Favorite HSH combos?

[zebra]

I've got a Godin Freeway Classic with a Hum-Single-Hum configuration and I'm looking to overhaul the pickups at some point.  Sometimes HSH combos don't balance well, so I was wondering if anyone here had any recommendations for HSH pickups combos.  (I know that fancy things can be done with internal trim-pots and such, but getting a better matching straight out the gate seems a better place to start.)

I'm not interested in active pickups or high-gain pickups, but otherwise I'm pretty open to anything.  I tend to play either clean or with slight crunch through a low-wattage tube amp.  So far, I've considered   
going in a Paul Gilbert direction (DiMarzio Air Classics and Area '67) or with Lace Sensors (Gold Dually and Gold SCs).

 

[pabloman]

Two Dimebuckers and a Cool Rails

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

On my RG550 some 26 years ago, my fave combo was

Neck: Dimarzio PAF Pro
Middle: Dimarzio HS-2
Bridge: Dimarzio Fred

All around great studio combo, hum-cancelling in all positions, tons of clarity, worked great in my ADA rack days.

 

[musicispeace]

Not inexpensive but Zhangbucker (David Plummer), and I like the Duanebucker in the bridge, Paul Bunyan coil in the middle, and I think it would be worth asking his recommendation for a neck pickup. I have an HSS set he did for me that is just smokey and rich but clear all at the same time. He was having a 20% discount thing recently.

 

[AllHailDIO]

Yah, balancing HSH is tricky especially for certain genres of playing.

What tones or genre are you after?

EDIT: And what function did you have in mind for each pickup? Neck for leads? Middle for cleans? Bridge for rhythm and leads?  The reason I ask is, it's important to understand the decision... to go HSH instead of HSS or HXH

 

[zebra]

Yah, balancing HSH is tricky especially for certain genres of playing.

What tones or genre are you after?

EDIT: And what function did you have in mind for each pickup? Neck for leads? Middle for cleans? Bridge for rhythm and leads?  The reason I ask is, it's important to understand the decision... to go HSH instead of HSS or HXH

The body's already routed for HSH.  Although there are pickup covers out there that allow you to use single coils in humbucker routes, I don't want to go that route. 

When I first posted this, I was pretty open to anything - just looking for overall versatility.  Lately, though, I've been thinking of taking this guitar in an hard/prog rock direction.  Also, I'm been thinking of specifically using the middle pickup clean rhythm (going for a Stratier sound), the neck for crunch rhythm (on the brighter/scooped side, since I don't like muddy, muffled neck pickups), and the bridge for lead (something with fat, heat and drive). 

 

[AllHailDIO]

Can only suggest and speculate in regards to volume balance.... Sorry.  But I think itll be helpful, or at the least provide ideas...

EJ Custom is the most scooped and anti-mud neck humbucker that I know.  Low output too so itll match something like Area 61 in the middle which I like. Personally dont like EJ Custom though but YMMV...

Since the guitar has a Maple center, maybe SD Jazz, FS, HFH, Bluesbucker, PAF Pro, or BKP Cold Sweat may work in the neck too as the bass should be tapered with a Maple center and Maple neck.  De-mud mod may also help. Anyway, wont be as scooped as EJ Custom though. Also Area 61 may be too quiet for some so...

If Area 61 is too quiet or smooth (as all Areas are IMO)  in the middle,  VV Heavy Blues 2 is more spankier and aggressive... But bassier too. Something in between, the original VV Blues is nice and is not as compressed either. Neither has as much sparkle as Area 61 though

For more money, Kinman makes some nice noiseless. I prefer their clean tone but prefer Dimarzio overdriven tone, atleast with noiseless singles.

For bridge pickup, to match EJ and Area 61, I'd say that's tough. SD CC. EVH Frankenstein. PG. APH Slash. JB2.

Usually fat pickups are hot and LOUD so its tough. If balance wasnt an issue, Dirty Fingers and Super 3 are pretty sweet. BKP Warpig or SD El Diablo to be even more ridiculously loud.

Cold Sweat or EJ Custom
Area 61
Dirty Fingers (or more reasonably for balance: CC...though much more polite)

That would be my choice.

 

[ss396]

Chiming in on this old thread. I have the following HSH set up. Dimarzio EVO 2 in bridge, Dimarzio Virtual vintage middle, and GFS dream 180 in the neck, This set up works great and the mid + front position gives strat like tone and quack. I was very surprised. I removed an air Norton from the front, it was way too much low end and mud  in my guitar.

 

[fdesalvo]

I've got a Godin Freeway Classic with a Hum-Single-Hum configuration and I'm looking to overhaul the pickups at some point.  Sometimes HSH combos don't balance well, so I was wondering if anyone here had any recommendations for HSH pickups combos.  (I know that fancy things can be done with internal trim-pots and such, but getting a better matching straight out the gate seems a better place to start.)

I'm not interested in active pickups or high-gain pickups, but otherwise I'm pretty open to anything.  I tend to play either clean or with slight crunch through a low-wattage tube amp.  So far, I've considered   
going in a Paul Gilbert direction (DiMarzio Air Classics and Area '67) or with Lace Sensors (Gold Dually and Gold SCs).

Dude, let me end your HSH pickup journey and give you time back in your life.  Grab the Gravity Storm set and a Area 67.  :rock-on: