Share your pickups

[new-killer-star]

2006 hybrid telecaster / warmoth rosewood neck - GFS lipstick humbucker / Rio Grande BBQ Bucker.
I play this the most of all my guitars, it's very easy to play and is incredibly versatile. It's all beat up and broken in so I don't have to worry about scratching it or keeping it pretty. I like the lipstick in this, the effect is pretty subtle and sounds great clean and dirty. There's nothing wrong the BBQ bucker, it sounds just fine, but I'm not sure I would get it again. I've been meaning to coil tap both of these but I haven't and it's been 10 years, so it's probably not going to happen.

1996 Les Paul Gem - P90 / P90
I loved this the moment I picked it up and still love it 20 years later. I don't know if they were all like this or if mine is a fluke, but the P90s on this one are just great.

2015 Les Paul Studio - 57 / 57+ both coil tapped
I don't play this much, I actually bought it for my kid, it sounds really good but is a little 'boring' as well. It does have the auto tuners in it and they are surprisingly convenient.

1989 Eric Clapton Signature Strat - Fender Gold Lace Sensors + mid boost
I don't play this one very much either, but it sounds great. It's really easy to use the mid boost, but it's also really easy to overuse it and I tend to play with the boost on when I play it so for me it's a one sound guitar. When I bought the Gem Series I almost went home with one of these instead.

2016 Warmoth Purple Tribute - Righteous Sound Redwood
These pickups sound amazing, they are super clear and just full of tone. I could play this guitar all day, but it's my wife's so I don't.

2013 Gretsch Silver Falcon - High Sensitive Filtertrons
I keep flatwound on this most of the time, it tames the jangle and bite of these just a little. The guitar is huge and oozes the kind of style that only comes from silver sparkle f holes and binding. I love this guitar and the only complaint I have with it is that it's too loud to play all the time in my house.

Brian Ray signature SG - Burstbucker 1 / 57 classic coil tapped
This guitar has so much flexibility in tone, these pickups sound great coil tapped or not. This is also my wife's guitar and I don't play it as much as I would like to.

Under Construction:
Partscaster GFS strat - surf 90 / gold foil / surf 90
My kid and I set a budget of $300 to build this guitar, it's not quite done yet so I don't actually know how it sounds. I've heard good things about the GFS p90s, we'll see...

2017 Warmoth baritone - righteous sound alnico p90 / righteous sound recognizer
This is also now not put together yet. I'm hoping for something a little different / fatter sounding than traditional jazzmaster and I'm also hoping it will replace my partscaster as most played.

I've had a few others in the past, in particular I had a les paul custom with passive EMGs, Seymour Duncan 59/Pearly Gates and a DiMarzio FRED in it for awhile. I really liked the FRED in at the time, I don't know if I still would today. I had a jackson knockoff in the late 80s that I detested, it was my first electric, but it always played poorly and sounded thin and unbalanced. It got demoted to backup as soon as possible and I basically only played it when my les paul wasn't functioning properly.

I also have an epiphone SG - 400 and ESP ltd for my kids with whatever is stock in them and these both sound and play so much better than I remember budget guitars sounding. They are both completely serviceable and playable instruments.

 

[Tipperman]

All right, here goes. I like traditional single coil sound. I've recently starting hating the BZZZZT after years of tolerating it, so I plan on changing pickups. Currently, however, this is what I've got.

Red 1962-spec Warmoth Jaguar
Lollar Jaguar pickups. Very jangly, very bright sound. The bridge pickup is insanely bright with the jaguars control switches switched... a certain way. I dunno, the guitar makes no sense and I love it. It's an asinine contraption and I wouldn't have it any other way.

3 Tone Sunburst 1962-spec Warmoth Strat
This bad boy has  some Fender Custom Shop pickups installed, I believe the 69 set. Lovely sound, but not quite what I wanted. It's what I had on hand, the rest is 62 spec, right down to the inaccurate tuners that drop out of tune halfway through a song. I love it, it's beautiful, and it's a pain in the tookus.

 

[KaiserSoze]

I have three main guitars I use and got seriously caught up in trying different pickups in each one, swapping, etc.  I have a notebook of that silliness and am glad its over for now.
Anyway, what is permanently in them now are:

1. Mahogany body, maple neck with ebony board:  Sheptone Tributes.  Freakin amazing, sweet and smoky and I immediately knew these were the ones for this guitar.  This was one of my first builds and this guitar has had six or eight different pickups in it over the years.

