Which guitar companies supply pickups that are well-matched to the guitar?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Little Pigbacon
  • Start date Start date

Which guitar companies supply pickups that are well-matched to the guitar?

  • Fender

    Votes: 7 25.9%

  • Gibson

    Votes: 4 14.8%

  • PRS

    Votes: 9 33.3%

  • Jackson

    Votes: 6 22.2%

  • Ibanez

    Votes: 4 14.8%

  • EVH

    Votes: 6 22.2%

  • Epiphone

    Votes: 2 7.4%

  • Squier

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • LTD

    Votes: 6 22.2%

  • Schecter

    Votes: 6 22.2%
  • Total voters
    27
L

Little Pigbacon

Guest
So guitar manufacturers have this odd habit if throwing pickups in before sending them out the door. Single-coils, humbuckers, active, passive, in-house, brand-name, no-name — it’s a zoo.

Which guitar brands do you tend to associate with well-chosen factory pickups that make sense with the instrument? The poll is multiple-choice; sorry I could pick only ten.
 
Re: Which guitar companies supply pickups that are well-matched to the guitar?

So many brands for years/still-do use EMGs as a sort-of de facto "pro-level" stamp.
Now I'm a big EMG fan, but IMO most of these models (maple/alder/basswood) aren't really what I'd want EMGs in. (talking 81/85/60)
Enter the Hellraisers,,,,,,,,,perfect with/for the standard EMG sets.
 
Re: Which guitar companies supply pickups that are well-matched to the guitar?

Some manufacturer pickup choices are to mask inconsistencies in the builds.
 
Re: Which guitar companies supply pickups that are well-matched to the guitar?

PRS tend to supply better-matched sets than most IMO. With Fender, they might not be perfect but you know what to expect. Nearly all of my Gibsons have had theirs replaced, except for a couple of Shaws. Most of my Fenders have aftermarket pickups too.

I can't think of any major guitar company whose pickups are ALL well chosen.

Smaller, more boutique builders tend to be better with that- Suhr comes to mind immediately. I like the RioGrandes that came stock in my McNaughts, though I acknowledge that Rios aren't a good fit for everybody. Tyler puts great pickups in their guitars. But at boutique prices, they had better.
 
Re: Which guitar companies supply pickups that are well-matched to the guitar?

Hamer and Heritage always did a great job, IMHO. Fender too..... although I tend to replace everything anyhow.
 
Re: Which guitar companies supply pickups that are well-matched to the guitar?

I picked Ibanez because it's the one on the list with which I have the most experience, but with the clarification that we need to be talking about their mid-and-upper level guitars. Pickups like the Super 58s and Super 70s are great. ACH not so much, and V7/V8 are horrible...

...BUT, even the bad ones seem to be well matched to one another.
 
Re: Which guitar companies supply pickups that are well-matched to the guitar?

I picked Godin, I find the pickups they use match their guitars well.
 
Re: Which guitar companies supply pickups that are well-matched to the guitar?

The question and poll cannot be answered. WE don't know what factors led the companies to make their choices. Also, the phrasing of the original question is so broad and poorly defined that WE cannot answer satisfactorily (other than personal opinion - which DOES NOT MATTER IN THIS CASE). In fact, it would be pointless to even try to answer the question or vote in the poll.
 
Re: Which guitar companies supply pickups that are well-matched to the guitar?

This question assumes that the guitar in question will only ever be used for the type of music the manufacturer has pre-determined.
 
Re: Which guitar companies supply pickups that are well-matched to the guitar?

Music Man!

Whenever I pick up one of their current guitars, I don't think I'd feel compelled to change the stock pickups at all if i bought it. Particularly the ALHH, Axis (which have the same pickups), Luke, Morse, and Petrucci models.

G&L also has solid stock offerings.
 
Re: Which guitar companies supply pickups that are well-matched to the guitar?

The thing is, people get used to stock guitars sounding like stock guitars, so that becomes how they're "supposed" to sound.

It's a good deal easier to list the worst matched, and I'd give the award to Epiphone for the "HOTCH" in the Les Paul, with dishonorable mention to the Lee Malia Artisan Les Paul, with a Gibson P-94 neck and an equally disgusting humbucker in the bridge. With the new Probucker line however, I've been less inclined to swap pickups out. I hear enough bad things about Gibson's stock pickups that I'd think they deserve to be high on this list, but not liking to be ripped off I haven't bought any Gibson guitars, so I can't say, but I would say the fact that the aftermarket humbucker industry compares with the economy of a small nation speaks for itself.
 
Re: Which guitar companies supply pickups that are well-matched to the guitar?

ICTGoober said:
The question and poll cannot be answered. WE don't know what factors led the companies to make their choices. Also, the phrasing of the original question is so broad and poorly defined that WE cannot answer satisfactorily (other than personal opinion - which DOES NOT MATTER IN THIS CASE). In fact, it would be pointless to even try to answer the question or vote in the poll.
Click to expand...

I’m specifically asking for player perception.
 
Re: Which guitar companies supply pickups that are well-matched to the guitar?

I'd say Gretsch and PRS are the only companies I've never felt the need to replace the stock pickups. The only time I ever have was for a PRS SE, and that's because I wanted to try a P90 neck and PAF bridge combo.
 
Re: Which guitar companies supply pickups that are well-matched to the guitar?

AlexR said:
This question assumes that the guitar in question will only ever be used for the type of music the manufacturer has pre-determined.
Click to expand...

Actually, it doesn’t. It assumes the buyer’s intended use is the touchstone by which the pickups — and their appropriateness for the instrument — will be judged.
 
Re: Which guitar companies supply pickups that are well-matched to the guitar?

Fender.
Short list of options and every one a winner for a players desired tone
Eric Johnson Signature Stratocaster® Pickups. ...
Fender Texas Special™ Strat® Pickups. ...
Custom Shop Custom '69 Strat® Pickups. ...
Custom Shop Custom '54 Stratocaster Pickups. ...
Fender Custom Shop Texas Special™ Tele® Pickups. ...
Fender Custom Shop '51 Nocaster Tele® Pickups. ...
Fender Custom Shop Twisted Tele® Pickups.
 
Re: Which guitar companies supply pickups that are well-matched to the guitar?

I do love Texas Specials. I moved mine from a Deluxe Roadhouse Strat to a Modern Player Strat, simply because I had other pickups I wanted to put in the Roadhouse. I think they’re great in either guitar.

Another good one on Fender’s part: Texas Specials and a Pearly Gates Plus in my old USA Lone Star Strat. Freaking versatile, freaking awesome, freaking wouldn’t change a thing.
 
Re: Which guitar companies supply pickups that are well-matched to the guitar?

Little Pigbacon said:
Actually, it doesn’t. It assumes the buyer’s intended use is the touchstone by which the pickups — and their appropriateness for the instrument — will be judged.
Click to expand...

On the contrary........when you buy an instrument you don't necessarily buy the type of shape or style cliche'd to that music style. Personal choice based on what you like to look at or grew up lusting over is a factor over and above playing style. A superstrat is not necessarily only for shredders.....metal players buy more than just pointy guitars, Les Pauls can play more than Jazz....etc, etc
Plus budget constraints make for few choices sometimes. Entry level has to cover every genre.

So my comment stands.
 
Re: Which guitar companies supply pickups that are well-matched to the guitar?

It sounds like you’re agreeing with me.

It’s cool either way.
 
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