Pickup recommendation needed...

[axslinger]

Once again, I'm on a quest for tone. It's an endless loop that never seems to end.

Long story short; got new amp. Amp voiced brightly. Need darker pickup.

Short story long...

My geetar is an 07' Standard USA chambered. I have a Pearly Gates in the bridge position. 50's wiring with ,022 orange drop caps. The amp is my new THD Flexi-50. It's a great amp, flexible as hell, over-built, yada, yada, yada, but it's voiced really bright. I can turn the treble all the way down and roll the tone back on my guitar but then that leaves me with a neck pickup that's choked off.

I'm looking for a darker, not muddy, bridge pickup with vintage to medium output. I've looked at the response of the Tone Zone and the DiMarzio 36th anniversary PAF and they seem to be possible solutions.

It's just amazing how you have to find the right pickup in the right guitar and the right amp. I love the hell out of this THD, I'd just like to get my pickups matched a little better.

Oh, my neck pickup is one of Larry Corsa's "Manilishi" pickups. I like the sound of it...it's really a nice PAF. You may ask why I don't put one in the bridge position...well, they are two-wire pickups and I want a 4-wire for my bridge. I have a Triple Shot mounting ring and would like to continue using it.

Fire away!

 

[Lowdown]

Hi,Ax.
How are you playing through your new amp? Do you use effects or ride the volume/tone controls on your guitar?
I'm not aware of this amp,nor any recent amp for that matter,but it does sound like you may just need to give yourself some more time getting to know it.

The speakers will need to break in too,don't forget,before it starts coming in to it's own.

Try rolling off your bridge vol to 7.5-8 and dialling that in. Then you should find a nice useful mid and neck tone.
and when it comes time to solo,wind up the bridge volume and you'll have plenty of volume and tone to cut through.

Try rolling some NOS pre tubes,as well. You'll be surprised how much of a difference a nice RCA/Raytheon will round out the tone.

Plenty to think about,mate.
But I really suggest above all,spending more time with it. Try anything and everything. Get to know it's strong and weak points,all amps have them.

 

[tazzboy]

Once again, I'm on a quest for tone. It's an endless loop that never seems to end.

Long story short; got new amp. Amp voiced brightly. Need darker pickup.

Short story long...

My geetar is an 07' Standard USA chambered. I have a Pearly Gates in the bridge position. 50's wiring with ,022 orange drop caps. The amp is my new THD Flexi-50. It's a great amp, flexible as hell, over-built, yada, yada, yada, but it's voiced really bright. I can turn the treble all the way down and roll the tone back on my guitar but then that leaves me with a neck pickup that's choked off.

I'm looking for a darker, not muddy, bridge pickup with vintage to medium output. I've looked at the response of the Tone Zone and the DiMarzio 36th anniversary PAF and they seem to be possible solutions.

It's just amazing how you have to find the right pickup in the right guitar and the right amp. I love the hell out of this THD, I'd just like to get my pickups matched a little better.

Oh, my neck pickup is one of Larry Corsa's "Manilishi" pickups. I like the sound of it...it's really a nice PAF. You may ask why I don't put one in the bridge position...well, they are two-wire pickups and I want a 4-wire for my bridge. I have a Triple Shot mounting ring and would like to continue using it.

Fire away!

ReWind Pickups from MLP Member Cooljuk

 

[Sixstring63]

The Tone Zone will most definitely be darker than the 36th av. I've had both of these in the same guitar bridge and the TZ was too dark for my taste in a mahogany bodied guitar. It might be just what you're looking for though.

 

[C Squared]

Check out a DiMarzio Norton. One of my Favorite pickups. It will be a little darker then the 36th, not as dark as a TZ. Good low end without getting muddy.

 

[Josh9114]

quick question. I have an epiphone les paul black beauty '97 all mohogany with a rosewood fingerboard. I am planning to put dimarzios in it. norton in the bridge, paf 36th bridge in the middle and a paf 36th neck in the neck. I want them all to be coil split which the previous ones were not. should I replace the stock pots with some higher output coil splittable dimarzio pots and replace the wiring? also are there any 5 position pickup selector switches for les pauls? thank You.

 

[Leddyman]

quick question. I have an epiphone les paul black beauty '97 all mohogany with a rosewood fingerboard. I am planning to put dimarzios in it. norton in the bridge, paf 36th bridge in the middle and a paf 36th neck in the neck. I want them all to be coil split which the previous ones were not. should I replace the stock pots with some higher output coil splittable dimarzio pots and replace the wiring? also are there any 5 position pickup selector switches for les pauls? thank You.

Just my opinion, but bournes 500k audio taper push-pull pots are where its at for coil splitting humbuckers. I have a set in a 335 copy and they are very nice.

 

[Rhust]

ok, maybe the simple solution can be the best... have you tried it modern wired instead of 50s wired? to me 50s wired is much brighter... so maybe the bright wiring+bright amp is the issue?

 

[captcoolaid]

50s wiring is not supposed to be brighter than modern, it is just a variation of the roll off to retain treble while dropping the volume.

Traditional style PAFs are a bright pickup so you may want to go with a higher DC but not a high output pickup. Also if this is the only amp you will be running maybe put .047 caps in it, that will help a bit.

 

[Mookakian]

but it is brighter (50's), especially noticable on a SS.

 

[captcoolaid]

Just my opinion, but bournes 500k audio taper push-pull pots are where its at for coil splitting humbuckers. I have a set in a 335 copy and they are very nice.

AB tested against the Alpha pots and Bournes push pulls and the Alphas were much better. If you want coil splitting then go with the WD brass shaft push pulls or better yet just call Mat at martinsixstring customs and see what he thinks. I run is stuff in all my guitars. By the way hiss push/pulls are US speced.

 

[captcoolaid]

I run 50s wiring in all my LP guitars Teles and Strats and my amp is a Marshall JMD1 and none of them are brghter than my original with modern wiring.

 

[Rhust]

but it is brighter (50's), especially noticable on a SS.

noticeably brighter on my BF too! the neck especially! the bridge isn't much brighter but when I went to 50s wiring it was brighter all around...

I run 50s wiring in all my LP guitars Teles and Strats and my amp is a Marshall JMD1 and none of them are brghter than my original with modern wiring.

it's brighter than my SG which is still modern wired...

 

[Mookakian]

I run 50s wiring in all my LP guitars Teles and Strats and my amp is a Marshall JMD1 and none of them are brghter than my original with modern wiring.

Ya, but they be different guitars, wire that original with 50's and it'll be even brighter!

 

[Mookakian]

Oh, the Alpha's and Mojotone P/P's have the best Taper IMHO, prob Mojo's more so for me.

 

[captcoolaid]

I guess it is user preference. I may try a vid later and switch from the 50s to the modern and see if there is a difference.

 

[captcoolaid]

Also what are the cap values. Sometimes they use a .015 which will tend to be a bit brighter.

 

[garybaldy]

SD Custom Custom is recommended for bright guitars and may match the neck pup better and avoid turning the treble down on the amp.

 

[LtKojak]

have a Pearly Gates in the bridge position. it's voiced really bright. !

1. Change the volume and tone pot to 250K. THAT will certainly take the edge off the PG.

2. Change the magnet to an A2 Roughcast. That'll definately help to "seal the deal" so to speak.

Anyway, before doing any mods, allow the amp to break-in. All p2p boutique amps sound hard at the very beginning.

HTH,