2. Swamp Ash ssh strat with maple neck Pau Ferro board:  Two Dimarzio Cruisers and a Bare Knuckle Mule.  Can do anything.  Interestingly, I had a Dimarzio AT1 in the bridge but hated it in this guitar.  It sounded great in others but not this one for some reason.  The Mule is so lively and amazing that I can't imagine anything better in this particular guitar and it sits beautifully with the Cruisers. 

3. Heritage H157 (basically a Les Paul Custom):  Two Wolfetone Marshallhead humbuckers.  This is my 10 pound rock machine, but the weight kills me after a few songs.  Kind of a drawback but for any kind of classic or hard rock its hard to beat.

I keep myself to my rule to just buy used pickups, so my journey didnt really cost me much, as I sell the ones I don't use.     

 

[Last Triumph]

I have DiMarzio Norton (B) and Air Norton (N) on my mahogany solid VIP with a wraparound fixed bridge.

I'll be honest, it was a bit of a wet finger in the air stab in the dark that I'd end up with the right pickup.

Thy're fine, if not exceptional - balanced, smooth, good even tonal spread - bright cleans with just enough bass for some rock/metal.

The one thing that did strike me compared to my Gibson Les Paul standard, Jackson soloist and Tanglewood POS LP copy was that I actually had to increase the gain on my amp to match the same levels of volume / crunch that seemed consistent across my previous guitars.

I ended up raising the pick ups as close to the strings as I could without magnetic pull to compensate, so compared to my limited experience of other guitars and their pickups, they were a little 'quiet' or low output from what I'm used to. Easy to sort, but just something I noticed.

 

[rgand]

I just ordered a pair of Wiggins pickups. A vintage wound Tele bridge and a vintage wound Badlander (basically a P-90 that fits into a humbucker route) in ebonized walnut for my coming build.

 

[DustyCat]

Here's my resume (I have experience with):

EMG
85/81 
DG20 set w/SPC

Seymour Duncan:
Hot Rails Bridge
Duckbucker Middle Single Coil
JB Jr. Neck
Blackback Humbucker Set (Ed Roman Proprietary)
Alnico II middle Single Coil
JB Bridge (I don't know why I'm not such a fan of this pickup, it gets great reviews)
Custom (although I don't remember how it sounded like)
59' Neck & '59 Bridge
Phat Cat Set
Pearly Gates Bridge
Set of Seths (Soon to be!)

Fender:
Wide Range Humbuckers for Thinline Reissue (2010)
Stock single coils for lower end stratocasters

Epiphone:
1995/1996 Joe Pass Emperor stock pickups (they can feedback very easily)

Carvin:
Whatever came with my H2 (stock Humbuckers)

 

[DustyCat]

The one thing that did strike me compared to my Gibson Les Paul standard, Jackson soloist and Tanglewood POS LP copy was that I actually had to increase the gain on my amp to match the same levels of volume / crunch that seemed consistent across my previous guitars.

I hear SD makes Blackouts that can "activate" a passive pickup. Perhaps increase consistency in the process.

Not sure how they work (never tried it) BUT I AM CURIOUS  :icon_thumright: If you happen to pursue this route, please post your results.

 

[JD0x0]

I have DiMarzio Norton (B) and Air Norton (N) on my mahogany solid VIP with a wraparound fixed bridge.

I'll be honest, it was a bit of a wet finger in the air stab in the dark that I'd end up with the right pickup.

Thy're fine, if not exceptional - balanced, smooth, good even tonal spread - bright cleans with just enough bass for some rock/metal.

The one thing that did strike me compared to my Gibson Les Paul standard, Jackson soloist and Tanglewood POS LP copy was that I actually had to increase the gain on my amp to match the same levels of volume / crunch that seemed consistent across my previous guitars.

I ended up raising the pick ups as close to the strings as I could without magnetic pull to compensate, so compared to my limited experience of other guitars and their pickups, they were a little 'quiet' or low output from what I'm used to. Easy to sort, but just something I noticed.

The 'Air' pickups use an intentional gap between magnet and polepieces. it reduces magnetic pull and output because there is an air gap between them so there is less of a magnetic charge on the metal poles. Less gauss = less output, all other things equal.

I hear SD makes Blackouts that can "activate" a passive pickup.

More often than not 'Active' pickups are just passive pickups with an added buffer on the guitar, which reduces impedance and increases output. You can technically make any pickup 'active' by adding a preamp/buffer of your choice. I'm sure SD and any name brand manufacture will charge you way more than you need to pay for the preamp, though

 

[Last Triumph]

I have DiMarzio Norton (B) and Air Norton (N) on my mahogany solid VIP with a wraparound fixed bridge.

