Pickups to my liking

[dslman]

I do not have a Duncan Custom with me. If you are familiar with the PAF sound, I believe the Duncan Custom is more like a hot-rodded PAF with ceramic magnet while Duncan Distortion is a high output dirt pickup, weak in clarity, without any similarity of a hot-rodded PAF pickup. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I couldn't have said it any better regarding the DD, also, alnicos in the Custom are certainly what works for me personally,in that they add the organic richness that isn't there in the ceramic, while allowing the top end to sing properly.

 

[CrystalBearer]

I couldn't have said it any better regarding the DD, also, alnicos in the Custom are certainly what works for me personally,in that they add the organic richness that isn't there in the ceramic, while allowing the top end to sing properly.

Hi dslman,
To my understanding, Duncan Custom features a small ceramic magnet in it while Custom Custom carries an alnico 2. Are you referring to the Custom Custom when saying "alnicos in the Custom" ?
The Custom Custom is designed to be a hot-rodded PAF wannabe. If you like Duncan Custom a lot, you might like Custom Custom as well.

 

[lp1987x]

I've gone through dozens of pickups over the years. Now, I only use Wolfetone pickups. The Marshallhead is always in the bridge of my lesters while the neck can be a Marshallhead, Legend, or Dr. Vintage. The only exception to this is my '77 Electra MPC lawsuit that I put the required 70's era Dimarzio PAF/Super Distortion combo. His Bitch/Rapid Bitch tele pickups are also great. Haven't used his strat pickups since I don't have one.

Wolfetones are also amazingly affordable for being custom pickups and Wolfe is great to work with.

 

[dslman]

Hi dslman,
To my understanding, Duncan Custom features a small ceramic magnet in it while Custom Custom carries an alnico 2. Are you referring to the Custom Custom when saying "alnicos in the Custom" ?
The Custom Custom is designed to be a hot-rodded PAF wannabe. If you like Duncan Custom a lot, you might like Custom Custom as well.

I originally purchased the regular Custom TB-5--Trembucker , which confusingly carries the ceramic magnet. Like someone stated, the Custom's are all the same pup, with different magnets. I tried the A2,A5, and A8 in place of the ceramic, and settled on the A8. I would have been happy with the A5, but it was noisy in both my guitars, while the ceramic, and A8 are dead quiet at idle with volume knob turned up. The A5 has a bit less hair, and a bit more richness overall, with a touch more highs compared to the A8 IME.

 

[DirtySteve]

By the way, what are your views on potted and unpotted humbuckers ?

I don't have one. I don't know that I've ever played unpotted pickups except for maybe the Burstbuckers that came in my 2013 Tribute (?). Seems like I swapped them out the very next day.

 

[dslman]

I played my RG 450 today, cheap guitar,but it’s a good one if you know what I mean.Always sounds in tune.
It has a Duncan JB that has always sounded great with the original A5 magnet.
So much that I took the A8 out of my Jason Becker Perpetual Burn pickup, and put the original A5 back in it.
I like the A8, but I felt it was too boomy and dull in comparison in that pickup.
Still have the A8 in the Duncan Custom for now.

 

[CrystalBearer]

Any idea of the general EQ curves (or whatever shapes) for each type of magnet?

To my understanding, even within the same alnico class, there are different EQ properties for different designs, different models or different manufacturers due to individual coil windings for respective pickups.

Alnico 2


Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pro Alnico 2




Seymour Duncan Custom Custom Alnico 2




Seymour Duncan Seth Lover Alnico 2






Alnico 5

Seymour Duncan 59 Alnico 5






Seymour Duncan Jazzie Blues JB Alnico 5







Alnico 4

Seymour Duncan Saturday Night Special Alnico 4






Alnico 8

Seymour Duncan Alternative 8 Alnico 8

 

[CrystalBearer]

Wax potted pickup can equip with or without a metal cover.




Wax potted pickup with a metal cover

490R wax potted with a chrome cover





Wax potted pickup without a metal cover

57 Classic wax potted without cover
490R wax potted without cover






Likewise, unpotted (not wax potted) pickup can equip with or without a metal cover.



