Best HBs for Jazz/Blues?

[Kepu]

The title explains it all...
so what humbucker set would be the best for a semi-hollow guitar for playing blues and jazz and some classic rock
I'm going after this warm, thick, clear sound, kinda like SRV

suggestions? :)

[Buddha]

i would say the stormy mondays would be good for blues/jazz.
 8)

[Fourth Feline]

I would agree on Stormy Mondays.

My only caution is that in another post, I thought I remembered Tim recommending Mules for a more 'middy' sound.

I have Alnico II SMs in an S.G. which has very similar body resonance to a hollow body, and they sound lovely and clear, evenly voiced across the neck  yet sweet. I have Alnico IV Mules in a Les Paul and they do sound more 'nasal' in the mid range than do the SMs. The Mules are detailed and balanced, but not quite as equally balanced across the tonal spectrum as the SMs.

I would therefore stick with the lovely detailed, clear, balanced and sweet Stormy Mondays for  specific Blues & Jazz usage.

Also, if you like a clear yet thick sound like SRV, they have a haunting quality that sits somewhere between a humbucker and a fat single coil. I would use them for 60's Soul and Blues  also for that reason; - the enigmantic 'best of both worlds' sound.

  :D

[dave_mc]

what about the "manhattan" (think that's the name)? it's a lower gain missisippi queen, it's a p90 in a humbucker spacing.

if you want a true humbucker, though...

[Peter Antal]

Mules or Mississipi Queens. :)

[blue]

obviously a coil tapped warpig is the only way to go!

actually, that's not quite as fatuous as it sounds, seemingly the warpig has a very deep, rich sound which might actually work very well with a low gain amp and a jazzy kind of sound.  traditionally something like the stormy monday or mississippi queen would be the jazz pickup, but i think the 'pig might surprise people.  that kind of power, which is apparently coupled with excellent dynamics, could make for a really gorgeous jazz sound.

maybe it's my imagination, but i seem to remember that a lot of jazz players went for the duncan and dimarzio distortion pickups when they first appeared in the 70's

[plastercaster]

obviously a coil tapped warpig is the only way to go!

actually, that's not quite as fatuous as it sounds, seemingly the warpig has a very deep, rich sound which might actually work very well with a low gain amp and a jazzy kind of sound.  traditionally something like the stormy monday or mississippi queen would be the jazz pickup, but i think the 'pig might surprise people.  that kind of power, which is apparently coupled with excellent dynamics, could make for a really gorgeous jazz sound.

maybe it's my imagination, but i seem to remember that a lot of jazz players went for the duncan and dimarzio distortion pickups when they first appeared in the 70's

we sell alot of pickups in France and over there the Warpig is loved by..........jazzers!

Not sure how good they'd be for blues though.

[Kepu]

hmm... im kinda off here :?

oh yea, the guitar has its stock pickups now
(SD JB in bridge and Jazz in neck)
and they're good for metal too, as i'm huge metal fan i'd like to play some of it too occasionally

so would it be good to buy Warpig (for bridge?) and Stormy Monday (for neck?) so the guitar would be as (or more) versatile as it is now
and if the warpig really is good for jazz...
I just wonder how they would work together

and any more information for "manhattan"? there's no info on the website

the thing i hate about BKP is that there's so damn many good pickups to choose from

[dave_mc]

and any more information for "manhattan"? there's no info on the website

I think I only heard of it in passing one day... you'd need to ask tim. there are a load of custom options available, but you kind of need to know of them...

[Tim]

My first call for semis is the Stormy Monday set as they are classic PAF in tone but not too hot, ie they don't push the bass too hard which can make semi's sound too boomy.
Mississippi Queen humbucker size P90s are great in this situation too, AV in the bridge and AIV in the neck as standard-great breadth of tone, fat but articulate.
The yet to be released Manhattan uses Alnico III magents and a lower wind for a fat, almost acoustic tone.

[Kepu]

alright thanks for the replies guys!

now i'm atleast a bit on the right track... so at least one stormy monday

anyways how's
- SM & Warpig set
- SM & Mississippi Queen set
- SM & The Mule set?

or should I just get a calibrated SM set?

and how's the other choices like Emerald and Black Dog?
should I experiement and try them out or go with a 'sure thing'?

damn you Tim for making so many great pickups... :(  :D

[PhilKing]

I put Stormy Mondays into my 335 and they sound great.  It is a calibrated unpotted set with Alnico II magnets.  I got them aged and they also look great, see this thread for pics.:

http://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4881

[CaffeineJunkie]

can we still buy the manhatten, even tho it hasn't been officially released yet???

[Kepu]

almost perfect show of what kind of tone i'm after!!:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=wd2C9LwYGqM

the album version is a bit better, but still!


would the stormy monday set reach that tone easily or should i get one of the combos i mentioned before?
(and i'm still interrested how they would work together)

[Fourth Feline]

The 'jangly' rythmn/chord work is pure Alnico II Stormy Monday, but the creamy lead tone sounds more like the Alnico IV Mule. The confusing factor is that you ae loading a semi - whereas he is playing a Les Paul type which will emphasise the mids anyway.

Of the combos suggested so far I would vote for SM neck and Mule bridge.

To be very precise, though he sounds to be playing a neck p/u lead tone, so perhaps a set of Mules or Crawlers.

To sumarise, Alnico II SMs ( in my S.G.) sound exactly like the chordal work, but the Alnico IV Mules ( in my Les Paul ) sound close to the lead voicing.

I think you posting a Les Paul clip to decide on the best pickups for a semi is going to widen the debate on 'best choice' even wider  !




Regards,

Derek.

  :D