in need of new pickups

[rockskate4x]

you will probably still not like it... and there is no way that you are going to use all of those sounds. You might as well save your money and use what you think are the best pickups you have. Being overly picky is too expensive and quite impractical.

 

[Orpheo]

you will probably still not like it... and there is no way that you are going to use all of those sounds. You might as well save your money and use what you think are the best pickups you have. Being overly picky is too expensive and quite impractical.

I've tried motherbuckers, and those are probably the things that come closest to what I want in terms of tone and versatility. i think that doing what I described,will bring that principal to an even higher level. Did it already for just 1 'humbucker' (hotrail+ lil59 by the way) and that was really awesome. but its just a bit impractical, but doable anyway.

 

[neuftone]

What I don't understand is how someone who claims that the long list of pickups in this thread all failed to provide satisfactory tone, now thinks that the single coil sized humbuckers in the Duncan line, which are a huge compromise in and of themselves, will do otherwise.  But it does seem that most of the battle is in your mind...you have convinced yourself that certain pickups sound bad, and likewise you have convinced yourself that the combination described will sound good...so I say go for it! 

 

[Orpheo]

What I don't understand is how someone who claims that the long list of pickups in this thread all failed to provide satisfactory tone, now thinks that the single coil sized humbuckers in the Duncan line, which are a huge compromise in and of themselves, will do otherwise.  But it does seem that most of the battle is in your mind...you have convinced yourself that certain pickups sound bad, and likewise you have convinced yourself that the combination described will sound good...so I say go for it! 

if you'd care to read well, you'd see what the plan is. 2 sc.sized humbuckers nex to eachother, to create a duncan-version of the motherbucker. this way, I can get what I want; the motherbucker, but with more control regarding the sound. the motherbucker itself sounds huge; balls to the walls, with great picking-response, but its a bit too warm with just a bit too much lows and mids. by blending those SD's together I can get more accuratly what I want.

 

[neuftone]

No, I got that.  Series or parallel?

4 coils wired in series like that sounds like a perfect recipe for a mushy tone lacking in dynamics, but as stated, this is the first time you've shown optimism for the sound of a pickup in this thread.  If you convince yourself of the wonderful tonal uniqueness of such a pickup rig, you will probably like it regardless, and thus even with the somewhat costly nature of the rig, you will end up saving money by feeling your quest is at an end.  So by all means, get the router out and get those pickups ordered dude!

 

[Orpheo]

No, I got that.  Series or parallel?

4 coils wired in series like that sounds like a perfect recipe for a mushy tone lacking in dynamics, but as stated, this is the first time you've shown optimism for the sound of a pickup in this thread.  If you convince yourself of the wonderful tonal uniqueness of such a pickup rig, you will probably like it regardless, and thus even with the somewhat costly nature of the rig, you will end up saving money by feeling your quest is at an end.  So by all means, get the router out and get those pickups ordered dude!

4 small coils. and as I said, I've tried the motherbucker, and that one has the exact same thing, and that pickup is awesome, but lacks some things, as I also said

oh, and the great thing is: I don't need to rout extensivly for these pickups. just a small nudge, and its read to go!

and I'll have it series and parallel (I will use 3 triple shots, 7 or 6 way rotary, depending on availability, 2 dpdt's  and 4 push push pots to achieve all those sounds). from the 816 sounds, there have to be at least 20 I like

 

[stubhead]

Do you ever have time to practice?  arty07:

 

[dbw]

You might as well save your money and use what you think are the best pickups you have

Well I assume Orpheo is nobility or an oil tycoon or something to pay for all these axes.  :dontknow:

Orpheo... I agree that you're being too picky.  You have listed off all the best pickups in the world, as far as I know, and apparently none of them are quite right.  Time for you to start winding your own if there's still something you're looking for...

 

[neuftone]

Also, if all of the listed pickups sound lacking, have you considered the possibility that you just don't prefer the tone of the electric guitar?  :icon_biggrin:  There's always the keytar hooked up to a nice analog synth...you can sculpt those tones to your hearts content! 

 

[Orpheo]

Also, if all of the listed pickups sound lacking, have you considered the possibility that you just don't prefer the tone of the electric guitar?   :icon_biggrin:  There's always the keytar hooked up to a nice analog synth...you can sculpt those tones to your hearts content! 

I dig even less the tone of other guitars

 

[GoDrex]

I think this would sound god-like through that ENGL:

http://tinyurl.com/ce5lrs

:laughing7:

 

[dbw]

Also it may be time to look at single coils...

 

[neuftone]

Also it may be time to look at single coils...

Oh, where's the fun in that?  :laughing7:

What you really need are six of the strat sized dual coils, for three "motherbuckers", and a total of 12 coils.  Then wire all of it in series.  The Dozenbucker! 

