blade humbucker with more of a classic sound?

[koshersteel]

howdy folks,

  I was wondering if anyone could recommend a humbucker with blades instead of poles that is voiced in the style of a vintage PAF? Just about every blade pickup I've seen seems more voiced towards a high output metal sound. Cheers,

 

[dbw]

Just about every blade pickup I've seen seems more voiced towards a high output metal sound.

Well yeah, isn't that the whole idea?

 

[stubhead]

Yep, this is like trying to score a Ferrari that'll carry the whole Brownie troupe, or drinking non-alcoholic bathtub gin or something. Bill Lawrence's pages on the Q-filters & whatnot claim that with enough diddling,  you can eventually "voice" an L500 to sound like just about anything. But? Ummm. Gibson PAF's work swell, if you want a pickup that sounds like a... ummm... Gibson PAF?  :icon_scratch:

http://guitarsbyfender.yuku.com/forums/11/t/Bill-Lawrence-Wilde-Gate.html

(somewhere in those 131 forum pages it's prolly in there, most everything is :hello2

 

[tfarny]

I just got a cool rails to put in my new lap steel. I'll let you know how that sounds if I ever learn to play any lap steel!  :icon_thumright:

 

[Cagey]

I have to add my vote and agree with the previous posters. Rail-style humbucking pickups always sound like rail-style humbucking pickups. They're different from each other, but distinct unto themselves. I've had several different ones, and while they each sound a bit different from each other, they have a few things in common. One, they're all higher output pickups. Two, they're relatively noiseless and three, they sound like humbuckers in that they're a bit midrangey with a more pronounced low end. What they usually bring to the party is some articulation that you don't typically get from traditional 'buckers. So, they make a great compromise for those who have a Strat or Tele they don't want to feel the wrath of a router but do want to get raucous with, and are used to being able to hear all the notes they play. I think they're great, and always put one in the bridge position. Not sure of their value at the middle/neck points. There's too much delicious tone there to trust to a side-by-side coil pickup design.

 

[koshersteel]

hey guys, thanks for your input. I'm mostly interested in rails for the continuity of the magnetic field when bending. I guess it didn't occur to me that the larger magnets would create a higher output. Maybe I can find some with Alnico II magnets instead of Alnico V or ceramic?

 

[Dan025]

bill lawrence wilde pickups, not bill lawrence usa

the L-500 series. L-500R or L-500C

maybe an L-500L in the bridge postion

the L500XL is the origonal dimebucker and not what you are looking for.

there is also the L-90 which i think looks better but there is not much information on.

http://www.wildepickups.com/Wilde_Bill_s_Twin_Blades.html

 

[rockskate4x]

Dimarzio pro track...

http://www.dimarzio.com/site/#/pickups/

at least according to dimarzio sounds like a paf

 

[Dan025]

hey guys, thanks for your input. I'm mostly interested in rails for the continuity of the magnetic field when bending. I guess it didn't occur to me that the larger magnets would create a higher output. Maybe I can find some with Alnico II magnets instead of Alnico V or ceramic?

well yes higher output from stronger magnets but going to alnico II may take the edge off, maybe too much. giving a more rounded sound, it might not mate well with a hot coil. it might get muddy. or maybe you'd like that sort of thing, who knows.
what i can't stand is if a pickup is sensitive and bright at the same time in the bridge position. but those super hot p/up's with no highs just sound like mud. a bright low output pickup is a great starting point, we always have tone controls and the possibility of changing magnets to fine tune the sound.

IMO high output pups are dumb unless you are using a low gain amp and want a powerful midrange. with todays amps, and stompboxes i don't see a use for an invader or evolution or whatever.

 

[Strat Avenger]

The Dimarzio DP-181 "Fast Track-1".  Anything else is too hot (except for the "Cruiser" model), and will have too much bass and mids, and not enough high-end.

I've had the DP-184 "Chopper" model, and it sounded like mud. Judging by the tone charts on Dimarzio's website, their Billy Corgan model, Pro Track, and Fast Track-2 will probably sound like mud as well.

 

[Spider]

I've researched this a lot and have ended up with Dimarzios in my two-pickup strat - a Cruiser in the neck position and a Fast Track 1 in the bridge, wired through an E-model megaswitch. IMHO the Cruiser is very close to a traditional single coil pup, plenty of bite and twang and not at all middley. The Fast Track 1 is higher output and taps well but doesn't really sound that much like a PAF humbucker - not worse, just different. Try the Cruiser - maybe listen to the sound clips on Dimarzios web page or listen to Andy Timmons on YouTube playing 'Gone' - he uses a neck position Cruiser for that track.

 

[eddie_5150]

Check this video. I like the sound of his pickups

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xgs9jOZzcQ[/youtube]

 

[Cagey]

Wow. He can wank and crank, eh?