Humbucker recommendations

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Humbucker recommendations

Post by StratMatt »

I’m looking to thicken up the sound of my Ash with a new humbucker for the bridge. At the moment it switches between either a noiseless single coil and a blade style Dimarzio.

The middle and neck singles sound good but the bridge isn’t thick enough for my liking.

It’s quite a bright guitar, Korina body, maple top, maple neck. I’m thinking Dimarzio Tone Zone or Super Distortion? Anyone got anything laying around?
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Re: Humbucker recommendations

Post by Single coil »

Super distortion will sound like nails down a chalkboard in that guitar if it’s already bright.
Anything paf based will work.
Alnico 2 might be too trebly, so a lower output a5 probably the way to go.
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Re: Humbucker recommendations

Post by willow13 »

Dimarzio super 3 would be awesome. I don't have anything spare
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Re: Humbucker recommendations

Post by godgrinder »

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Re: Humbucker recommendations

Post by Mattallica »

Will a standard humbucker fit in that cavity though? It looks like it was specifically routed for those two single coils

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Re: Humbucker recommendations

Post by olegmcnoleg »

Single coil has this right - go for vintage. I’ve met that guitar, it is indeed bright. Try changing the caps maybe, or the pots, before you change the pickups?

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Re: Humbucker recommendations

Post by StratMatt »

Mattallica wrote:Will a standard humbucker fit in that cavity though? It looks like it was specifically routed for those two single coils
Yeah I haven’t actually checked that yet. I would have thought two singles would need more room than a humbucker. I’ll have a look later on. Cheers for the suggestions so far.
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Re: Humbucker recommendations

Post by StratMatt »

olegmcnoleg wrote:Single coil has this right - go for vintage. I’ve met that guitar, it is indeed bright. Try changing the caps maybe, or the pots, before you change the pickups?
That would be a good way to tame the highs. I’m not a huge fan of single coil sized humbuckers either so reckon ultimately they’ll be swapped out.
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Re: Humbucker recommendations

Post by Zaulkin »

Pretty sure it had 250k pots in it when I sold it, as I was trying to tame the brightness. Didn't change caps though.

Wonder how a thornbucker would sound in the bridge... Hmm.

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Re: Humbucker recommendations

Post by TmcB »

36th Anniversaries all day.

My favourite vintage pickup, with plenty of crunch when you need it.
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Re: Humbucker recommendations

Post by Single coil »

36th anniversary very good pickup.

Changing to a lower pot value (250 instead of 500k for instance) will just make the sweep shorter and give you less control. When it’s fully open, it’s still fully open.
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Re: Humbucker recommendations

Post by TmcB »

That’s not right - the volume pot changes the impedance on the pickups, so in effect the higher the value the brighter it is. A no-load pot would take out the resistance at the end of the sweep which might be something you’d want.
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Re: Humbucker recommendations

Post by StratMatt »

I’ve got a set of 36th annis in my LP which is my go-to for everything. I know the PAF Pro in my Jem covers a lot of ground too.

If it’s a 250k pot in there now then I might want to go to a 500k - I use the vol pot all the time and could do with more sweep than what I have currently.
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Re: Humbucker recommendations

Post by olegmcnoleg »

StratMatt wrote:I’ve got a set of 36th annis in my LP which is my go-to for everything. I know the PAF Pro in my Jem covers a lot of ground too.

If it’s a 250k pot in there now then I might want to go to a 500k - I use the vol pot all the time and could do with more sweep than what I have currently.
But with 500k pots it will be brighter still

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Re: Humbucker recommendations

Post by StratMatt »

olegmcnoleg wrote:
StratMatt wrote:I’ve got a set of 36th annis in my LP which is my go-to for everything. I know the PAF Pro in my Jem covers a lot of ground too.

If it’s a 250k pot in there now then I might want to go to a 500k - I use the vol pot all the time and could do with more sweep than what I have currently.
But with 500k pots it will be brighter still
Will it not be darker with a humbucker as opposed to stacked single coil/rail pickup?
Loving it so far

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