I'll be honest, it was a bit of a wet finger in the air stab in the dark that I'd end up with the right pickup.

Thy're fine, if not exceptional - balanced, smooth, good even tonal spread - bright cleans with just enough bass for some rock/metal.

The one thing that did strike me compared to my Gibson Les Paul standard, Jackson soloist and Tanglewood POS LP copy was that I actually had to increase the gain on my amp to match the same levels of volume / crunch that seemed consistent across my previous guitars.

I ended up raising the pick ups as close to the strings as I could without magnetic pull to compensate, so compared to my limited experience of other guitars and their pickups, they were a little 'quiet' or low output from what I'm used to. Easy to sort, but just something I noticed.

The 'Air' pickups use an intentional gap between magnet and polepieces. it reduces magnetic pull and output because there is an air gap between them so there is less of a magnetic charge on the metal poles. Less gauss = less output, all other things equal.

I hear SD makes Blackouts that can "activate" a passive pickup.

More often than not 'Active' pickups are just passive pickups with an added buffer on the guitar, which reduces impedance and increases output. You can technically make any pickup 'active' by adding a preamp/buffer of your choice. I'm sure SD and any name brand manufacture will charge you way more than you need to pay for the preamp, though

I see, thank you for the explanation. So just turn it up a bit, yeah?

The output seems consistent with the regular Norton though - equal string gap, equal 'volume/gain/output. Perhaps this is due to there being greater string movement over the neck pickup than the bridge, compensating for the air gap keeping things equal.

What was the purpose/benefit of the air gap?

 

[JD0x0]

I have DiMarzio Norton (B) and Air Norton (N) on my mahogany solid VIP with a wraparound fixed bridge.

I'll be honest, it was a bit of a wet finger in the air stab in the dark that I'd end up with the right pickup.

Thy're fine, if not exceptional - balanced, smooth, good even tonal spread - bright cleans with just enough bass for some rock/metal.

The one thing that did strike me compared to my Gibson Les Paul standard, Jackson soloist and Tanglewood POS LP copy was that I actually had to increase the gain on my amp to match the same levels of volume / crunch that seemed consistent across my previous guitars.

I ended up raising the pick ups as close to the strings as I could without magnetic pull to compensate, so compared to my limited experience of other guitars and their pickups, they were a little 'quiet' or low output from what I'm used to. Easy to sort, but just something I noticed.

The 'Air' pickups use an intentional gap between magnet and polepieces. it reduces magnetic pull and output because there is an air gap between them so there is less of a magnetic charge on the metal poles. Less gauss = less output, all other things equal.

I hear SD makes Blackouts that can "activate" a passive pickup.

More often than not 'Active' pickups are just passive pickups with an added buffer on the guitar, which reduces impedance and increases output. You can technically make any pickup 'active' by adding a preamp/buffer of your choice. I'm sure SD and any name brand manufacture will charge you way more than you need to pay for the preamp, though

I see, thank you for the explanation. So just turn it up a bit, yeah?

The output seems consistent with the regular Norton though - equal string gap, equal 'volume/gain/output. Perhaps this is due to there being greater string movement over the neck pickup than the bridge, compensating for the air gap keeping things equal.

What was the purpose/benefit of the air gap?

This is what Dimarzio says...

"We love the sound of late 1950s humbuckers, but we didn't want to simply imitate them by using Alnico 2 or “aged” Alnico 5 magnets. Airbucker™ technology was created to capture all of the best sonic qualities of vintage humbuckers while avoiding the technical problems. The Air Classic™ has the same sweet sound as a classic humbucker, but Airbucker™ technology permits us to use a more reliable full-strength Alnico 5 magnet and still reduce string-pull to increase sustain and sensitivity. The result is an almost vocal, three-dimensional sound that jumps off the string faster and stays true as it sustains. The sense of touch and control this provides will offer you an unequalled ability to create your own sound."

 

[Cagey]

Where would we be without the lucid and informative explanations from marketing weenies?

 

[JD0x0]

Seems like a cheap way to avoid using different grade magnets or degaussing magnets, which from a production/profit standpoint is good for them. I'm not sure what their issue with A2 magnet are, though. I've heard degaussing magnets makes them less stable (or consistent?) so that's understandable, but not sure why they wouldn't just use A2. I guess because they could save money and market their design as superior

 

[Cagey]

I don't think they're trying to save money, I think it either changes the shape of the of the magnetic field or how it interferes with the induced current in the coil(s). The end result is a higher-fidelity pickup, which some find more useful than others.

