Humbucker recommendations for my Am Pro ii

sjo89 · September 2023

Hi,

Recently hot a American Pro ii HSS - love the single coils but the humbucker is a bit too crackly and fizzy for my taste. Looking for something a bit smoother and meatier - I reckon I'd love Rabea signature BK Silo but it's super expensive. Any cheaper similar alternatives?

cheers

guitars4you · September 2023

Oil City Nightfighter - Their web site description is all you need to know - Kind of an EVH voice so kick's dirt, but smooth and melodic as well especially with the vol pot rolled off a touch

https://www.oilcitypickups.co.uk/product-page/copy-of-nightfighter-alnico-iv

TimmyO · September 2023

Depending how it is wired, the pot values can be a compromise in a HSS.

If you can find one for sale used, I'd seriously consider one of the "Pearly Gates Plus" [ickups that Fender have wound for their HSS guitars. They aren't (I think) available on the open market, just in certain Fender HSS models. It was designed to work really well in an HSS setup with 250k pots I believe. I have one in a Fender HSS and am really quite taken with it. Won't get you any booteek cred though :-)

PAL · September 2023

Cheap is what it is ! It's an alternative to what you really want. If you think the Rabea pick is what you need then
go for it or you will always wonder If it's what you should have got in the first place !
Does your guitar have the 250/500K volume pot this may be worth looking into Also is the treble bleed cap working
on the humbucker ! There are things you can try before you spend money on a pickup and let's be honest what we
like and recommend might not be right for you so it's a case of trial and error really

CasperCaster · September 2023

TimmyO said:

Depending how it is wired, the pot values can be a compromise in a HSS.

If you can find one for sale used, I'd seriously consider one of the "Pearly Gates Plus" [ickups that Fender have wound for their HSS guitars. They aren't (I think) available on the open market, just in certain Fender HSS models. It was designed to work really well in an HSS setup with 250k pots I believe. I have one in a Fender HSS and am really quite taken with it. Won't get you any booteek cred though :-)

The Pearly Gates Plus is very difficult to find and is actually a little different to the regular Pearly Gates. I used to spend quite a bit of time on some of the American forums and on one Evan Skopp (worked for Fender and Seymour Duncan at different times, was involved with development of the PG+) described how the Pearly Gates Plus came about. He conceded that after changing the wind and magnet to get the result they wanted, that they had effectively re-invented the SD '59. So, if you can't find a PG+, just find a SD '59 instead as tonally its as close as a very close thing. Job done.

sjo89 · September 2023

TimmyO said:

Depending how it is wired, the pot values can be a compromise in a HSS.

If you can find one for sale used, I'd seriously consider one of the "Pearly Gates Plus" [ickups that Fender have wound for their HSS guitars. They aren't (I think) available on the open market, just in certain Fender HSS models. It was designed to work really well in an HSS setup with 250k pots I believe. I have one in a Fender HSS and am really quite taken with it. Won't get you any booteek cred though :-)

Presumably messing with volume pot will affect the single coils as well? Which I don't want

BigPaulie · September 2023

The Am Pro ii HSS wiring is quite clever.

It has a stacked volume pot so the humbucker sees 500k and the singles see 250k.

https://www.fmicassets.com/Damroot/Original/10001/SM_011391XXXX_Am_Pro_II_Stratocaster_HSS.pdf

nacnudnai · September 2023

guitars4you said:
Oil City Nightfighter - Their web site description is all you need to know - Kind of an EVH voice so kick's dirt, but smooth and melodic as well especially with the vol pot rolled off a touch
https://www.oilcitypickups.co.uk/product-page/copy-of-nightfighter-alnico-iv

Yep, this or any of the Nightfighters/Scrapyard Dog Plus range will probably do exactly what you want. I find them to toe the line nicely - not ridiculously hot but plenty of power, bit smoother than a "PAF".

Could pick up something Dimarzio or Seymour pretty cheap used. I personally wouldn't pick the Seymour JB, the Screamin' Demon is probably a good choice. Dimarzio 36th bridge is nice as well, kind of a "do-all" and a bit darker/beefier than a typical "PAF" type.

Funkfingers · September 2023

The Pearly Gates Plus was made by Seymour Duncan to Fender specifications. IIRC, it was only available from Fender - either as an OEM part on selected models or as an over-priced accessory.

Strangely, given the intended application, the PGP was only offered with regular/Gibson polepiece spacing.

Fender eventually abandoned the PGP and designed an in-house replacement. (I have one, removed from an American Performer HSS Stratocaster.)

The nearest production line SD pickup is either the Screamin' Demon or the Perpetual Burn. Money no object? The Custom Shop Brobucker. (I'm not sure whether this is available as a Trembucker.)

ICBM · September 2023

BigPaulie said:

The Am Pro ii HSS wiring is quite clever.

It has a stacked volume pot so the humbucker sees 500k and the singles see 250k.

Unnecessarily complicated and potentially unreliable due to the extra switching - and problematic if you need to replace it. Better to just use a 500K pot and switch in a resistor to give 250K in the single-coil positions.

I would not put anything as bright as a ‘59 in the bridge position of a HSS Strat. This will be deeply unfashionable I know, but I would choose something a lot darker and hotter like a Custom Custom.

Philly_Q · September 2023

ICBM said:
I would not put anything as bright as a ‘59 in the bridge position of a HSS Strat. This will be deeply unfashionable I know, but I would choose something a lot darker and hotter like a Custom Custom.

I would agree, although you know far better than I do.

To me (as more of a Gibson/humbucker person than a Fender/single-coil person, generally), a PAF-style humbucker is just too bright and thin in a Strat bridge position. And I found that with the Pearly Gates Plus when I had a Fender Double Fat (HH) Strat.

OilCityPickups · September 2023

Philly_Q said:

ICBM said:
I would not put anything as bright as a ‘59 in the bridge position of a HSS Strat. This will be deeply unfashionable I know, but I would choose something a lot darker and hotter like a Custom Custom.

To me (as more of a Gibson/humbucker person than a Fender/single-coil person, generally), a PAF-style humbucker is just too bright and thin in a Strat bridge position. And I found that with the Pearly Gates Plus when I had a Fender Double Fat (HH) Strat.

Ans for me too ... for what I would use personally, I wouldn't put anything under about 8.5k plus for a 42awg 'PAF style in the butt end of a Strat. Preferably something 43awg and over 10k. We all have different ears however ...

The_Bri_Minister · September 2023

Interesting, will keep an eye on this. I have had one for a while, and recently used it for the first time through my gigging rig at rehearsal and found it very shrill at volume, and quite squealy to the point that I thought something was wrong with the wiring or something. It needed a decent set up anyway, so dropped it off with a tech this week and he's going to have a look and make sure nothing is wrong. Might just need a different humbucker then.

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Humbucker recommendations for my Am Pro ii

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