What's the WORST pickup you've ever tried?

[Simon_F]

Re: What's the WORST pickup you've ever tried?

I tried a DiMarzio HS-3 in my Strat once. It had the most dull, flat uninspiring tone I've ever heard from that guitar.

The FS-1 on the other hand works pretty well.

Which is not to say I won't be trying out some Antiquity Texas Hots some time.

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: What's the WORST pickup you've ever tried?

Whatever's stock in MIM Strats. Puke!

I second that comment. Not only do they sound like crap but if you take a look under the pickguard you can see the horrible craftsmanship. The stock pickups in MIMs are garbage.

 

[RG 2570]

Re: What's the WORST pickup you've ever tried?

I think the Ibanez Powersounds are thee worst! Bar none.

this is absolute truth!

 

[theboatcandream]

Re: What's the WORST pickup you've ever tried?

The worst "good" pickup I've ever tried has been the '59, just hated the lack of mids, the overly prominant and crisp highs and the super-powerful/obnoxious bass. The worst pickup in general was the stock neck pickup in my Samick sg, just muddy muddy crap.

Crisp highs, scooped mids, and superpowerful bass? I'm sold! :-D


Edit: I guess this is why some people love a 59b with an A2 mag?

 

[Vincent]

Re: What's the WORST pickup you've ever tried?

Stock Ibanez pickups.

Basically anything in a floyd-rose guitar that wasn't designed for a floyd-equipped guitar sounds pretty bad. '59 trembucker in the bridge of my Kramer sucked. Too thin, and surprisingly, very dark.

 

[korovamilkdud]

Re: What's the WORST pickup you've ever tried?

Powersounds I guess, but I think stock Epi's can be even worse.

 

[TheBozz]

Re: What's the WORST pickup you've ever tried?

Somebody thought 'bout making a poll out of this? I would but I'm lacking knowledge yet...

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: What's the WORST pickup you've ever tried?

EMG's. Flat-out, no competittion.

I installed EMGs into my fave guitar...were talking my straight-up #1.

Six months later that guitar started about a 9 year run in its case. About once a year I would take it out, play it for a bit, plug it in and within ten minutes put it back in the case. Those little black pickups sucked all the soul and tone out of the instrument. Instead of sounding like a Tele the EMGs sounded like what an approxomation of a Tele should sound like with EQ adjustments for what would typically be the cheapest Tele body you could find. I kept on thinking that it just must be the sound of the actual guitar because, well, EMGs were great pickups.....right?

A few months ago I gutted the electronics...stem to stern. Probably the most cathartic thing I've done in a long while. Just ripped them out entirely and started from ground zero with a Duncan 59' and Vintage stack with 500k push/pull pots.

Boom....my #1 is back again. I wasted 9 years of a guitars life to pickups I was told were fantastic rather than believing what my ears were telling me.

I traded the EMGs for fifty bucks and another 59' for the Tele. I like the set up so much that unloading them was the first step to building another Tele as a backup to my #1.

EMGs.....what a waste.

 

[mrfjones]

Re: What's the WORST pickup you've ever tried?

the "best" pickup i have tried and hated was a jb jr. it just didn't do anything for me and was a bit icy in its tone.

Dimazio paf pro was just like the jb jr. in the fact that it was uninspiring and icy.

to cap it off the pickups that came in my latest 50's reissue tele were absolute crap, especially compared to the texas specials that somehow made their way into my new 50's reissue tele. but lets just say the tele that came with texas specials now has antiquites in it.

 

[theodie]

Re: What's the WORST pickup you've ever tried?

the "best" pickup i have tried and hated was a jb jr. it just didn't do anything for me and was a bit icy in its tone.

Dimazio paf pro was just like the jb jr. in the fact that it was uninspiring and icy.

to cap it off the pickups that came in my latest 50's reissue tele were absolute crap, especially compared to the texas specials that somehow made their way into my new 50's reissue tele. but lets just say the tele that came with texas specials now has antiquites in it.

+1 for the jb jr and the EMGs

 

[Dills]

Re: What's the WORST pickup you've ever tried?

The worst aftermarket pickup ive ever tried is a Screamin Demon, no offense to duncans but only this one. It had no mids, lots of treble and not much bass. The trebles just took over everyting and no matter what you played, the bridge spot would just sound like a tin can with cats scratching it and mosquitoes buzzing around. Everything sounded shrill and with solos It was the thinnest and sharpest sound ive heard. It hurt my ears. I brought it second hand so that might be why. And putting it in that sg was the worst thing to do since it was already bright in that position.

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: What's the WORST pickup you've ever tried?

Fender Texas Specials=Screachy cold crap
Duncan Pearly Gates=Like a PAF with laryngitis
Duncan Hot Rails=Nirvana anyone?
Duncan Screamin Demon=Nutless
Kent Armstrong Mega Distortion=Mega Mud
Gibson Dirty Fingers=Dark and consipated
Carvin Pickups=Seem ok until you try something else
Too many stock nighmares

 

[texasguitarslinger]

Re: What's the WORST pickup you've ever tried?

Anything labeled Esteban... Runaway!!!!

I know he only does acoustics (I'm using that term loosely) but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to bust on him again.

 

[Oldslowhand]

Re: What's the WORST pickup you've ever tried?

Stock Epiphones Bin'd them the noise they made when they hit the bottom was the best they ever did!!!!

 

[shred-dog]

Re: What's the WORST pickup you've ever tried?

stock ibanez and the ones that came in my old charvel no biggie i put a JB in and it BAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[ledzepp29]

Re: What's the WORST pickup you've ever tried?

I'll second the bash on the PG, the bridge that is...the neck is sweet

 

[Usurper666]

Re: What's the WORST pickup you've ever tried?

For me it's the Jackson J90C that came stock with my Model 2, terrible pickup, no guts at all and it was the highest output pickup they made, yuch!

Cheers,

CJ

 

[psy]

Re: What's the WORST pickup you've ever tried?

stock PUs of my samick viper. thought about giving away this axe. after replacment by SD it became my most versatile guitar. Ever played count basie with a skull?

 

[GuitarGuy503]

Re: What's the WORST pickup you've ever tried?

Anything labeled Esteban... Runaway!!!!

I know he only does acoustics (I'm using that term loosely) but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to bust on him again.

Saw one of his guitar commercials the other night. I wanna smash one of his piece of **** guitars over his head. The little amp that comes with his guitar is ****in pathetic and worthless too lol :smack: :laugh2:

 

[Mac-P]

Re: What's the WORST pickup you've ever tried?

EMG's. I can't stand that "pristine" oh so "perfect", artificial sound.

Reminds me of the inside of a sterilized hospital room.

Pair that up with a Roland Jazz Chorus and you've got something........ :rocket: