Author Topic: Another newbie asking for help... (Read 5144 times)

clivey · « **on:** January 11, 2006, 04:05:22 PM »

Hi, i've being planning to get some new pickups for my guitar for a while now, just have a few questions to make sure I get the right ones....

The guitar is Vigier Excalibur Ultra, with an alder body, maple top, bolt on maple neck & rosewood fingerboard, non locking trem, H/S/H pickups: EMG-81 / EMG-SA / EMG-85.

Basically, the EMG's are way too powerfull for what I need, and I can't get decent clean sounds out of them and my amp - a Cornford Hurricane.

I e-mailed Tim a while back and he suggested Crawlers and a Mother's Milk for the single coil, and from what I've heard and read on these boards, these are the guys for me, but I want to make damn sure!

So, here's my questions:

1. I need a versatile set of pickups that'll cover pretty much everything: funk, classic rock, fusion, and a little metal. Players wise, my favourite tones would be Brett Garsed, Richie Kotzen, Slash and mid 90's John Petrucci. Will the Crawlers cover all this ground?

2. My amp is a single channel type, so the pickups need to clean up real easily, something the EMG's failed miserably at. I like to set the amps gain up full, and get clean tones by backing the volume off on the guitar. Are the Crawlers good for this?

3. I really need to get decent single coil sounds: how do the Crawlers sound when coil tapped?

4. This might show my ignorance as far as pickups are concerned: bearing in mind that the EMG's I currently have are active, would I need to change the rest of the electronics to work well with the new pickups?

Sorry for the huge post, and thanks in advance for any help!

Clive

willo · « **Reply #1 on:** January 11, 2006, 04:35:39 PM »

Hi there, welcome to the forum!

I'm getting a custom made strat made for me, alder body maple neck, rosewood board. Anyway, I think its pretty much complete; I'm just awaiting delivery. The point of this little story? Well, its in HSS formation, with a Crawler at the bridge, and two mothers milk. You say you play:

Quote

funk, classic rock, fusion, and a little metal.

thats the same kind of ballpark as myself, and this set up is what I was recommended. I also have a singlechannel amp, I think this setup should work very nicely! In my experience, BKP's clean up very nicely too.

I'm not getting a coiltap on my Crawler, but looking at the DC reading I'm sure that would function well when split. I'm sure that lots of other people here have similar set ups so they'll be able to give you some specific info - I shall chime in when my guitar gets here (fingers crossed it'll be in the next few days!).

In the meantime, use the 'search' function and search for the names of the pickups you want in 'The Players Room' bit, there are plenty of Crawler clips in there.

Hope that was some (admittedly non-specific) help! :D

steve · « **Reply #2 on:** January 11, 2006, 04:41:59 PM »

Welcome to the forum.
If you need a Crawler clip with some lead in it just ask and ill post one of my old clips up in the players room.And there are some great riff type clips in the players room.

Ratrod · « **Reply #3 on:** January 11, 2006, 05:46:36 PM »

The Crawler is perfect for you. I haven't got a tap on them but others who do have a tap on their Crawlers are very happy with the sound.

Tellboy · « **Reply #4 on:** January 11, 2006, 07:06:25 PM »

I've got Crawlers in a Les Paul Standard (coil tapped) and an Ibanez EDR470ex and also have a Cornford Hurricane.

They are excellent pickups - very flexible - plenty of power but will clean up on the Hurricane by winding back the guitar volume. Because they are around 15k, coil tapping gives 7-8k and is very convincing. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Tim · « **Reply #5 on:** January 11, 2006, 09:04:57 PM »

Welcome :D
As we've mailed previously I'll stay out of this and let the rest of the guys chime in with their thoughts.
If you need anymore advice mail/PM me anytime!

big steve · « **Reply #6 on:** January 11, 2006, 10:51:54 PM »

crawlers and mother's milk sounds like a spot-on recommedation to me! i'm probably going to go for the same pickups in my HSS strat for similar kind of stuff. do it!!!!!!!!!

38thBeatle · « **Reply #7 on:** January 11, 2006, 11:16:42 PM »

Question 4 hasn't been answered- I think I am right in saying that you will have to change the wiring- the pots are of the wrong value. I am sorry that I cannot tell you the right values but someone here will be able to
( Phil?)- oh and welcome.

PhilKing · « **Reply #8 on:** January 12, 2006, 12:35:50 PM »

thew EMG's will have 10K pots, if you are using HSH I would go for the 300K pots that BK sells, with a .022 capacitor on the tone. I have a HSS set with a Crawler, but using P-90's as the singles. The tapped sounds on the Crawler are great. Depending how you want to wire it, Tim sells the 4-pole 5-way superswitch. With HSH you could set it any way you wanted, but I would do:

Bridge HB
Bridge Screw + Middle (Middle should be RWRP for hum cancelling)
either Middle or Bridge Screw/Neck Stud in series or Neck + Bridge HB
Neck Screw + Middle
Neck

Unless you want to use push pull pots or micro switches. The superswitch basically lets you decide what you want without needing a lot more switches.

For the middle pickup, I also like the Slowhand. It works well in combination with other coils. Good luck and if you need any help with the wiring you can pm me or add a thread in the tech section.

turnip bag · « **Reply #9 on:** January 12, 2006, 02:10:45 PM »

hello there and good luck with your choice , just thought id say that when i ordered my crawler i wasnt going to bother with the tap as ive never been impressed with the results. tim swayed me and ....hey presto....these sound excellent tapped ,excellent all rounder.

carlaz · « **Reply #10 on:** January 12, 2006, 03:26:06 PM »

Yeah, I'm going to get my Crawlers installed in my LP with push-pulls for coil tapping. I guess I might as well go all the way and ask for a Jimmy Page style thing, to get those reverse phase things and stuff going. Never played with anything like that, but it sounds like it could be fun. Sounds, sounds, lots of sounds! :)

(I keep dropping by the reception desk at work to see if more post has magically appeared bearing my pups! ;))

clivey · « **Reply #11 on:** January 12, 2006, 09:13:18 PM »

Thanks for all the help guys; cleared up a few issues, and made up my mind to go ahead with the crawlers/mothers milk combination. So long as the money's in my bank, those are going to be ordered pretty soon...