The Pickups Thread

[Eagle]

Is that basically an SSL-5 that she wound or something different?

Yes a hand wound version.

 

[Nick1964]

For telecasters I think the Fender 62s and 64s are excellent. Strats I really like the original pickups in the PRS Silver Sky. They are absolutely fantastic!

 

[EOengineer]

For telecasters I think the Fender 62s and 64s are excellent. Strats I really like the original pickups in the PRS Silver Sky. They are absolutely fantastic!

I have the fender 64 set in a half dozen telecasters. They work great for me.

 

[RiffDuck]

I've spent a week with the EJ pickups in my Old Man Strat, overall I absolutely love them and they came with some epiphanies/connecting of dots with what EJ's said about what he's aiming for with his tone and how those pickups sound. Obviously, they're not HS-2's with the double coil disconnected, nor are they '54's with the poles pushed down by EJ himself, but he's used them quite a bit. I have an HS-2 I bought years ago for this exact purpose, but after I get more familiar with the EJ bridge pickup I'm going to swap it out and give the HS-2 a shot (disconnected 2nd coil).

I said it in another thread but I've never had this experience of hearing the acoustic sound of the guitar and then the sound coming out of the speakers being so identical before. They're like microphones with 5 different EQ settings with fairly subtle curves until you hit that 2nd position and the mids and bass drop right out.

This was the night I got 'em working, you can kinda get an idea of what I'm talking about when I'm playing clean and changing the pickups-


On the topic of EMG's, I actually sat down today with the intent of noting the differences between the EJ's and the Gilmour EMG's. When shooting out the Dover Drives the other night I found I would have to use the Dovers with either a distorted amp or stacked with another dirt pedal to get what I get out of them with the Gilmour pickups (with both boosters off).

I'll make a little clip. I've wanted to have some kind of comparison with a lower output set of single coils and the EMG's because I definitely feel they're far more misunderstood than acknowledged for what they are. Even I had the wrong idea of them before I actually used them.

Sick tone and sick playing dude!

 

[Val Kill More]

I just installed a FLEOR Invader type humbucker in my 2003 LTD Viper.

Surprised at how great it sounds. Not dark or muddy like I thought it maybe. Really powerful punch with decent mids and relaxed highs that still cut.

 

[la szum]

For less than $100 you can swap a Pickup and change your life.

Or end up back where you started.



Is there a more Lather, Rinse, Repeat Rabbithole than Pickups??

 

[JiveTurkey]

I just installed a FLEOR Invader type humbucker in my 2003 LTD Viper.

Surprised at how great it sounds. Not dark or muddy like I thought it maybe. Really powerful punch with decent mids and relaxed highs that still cut.

View attachment 60364View attachment 60365

LOVE the Viper!

 

[Solarflares]

S - neck
SA - middle
SLV - bridge
3-way switch

 

[RiffDuck]

I just installed a FLEOR Invader type humbucker in my 2003 LTD Viper.

Surprised at how great it sounds. Not dark or muddy like I thought it maybe. Really powerful punch with decent mids and relaxed highs that still cut.

View attachment 60364View attachment 60365

Dude, back in 2003 I almost bought this exact guitar! But the black version, which at the time I simply called the Batman guitar. I ended up going with the EC-400 at the time though, which I still own and is still a great guitar despite having the smallest neck on planet earth.

 

[Orvillain]

I've really been wanting a set of these tiggaz.

 

[Orvillain]

PS: I would've loved to have gone with Bareknuckle and kept my English4Albion.ru credentials.. but ... over twice the price... pffttt....

 

[SillyOctpuss]

View attachment 61276

I've really been wanting a set of these tiggaz.

What are they?

 

[Orvillain]

What are they?

Tom Anderson pickups. It's basically the Billy Howerdel set which I've always been curious about.

 

[EOengineer]

Hoping I’m not abusing the intent of this thread by detailing a pickup swap I’m working through. This is my 2021 Gibson SG Standard with the stock 490r/t set and PCB electronics.

My Gibsons usually go into old Marshalls that are wound up and I roll down for cleanish tones, which had me really hating the modern wiring on that PCB due to the top end loss. My 490s also had problems with microphonics despite allegedly being potted.

No more:

A couple weeks back I snagged a cheap set of Gibson Burstbucker 60s pickups and a 920d SG-V harness with some expiring MF points.

All was going well until I noticed I couldn’t get the clearance I needed for the new 3 way switch. So much for a quick and easy install.

There’s no clearance to get the poker chip on there. Looking at the difference between the factory and replacement switch it’s pretty easy to see what’s going on.

