Pick Up Recommendation

[theunknown]

Hi guys,

As stated in the title, please recommend me a set of pick ups! Getting some money off a selling deal, so may be doing a major upgrade on my first and favourite guitar.

Details!

Guitar type: It's very cheap Les Paul copy (you can refer to first post of gear gallery 2009)
Type of music played: Anything from clean open chord strumming to classic rock to alil higher gain hard rock.
Budget: I'd like to keep it SGD300 with shipping.
Type of sound I'd like: Something versatile, can handle cleans and drive well. Something biting yet fat! I'm thinking like something vintage yet hot. With great sustain and dynamics.
Some pick ups I've found: Tesla VR-Nitro, Manlius Hot Rod 59 PAF

I'm not sure what else I should write down as requirement. And it's possible to do coil split on any pick up right? Planning to do coil split for some single coil twang sometimes!

Thanks in advance!

 

[Whitestrat]

I'm not sure what else I should write down as requirement. And it's possible to do coil split on any pick up right? Planning to do coil split for some single coil twang sometimes!

I have a serious question for you. how badly do you want to do up this guitar? If the guitar is of a decent guild, then you can do wonders with it and get it to sound amazing. But how badly do you want this, and how much are you prepared to spend?

Not all humbucking pickups can be split. The MUST come with 4 conductors to do that. Otherwise, if it's a single braided conductor, it can't be split.

 

[naviros]

I think you should specialise. Metal for metal, open for open.

What I've learnt is:

versatility = not so good tone
versatility + good tone = not so kind on wallet

Specify what you want from the guitar, makes the choice so much more obvious.

 

[junhao405]

Favourite pickup that do well on distortion and clean, Seymour Duncan Alnico II.. Damm good for clean, Jazz and Blues but on distortion, give a very unique tone.. Beside that, hmm.. Seymour Duncan SH-1 (Not sure I am right) Classic, Very good too.. Very clean yet on distortion can get good harmonics..

 

[theunknown]

Whitestrat: Oh I'm serious alright. Yes the guitar is decent enough for me. I like the build, the stock sound is definitely decent. Got a jem for a brand that no one respects. I have set a side around $500+ for pick ups, an RS pre-wired kit, locking tuners and a bone nut. Will adjust the budget accordingly. Ok 4 conductors - checked. Anyway, can I add combine the SH55 and the BB together? haha. The SH55 got that bite and the BB got that FAT.

Naviros: Ok I've adjusted the "sound wanted". Ignore the high gain metal part. There'll be another guitar to handle that. I guess it's more low to mid high. I want my guitar to sound fat yet biting. Alil higher output and fatter PAF?

JunHao: Thanks I'll go checked them out.

 

[SpaTanS]

Kent Armstrong - Guitar Connection - Single / Hum - ard S$250 for both neck and bridge. Check with Kelvin

 

[Whitestrat]

Whitestrat: Oh I'm serious alright. Yes the guitar is decent enough for me. I like the build, the stock sound is definitely decent. Got a jem for a brand that no one respects. I have set a side around $500+ for pick ups, an RS pre-wired kit, locking tuners and a bone nut. Will adjust the budget accordingly. Ok 4 conductors - checked. Anyway, can I add combine the SH55 and the BB together? haha. The SH55 got that bite and the BB got that FAT.

if you seriously want to do it up, then forget sd or dimarzio or stock Gibson pups. Invest in a good set. Versatility can be obtained at a price. Check out skatterbrane benwabrane sets or wcr American Steele or sheptones ab customs or even bareknuckles or manilus. Forget about off the shelf. There are good winders out there.

A2 in the neck and a5 in the bridge is possible. I would prefer the other way round though.

 

[dudelove]

A lil higher output, fat PAF.

Check out the Wolfetone Marshallheads or the Lollar high wound Imperials. I think they might be what you are looking for. And I agree with Whitestrat, if you're willing to spend forget about off the shelf pickups.

 

[Whitestrat]

A lil higher output, fat PAF.

Check out the Wolfetone Marshallheads or the Lollar high wound Imperials. I think they might be what you are looking for. And I agree with Whitestrat, if you're willing to spend forget about off the shelf pickups.

THAT'S what I'm talking about!

I've tried the wolfetones. Nice, but not as sweet as I'd like them. Want to try lollars though.

