Re: Worst pups you ever used
this is an old thread but i think it fits.
My bandmade and Girlfriend don't care, but for years i wasted my time playing a Gibson AY (Angus Young Signature) pickup.
I sold it a half year ago when i compared it to a SD pearly Gates.
First off i tend to like a scooped sound. my ears are very sensitive to mids (or unsensitive to bass and treble?) and it starts to sound honky/nasal/congested/narrowbanded very quickly if there are to much mids/too lil bass and treble in the signal.
The SD SH-12 Screamin demon, SH-1 59 are marketed as scooped and i like them. I was able to tame the boomy bass of the 59 in some occasions.
So there is mid scooped Pickups and there is no ****ing mids at all!:
Welcome to the Gibson Angus Young Signature Pickup. This thing is too bright and muddy at the same time. It's a paradox and drove me crazy.
I always blamed the amp, which didn't help too much either, but now i know the Pickup is definitely to blame the most.
This thing is just ear piercing highs and boomy bass and almost nothing in between.
Way too boomy to get an accurate AC/DC like crunch.
To a degree i like that characteristic but too much is too much.
I think i never played with it (had it in 2 different guitars) without fiddling with the amp controls the whole time.
It was about 9.4 k DCR and had a short A5 Magnet if someone is interested.
The pricetag was ridiculous and i am the idiot who fell for it. Back than i was young and stupid. BUt this thing was an aftermarket pickup so you suppose it should improve something execept for the lighter wallet.
The SD Pearly gates does a better job in every way (It's bright with not too much bass so it can crunch and enough mids to make it full and not ear piercing).
In the mean time i stumbled over a used custom shop high voltage set.
Oops i did it again!!!
NO, i am kidding this thing does an even better job at it (well it supposed to, but so was the AY bucker), and in this case it's not just another marketing gimmick.
I was afraid to fall in the same trap again, but those things actually deliver the sound you expect

plus the feel of this set might be the best i have ever experienced. never felt that connected with a guitar.
Never knew this was even possible to that degree!
so it's off my chest!
I feel better now!