Your favourite pickup/switching config?

axisus · August 2013

I'm building another guitar, but procrastinating terribly over pickup/wiring configuration. Just can't decide! I have HB guitars and SC guitars but never mini humbuckers or P90s so I have no idea what they are like. Also wondering about those SD P-rails?

I thought I'd throw it out and see what you lot like best. What combo excites you most? I quite fancy something unusual but I'm not tied to the idea.

Any opinions on mini humbuckers, P90s, SD P-rails or anything else I haven't mentioned?

Bucket · August 2013

What type of guitar is it?

Maybe single P-90 would be cool. Actually, there's no maybes about it - single P-90s are ALWAYS cool.

Pyroman · August 2013

I've never played any of those pickups either, but I'm hopeful!

Fwiw, Neil Young's "Old Black" has a mini humbucker in the bridge. It's one of the "secrets" to his tone- aside from BEING Neil, that is... ( according to Billy Talbot, the main secret to sounding like neil, is to BE neil)

Also, Allen Collins liked to swap out the bridge mini hb in his Firebirds with a dog eared P90.

Both of those possibilities interest me,as those are two of my most admired guitarists.

That SD P-rail you're asking about, is that the single coil sized humbucker they make?? I was just looking at that the other day.

Whilst poring over the ridiculous number of different pick ups Lace makes, I saw that the Purple Sensor ( I believe.- It may have been the Emerald...) is supposed to be a P90-alike. Especially when used in the neck position.

Right now, my "pet" pickup config is HSS, with a coil split, and an on/off switch for the humbucker. Standard Fender-type 5 way selector. It gives you GOOD options for both single and 'bucker tones from one guitar. Also lets you have the bridge and neck on simultaneously, for a Tele-ish sound. ( or even all three pickups at once!)

At the moment, I'm leaning towards a Lace Dually Emerald/Purple, for the 'bucker with a 3 way mini toggle. I'd have the choice of a P90, a Texas Special, or a 'bucker in the bridge position.

Other than that, all my guitars are either hh or sss with 5 way switches. Except for the lone ss Tele, of course. They give me more than enough options. The hh Strat, especially sounds DAMN nice in coil split mode using both inside coils.

ddlooping · August 2013

axisus said:

I'm building another guitar, but procrastinating terribly over pickup/wiring configuration. Just can't decide...
... I quite fancy something unusual but I'm not tied to the idea.

Why don't you ask Ash ( @TheGuitarWeasel ) to make you something special?

axisus · August 2013

Type of guitar: well, tele shaped, but with no routs thus far so a nice blank canvas. I have a spare American strat neck so that will go on for now. I'll probably make a right B*stard again with a trem!

Actually, I had forgotten, but I enquired with Ash in the past about both SCs and HBs. All that info is locked up in MR right now - so annoying!

RocknRollDave · August 2013

I have a hankering for a 2 x P90 Les Paul, but for a Tele I am personally happy with the standard Tele pickups and configuration - the right balance of twang/ bite (bridge) and warmth/ woodiness (neck) that I like.
If I were to upgrade, I'd stick a HB in the neck (see also Graham Coxon, Andy Summers, Keith Richards..) but then I am a big fan of using the neck pickup, it's a big part of my sound...if I have a sound..

GuitarMonkey · August 2013

2xP-90 for me too. I always think it's best to keep things simple.

Sporky · August 2013

I really liked the P-Rails I had - good and versatile and plenty of decent sounds. The Triple Threat pickup rings work very well with them.

ICBM · August 2013

I'd probably go with two splittable humbucker-type things. I like neck+bridge sounds best usually, but also the other two occasionally. I also like full humbucker sounds and clearer single coils, so combining the two gives six useful sounds with the simplest switching. I do also like mini-HBs and Filtertrons, so something along the lines of those, maybe slightly hotter than vintage types (esp. the bridge) and splittable would be good.

I don't actually find P90s very useful - I like the sound of them, but they tend to be a one trick pony, for me. (Flame suit now on!) P-Rails might be interesting, but I've never got around to trying them. I was going to put a pair in a cheap Gretsch I had, but sold the guitar before I got round to it.

