what pickups for a guitar with Basswood body, Mahogany neck?

[APmods]

I want to nail Gary moore rock sounds, thin lizzy, 80's Dio, Axel Rudi Pell...generally,from Rock to 80's Heavy metal sounds... I am thinking about a pair of CS or CS neck and HD bridge....what do you think?the guitaar is a Hagstrom ultra swede.

[Dr. Vic]

Hi and welcome to this nice forum  :D

Even if Dio and other early 80's heavy metal stuff scream for and HD, I might be too round and warm in your guitar. And maybe the highest output pickups of the range won't be the best choice for what you're after, imo.

I think a mule set or something in the hot vintage section, would be worth to be considered as well as the Rebell Yell set, if you want more output (but not as much as the HD for instance).

Listen to the S Stevens clip of the RY in the player section : one-of-a-kind ultimate classic rock tone !


  :good:

[Fourth Feline]

Yes, welcome !  :)

I am no expert in these genres, but from what I had read / heard from sound clips  on here ( and what I desired to own if I ever did have to cover a wider / heavier range of styles )  I would vote Cold Sweat too .  This opinion is based on what I perceive to be the marked contrast between neck and bridge pickups ;  but that as a pair they were also well matched to work in unison.    I do have Mules in a Les Paul Standard - and enjoy them ;  but for 'instant' flexibility beyond ( but still including ) Blues and 70's Rock, I would love a set of C.S.  :)

[ericsabbath]

cold sweat set

[Fourth Feline]

just an afterthought / clarification about my vote for 'Cold Sweats' in your particular guitar  :

Whilst my Les Paul ( for which I would have envisaged C.S. to be very flexible in ) - is mahogany with the usual maple cap ; I do have a nice 335 type copy - which is basswood ply / mahogany neck - and in that , the bass needed a little help to stay tight enough for my ( still vintage ) tastes.   Again, I am no expert on tone woods, but my Strat ( basswood body / maple neck ) used to be  fairly neutral tonally, so I assume the Basswood characteristic I heard in both, was a somewhat softening influence.

So, whilst I presume that  'Mules'  might be lovely in your guitar for purely classic 60s - 70s Rock / Blues - the C.S. seems to offer an expansion on that basic tone, but the added assurance of a tighter, more 'biddable' presentaion.  

The reason I respectfully assume that C.S may be then more apt for you than ( for example ) Rebel Yells , is that we want to keep one  foot in the 70s - and a foot in the here and now, tone wise.  I'm thinking neck pickup for Gary Moore/ 70s influences - and the bridge for all else 80s and beyond.

I hope you find something you like .  :)

[Sorbz62]

I have a Warmoth with the same body/ neck materials. The holy divers set is awesome for this and takes me to classic/ 80s rock heaven!

Jim