Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Pickups => Topic started by: tremolo arm on June 29, 2009, 12:36:08 PM
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Hello
Long time viewer, first time poster...
I am the owner of a Gibson Les Paul Custom Classic (limited run), with 3 pick ups fitted as stock by the factory. All three pick ups are DiMarzio Super Distortion humbuckers. These are very high output pick ups and I seldom have the guitar’s volume control on above 5.
The issue I have (and hence my interest in BKP products) is that the neck pick up is too bassy and muddy. Even with the tone control on 10, it still sounds muddy and unarticulated (regardless if it is run on a clean or OD channel). It feels as if the tone control doesn't go beyond 2-3 and always stays closed.
My new band plays a style which does not fit these pick ups at all. We play funk / classic rock and I am after a brighter, more open sound. I would like to use the neck pick up for riffs, leaving solos to the mid and bridge pick ups.
I don’t require lots of distortion in the style I play and hence I am thinking of replacing the Super Distortions. The sound I am after is a Jimmy Page’s (that in itself is some statement, isn't it!), where every note is well defined and jumps out of the amp. By the way my Amp is a 40W all-valve Marshall DSL 401.
I have read about the Mule pick ups and though that would be a good alternative. Would you suggest that I fit one in the neck and leave the other two Super Distortions or may be purchase a calibrated set – on e for the neck and one for the bridge (thus leaving only one Super Distortion in the middle)?
How would these pick ups level up against the volume of the remaining Super Distortion?
Many thanks in advance
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I'm quite sure if you fitted a Mule to the neck position you would then be very unhappy with the remaining two Dimarzios, go all the way and fit a set of Mules you won't regret it
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...and stick a V30 in your 401 if you haven't already. :)
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riff raff for the neck, mississippi queen for the middle position, black dog for the bridge
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Definitely treat yourself (and your guitar!) to a set of mules. Consider an MQ for the middle for an interesting variation, you'll never go wrong with one of those.
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riff raff for the neck, mississippi queen for the middle position, black dog for the bridge
Thanks. Interesting advice.. No mention of the Mule. What is your reasoning for recommending these three in particular?
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Definitely treat yourself (and your guitar!) to a set of mules. Consider an MQ for the middle for an interesting variation, you'll never go wrong with one of those.
Thank you
I am not too familiar with the MQ sound. Why would you recommend that? specifically Strangely, I kind of like the sound of my middle pick up at the moment. It has a certain quack to it which reminds me a of a hot Strat. What particular tonal characteristics do you think the MQ may bring to the party?
Thanks again
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...and stick a V30 in your 401 if you haven't already. :)
V30? Is that some sort of valve type?
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...and stick a V30 in your 401 if you haven't already. :)
V30? Is that some sort of valve type?
hes referring to a Celestion Vintage 30 speaker...
i'm not sure i'd suggest this particular model, but upgrading the speaker in your combo is a good idea - i was going to suggest it as well
edit: its a quite cheap and easy upgrade - you get a lot of bang for buck tonal improvement
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Definitely treat yourself (and your guitar!) to a set of mules. Consider an MQ for the middle for an interesting variation, you'll never go wrong with one of those.
Thank you
I am not too familiar with the MQ sound. Why would you recommend that? specifically Strangely, I kind of like the sound of my middle pick up at the moment. It has a certain quack to it which reminds me a of a hot Strat. What particular tonal characteristics do you think the MQ may bring to the party?
Thanks again
The Mississippi Queen is a P90 single coil in a humbucker casing. its very clear, with that single coil sound, and its ideal for many of the styles you suggest. nice idea to fit one in the middle position
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riff raff for the neck, mississippi queen for the middle position, black dog for the bridge
I'm pretty sure that even Yoda would be converted to the Dark Side in order to agree with this suggestion...
+1 :)
Roo
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Thanks
As the Mississipi Queen is only available in either Bridge or Neck, which one should I choose for my middle position?
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In true BKP forum style, here's an alternate suggestion (no "which pickup" thread can be considered complete until at least ½ the entire BKP range has been suggested :lol:)
My reading of your post is that you don't mind the power of the DiMarzios & are quite happy to back the volume off, but it's the lack of clarity that really bothers you. In which case, a Cold Sweat calibrated set ought to do the trick nicely. CS has absolutely bucket loads of clarity, power & hot rock tone, but unlike so many ceramic bridge pickups, the bridge has a sweet clean sound too. CS is absolutely perfect for heavy Les Pauls.
FWIW, I have very little experience (OK none :)) of middle position humbuckers, but I'm guessing that a middle postion CS in a 3-pickup calibrated set would be a neck model, perhaps a little underwound.
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whatever you decide for the middle - tim will wind you a special calibrated pickup
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Bridge position in middle might be too hot. Use a neck position, or better yet, email Tim and see what he says. An MQ would go well in the middle even if you do choose the Cold Sweat set, but in that case, you'd need the neck queen wound a bit differently, or even a bridge queen to compensate for the power of the CS set.
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Thanks a lot for your contribution, guys.
I spoke to Tim on the telephone (lovely chap).
He recommended a Black Dog for the bridge and a Mule for the neck. 5 minutes later my order was processed. Still have not made my mind up regarding the middle pick up. I think I'll leave the DiMarzio there for the moment and I may revisit the situation at a later stage... (plus I am not ready to splash another £100 at this stage).
I will let you know what I think of the pick ups when they arrive (if you are interested). :lol:
Thanks
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that'll be one fat bridge pickup. :D great choice.
when you're ready for the middle, i'm sure the MQ single will be the best choice. HSH les paul, how can it get any better?
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He recommended a Black Dog for the bridge and a Mule for the neck.
I recommended the riff raff instead of the mule cause I believe it's a brighter paf sound
but if The One True God says Mule, then Mule it shall be :D
so say we all!
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He recommended a Black Dog for the bridge and a Mule for the neck.
I recommended the riff raff instead of the mule cause I believe it's a brighter paf sound
but if The One True God says Mule, then Mule it shall be :D
so say we all!
It's hard to choose the right one when you don't have a chance to listen to its sound through your own guitar and rig before purchase... I listened to all sort of clips, but each was recorded through a different guitar / rig...
I told Tim what teh guitar was and that I was after the Led Zep type of sound for solos and the Black Crowes / Aerosmith sound for riffs and that's what he chose. He did mention that I should consider adding a 0.015 capcaitor to the neck pick up to brighten the sound a bit, but in his opinion the Mule was one of the brightest pick ups in this category.
I have a question though. Can you specify the colour of the coil covers under the plate? The reason I ask that was because my remaining Super Distortion is cream and I would want to have the ability to take the chrome coves of the new ones off so that the exposed coils are also cream (to match the exposed remaining Super Distortion)...
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you can specify the colour of the coil covers under the plate!
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There's no real reason why you shouldn't get to specify the colors of the coil covers under the cover, but keep in mind that removing covers and installing them back onto the pickup could void your warranty if you do it yourself. If you want it done without that, you'd have to send them back to get it done. Though personally, I couldn't really understand why anyone would want to ditch covers, seeing that Tim adjusts the wind so their presence doesn't negatively impact the sound.
(maybe that's just my personal taste)
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There's no real reason why you shouldn't get to specify the colors of the coil covers under the cover, but keep in mind that removing covers and installing them back onto the pickup could void your warranty if you do it yourself. If you want it done without that, you'd have to send them back to get it done. Though personally, I couldn't really understand why anyone would want to ditch covers, seeing that Tim adjusts the wind so their presence doesn't negatively impact the sound.
(maybe that's just my personal taste)
So would you say that the sound would be vastly different when the covers are on or off?
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Well, having a cover naturally tames things a bit, so Tim adjusts the wind of uncovered pickups so the sound difference is virtually negligible. I haven't had a chance to A/B two identical pickups, one covered and the other uncovered, so I couldn't be sure. Some say that uncovered pickups have a sort of "openness" to it, but I think changing capacitors or using a higher-value volume or tone pot would have the same effect.
But to just get to the point: no, I don't think it would be vastly different. Slightly different, yes, but not vastly.
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if you don't specify it, he'll probably use a random colour :lol:
my friend uncovered his camo painkillers and they were cream
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...and stick a V30 in your 401 if you haven't already. :)
V30? Is that some sort of valve type?
hes referring to a Celestion Vintage 30 speaker...
i'm not sure i'd suggest this particular model, but upgrading the speaker in your combo is a good idea - i was going to suggest it as well
edit: its a quite cheap and easy upgrade - you get a lot of bang for buck tonal improvement
Yup the standard 'goldback' driver isn't that brill in all honesty. The Vintage 30 fleshes it out quite a bit and is a big improvement. Something like a hot100 might work well also and be fairly cheap.