Adam_MD · August 2013

P90's are always fun. I'm seriously enjoying the Mojo tele/p90 hybrid thingy that's in the Jooky Esquire I picked up recently. I'd be tempted to put another one of those in the bridge and a full size p90 in the neck.

GuitarMonkey · August 2013

ICBM said:

I don't actually find P90s very useful - I like the sound of them, but they tend to be a one trick pony, for me.

I'm aiming for a "signature" sound

ICBM · August 2013

That's OK as long as the P90 is your signature sound

.

It isn't for me - I like something with more bass/treble and 'ring', and less midrange and 'honk'. I like P90s, but I wouldn't want them - certainly not two of them - on my only guitar, I would struggle to get 'my' sound.

Same with Strat pickups - I like them (the middle one especially, controversial

), but I don't really get on with the complete package of three of them. Luckily my Aria 'Strat-like' has a much hotter bridge pickup, which is good.

marktheharp · August 2013

I have an Indonesian squire fat tele !
Full size humbucker in neck and an axerus hotrail single coil in bridge.
Tone control is push pull out of phase on bridge and vol,push pull coil split on bridge also ! Thus giving 9 switching options ,great useable mod X(

My guitar tech did the mod .
Cheers Mark .

GuitarMonkey · August 2013

ICBM said:

That's OK as long as the P90 is your signature sound .

It isn't for me - I like something with more bass/treble and 'ring', and less midrange and 'honk'.

The mids do it for me.

axisus · August 2013

Is there a guitar out there with HB/SC/P90? Would that work? I quite like the idea of something unusual.

ICBM · August 2013

axisus said:

Is there a guitar out there with HB/SC/P90? Would that work? I quite like the idea of something unusual.

I think Gibson did one of the Nighthawks like that, although I could be wrong.

No reason it won't work, anyway.

OilCityPickups · August 2013

My Tele Deluxe ... fitted with the original prototype pair of Oil City BrassKnuckles is my 'go to' guitar for rehearsals with the new band at the moment. Progressive single coil mode allows me to go from Tele cut, to rock humbucker in the bridge. While the one in the neck goes from thick 'Wide Range' style to very close to Strat neck sound. And of course being progressive, all tones in-between. It's really my Swiss Army guitar

When we start gigging ... hopefully next month ... I will carry a couple more guitars for good measure ... but the 'dial a tap' or progressive coil shutdown is king for just getting the job done.

hywelg · August 2013

In my favourite strat I have neck, Lindy Fralin VH, middle, Lindy Fralin VH, bridge Lindy Fralin Unbucker. The wiring is such that in normal mode I have the hot coil of the Unbucker as default.

I then have two Push/Push (so much better that Push/Pull) switches on Vol and Neck Tone. On the Volume know the switch puts the Bridge pup in series with whichever other pup is selected with the 5 way. On the Neck Tone the switch engages bothe coils of the Unbucker to give you a vintage output level humbucker tone.

Very versatile indeed, and the volume boost from the series switch coupled with a big boost in mids is great for solos.

bandmaster188 · August 2013

axisus said:

Is there a guitar out there with HB/SC/P90? Would that work? I quite like the idea of something unusual.

I recently had in my strat, a 57 classic in the bridge, stock single coil middle and a bucker sized p90 in the neck. The p90 was a little too fat & bloated for my liking in that position so I moved it to the bridge. WOW!! Sounds great there so have gone back to single coils neck and middle and the p90 in the bridge and it really works. The p90 is actually a mississippi queen neck pickup but it really suits the bridge of my strat.

mike_l · August 2013

ICBM said:

Same with Strat pickups - I like them (the middle one especially, controversial ),

Me too...

Although I'd probably have to say either a bridge 'bucker or a bridge 'bucker and middle S/C are favourites.