 

[theunknown]

OMG they're very pricey. Ok I take back on the "I'm dying to change pickups so I'll fork out a fortune for them". Haha. So far the Manlius Hot Rod 59 has caught my eye. USD150 a set. Wow. I've emailed Mick from Manlius for some recommendation.

Thanks for the recommendations so far Whitestrat and Dudelove. Do post anymore that you can think of. This time, please follow the budget. Hehe.

 

[dudelove]

http://www.highorderpickups.com/

 

[keithC]

change ur guitar... no point changing pups if it goes out of tune after a 1 1/2 step bend..

 

[theunknown]

Hi Dudelove, yeaps I've considered High Order, but I'm not sure of the technical details, like what goes this what affects that. Haha. Will do more research on it though.

Hi Keith, yeah I myself have told others the same thing. Pickups are like nothing if your guitar die on u go out of tune make u electric shock. But in my case, I've actually considered all other stuffs for the guitar upgrade. New tuners, change pots, change caps. But hey, this cheap guitar of mine could last for days of playing w/o the going off tune! With stock machine heads!

 

[ShredCow]

Hi Dudelove, yeaps I've considered High Order, but I'm not sure of the technical details, like what goes this what affects that. Haha. Will do more research on it though.

Email High Order... think his name is Dave? He will guide you thru and there's plenty of info on his website. Good to work with.

 

[Whitestrat]

OMG they're very pricey. Ok I take back on the "I'm dying to change pickups so I'll fork out a fortune for them". Haha. So far the Manlius Hot Rod 59 has caught my eye. USD150 a set. Wow. I've emailed Mick from Manlius for some recommendation.

Thanks for the recommendations so far Whitestrat and Dudelove. Do post anymore that you can think of. This time, please follow the budget. Hehe.

Would love to try dudelove's guitar with the manilus to hear the differences between those and the branes.

Dude, any chance of some clips?

 

[dudelove]

Would love to try dudelove's guitar with the manilus to hear the differences between those and the branes.

Dude, any chance of some clips?

I do not have any good recording programs but I do have Audacity on my bro's Mac and I never liked the sound that comes out from it. I actually am in the midst of doing some clips for my Les Paul together with some of my effects. I'll let you know once I do.

Btw, my Les Paul is a monster when it comes to weight, and I don't really know how it affects the tone.. I still like it though!

 

[theunknown]

Oh right, Dudelove, you has some manlius in your guitars. So which model/s are they? Care for some review? Do you think they will fulfill my set of wants?

 

[dudelove]

Oh right, Dudelove, you has some manlius in your guitars. So which model/s are they? Care for some review? Do you think they will fulfill my set of wants?

They are a custom wound set based on the Landmark PAFs. Neck 7.5k A2, bridge 8.1k A2.

No, I don't think they fulfill your set of wants. It is VERY inclined to vintage tones and it just might not be your tastes. I mentioned before that people who try my guitar either love it, or hate it. Most people who aren't used to how nasal and bright these set of pickups are.

I think what you want is something with higher output, but still retaining little bit of PAF flavour. I think an A2 magnet in the neck, and a A5 magnet in a bridge would be good. I'd strongly recommend Highorder, and Manlius. Simply because they charge extremely low prices for boutique quality and service.

To help you understand abit. GENERALLY, the higher the DC resistance, the more lows, mids, and less highs. And it'll be hotter. Lower, less lows, less mids, more highs. A2 magnets are the warmest, A5 being the brightest.

 

[theunknown]

Oh thanks Dudelove, that really helps.

Now I'm deeply considering the Manlius. Hot Rod 59 PAF. Had emailed Mick, but he hadn't replied yet. =(

 

[WorldWithoutE]

Hi, I would second the recommendation for High Order pickups as I bought a humbucker from Jeff. I learnt quite a lot from emailing him and he explained most things to me. It sounds really nice in my HSS strat, though it would be irrelevant to you if you get different specifications. A real plus point is the superb quality you get, even though he does not charge a premium. I got mine for SGD135 shipped, about the price of a Dimarzio PAF Pro. But what you get is a hand-made, customised and scatterwound pickup with high quality parts. The wait time is a little long when I ordered though, which would be a bad point.

I hope this helps!