking boring if we all liked the same things.

Not sure at all why people have to hate on things they dont like though. Even worse is those that act like cause they like it it is somehow magically superior.

 

[AlexR]

Re: What's the thing with "vintage" pickups?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhrKsFoV9Ac

Based in the 80's, but sounds timeless by any standard

Thats not really pushing any boundaries there......mostly done on 'old fashioned' pickups too. Adrian Smith often uses a Les Paul deluxe ffs. Even lower than PAF strength.

 

[freefrog]

Re: What's the thing with "vintage" pickups?

Why use vintage pickups? Because they sound like this:

Listen from 5:38 to 5:47. This bit alone explains why seasoned players crave for "vintage" pickups.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhrKsFoV9Ac

Based in the 80's, but sounds timeless by any standard

We always tend to qualify as "natural" what we like but to my ears, this tone is clearly dated (I've not said "outdated").


Regarding the general reasons why players admire vintage PU's:

-culturally: there's the old myth of the "golden age" (= It was better before)... "Newer is better" is another myth, based on a belief in progress equally discussible.

-ethnologically: we, human beings, are gregarious. If a guitar hero uses a pickup, we tend to want the same pickup.

-technically: the metallic materials, insulation, magnets etc. used before the 70's weren't the same. they don't react to magnetism in the same way. This gives a distinctive tone that we recognize more and more while our tonal sensitivity matures.

-tonally: see my first answer above.

My 2 cents. No time to develop more: am too busy.

Signed: someone who uses vintage as well as modern speced pickups. Music is the goal to achieve whatever are the tools used, and not a pretext to develop controversies, IMHO.

 

[cokekolev]

Re: What's the thing with "vintage" pickups?

Listen from 5:38 to 5:47. This bit alone explains why seasoned players crave for "vintage" pickups.

Ok, I admit it, I like this sound

 

[Jessie's ghost]

Marketing hooey, plain and simple. Most people who buy them have never played the real thing. Vintage doesn't = better, but sheeple and marketing have created that impression.

I agree that "vintage", as a marketing buzzword, is overused on a pandemic scale on par with the abuse we've seen of the word "custom". But that doesn't negate the validity of offering or buying a product that sincerely tries to give you the benefits of an old design. As others have said, most of us have heard countless songs recorded with old guitars, pickups, and amps, and there's nothing wrong with wanting to get some of those sounds when we play.

And as for guitarists creative enough to be writing new, original music -- don't worry about them. They'll do just fine whether you give them a Parker or an Esquire.

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: What's the thing with "vintage" pickups?

I mean, we've moved on. The PAF was invented 57 years ago. Those pickups were made in a time when people didn't know much about sound. Now we have much better amps, tons of effect pedals, an enormous choice of speakers and cabinets, very user-friendly recording software etc.
Why are 9 out of 10 pickup makers just trying to copy a 60 year-old design that wasn't made with the current gear in mind?
Who says vintage is better?
Personally I prefer a brand new car to, let's say a Ford made in 1908.
Why not make pickups that are suited for today's needs?

I can only talk for myself :

. . . those vintage designs just sound better for the music i make.

Pick ups like the A2P, Pearly Gates, all of the TV Jones line, and, and, and, just sounds natural with my gear.

So, what are people "needing" in modern pick ups for todays music ? ...what is missing ?


................................ o0o ................................


Saying that, there are some new designs that i really want to try :

http://www.lacemusic.com/heshers.php - Matt Pike sig units

http://www.lacemusic.com/Alumitone_Stonewash.php





PS : i would rather cruise around in a '49 Merc, or '57 Chevy or in this here 1939 Studebaker Coupe :

 

[SirJackdeFuzz]

Re: What's the thing with "vintage" pickups?

This is why i like/prefer vintage gear :

Gear most likely used : late 50's Les Paul, into a Marshall Super Lead & Soldano SLO.

 

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: What's the thing with "vintage" pickups?

I mean, we've moved on. The PAF was invented 57 years ago. Those pickups were made in a time when people didn't know much about sound. Now we have much better amps, tons of effect pedals, an enormous choice of speakers and cabinets, very user-friendly recording software etc.
Why are 9 out of 10 pickup makers just trying to copy a 60 year-old design that wasn't made with the current gear in mind?
Who says vintage is better? Personally I prefer a brand new car to, let's say a Ford made in 1908. Why not make pickups that are suited for today's needs?

I think it is because a lot of old classic sounds were done on old pickups. Had Seth Lover made an EMG we would all be chasing that sound.