 

[arealken]

I have the following sets

1) Strat #1;
Klein Epic '57's

2) Strat #2
Mike Gray Custom Wound Chubtone '61's Single Coils, and a 70's Dimarzio PAF Bridge

3) Strat #3
Fender Custom Shop'65's

4) Strat #4
Dimarzio Gravity Storm Bridge and Dimarzio Pro Track Neck

5) Strat #5
EMG SA active single  coils

6) Strat #6
Rio Grande Muy Grand Bridge and Rio Grand Halfbreed Neck and Middle

7) SuperStrat #7
Dimarzio Breed Bridge and Artec Alnico stack neck.

8) Superstrat #8
Dimarzio PAF Master Bridge, Artec Alnico stack neck

9) Superstrat #9
Duncan 80's Vintage Custom Humbucker  with Alnico 8, Artec Alnico stack neck



I have a few pickups in the parts bin - Ibanez super 70, 1970's Gibson T-Top Bridge,  Duncan  Custom Shop Hybrid Antiquity/ Pearly  Gates, A set of Kline Epic '55's , and a set of Dimarzio Transitions.

I have a Warmoth VIP with Lollar Imperials, a Jackson Explorer with Dimarzio Dropsonic Bridge and PAF Pro neck, a 97 Les Paul Jr. Spcl. with Lollar P-90's , and  a '85 Les Paul with a Tim Shaw bridge, '98 SG with Lollar Imperials, Tele with Tx. Special bridge & Cavalier Lion Neck.
I'm looking for  a set of Kline Epic 58's.

 

[Zhaezzy]

I'll go over what is in my current guitars.
1.My Ibanez S 127 hardtail has a paf joe neck and a mo jo bridge.
2. My 98 warmoth Jazzmaster with an explorer neck has 3 di marzio brian may pickups
3. My Magenta Velocity has two fretwire cheap p90 for humbucker slot sound good very little cash but plan on an upgrade in the future.

 

[timezon3]

Warmoth Strat:
Lollar blondes - great-sounding single-coils.  Good sparkle, great in-between sounds.  Just an overall super what-you-think-a-strat-should-sound-like set.  Wired up with a master tone, and a mixer pot (instead of two tone controls).  Gets some further interesting sounds with the neck plus bridge possibility.

YJM Strat:
Stock Dimarzio HS-3s.  Kind of bizarrely, a very clean-sounding, smooth, kind of jazzy pickup to me.  Humbucking, but pretty close in sound to a normal strat set.  Just missing a bit of the high end attack.  But a pretty good option anywhere RFI is an issue.

Past:
Also used a Seymour Duncan Antiquity II Surfer pickup in the neck position of an old piece of junk strat.  I no longer have the guitar, but I kept the pickup, safe in a box in the closet, for any future project.    Also a very nice strat sound.  I'd love to try the whole set of these.

TZ

 

[Day-mun]

I gotta plug Pork Roll Pickups here. Stumbled upon Cris Slotoroff's JM pickup set "The Waverlys" on Reverb; -man, are they sweet! There is a fullness and depth to them that is too clear to even think of calling them dark... More a rich openness, I guess. Not only are they awesome sounding, they  are beautiful hand-crafted likenesses of what JM pickups may have looked like back in the day, and Cris was great with quickly answering my questions and he even followed-up to make sure I loved them one they were installed.

 

[kolsky]

1975 Gibson ES175 with jackson j80 & j90
1998 Peavey Wolfgang stock
1986 Custom Build Strat with Demeter Noise Reduction System (active mid boost)
1986 Custom Build Strat with Kinman Blues
1999 Deakon Roads Strat with hand wound hi output
2017 Warmoth Custom Build with Kinman p90's

build in progress will have a ghost resomax piezo and SD Alnico II Pro humbuckers

 

[ChristopherG]

I just caught a really good deal on one of these.

Holy wow, those TV Jones Duotrons are boner-riffic. Very credible crunch in the bridge and jazz tones on the neck that make you want to grow a beard, slap on a beret and smoke some reefer.

 

[BigSteve22]

I just caught a really good deal on one of these.

Very pretty, looks way cool!

Holy wow, those TV Jones Duotrons are smiley face-riffic. Very credible crunch in the bridge and jazz tones on the neck that make you want to grow a beard, slap on a beret and smoke some reefer.

Sounds like my retirement plans......