I think I found my sound - now what pickups get me there?

[Prawnik]

For years, I didn't think I had a guitar sound in mind.  But last week, it came to me, and it was so simple.

I was at a convention in Germany; 400 drunken Germans dancing to a girl band blasting wretched disco-pop and miming playing their instruments.  The sound made me nauseous; only vodka was helping me numb the pain and thus keep my dinner down.

So imagine my joy when the girls left the stage for a break and someone put on AC/DC.  Highway to Hell.  

My Russians and I jumped for joy!  Real music at last!  And damn did it sound good on that expensive sound system.  In my drunken state, I realized that was the guitar tone I have been after.  Not a metal tone, but still ballsy.  Even though it had a fat bottom end and a huge midrange, the treble still cut through and snarled.  Nothing muddy.

Now the question is: what pickups get me there?  I've never liked playing SGs that much, so I will probably put my selections in a maple-topped Les Paul.

I was thinking Black Dog bridge with a VHII neck.  I've also considered AIV Mules, Stormy Mondays, and (no surprise) Riff Raffs.

[kellar]

Uhh, AC/DC=RIFF RAFFS.
Sorry to state the obvious. But really, it IS that sound. Should nail what you're looking for.

[Scotty477]

I'd go a bit further and say Riff Raff's in a Gibson SG will get you a step towards that particular tone.

Of course nailing that tone depends on a lot of other factors. See this link - section 2 'Equipment'.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angus_Young#Guitars

[Prawnik]

Wow!  C'est dans le fast response!  Thanks!

I was thinking SG and Riff Raff also, but I seem to get my best guitar sounds out of unexpected places.  My best GnR tones come from a '69 hardtail Strat that I made, three single coils and all.  My best Zeppelin tones come from a '71 Strat I made; also not a humbucker in sight.

Gotta track down a Riff Raff clip now.

[maverickf1jockey]

perhaps you prefer single coils in general.

I know that it isn't known as a particularly AC/DC - esque pickup (especially with the RR) but you might just like the Mississippi Queen or the Manhattan (it's not listed anywhere but I believe the covers are still there and it differs from the MQ in wind more than anything else. It could be a different magnet composition but Tim will have some that would have been destined for traditional - sized P-90s) more judging from your last comment.

[Twinfan]

A Les Paul is going to sound a bit too fat for 'DC tones.

Don't forget that Malcolm and Angus' tone work together to give you the 'DC sound.  Which one are you after?

Their amps play a bit part in their sound too.....

[Prawnik]

A Les Paul is going to sound a bit too fat for 'DC tones.

Don't forget that Malcolm and Angus' tone work together to give you the 'DC sound.  Which one are you after?

Their amps play a bit part in their sound too.....

The AC/DC sound is fat, but I have also wondered whether a Lester might be too fat, or maybe too smooth.  

I am probably looking for more on an Angus sound, but you're right - a lot of what makes AC/DC sound like AC/DC is the interplay of the two guitars.  

Anyway, I will run into an early Marshall.  

@ f1jockey: you might have a point.  Several of them, at that.

[Twinfan]

Go for Riff Raffs - they should sharpen up a Les Paul a bit  ;)

[AndyR]

+1 (On both Twinfan's and MaverickJockey's responses)

I put Riff Raffs in an Epi SG - very Angus but... I don't play in a band anymore, there was nothing to bounce off soundwise. The Riff Raffs ended up in an Explorer where they don't sound at all Angus-like (to me anyway) but they have to stay in that guitar!... and I put MQs in the SG - only now does the SG produce an overall AC/DC vibe for me (much to my surprise!)

[Prawnik]

Go for Riff Raffs - they should sharpen up a Les Paul a bit  ;)

How 'bout VHIIs?  I don't play in a band at the monent and don't work and play well with others.

[Twinfan]

I think they'd also thin out a Les Paul a little bit too,  good choice  :)

The VHIIs in my Jackson Dinky are my favourite BKPs.

[ericsabbath]

the huge midrange comes from the amp
the pickups are scooped

[Prawnik]

the huge midrange comes from the amp
the pickups are scooped

Which amp and which pickups?  Are we talking AC/DC (JMP and Superlead amps) or BK (pickups)?

Although I thought Marshalls don't have that much midrange, at least compared with Fenders.  

That is why Gibson guitars (huge mids) go well with Marshall amps and Fender guitars (scooped mids) like Fender amps.  At least as I understand it.

[maverickf1jockey]

You'll find that they are both quite midrange - focused being valve based guitar amps. The difference is in the place the mids are focused in the sound (Marshalls are right in the middle of the guitar frequencies with a slight focus on the upper registers, Fenders are really upper-mid focused but aren't usually set to high gain sounds so you don't get the fizz you get from the Marshall. More modern designs such as MESA have a more lower mid focus.).

[Prawnik]

You'll find that they are both quite midrange - focused being valve based guitar amps. The difference is in the place the mids are focused in the sound (Marshalls are right in the middle of the guitar frequencies with a slight focus on the upper registers, Fenders are really upper-mid focused but aren't usually set to high gain sounds so you don't get the fizz you get from the Marshall. More modern designs such as MESA have a more lower mid focus.).

Makes sense.  Also, 6L6/6V6 power tubes get saggy when they distort, so higher gain Fender-type amps (e.g. MkII Boogies) rely on pre-amp distortion.

Anyway, this discussion has me thinking - especially since I am not playing in a band with another guitarist, do I really want the Angus Young sound?  Or am I looking for something like it, something in that vein but not an Angus-clone?