[PUP GAS] Shall I grab a Tom Anderson H2?

[Piing]

RG550LTD with a Dimarzio Bluesbucker DP163 neck. I love it! P90 flavor without the nasty noise. I also have a 3-position EP1108 switch that provides a lot of versatility. It splits and phaseinverts very well.

Many pickups have been at the bridge position. From Dimarzio Fred to Suhr Aldrich. I recently put another Bluesbucker there, but I do not love it as much as the neck. I still have the Aldrich, which I love. I could put it back, but it was not too good for clean or edge-to-break tones..

Now I have the opportunity to buy a TA H2. They say that it splits very well. I am wondering how good it is at the bridge position on a bassrood RG (I have mentioned before that this is the most beautifylly resonant guitar I've ever had. And I've had expensive Suhrs, Tom Andersons, Charvels, J-Customs, Prestiges, JEMs, JS2450... I got rid of all them because they were not as amazing as the lucky piece of wood on my RG550LTD or because they had a damned dead note)

The almighty RG550LTD flanked by a J-Custom and a Fender Highway with a Warmoth scalloped neck:

 

[the-trooper]

No.

 

[Piing]

No.

 

[the-trooper]

You don't need it.

 

[Piing]

You don't need it.

But the Bluesbucker bridge doesn't give me as much love as the Bluesbucker neck

Now I remember that I still have the Tone Zone that I removed from that J-Custom (replaced with a Satchur8). Maybe I shall try it there.

 

[HomespunEffects]

Now I remember that I still have the Tone Zone that I removed from that J-Custom (replaced with a Satchur8).

You replaced it for a reason though.

 

[Piing]

You replaced it for a reason though.

I wanted smooth and prominent mids, and the Satchu8 gave me that. I found the Tone Zone quite raw, and overloaded with low frequencies.
That J-Custom has a mahogany body, though. I don't know if that is relevant

 

[HomespunEffects]

… I found the Tone Zone quite raw, and overloaded with low frequencies.
…

That’s the issue with that pickup. Woofy lows and smeared (low clarity).

The best thing i can say about The Tone Zone is that they sell quickly on reverb.

By all means, try it since you already have it. I just have a feeling you’ll be replacing it again.

 

[FuzzyAce]

Did the Fred have too much mid, not enough low end for you? I like the Fred in certain guitars but I could see where it may not be the best for others. Maybe something a bit more balanced overall like a Super Distortion or AT-1, although the AT has a bit more thickness in the bottom?
Steve's Special is another awesome all-around pick imo. Does clean and edge of breakup sounds very well, and as a bonus sounds killer in parallel mode (kinda tele-esque). It's a bit more of scooped pickup so can't say for sure how it'll blend with the Bluesbreaker you have?

 

[Piing]

Did the Fred have too much mid, not enough low end for you? I like the Fred in certain guitars but I could see where it may not be the best for others. Maybe something a bit more balanced overall like a Super Distortion or AT-1, although the AT has a bit more thickness in the bottom?
Steve's Special is another awesome all-around pick imo. Does clean and edge of breakup sounds very well, and as a bonus sounds killer in parallel mode (kinda tele-esque). It's a bit more of scooped pickup so can't say for sure how it'll blend with the Bluesbreaker you have?

Ah, the Fred! It is a very long distant memory. I remember that I enjoyed it very much when I had it, but that was mid 90's (I have the RG550LTD since 1994). I don't know why I replaced it, and I swapped pickups several times since then.

I will try the Tone Zone on this guitar, to see how it goes.

 

[FuzzyAce]

Ah, the Fred! It is a very long distant memory. I remember that I enjoyed it very much when I had it, but that was mid 90's (I have the RG550LTD since 1994). I don't know why I replaced it, and I swapped pickups several times since then.

I took a long break from it too, used one in the 90's a lot. More recently I reacquainted myself with it. Asked "why did i stop using this?"
Still love it!

 

[Piing]

I took a long break from it too, used one in the 90's a lot. More recently I reacquainted myself with it. Asked "why did i stop using this?"
Still love it!

Yes. Maybe I should get one again. I probably changed it just for the sake of trying something different. During the Fred ages I was using a Marshall JMP-1 with the Boss GX-700 ("FRFR"). I really liked my tone!! Later I updated to other modelers and preamps (GT-Pro, Triaxis, Egnater M4, Axe-FX Standard, Ultra...) and that was when I started swapping pickups like mad.

 

[FuzzyAce]

Yes. Maybe I should get one again. I probably changed it just for the sake of trying something different. During the Fred ages I was using a Marshall JMP-1 with the Boss GX-700 (""FRFR""). I really liked my tone!! Later I updated to other modelers and preamps (GT-Pro, Triaxis, Egnater M4, Axe-FX Standard, Ultra...) and that was when I started swapping pickups like mad.

Well it makes sense to try the TZ first since you already have one, and it could end up being just right? I've never tried one and seems like folks either love em or hate em, maybe one day I'll give it a whirl though.

 

[HomespunEffects]

…seems like folks either love em or hate em …

Put me down in the hate column.

 

[Warmart]

Well it makes sense to try the TZ first since you already have one, and it could end up being just right? I've never tried one and seems like folks either love em or hate em, maybe one day I'll give it a whirl though.

Works pretty good in the bridge of my Ibanez S .

 

[HomespunEffects]

Works pretty good in the bridge of my Ibanez S

Challenge: try a Nailbomb or Whole Lotta Humbucker in its place.

WLH is Duncan’s best, IMO.

 

[Piing]

No.

You were totally right. I needed to change the amp, not the pickup

I've dialed a preset with the Carol Ann Tucana on the Axe-FX, and the Ibanez Bluesbucker Bridge rocks!!! I was stuck with the JS410 (JVM410HJS), but it was not responding as I expected to this pup.

Now I see why Cliff said that the Tucana is one of the best amplifiers in the world. It sings!

 

[the-trooper]

You were totally right.

I know.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Fwiw, I just wanted to say that I bought a Bluesbucker based on this thread. Slapped it into the bridge position of my Anderson semihollow thingy. And so far it seems to be just what the doctor ordered, exactly the right mix between "still able to play a decent standard rock riff" and twang. Doesn't sound like a traditional humbucker, but that's precisely why I wanted it because in that particular guitar, pretty much all real humbuckers sounded less than ideal. The twang of the Bluesbucker however seems to mate extremely well with the precussive, kinda "gnarly" character of the guitar.
Love it so much that I'll order 1-2 more. One as an Epiphone LP neck pickup, and perhaps as a neck pickup for the Anderson, too (has a pretty decent Duncan Mini HB in it right now, but I could actually do with a little more "snap" in that position).

Anyway, just wanted to say "thanks" for the heads up regarding the Bluesbuckers, which completely escaped my radar before, didn't even know they existed.

 

[cragginshred]

The H2+ is a very good pup. I have one in my Lil Angel -guitar on the right in my avatar