Pickups for a 3 pickup V?

[Dashface]

Okay, so I just picked up a new V (the price was sooo right, couldn't help it) and I want to put triple humbuckers in it.  Thing is, I don't much care what the middle one is (doing that more because it'll look awesome), but I want the neck and bridge to be right.

I have an original 1976 Explorer LE that I put a Mule in the neck and a Riff Raff in the bridge, and it sounds good, but I don't think the Riff Raff is really for me... I assume the V will have a similar-ish sound, though it is a lot less wood.  Probably more airy and open.

With that in mind, and the fact that I play in a sort of alt-rock band (my parts are a bit of a cross between Neil Young and The Edge, if you can imagine...  Neil Young with a more precise approach, maybe) so I am thinking a Stormy Monday in the neck and a Black Dog in the bridge...  Will that be too much of a difference?

...FYI, I'm playing through a reasonably serious effects rig into some old Hiwatts.

[darkbluemurder]

I think the pickups you are about to choose will work for what you want to do with this guitar but I would strongly reconsider about putting a third pickup in there if the guitar does not already come with it. Not only will the guitar be routed but after the third pickup is in you may find it difficult to find a place to pick. My recomendation would be to try a 3-pickup Les Paul Custom just to see whether you like the playability with 3 pickups. If so, then find the very best repairman you can find for the body routing.

Cheers Stephan

[Madsakre]

http://www.terrapinisland.com/chitzenitza/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=10&products_id=35

[gwEm]

what is it you'd like to change about the riff raff?

[Dashface]

what is it you'd like to change about the riff raff?

It's just too bright for me.  I mean, it does what it should, I guess - it's very 60s blues rock, that bright thin tone of all those leads...  But it's not for me.  I need something a little thicker.  Also, it really doesn't balance well with the Mule in the neck.

[hunter]

what is it you'd like to change about the riff raff?

It's just too bright for me.  I mean, it does what it should, I guess - it's very 60s blues rock, that bright thin tone of all those leads...  But it's not for me.  I need something a little thicker.  Also, it really doesn't balance well with the Mule in the neck.

If you want to deviate just a little but keep the general direction of the pickup, the VHII is a little hotter than the RiffRaff and has a tad more meat to it, I love it personally. Or evening things out even more would be a Mule. Even more lower mid grunt you could get from a Black Dog. Or if you want to seriously heat things up, an Emerald, but it's very mid focused and doesn't have loads of bass.

[gwEm]

i agree the mule neck and riff raff bridge aren't a well matched combo.

hunter's post is very good. i just want to make you aware of the possibility of an A5 Mule - most of the fatness of a mule, with most of the bite of a riff raff. its my favourite BKP.

[Philly Q]

i agree the mule neck and riff raff bridge aren't a well matched combo.

That's interesting, I'd been convincing myself they would be..... what doesn't work about the combo?  :?


Going back to the original question, I had a Black Dog/Stormy Monday combo in a V - it works, in a way, if you're the sort of person who doesn't like a huge contrast between bridge and neck. 

The BD is not really dark, but it's fat sounding, which compensates for the natural brightness of the bridge position.  The SM has a fairly bright, "light" sound (not a lot of midrange) which sounds clear and sweet, but not fat, in the neck position.  I found myself always wishing either the bridge pickup was brighter or the neck pickup darker, for a bit more contrast between the two.

[gwEm]

i agree the mule neck and riff raff bridge aren't a well matched combo.

That's interesting, I'd been convincing myself they would be..... what doesn't work about the combo?  :?

personal taste i guess. the outputs are close enough, and you certainly get a contrast between the neck and bridge. i'd prefer a similar bite in the neck tot he bridge though.

[Philly Q]

i agree the mule neck and riff raff bridge aren't a well matched combo.

That's interesting, I'd been convincing myself they would be..... what doesn't work about the combo?  :?

personal taste i guess. the outputs are close enough, and you certainly get a contrast between the neck and bridge. i'd prefer a similar bite in the neck tot he bridge though.

That's good - your "cons" would be my "pros", by the sound of it!  :D   I don't favour a bitey neck pickup.

[PhilKing]

The Stormy Monday works as a neck pickup with the Riff Raff bridge.  Tim suggested it to me in 2004, and I've put it in a couple of guitars before.  Given that you don't like the Riff Raff though, an Emerald works well as a bridge pickup with a Mule neck in mahogany.  If you are keeping the middle pickup, think about a Mississippi Queen for it, as it will give you some very different but classic sounds.

[gordiji]

i've got a bridge vhii and neck stormy m in my les paul , imo it works well.they give a big range of tones between
them and are both particularly good clean.i especially wanted this from the neck pup, it still screams with your amp overdriven though.
i thought of the black dog too when choosing my bridge and think it's more beefy than the vhii or rif raf, probably
a safe bet for you if you find the rr too thin.
my combination gives a very useable in between sound and the volume between the two well balanced with
the stormy neck being a touch louder.
bd/sm sounds like a 'can't lose' combo to me.