Suhr Thornbucker+ vs SSV+?

[ChrisMC]

Does anybody have any experience with both? I ordered an SSV+, I already have a Thornbucker+ new in the box ready to go for when my neck and body arrive, but it occurred to me that I’m torn...and whichever one I don’t use, I’ll hang onto for a different future project.

My body is swamp ash with a flame maple top, and roasted maple neck with ebony board and SS frets. I may solder them one at a time (as opposed to both at once?!) into my beater guitar to help me decide, but wondered if anybody had experience with either/both of these that could chime in.

As far as styles I play...everything from pristinely clean signal through 80’s rock (think Van Halen, Mötley Crüe, Ratt, etc...I don’t typically go much heavier than that), and I like my splits (it will be wired for both neck and bridge to split).

The neck pickup will be the Thornbucker neck. I can’t decide! AGGGHHHHHH!

 

[stratamania]

Try them both in turn for a while then decide and use the other in something else.

 

[rauchman]

Subscribed.  Interested in this too.

My last completed Warmoth build has the TB+ (B) and TB (N).  Very curious how the SSV+ compares

 

[ChrisMC]

My last completed Warmoth build has the TB+ (B) and TB (N).  Very curious how the SSV+ compares

How do you like the TB+ in the bridge, and what styles do you play? It’s a tough choice, because they’re both great pickups...but they’re pretty different. I’ve already scoured the web and YouTube and have read/watched a bunch of reviews and comparisons on both, which in some ways made the choice even more difficult, because they’re both good, just in different ways. What’s your user experience with the TB+?

 

[Rick]

Never tried either.  For me, as long as the bridge pickup has slightly (to a third) more output than the neck, things always seem to work out alright.  Then it's just a matter of taste.

 

[stratamania]

One thing to consider. You have a Thornbucker neck, and the Thornbucker + is a bridge pickup designed to work with it.

The SSV+ might be a better match in an HSS with single coils such as Suhr's V60LPs or V70s or MLs.

 

[rauchman]

My last completed Warmoth build has the TB+ (B) and TB (N).  Very curious how the SSV+ compares

How do you like the TB+ in the bridge, and what styles do you play? It’s a tough choice, because they’re both great pickups...but they’re pretty different. I’ve already scoured the web and YouTube and have read/watched a bunch of reviews and comparisons on both, which in some ways made the choice even more difficult, because they’re both good, just in different ways. What’s your user experience with the TB+?

I typically play rock / 80's metal and very effecty sounds.

The pups went into this build, which also has a Dimarzio Cruizer in the middle.  Body is swamp ash with a roasted maple neck

The TB's are wired to split off of the outer volume knobs (which they do very well, but I'm also using a 6.8k resistor when splitting), but I also have the middle knob / tone knob, as a push pull when in the up position, it's using a .022 cap and in the down position, using a .047 cap.  The .022 goes better when using any pickup combo using a single coil.

I've read the TB's as being described as a single coil'esque sounding humbucker in that they are bright and clear.  I'd agree with that.  They have a lot of character, really nice articulation and are very expressive, which I'd guess is due to the A4 magnet and vintage/med output.  I like the B more than the N though.  The N while expressive, is good, but not great.  I'd call it a touch dull, but I'm still screwing with pickup height and what not.

Have another build in process and am looking for a little more zing in the output.  I "think" the SSV's are in the ballpark of what I want, but may go with the Aldrich.  I've read repeatedly that the Aldrich is excellent for splitting and pushes an amp hard with retained clarity / expression.

 

[ChrisMC]

I've read the TB's as being described as a single coil'esque sounding humbucker in that they are bright and clear.

In some video (audio) examples I’ve watched, I can certainly hear what people mean with the “single coil” thing, with the string separation and clarity, but it sounds like it still has the pick attack and “note bloom” of a humbucker (if you know what I mean), which is good...since this is a humbucker. Single coils just have a different “bloom” to the note, and react to pick attack differently, but I definitely hear the string separation, even with heavy handed rhythm picking under high gain. From what I’ve watched and listened to, it’s nearly impossible to “muddy up” this pickup (bridge), unless you turn the tone control down to 1.

I know we’re not covering the neck pickup much so far in this thread, but I’m not as particular with neck pickups; as long as it’s not too bright and clear it should be fine (I like a dark, “woolly” neck pickup tone, most of the time), so as long as it’s not too “high-def” sounding, I’m sure it’ll be fine.

 

[ChrisMC]

Oh, by the way, after further research and wrestling with decisions, I decided that what I’m going to start with is the Thornbucker+ in the bridge, and I went and bought a Suhr DSV for the neck. I don’t know how I forgot about those DSV’s, but I did.

Anyway, I hate soldering; it’s my least favorite part of the process by far, so I’m starting with that, and I hope I like ‘em, because I WILL be undoing them if I don’t, and I hate soldering.

The SSV+ and Thornbucker neck will get used, at some point, somewhere, I’m sure.