Has anyone put a super high gain pickup in neck position?
- Thread starter KirkD777
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Muckman
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Depends on what you're after. You don't see that often because it would tend to be very muddy. The amount string movement towards the neck, as opposed to at the bridge, leads to more bass and output overall. High output pickups already have more output and usually more bass than low output pups, so they tend to sound better in the bridge. Balancing a DD in the neck with the bridge pickup, will require a pretty high output bridge pickup.
KirkD777
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Hmmm. I have some random pickups around. The 80's DD and 4 MIJ pickups I took out of a LP and an SG. They weren't marked in any way so I have a feeling the previous owner took out the valuable ones and left me some generic stuff. I also have some Gretsch Blacktops and a random Frailin Humbucker. All it says is 9K on the back. I was planning on putting it in the bridge position of my Starfire I.
nmiller
Member
I have several guitars with fairly hot pickups in the neck, but only if matched with a similarly hot pickup in the bridge.
The output of a pickup by itself tells you nothing about how the pickup sounds. There are super-hot pickups out there with lots of highs, limited bass, and no muddiness at all - just look at a '30s Rickenbacker horseshoe. The Duncan Distortion isn't exactly bright, but the bass may be controlled enough that it sounds good to you in that position. The question is: what's in the bridge, and how important is balance between the pickups to you?
The output of a pickup by itself tells you nothing about how the pickup sounds. There are super-hot pickups out there with lots of highs, limited bass, and no muddiness at all - just look at a '30s Rickenbacker horseshoe. The Duncan Distortion isn't exactly bright, but the bass may be controlled enough that it sounds good to you in that position. The question is: what's in the bridge, and how important is balance between the pickups to you?
KirkD777
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mavuser
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Muckman
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I thought the X2N were in the 15-16k range. The Custom is kind of a high-medium range pickup, I believe the Distortion is a bit higher like the X2N......a Duncan 59' neck or bridge in the neck position matches well with the Custom wind in the bridge. The 59' bridge in the neck position can get a bit woolly IMO, depends on what you're after really. In my experience, the lower to mid output Duncan humbuckers are more dynamic and brighter than their hot wound humbuckers. I really like the Custom, if I intend to play anything heavier than ZZ Top with a bucker equipped guitar, that is my go to usually......big, loud, thumps, still has some PAFish color and voicing. I usually match it with a 59' neck, the Jazz works well too, I just prefer the 59'
mavuser
Enlightened Member
I believe the measurements i provided were for inductance (henries), not resistance (kohm). I got them from my luthier. 15-16k reisitance is the spec, yes that is correct. they are very high output, especially the neck. certain amps I won't even play the guitar thru
Muckman
Member
That makes sense. I've not played through one, I've read they have great clarity for being high output buckers. I'm sure the blade poles help with that
mavuser
Enlightened Member
mine sound wonderful. huge fat tones, thick sound, but with definition. they don't sound so far off from HB-1's, in that regard. even if the measurements/readings are not similar to an HB-1, that is kinda what my ears hear. one thing about my guitar is that the neck zebra pickup is splittable, but Carlo did not spit it, and there is no evidence of there ever being a push-pull pot or anything that would "tap" the coils. so it is just the full throttle bucker full time. sounds glorious. I know Carlo and Guild had a relationship with DiMarzio. Not sure how he arrived at the X2N Power Plus set for the Chief Star, but it is a winning formula no question.
I also have a 1984 Starfire 4 w factory Guildsby and factory California pickups, which are at least a little higher output than average (but I have not measured them) That guitar sounds holy grail all day, particulalry the neck pickup, or middle/both pickups. bridge pickup is hot, and makes pedals sound incredible. i'd put that Starfire 4 up against basically anything (except maybe the above referenced Carlo w those Dimarzios)
I also have a 1984 Starfire 4 w factory Guildsby and factory California pickups, which are at least a little higher output than average (but I have not measured them) That guitar sounds holy grail all day, particulalry the neck pickup, or middle/both pickups. bridge pickup is hot, and makes pedals sound incredible. i'd put that Starfire 4 up against basically anything (except maybe the above referenced Carlo w those Dimarzios)
chazmo
Super Moderator
mavuser
Enlightened Member
1992
chazmo
Super Moderator
I saw some of Carlo's later guitars and they looked a little, well, sloppy with respect to the details. Yours looks marvelous, mav.
mavuser
Enlightened Member
thanks, Chaz. it is definitely marvelous like u say. again it is a 1992 build, and interestingly enough it seems to incorporate those features that are missing from my 1992 Nightingale... hmm
swiveltung
Member
I have done so a couple of times. Some hollowbody guitars are too woody and sparkley for me, at least in the time period I was trying it. I've found a hot-ish HB in the neck adds some body and grit. I was kinda into that for a while. You can lower it down some and tame it. I think one I tried was a SD Custom Custom. 14.4k ohms
In another I bought a cheap low end Epi LP type off Craig's list ($150). They are noted for hot ceramic HB's and it was actually great with those cheap HB's in a 335 type semi hollow! They worked for raunchy blues but really would have been great at low volume for jazzy stuff.
In another I bought a cheap low end Epi LP type off Craig's list ($150). They are noted for hot ceramic HB's and it was actually great with those cheap HB's in a 335 type semi hollow! They worked for raunchy blues but really would have been great at low volume for jazzy stuff.