 

[Alfang]

I can't believe you drug this thread out 5 pages, i know, I'm no help,  but geezus, reach down and grab a pair, and buy a pickup already. you're on a never ending talk it to death path

 

[Orpheo]

Also it may be time to look at single coils...

Oh, where's the fun in that?   :laughing7:

What you really need are six of the strat sized dual coils, for three "motherbuckers", and a total of 12 coils.  Then wire all of it in series.  The Dozenbucker! 

I believe I'm Orpheo, not Nigel Tufnel

 

[stubhead]

In my opinion, what may be killing your tone is too much magnetic pull from the neck pickup location - it's a result of using too powerful a neck pickup. Strats are even worse, you've heard of "wolf tones"? Caused by the neck and middle pickup magnets....

bridge: SD hotrail+JB jr.
middle: duckbucker + hotstack
neck: lil59+coolrail

And now, you want to put FOUR Strat pickups in the higher positions - you'll be lucky if the strings even vibrate. :icon_scratch: Guitars like the PRS "513" and the Music Man Morse signature are specifically engineered around this problem, with lower-powered pickups using special wiring combinations - the above looks disastrous. But, you can always come back and chat about it! :toothy12:

 

[Orpheo]

In my opinion, what may be killing your tone is too much magnetic pull from the neck pickup location - it's a result of using too powerful a neck pickup. Strats are even worse, you've heard of "wolf tones"? Caused by the neck and middle pickup magnets....

bridge: SD hotrail+JB jr.
middle: duckbucker + hotstack
neck: lil59+coolrail

And now, you want to put FOUR Strat pickups in the higher positions - you'll be lucky if the strings even vibrate. :icon_scratch: Guitars like the PRS "513" and the Music Man Morse signature are specifically engineered around this problem, with lower-powered pickups using special wiring combinations - the above looks disastrous. But, you can always come back and chat about it! :toothy12:

Thats why I most likely will set them up very low. but, as I said before: I've used the motherbucker, with great results. thats exactly, 2 hotrails next to eachother!! 2 ceramic magnets, 27.5 kOhm DC.

besides, the MM Morse has in the neck position a ceramic magnet aswell...

but maybe you're right. its worth giving it a shot I guess. Later today, I'll buy on ebay 2 motherbuckers and 1 cool motherbucker, just to check it out the cool MB has a bit less winding, giving it a bit more top end, bit more chime, tightness, crunch and a bit less mids (which is in this case a good thing!)

will make it easier to mount too....

You see... I am willing to admit it if I'm wrong

 

[stubhead]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkI3Kffq4H4&feature=PlayList&p=40574A573ABA9B91&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=41

Here is Sterling Ball talking about the Morse model - people tend to get it home, raise up the pickups and wonder why they don't sound like Morse.... :toothy12: :toothy12: :toothy12:

Round about 1:10 or so.

 

[Orpheo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkI3Kffq4H4&feature=PlayList&p=40574A573ABA9B91&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=41

Here is Sterling Ball talking about the Morse model - people tend to get it home, raise up the pickups and wonder why they don't sound like Morse.... :toothy12: :toothy12: :toothy12:

Round about 1:10 or so.

I know that clip but still that pickup is a high output pickup with a heavy ceramic magnet. thats just the way it is. the fact that the pickup on that guitar is so tweaked that it works for steve morse greatly, and that, when raised, it doesnt make his sound, does not neccassarily mean 'oh, its low, because when its high, the string pull will be too high'. to make a conclusion like that, is to narrow.

 

[Death by Uberschall]

I've been reading this thread for a while now.  :sad1:

Orpheo, you said you found a sound and feel you liked in some of those pups. Why not get the the tone and feel you like first, then either use an onboard switchable boost (there are some transparent one's out there) or a clean boost pedal?

I'm really shocked that you can't get enough gain out of any pick up with that Engl SE head. It's a monster.

I'm feeling that you are expecting too much from one guitar and one amp. Don't take it the wrong way. I own many guitars and many amps for the purposes of variety. "Jack of all Trades" or "Master of a Few"? Each guitar and amp have a personality that I take advantage of.

All those pups on one guitar are going to kill your sustain by pulling on the strings too much.

Contact the bigger pick up companies, tell them what you want out of a pick up and see if they can build it. Either they will say yes with a price, or say it's impossible to get all that from one pup. Easiest thing to do would be to call the builder of the pick up you like the best, tell their custom shop what you would like changed and see what they can do. Example: You like the JB, but think it's a little too bright (which I don't understand since you want a strong mid, upper mid, hi end tone with tight bass) and tell SD what would make it perfect for you. Since it's their pup, I'm sure they will know what to do to it. If the JB is perfect for you other than the very hi end treble, use the tone knob to tame it or find the tone cap that tames it for you and install it permanately in the control cavity.

Personally, I think you are over thinking it.