Pickup Reccomendations Please

[j2112c]

Hey Lads opinions and thoughts please.

The Guitar:
I have a 1980s Hamer Chaparral Custom, it is a set neck, maple flametop cap, mahogany body and neck with an ebony fretboard.
It is HSS Humbucker-Single-Single pickup wise.

Acoustically it is highly resonant. You can feel the whole thing vibrate and un-amped it is a full sound.
It has potential.

The Problem:
Issues arise once amped where it sounds thin and harsh.
Originally it had OBLs but someone has put a stacked single/humbucker in the neck, some high output monstrosity in the bridge and the only decent pickup left is a middle single OBL.

My Music:
Rock, Instrumental, 80s, Gary Moore, John Sykes, Doug Aldrich, John Norum type thing.

I want:
Three tones - a good humbucking tone, a great funk out of phase position 4 tone between middle and neck and finally a really nice neck position tone clarity and sparkle rather than grit. More Hendrix than Gallagher.

At the moment thinking:
Humbucker:  that is a standard PAF - moderate output thinking Mule or Crawler not high output gain monster.
Single: Sultans or 50s/60s Patent board things.


Any ideas given the guitar type, playing and the need for tone over output?
Cheers.

[j2112c]

Oh and it's played through valve amps, Marshall and Cornfords if that influences your ideas.

[darkbluemurder]

For the bridge I would have said Holydiver - that would nail the Doug Aldrich tones and would be good for the others, too. If you want something more vintage in output consider the Abraxas bridge, a bit more open than the HD but still can do 80s hard rock well.

I have only very limited experience with the BKP singles so I will leave that to more experienced board members.

Cheers Stephan

[Telerocker]

Yeah I would pick an Abraxas (hotrodded Mule, PAF-flavour a plenty) or Holy Diver (more modern hardrock pickup, middy and creamy solotones) for the bridge. Both will split nice. With these timbers I would not hesitate to try the Pat Pend '63's.

[j2112c]

Cheers guys appreciate the info. This helps.
 :D

[fhn_lopes]

Considering what you said about gain and tone, I think you should try:

bridge: VHII or Rebell Yell (the last one has more output but it isn't a metal pup by nature... true rock sounds, hey, it's a Steve Stevens sig ;) ). The vHII splits very well and has a huge bass response and cutting highs without being harsh. Fits mahogany well. I have one and love it, also cleans very well too, really dinamic (actually, both are).

Now for the singles, if you go VHII route, I'd get mother's milk for middle and neck positions (as you mentioned Funk tones in paralel and nice sparkle)

If you go Rebell Yell, maybe the slow hands fit better the output. Wouldn't go with irish tours as it is pure galagher, even though it can do more stuf, I think they don't have what you want for the neck position.

[Slartibartfarst42]

There's no doubt that for the bridge, you're describing a Holydiver more than any other pickup in the BKP range with those musical aspirations. If you went with the Holydiver in the bridge, I'd be looking at Trilogy Suites for the singles. If you were dead set on having more of a PAF vibe in the bridge the Abraxas is a good choice, though it will be softer in the bass than a lot of what you describe. Providing your guitar isn't too dark sounding, the Crawler could well be a superb choice. I use one and it's just incredible.  The only other one to leap to mind might be the Black Dog, simply because it has the same mid hump as the Holydiver and has plenty bite for Metal while still having a PAF feel.

[Telerocker]

I think nearly all the vintage(hot) singlecoils will do with a hotter bridge. You can get nice splits on the fourth position (bridge split/middle single coil). The only bridgehumbucker mentioned here that doesn't split to total satisfaction is the VHII. It doesn't blend in that nice quacky with the Mother's Milk i have in my ash strat. The Crawler/IT-combo delivers a clearer and better Fenderish quack.