Cheap pickups in general

pete_currie · Post by **pete_currie** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 7:27 am

I've got some tonerider humbuckers. I got them off trademe a few years back for $59 each.
They sound pretty good to me.

Guitarparts sells them now:
http://www.guitarparts.co.nz/cart/resul ... er&x=0&y=0

Post by **Capt. Black** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 8:23 am

Seriously, have you thought about why you want hotter pickups?
They'll drive your amp harder but you can't un-drive an amp. So you're stuck with it. It might be that a clean boost or mild overdrive is gonna do the same job for you and keep versatility you might otherwise lose.

The consensus in the thread so far seems to be that you can get some nicer sounding pickups if you have the cash. But it's not like yours sound bad, do they?
Without trying to burst your bubble, I get a sense you want to change for the sake of it. IMO a pedal is a better idea that should at least be tried first.

calling card · Post by **calling card** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 8:39 am

I've got Kent Armstrong Sky pickups in my partsocaster, I love it just the way it is. My homebuilt tele has a RioGrande Dirty Harry in the bridge, it's hot, maybe too hot but thats just that axes personality. Just stumbling along with my happy mistakes.
I drink cheap beer, bourbon & wine and fill the car with 91 octane

hamo · Post by **hamo** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 9:14 am

What are you looking to replace, and why? When I replaced the pickups in my Epiphone it was because the stock ones just didn't sound tight enough to me. I wasn't necessarily after "hotter", but "tighter" was a requirement. Are you in the same boat?

druz15 · Post by **druz15** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 9:21 am

Capt. Black wrote:
ztikmaen wrote:...
Well what would you recommend for somebody on a tight-ish budget?
....

A hotcake.

nah I heard we are getting ripped off here with those

Post by **Capt. Black** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 9:40 am

druz15 wrote:
Capt. Black wrote:
ztikmaen wrote:...
Well what would you recommend for somebody on a tight-ish budget?
....

A hotcake.
nah I heard we are getting ripped off here with those

SammyD · Post by **SammyD** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 10:37 am

hamo wrote:What are you looking to replace, and why? When I replaced the pickups in my Epiphone it was because the stock ones just didn't sound tight enough to me. I wasn't necessarily after "hotter", but "tighter" was a requirement. Are you in the same boat?

Agreed, when I changed the pickups in my Epi it sounded like I had taken a blanket off my amp, the stock pups were very bland. Now it sounds beautiful clean and if I wanna get dirty I turn on the distortion/OD. I got a set of dimarzio's, PAF Joe and Air Norton, can't compalin about them (except they hardly get used now because of the purchase of my Radian Tele)

Remember that you can always sell the PU's you take out of your guitar as well so it bumps up your budget, people always bid up PU's on TM no matter how crap they are

Post by **Capt. Black** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 11:15 am

Oh I just realized the op was looking at humbuckers as well as tele pickups. I think there's a much bigger range of options that can make more significant differences in humbuckers than with tele single coils.
I don't know why that is. Maybe because the nature of HBs is two coils partially canceling each other out?
So while I still say a pedal can do a lot more for your sound, I'd definitely say yeah, there's big improvements to be had with HBs.

MogwaiBoy · Post by **MogwaiBoy** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 11:47 am

druz15 wrote:
Capt. Black wrote:
ztikmaen wrote:...
Well what would you recommend for somebody on a tight-ish budget?
....

A hotcake.
nah I heard we are getting ripped off here with those

Yeah, cheaper even with postage from the States

On topic: Have a 3-pickup deluxe Tele and can fully, utterly recommend the Dimarzio Area T bridge pickups. I went for the Area-T rather than the Hot Area-T. Fantastic clarity/bite you'd expect from a Tele brige, but more ballsy and (perhaps best of all) ultra quiet with gain and completely silent when clean.

Same guitar has a Rio Grande Vintage Tallboy Super Classic in the neck, with protruding poles like a strat pickup, but chromed finish like a trad Tele

- I messed with it for along time trying to find the right height to set it at, ... didn't like it for awhile but I think it's grown on me. It's quite a bassy pickup, but not muddy as it has a very clear open treble on it... sort of Fender Blackface styled EQ in a pickup. Has that glassy Tele neck thing when you dig in.

There's a Seymour D Vintage Stack humbucker in the middle position too, but I really don't like it. Been wanting to try a Tonerider P90 in my other Aerodyne Tele

Anyone tried them?

rocklander · Post by **rocklander** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 12:01 pm

I have HB sized tonerider p90s in my tokai... I like them.. but what would I know?

SammyD · Post by **SammyD** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 12:11 pm

http://www.guitarfetish.com/Dream-90-Hu ... c_275.html

Go for these bro! Who cares what they sound like if they look kewl.....

rocklander · Post by **rocklander** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 12:14 pm

SammyD wrote:http://www.guitarfetish.com/Dream-90-Hu ... c_275.html

Go for these bro! Who cares what they sound like if they look kewl.....

SammyD · Post by **SammyD** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 12:15 pm

Ironbird13 · Post by **Ironbird13** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 12:16 pm

SammyD wrote:http://www.guitarfetish.com/Dream-90-Hu ... c_275.html

Go for these bro! Who cares what they sound like if they look kewl.....

would need a huge guitar to put them on though....

These are expensive custom made pickups- We offer here Gorgeous THREE FOOT DEEP Black Mother of Pearl bonded to a real Fiber Bobbin - Black Electrocoated surround and nickel adjustable polepieces.

Ironbird13 · Post by **Ironbird13** » Tue Aug 30, 2011 12:17 pm

oh and i've got a matching MOTS pickgaurd (strat ish) if any ones interested

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