Also I'd agree with the 2x 'bucker with coil taps/splits for versatility. My ESP has this and is probably my most versatile guitar sounds wise

hotpickups · August 2013

I recently bought a set of Monty's guitars Humdinger pickups. Truly lovely vintage pickup and loving them. I've got mine wired out of phase via a push pull. Expensive yes but they are hand wound etc. Really recommend him

]

http://www.montysguitars.com/products/humdinger

Andyjr1515 · August 2013

Hi

I fitted SD P-rails to two of my guitars - one a homebuilt:

and one an upgrade for an ESP LTD:

They both sound fantastic - the humbucker setting is a real humbucker and the P90 setting likewise (to my ears, anyway!). The switching options mean also you can mix humbucker and P90 too in either combination. The rails alone are not my favourite, simply because they are so much quieter than the other two settings.

If I get a chance, I'll try to record some comparative sounds...

Andy

Bidley · August 2013

Myself, I find loads of pickup/switching options is great in theory, but a bit redundant in practice. I rarely use coil splits or middle pickups, I could easily get by with a 'bucker at the bridge and a single or another humbucker in the neck.

Adam_MD · August 2013

Bidley;10521" said:
Myself, I find loads of pickup/switching options is great in theory, but a bit redundant in practice. I rarely use coil splits or middle pickups, I could easily get by with a 'bucker at the bridge and a single or another humbucker in the neck.

+1 I've done a few projects where I've added different switching options just because I could, I thought at the time it would be really handy to have the extra sounds but in reality rarely used them. I added the tele pickups in series mod to my cv 50s but just kept selecting the wrong setting all the time until I changed it back. I also added coil taps to my les Paul but couldn't tell you the last time I actually used them at a gig.
The only guitar I ever use the coil split on is my prs.

daveyh · August 2013

If it could only be one thing, then two splittable humbuckers wired out of phase would be it, that's what I have in my Ravelle. Currently got two Tonerider AlnIIs, although my taste/need is drifting and might swap to AlnIVs. Not interested in more expensive pups because as of yet no one has noticed.

octatonic · August 2013

I like HSH with a 5 way superswitch.

hotpickups · August 2013

I would say do it for yourself not some other heathens ears to criticise

It's all personal isn't it...tone etc

Andyjr1515 · August 2013

Bidley said:

Myself, I find loads of pickup/switching options is great in theory, but a bit redundant in practice. I rarely use coil splits or middle pickups, I could easily get by with a 'bucker at the bridge and a single or another humbucker in the neck.

Actually, I tend to agree... and I rarely use more than 3 combinations in a gig with my own guitars. On the other hand, which 3 of the number of options possible sometimes makes a difference...

The best example of this was one of the former Vigier professional show demonstrators (who I suppose should remain nameless) who once asked me to mod a Strat to the James Tyler config with circa 125 permutations. Against all odds, I managed to do it and he spent a whole day trying every combination again and again. He found, amongst them, two 'perfect' settings for the sound he wanted. When I queried it (as Bidley, Adam and I surely would :-) ) he said that the whole point of asking for so many options was to find the exact sound he wanted and with only five or so options he never could normally do that.

Having said that, I still sway towards Bidley's POV

Andy

mcsdan · August 2013

P90 in the neck and a humbucker in the bridge is a pretty good combo. Throw in some decent pots and 50s wiring and there is a whole range of sounds.

Chuffola · August 2013

I'm very tempted by a LTD PB-401 with P Rails that I reckon I can get for a decent price on the local gumtree. Not normally my sort of thing but the P Rails just seem so versatile and it's not the worst LTD shape I've seen and they're usually well put together.

Interested to hear the positive comments about the rails...

Andyjr1515 · August 2013

Chuffola said:

I'm very tempted by a LTD PB-401 with P Rails that I reckon I can get for a decent price on the local gumtree. Not normally my sort of thing but the P Rails just seem so versatile and it's not the worst LTD shape I've seen and they're usually well put together.

Interested to hear the positive comments about the rails...

Personally, I think they are great. They are not cheap but I have been impressed enough to buy a second set after being so impressed with the first. The humbucker and P90 settings (assuming it's been wired as recommended by SD) absolutely have the two characteristics of those p/ups and are useably different to each other. To my ears (and I mod and play a lot of different guitars) they are tangibly more versatile than simply coil cutting a standard humbucker. The humbucker in parallel option and the rails-only options I find less useful. I may run out of time, but I will see if I can do some sound clips - what general sound do you use (clean, overdriven, distorted , etc)?

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