Question about pickups
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Posted on Aug 27, 2005 02:39 am
Slytleestoopid
The Dumb Idiot Poo-head
Member Since: Apr 11, 2004
I play lead and sometimes rhythm guitar in a blues band. My current electric has 2 humbuckers and I can't get the grtty sound i want, and I am in the middle of restoring an old jaguar that I got with no pickups in it.
So I want to put in pickups that will give me a better blues sound, but i don't want to sacrifice distortion.
The jag has room for one humbucker and one single coil, and the last thing I want to do is carve out a chunk of an old jag to fit 2 humbuckers.
What I'm asking is...
Are there any recommended humbucker/single coil pickup combinations that I could put in this guitar? I was thinking of seymour duncans, and was going to try a standard american Tele pickup combination, but someone out there has got to know better than i do!
Thanks!
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jmailjimmie neutronMember
Since: Feb 14, 2005
Aug 27, 2005 06:51 am When you say "old", how old are you talkin'? Have you checked the serial number yet? Check to see what you've got before you do any work on it. What you need is a place like Silver Strings Music in St. Louis, MO (I'm originally from there and familiar with the store). They deal with vintage guitars all the time and keep up with the latest on them. Or check-out www.elderly.com and see if you can find anything. www.elderly.com/search/elderly?terms=jaguar will take you to the "new" stuff... It might just be that you could find some "stock" replacement parts and have something worth some bux. Then again, maybe not...
Do you know how the stock Jag sounded? How 'bout the tele? What kind of guitar have you got now? Do you do "traditional" blues, ala BB King, or a "rock" blues, ala Johnnie Winter, or some variation? Are you trying to emulate someone's sound, but with your own twist? Once you know the sound you're after and can describe it, call Seymour Duncan (or email them) and they'll guide ya to the pickups you want that'll be a close fit, if not spot-on. Very helpful folks (at least, 15 yrs ago they were...)
Aug 27, 2005 11:41 am Yeah I guess its more of a rock-blues.
What I'm looking for is something that has good distortion without sacrificing the ability to solo and play lead. I find that the setups that have a nice gritty distortion lose something when it comes to individual strings..
The seymour duncan website helps, but I'm gonna have to drive 10 years to get to a dealer.
Thanks, and any more suggestions or leads would be great.
TadpuiI am not a crook's headMember
Since: Mar 14, 2003
Aug 27, 2005 02:55 pm Doesn't Seymour Duncan allow you to keep trying/sending back pickups until you find one you like? That may be DiMarzio or some other pickup mfgr.
Check out their return policy and see if you can just keep requesting and returning pickups until you find the right ones.
Although I can't recall any particular make or model, I know that there are stacked humbuckers that will fit in a single coil slot.
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Aug 27, 2005 06:23 pm Over on the weber board, there was a few guys that purchased the Joe Barden pickups. They said they'd never change from them now that they've used them.
Just figured it'd be worth a look.
I just read some reviews on HC, they're saying it's pretty trebly, but mixed with a different pickup, works quite well. Very hot output, good tone.
Worth the research, maybe.
jmailjimmie neutronMember
Since: Feb 14, 2005
Aug 28, 2005 10:12 pm A trebly sound is easier to EQ than a "thick" one... The stacked humbuckers might be just the ticket, also... I'm still curious, tho: How old is that guitar? Do you know what model it is? Some are worth some bux, so don't go routing the body out until you check that aspect out...
Sep 13, 2005 01:45 pm i've decided on a single coil Fender '57/'62.
now for the humbucker..
its either a seymour duncan alnico 2 pro or a gibson 59.
any idea on which is more versatile? I figured i could fine tune the gibson pickup but thats about where i stand right now.
any other suggestions?