I’ve got an email out to 920d - will see where this goes. Not a great start.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Hoping I’m not abusing the intent of this thread by detailing a pickup swap I’m working through. This is my 2021 Gibson SG Standard with the stock 490r/t set and PCB electronics.

View attachment 61606

My Gibsons usually go into old Marshalls that are wound up and I roll down for cleanish tones, which had me really hating the modern wiring on that PCB due to the top end loss. My 490s also had problems with microphonics despite allegedly being potted.

No more:

View attachment 61607

A couple weeks back I snagged a cheap set of Gibson Burstbucker 60s pickups and a 920d SG-V harness with some expiring MF points.

All was going well until I noticed I couldn’t get the clearance I needed for the new 3 way switch. So much for a quick and easy install.


View attachment 61608

There’s no clearance to get the poker chip on there. Looking at the difference between the factory and replacement switch it’s pretty easy to see what’s going on.

View attachment 61609

I’ve got an email out to 920d - will see where this goes. Not a great start.

The short switchcraft switches do have longer threaded sections than the long switches or the right angled toggles. You can get an extra deep nut for switchcraft, I think that should fix your issue.

Switchcraft® Deep Thread Nut

A deep thread nut to fit the Switchcraft® Toggle Switch The thread on a classic Switchcraft® 3-way toggle switch is 5mm, which is sometimes not long enough to fit through a thicker guitar body. The deep thread nut gives you an extra 3mm. Finish: nickel Imperial thread (15/32 - 32 UNEF - 2A)

sixstringsupplies.co.uk

"The short frame Switchcraft® toggle switch has a longer thread than the long frame version and as such is suited for guitars with thicker tops. This switch is ideal for Epiphone guitars. This model is perfect for cramped spaces - with a longer thread length of 8mm compared to 5mm."

 

[EOengineer]

The short switchcraft switches do have longer threaded sections than the long switches or the right angled toggles. You can get an extra deep nut for switchcraft, I think that should fix your issue.

Switchcraft® Deep Thread Nut

A deep thread nut to fit the Switchcraft® Toggle Switch The thread on a classic Switchcraft® 3-way toggle switch is 5mm, which is sometimes not long enough to fit through a thicker guitar body. The deep thread nut gives you an extra 3mm. Finish: nickel Imperial thread (15/32 - 32 UNEF - 2A)

sixstringsupplies.co.uk

"The short frame Switchcraft® toggle switch has a longer thread than the long frame version and as such is suited for guitars with thicker tops. This switch is ideal for Epiphone guitars. This model is perfect for cramped spaces - with a longer thread length of 8mm compared to 5mm."

I’m leaning towards just migrating the old 3 way over, as much as I hate having to do that it’s a couple minutes of soldering.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

I’m leaning towards just migrating the old 3 way over, as much as I hate having to do that it’s a couple minutes of soldering.

That's what I would do. Be a lot quicker then waiting for a different nut to arrive, I had the same issue you as once which is the only reason I know they do the deep nut.

 

[EOengineer]

That's what I would do. Be a lot quicker then waiting for a different nut to arrive, I had the same issue you as once which is the only reason I know they do the deep nut.

Thanks for the tip - that is something that’s useful to at least be aware of.

 

[EOengineer]

The short switchcraft switches do have longer threaded sections than the long switches or the right angled toggles. You can get an extra deep nut for switchcraft, I think that should fix your issue.

Switchcraft® Deep Thread Nut

A deep thread nut to fit the Switchcraft® Toggle Switch The thread on a classic Switchcraft® 3-way toggle switch is 5mm, which is sometimes not long enough to fit through a thicker guitar body. The deep thread nut gives you an extra 3mm. Finish: nickel Imperial thread (15/32 - 32 UNEF - 2A)

sixstringsupplies.co.uk

"The short frame Switchcraft® toggle switch has a longer thread than the long frame version and as such is suited for guitars with thicker tops. This switch is ideal for Epiphone guitars. This model is perfect for cramped spaces - with a longer thread length of 8mm compared to 5mm."

Following up - so this ultimately was the solution. 920 emailed me back a bit ago saying they usually include a deep nut and offered to send one. I actually tracked one down locally and installed it earlier today.

Excited to get this wrapped up soon.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

Following up - so this ultimately was the solution. 920 emailed me back a bit ago saying they usually include a deep nut and offered to send one. I actually tracked one down locally and installed it earlier today.

Excited to get this wrapped up soon.

That's great you could get one locally. I'd have to order that and wait for a day or two.