Unpotted pickup with a metal cover


Burstbucker 1 unpotted with a nickel cover









Unpotted pickup without cover


Custombucker unpotted without cover

 

[paul-e-mann]

Hi Steve,

Would you mind if I asked, for old school hard rock heavy rock , say Jethro Tull, Free. Bad Co,The Who, Nazareth, Black Sabbath, Barclay James Harvest, UFO, what humbuckers would you prefer for Les Paul ?
Are there any special reason for these choices of yours ?

I've been very happy with 57 classic plus in the bridge of an LP, it's gotta have 500k pots though, I've been so happy with it it's become my main gigging guitar. It's got a 57 classic in the neck position which is a bit dark but I'm planning on adding a .047k cap inline with it to filter out some of the excessive low end.

 

[paul-e-mann]

I do not have a Duncan Custom with me. If you are familiar with the PAF sound, I believe the Duncan Custom is more like a hot-rodded PAF with ceramic magnet while Duncan Distortion is a high output dirt pickup, weak in clarity, without any similarity of a hot-rodded PAF pickup. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

If interested in trying a hot pickup, I put DiMarzio Super Distortion in a Strat and have been very happy with it.

 

[dslman]

I bought a bunch of volume pots 500k, and they all have different resistance , some as low as 475 or so. I forgot to check, and popped one in which had a lower reading on the multi meter. The guitar didn't have the sparkle or jump, as before. Of coarse , once I figured out the problem , I went through and put volume pots with readings over 500k in my guitars, and the sparkle, and richness came back. I hate changing pots.

 

[CrystalBearer]

If interested in trying a hot pickup, I put DiMarzio Super Distortion in a Strat and have been very happy with it.

I would love some serious advice.

What I’m usually looking for in an amp are a tight heavy rhythm tone (usually no fx), a boosted smooth lead tone (with delay) and a chimy clean. I like my amp that can be aggressive and punchy but also react well to the dynamic nuances.

As for the strat type guitar, my '89 Kramer Sustainer (alder body, maple neck and rosewood fretboard) is currently having a seymour duncan 59 neck and a seymour duncan distortion bridge. The Kramer "Eruption" with an alnico 5 in the bridge position is aimed at "aggressively hot for screaming leads and rowdy rhythm parts". Being sweet and hot at the same time is my ideal heavy rock standard. It is also price-friendly ($119).
Temptations always come from our own desires. I fully understand this is something I can live without.

Anyhow, some friendly advice is all I need.
By the way, I prefer to replace the whole pickup instead of swapping magnet.

In case you are curious, the wire connected from the control knob to the floating bridge is my temporary 'home-made ground wire' to eliminate humming. It successfully spares me some soldering works, for the record.

 

[paul-e-mann]

I would love some serious advice.

What I’m usually looking for in an amp are a tight heavy rhythm tone (usually no fx), a boosted smooth lead tone (with delay) and a chimy clean. I like my amp that can be aggressive and punchy but also react well to the dynamic nuances.

As for the strat type guitar, my '89 Kramer Sustainer (alder body, maple neck and rosewood fretboard) is currently having a seymour duncan 59 neck and a seymour duncan distortion bridge. The Kramer "Eruption" with an alnico 5 in the bridge position is aimed at "aggressively hot for screaming leads and rowdy rhythm parts". Being sweet and hot at the same time is my ideal heavy rock standard. It is also price-friendly ($119).
Temptations always come from our own desires. I fully understand this is something I can live without.

Anyhow, some friendly advice is all I need.
By the way, I prefer to replace the whole pickup instead of swapping magnet.

In case you are curious, the wire connected from the control knob to the floating bridge is my temporary 'home-made ground wire' to eliminate humming. It successfully spares me some soldering works, for the record.






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Do you like the bridge pickup in your Kramer? If not try a Super Distortion, it will give you everything you asked for. Very reasonably priced at $79 for a new one or find a used one for less like I did.

 

[CrystalBearer]

Do you like the bridge pickup in your Kramer? If not try a Super Distortion, it will give you everything you asked for. Very reasonably priced at $79 for a new one or find a used one for less like I did.

Yeah, we are in good relationship. Both Duncan Distortion and DiMarzio Super Distortion are raw, reckless, "don't mess with me", "shoot first, ask questions later", that sort of thing, like a typical Charles Bronson with a ceramic magnet. At the same time I also love Steve McQueen and Clint Eastwood carrying an alnico magnet.
Same old question, what comes first, ceramic or alnico ? This time is quite different.
The best "you can't go wrong" solution for this situation is going to be :
1. a Kramer Eruption for the Kramer Sustainer (when time comes)
2. a Dimarzio Super Distortion for my deep red transparent Californian standard (when time comes)
3. an EMG for my gold transparent Californian standard (stock pickup)
4. a Duncan Distortion for my blue Californian Elite (already had in a long time)
5. a Duncan Distortion for my black cherry burst Californian Elite (already had in a long time)
That's what I have in mind at present.

