Distortion/Fuzz

[guitargeek62]

What pickup will help give the best note clarity with heavy Distortion/Fuzz in the style of the Smashing Pumpkins? I'm currently using a Fender SoCal strat so just the one bridge humbucker is needed........

thanks

PS, i dont care if any of you dont like the guitar!!!!!!!!!!!! :shock:

[Mister Crowley]

Funny thing is I live in Southern California in Orange County (10 minutes from Fullerton, where Leo Fender first opened his shop, and 45 minutes from Corona where all the MIA Fender's are made) and I think you'd get laughed off stage if you tried to play that at a gig down here. Ok that aside I think lower output pickups are better for Fuzz (a la Smashing Pumpkins) so I'd go with a Mule, Emerald, or maybe even a Mississippi Queen P90. Good luck with that guitar, maybe people in England will think that's cool ;)

[_tom_]

Funny thing is I live in Southern California in Orange County (10 minutes from Fullerton, where Leo Fender first opened his shop, and 45 minutes from Corona where all the MIA Fender's are made) and I think you'd get laughed off stage if you tried to play that at a gig down here. Ok that aside I think lower output pickups are better for Fuzz (a la Smashing Pumpkins) so I'd go with a Mule, Emerald, or maybe even a Mississippi Queen P90. Good luck with that guitar, maybe people in England will think that's cool ;)

Cant say I like the guitar either.. anyway. For a clear defined pickup I like my Mules, they can do any style of music pretty much. Maybe for a bit more middle and output, the VHII?

[Brow]

I always find that when using Fuzz, that a humbucker loses all definition and turns to mush. I usually find Single Coil pickups to work better with Fuzz myself :)

But if that's not an option, then definitely go for a lower output humbucker likea Mule, Stormy Monday or a Riff Raff :)

[sambo]

personally i like those strats... never played one... but aesthetically i think theyre quite cool...

[Mister Crowley]

I agree that single coils sound much better with Fuzz, hence why I recommended the MQ ;)

[Searcher]

Didn't Billy Corgan use Strats with single coils for most of his songs?  If so, and you want that kinda sound from a humbucker, then you'll want a relatively low-output pickup.  Keep in mind that you can also go for a humbucker-sized P-90 pickup, which will get you closer to a regular single coil sound than any humbucker will.

[Tricalibur]

low output hum. And i like the guitar  8)

[Elliot]

I'd go with a Alnico V Mississippi Queen - you would have brilliant definition plus a fantastic and distinctive indy/grunge tone

[guitargeek62]

Didn't Billy Corgan use Strats with single coils for most of his songs?

Most of his were modded with a humbucker in the bridge but yeah, some were still s/c's. I think the Mississipi Queen might be a good bet too, love the sound of p-90s any, especially in this style lol! Anyone know if they come in black? im looking to screw it straight to the body EVH style and get rid of the silly p/up surround.

ps, the guitar - have to say, when i first saw it in the shop i thought it was a custom shop model as it was so different to the other "special edititions" fender release. Tried it out though and noticed it was made in Korea but to be perfectly honest, build quality and playibility are up there with my CIJ strat and Nathan Sheppard 26 so i couldnt help myself lol! Anyway, girls love it at gigs!  

['Ash' J. Williams]

Most of his were modded with a humbucker in the bridge but yeah, some were still s/c's.

Not exactly.

For the Gish-era, he was using his now stolen 74' Strat with stock pickups.

Most of the stuff from the Siamese Dream-era to the Mellon Collie-era is the result of his Lace Sensors loaded 57' Reissue Strat : a Blue at the neck, Silver middle, and Red at the bridge (pretty much the most common Lace configuration). He used those in the studio for 90% of the material.
The Blue is supposed to be a PAF replica (Read 12.8K), the Silver is a fat 70 Strat single coil sound (7.1K) and the Red is a high output humbucker sound-alike (14.5k).
The basic SP sound of those years comme pretty much of this guitar thru a Big Muff Pi and a JCM800 (and a fair bit of JMP1 in the Mellon Collie sessions)  

As for the Adore-era, Machina-era and what has followed he used a bit of everything but mostly a lot of 335, LP Jr, and so...

So if you're looking for the Siamese/MellonCollie sound, i will go for something quite medium output (the Red Sensor is pretty hot) like the Emerald (i expect it to be perfect for the SP sound and Corgan is a huge fan of Thin Lizzy and the 70's sound :) ). But don't buy the Lace Sensors please ! I had them long ago and they greatly lacks of life, they're not singles and they're not Hum eithers, they really are kind of dull...

Hope that helps  

[Elliot]

He also uses a Fender Bender Fuzz

[HTH AMPS]

I always find that when using Fuzz, that a humbucker loses all definition and turns to mush. I usually find Single Coil pickups to work better with Fuzz myself Smile

same here (single coils all the way with fuzz pedals).  If I had to suggest a 'bucker, I'd go with a Mule.


 :twisted:

[guitargeek62]

He also uses a Fender Bender Fuzz

thanks for the info, i was basically going off pics n vids ive seen of him live, especially siva - every vid ive seen of it hes using either a 335 (not gonna get that sound tho lol!) or a fat strat of sorts and it sounds good.

I was looking at the emerald before as i was going to add a push pull pot to split it for more versatility, its not perfect but hey, the audience cant bloody tell lol! Not sure now though, the mississipi is tempting but i have a PRS soapbar S/C so............ :\

['Ash' J. Williams]

He also uses a Fender Bender Fuzz

Right ! THE Bullet With Butterfly Wings sound  :twisted: