The Pickups Thread

[Warmart]

Huh? How are they made? Do you have some deep intel into something I don't.

Are we to doubt Dimarzio now?

I know nothing and I doubt no one. Especially not you and your ears!

But still, nanana, not dark for me, lmao.

 

[Jarick]

I’d be interested in hearing folks’ thoughts on the PRS 58/15 LT. I did some trading and ended up with a recent issue McCarty 594. Ergonomically and fit and finish- wise there’s a lot to like, the pickups took quite a bit of fussing with the volume and tone controls as well as the amp settings to get them where I at least like them, especially the bridge pickup. I like the guitar enough to maybe get a different set of pickups to try in it. I remember reading at some point that the originals paf bridge pickups were about as bright as a tele bridge pickup. If that’s true (never played one) then the 58/15’s do fall in that category.

Anyway I was just curious to see what experience with these pickups others have had.

I haven't used the 58/15 LT but I have a 594 S2 with 58/15 "S" and a CE-24 with 85/15 USA models. I loved the 58/15 S bridge as it was very balanced but the neck pickup was too fat and muddy. The 85/15 has more clarity in the neck but still a touch hot and the bridge is a touch bright. I would guess the 58/15 LT would have a killer clear neck pickup but the bridge would be too bright and the 58/15 regular bridge would be much more to my taste.

I put a pair of Wolfetone PAF's in my 594 with the Dr Vintage neck and Marshallhead bridge...that's probably similar to the 58/15 LT neck and a hotter 58/15 bridge. They sound really good.

Other good options for PAF styles, Thornbuckers are solid although they can be polite...I would like to try the Thornbucker 2 at some point. BKP Mules are awesome all around pickups, a little more attitude than Thornbuckers.

 

[Jynx]

I'm getting Bare Knuckles for my KM7 and I want something very modern, djenty, and chunky like the average American.

What do you recommend?

 

[Jarick]

I haven't used them but I'd love to try the BKP Silo. It has a low wind neck pickup and a hot bridge pickup and Rabea's tones are always super clear and aggressive.

 

[RFGGUY]

Jarick nailed what I would consider a spot on description (to my ears) of the 58/15 LT’s. The neck is warm but super clear and the bridge is almost strident for my tastes. I mostly play thru tweed amp circuits (5e3 usually) which are usually considered to be darker sounding circuits vs blackface type amps. To be fair I bet they would be great in a band mix, no problem with cut for sure.

 

[Orvillain]

The secret RAT setting in front of an already cooking amp.

View attachment 36521

Really really weird looking tubescreamer.

 

[Orvillain]

So I used to use Bareknuckle Pickups pretty religiously. I've had Nailbomb's and Rebel Yell's in my Les Paul over the years. But at a certain point, don't remember when, I started disliking the lack of tightness. So I got some Seymour Duncan Distortions, and that was kind of a gamechanger for me. I love that pickup a LOT.

In my newest Orville By Gibson Les Paul, I currently have an Oil City Pickups Blackbird 'Ulfberht' which was overwound a bit to make it hotter. It is cool, but I will probably replace it with another Duncan Distortion at some point.

To me the DD has the perfect palm mute. I've tried the JB before, and didn't like it as much.

I'm also mildly curious about sticking some Rebel Yell's in my Tokai. But Bareknuckle are sooooooooo expensive now. From £376 for a set. That is just fucking ridiculous. I'm sorry, but that is taking the piss prices. When I bought my Rebel Yell's in 2012, they were £240.

The Duncan Distortion set is £222, which is still quite high if you ask me. But a lot easier to swallow.

I'd also like to try some Tom Anderson pickups, purely based on the fact that Billy Howerdel uses them.

 

[Blix]

More informal pickup comparison, the Monty's PAF returns against a DiMarzio HS-3, into a Cameron CCV model.

 

[Jarick]

I really enjoyed the BKP Mule set I tried and I love looking at their website, but the prices in the US are so high that it doesn't make sense.

I went over to Suhr pickups as I found them to be a nice "premium" pickup with good basic options (like the humbuckers have short legs with 4 conductor wires, or Strat pickups have versatile staggers). Suhr prices are going up a fair amount too unfortunately... a pair of Thornbuckers went from under a little over $200 on up to now where it's over $350.

I wonder if we'll see a renaissance or shift back to Duncan and Dimarzio. You can get new humbuckers in the $100-120 range still.

 

[Orvillain]

I really enjoyed the BKP Mule set I tried and I love looking at their website, but the prices in the US are so high that it doesn't make sense.

I went over to Suhr pickups as I found them to be a nice "premium" pickup with good basic options (like the humbuckers have short legs with 4 conductor wires, or Strat pickups have versatile staggers). Suhr prices are going up a fair amount too unfortunately... a pair of Thornbuckers went from under a little over $200 on up to now where it's over $350.

I wonder if we'll see a renaissance or shift back to Duncan and Dimarzio. You can get new humbuckers in the $100-120 range still.

Suhr aren't too bad here in the UK I don't think?

Upgrades and Parts > Guitar Pickups > Humbucker

www.peachguitars.com

But I have no idea what one I would go for to be honest with you!!

 

[Eagle]

Never liked Suhr pickups much, they all have a hifi top end that is not to my taste. I’m not saying they are bad , I have a couple of guitars with them and I’m not looking to replace them. I know the digital heads have a problem with this but the finer nuances don’t translate through any of the digital platforms as much making pickup swaps less important if your core tone is solid. Those artefacts in a pickup that can’t seem to get away from can usually be dialled out on digital or even just missing.