 

[DirtySteve]

Pickups are so subjective, you just have to keep trying for yourself to find out what works best for you. I spent years looking for pickups and taking advice from the internet experts and I never found what I was looking for like that. I found my holy grail in a lesser known pickup maker out of California. Planet Tone pickups are made to the same quality as Duncans or DiMarzio, they're awesome pickups, Same thing with Wolfetone Pickups.

 

[CrystalBearer]

Planet Tone pickups are made to the same quality as Duncans or DiMarzio, they're awesome pickups, Same thing with Wolfetone Pickups.

Could you be more specific on those standout products by Planet Tone and Wolfetone ?
What other products from Planet Tone and Wolfetone are being used on your guitars other than Planet Tone Defiance ? The original output impedance of Planet Tone Defiance bridge pickup should be 16.75k. Have you experienced a drastic drop in the output impedance after you swapped the stock alnico 5 with an alnico 2 magnet ? Say, drop from 16.75k to 8k-9k ?

 

[paul-e-mann]

Yeah, we are in good relationship. Both Duncan Distortion and DiMarzio Super Distortion are raw, reckless, "don't mess with me", "shoot first, ask questions later", that sort of thing, like a typical Charles Bronson with a ceramic magnet. At the same time I also love Steve McQueen and Clint Eastwood carrying an alnico magnet.
Same old question, what comes first, ceramic or alnico ? This time is quite different.
The best "you can't go wrong" solution for this situation is going to be :
1. a Kramer Eruption for the Kramer Sustainer (when time comes)
2. a Dimarzio Super Distortion for my deep red transparent Californian standard (when time comes)
3. an EMG for my gold transparent Californian standard (stock pickup)
4. a Duncan Distortion for my blue Californian Elite (already had in a long time)
That's what I have in mind at present.




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Wow are those all Kramer guitars? Nice collection!

 

[CrystalBearer]

Wow are those all Kramer guitars? Nice collection!

Only the first one is Kramer Sustainer. The rest are all Hamer guitars, actually.

 

[DirtySteve]

Could you be more specific on those standout products by Planet Tone and Wolfetone ?
What other products from Planet Tone and Wolfetone are being used on your guitars other than Planet Tone Defiance ? The original output impedance of Planet Tone Defiance bridge pickup should be 16.75k. Have you experienced a drastic drop in the output impedance after you swapped the stock alnico 5 with an alnico 2 magnet ? Say, drop from 16.75k to 8k-9k ?

Changing the magnet doesn't change the output that much if at all. I just measured one of my defiance HBs with an A2 magnet at 16.25k.
I also like the Full Throttle and the Aggressor. I like the Wolfetone Fenris and the Timbre Wolf, both the same pickup, just different magnets. I've seen nothing but positive reviews of the Marshallhead pickups, but I've yet to try one. I have more pickups than guitars to put them in. I need to work on that.

 

[CrystalBearer]

Changing the magnet doesn't change the output that much if at all. I just measured one of my defiance HBs with an A2 magnet at 16.25k.
I also like the Full Throttle and the Aggressor. I like the Wolfetone Fenris and the Timbre Wolf, both the same pickup, just different magnets. I've seen nothing but positive reviews of the Marshallhead pickups, but I've yet to try one. I have more pickups than guitars to put them in. I need to work on that.

The Wolfetone MarshallHead alnico 2 mode nails a darker smoky tone whereas the stock alnico 5 mode will give you a bright fat raunchy tone. I assume MarshallHead alnico 2 mode pickup behaves better with a bright guitar and the stock alnico 5 mode is just the other way around. As for your guitars, are they more on the bright side or dark side ? If you continue to use the bridge pickup as your neck pickup by rolling the tone knob, the stock alnico 5 bright fat mode would be more suitable.
I was under the impression that replacing an A5 magnet with an A2 magnet would decrease the output impedance drastically. It is good to know the result of your measurement to clear things up.