Pickup Suggestions for H-535

[mark555]

JB? P94?

[tbonesullivan]

JB? P94?

JB is a bit too hot for what i'm looking for. I want something with a little bite, but not that much bite. I'll be playing some rock so I don't want it to howl like a wolf. That's one of the reasons I'm staying away from unpotted pickups. I also posted over at the SD forum and a lot of people are fans of pearly gates in 335 style guitars.

 

Of course I just got one response saying "GO FOR THE P-RAILS" so we'll see. The guitar also needs some fret work done.. or more like frets glued in. I might have it all done at once.

[mark555]

JB is a bit too hot for what i'm looking for. I want something with a little bite, but not that much bite. I'll be playing some rock so I don't want it to howl like a wolf. That's one of the reasons I'm staying away from unpotted pickups. I also posted over at the SD forum and a lot of people are fans of pearly gates in 335 style guitars.

 

Of course I just got one response saying "GO FOR THE P-RAILS" so we'll see. The guitar also needs some fret work done.. or more like frets glued in. I might have it all done at once.

Seymour Duncan 59's are good on my 555, enough output for good rock music, plenty bite but just wound enough not to over cook. They seem to roll back nicely enough.

[mark555]

 

 

Series humbucker is full and warm, fat even. Parallel has less output and is clearer, great for rhythm strumming. P90 tone is good, the volume drops a bit, to maybe two thirds of series, the single coil setting drops lower again in volume. I generally prefer the P-Rails / triple shots to HRWs / VIP, the neck and bridge balance together with no problems, plus the combinations of neck P90 and bridge parallel etc are actually useable.

 

I'm 99% certain the arched rings were used on the 535.

I didn't think that you got such a drop in output with a P94, I always thought it was about 15%? What would you keep or lose with a P94?

[SouthpawGuy]

I didn't think that you got such a drop in output with a P94, I always thought it was about 15%? What would you keep or lose with a P94?

 

The P-Rails use a P-90 and a rail single coil, the P-90 is probably about 2/3 the output of the P-Rail, the other 1/3 is the rail. They are a bit of a mismatch, they do sound good together in series and parallel though. Isn't a P-94 a Gibson pickup ? Never tried one myself.

[tbonesullivan]

I think the decision may be made. guy on the hamer board has two never installed nickel covered PGs. They have Alnico II magnets, so they will have a different tonal profile, but variety is good.

 

As much as I would love to have the P-Rails, apparently the triple shot rings are too big to work with a lot of pickguards, and also I've almost always found that after the honeymoon period, I stop using the little buttons and switches. my first pro guitars were all carvin guitars, known for having coil taps, phase switches, etc.

[tbonesullivan]

Ok, I got a set of Pearly Gates coming to me in a week or so. Then we'll see how the sound improves. I mean, I don't hate the Schallers, but compared to my Millie with Seths and Newport with Custom 5 and 59s, it sounds kinda flat. The neck pickup isn't full enough for me, and I have messed with the height, etc. The bridge pickup is good, but it doesn't quite have the snarl I get with the Seths or the punch I get with the custom 5. It's just not "rude" enough for me. I was ABing it with the Millie and Newport, and it just doesn't have the same magical qualities. Unplugged, it sounds great, so it's gotta be something in the electronics.

 

Then of course there's the Kahuna. With HRWs. It sounds unbelievable. Just.. awesome. The H150CM has some serious competition.

 

I'll let everyone know what the end results are.

[Wolfi]

Seymour Duncan 59's are good on my 555, enough output for good rock music, plenty bite but just wound enough not to over cook. They seem to roll back nicely enough.

 

I fully agree. Even for the jazzier stuff they are quite good.