# Favorite pickup combo?



## thecornman (May 13, 2007)

Let's see and hear about your favorite pickup combo. I know there must be others out there who have been looking for the perfect combo for themselves buying and swapping pickups trying to find their ideal sound. After many tries I think I have found what works best for myself on my Godin Freeway Classic. Dimarzio Humbucker From Hell in the neck, Dimarzio Area '58 in the middle and Dimarzio Paf Pro in the bridge. I play blues, funk and rock and roll and can get any sound I am after with this combo. It works for me, but everyone has their own tastes so lets see what you use.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

If I had to choose just one it would be basic bare bones 2 singlecoil pickup Telecaster. However I really dig variations like a P90 or humbucker at the neck too. 

The standard Strat works for me too.

My Godin LG has a nice arrangement of two humbuckers with coil taps, much nicer than two humbuckers without taps to my ears.

I guess what it comes down to is if I don't have some possibility of singlecoils, I'm not as happy.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Jon Moore P90s. A4 in the bridge and A2 in the neck(my favourite - I'm a neck pup player)


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## Tawm! (Jan 11, 2008)

Seymour Duncan Phat Cat P90's, the pair is incredible, esp. in a les paul. Tons of bite, and you can always roll back the volume!evilGuitar:


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## Tawm! (Jan 11, 2008)

P.S. Robert1950 - give me your guitar!!! Oh my gosh its gorgeous!! Is that a hamer special? If so, where the heck did you find that?


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## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

Wow Robert1950! It's a nice one! I love the look of a P-90 guitar, hope I'll be able to try one one of these days!


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Tawm! said:


> P.S. Robert1950 - give me your guitar!!! Oh my gosh its gorgeous!! Is that a hamer special? If so, where the heck did you find that?



Yeah, a Hamer P90 Special - 1992. I bought it a year ago used from a guy in Oakville. He'd had it listed on Craigslist for two months when I came across it. I decided on a long shot and phoned to see if it was available. It was. Got it for $500. He threw in a Vox Pathfinder 15R Amp.

The original Duncan pups were really hot ceramic screamers - really good at what they do, but not my thing. Had vintage pups put in.


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## elindso (Aug 29, 2006)

I guess I'm a bit of a Ludite. I've never changed a pick up that I can remember.

I've had at least one electric guitar most of the time since 1968.

I can't even remember breaking one.

Why did I answer this one might ask?

I would answer, unless they are broken I've not seen a need.:smile:


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## zinga (Apr 22, 2007)

on my strat, neck and middle two tex mex, in the thrid is a prealy gate ,i get what i need when i need it.I like your godin freeway , how does play and sound?


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

2 Humbuckers.
I mostly use the bridge pickup, but for somethings I like to use the neck pickup & sometimes both.
The only guitar I've changed pickups on has been my Les Paul. I got it used and the previous owner had put in Duncan Soapbars--they sounded nice enough, but they weren't me, so I put in a Duncan Distortion (Bridge) & a Seymourizer II (neck)-
I have them wired for series/parallel of each pick up (both coils in series or in parallel-normal humbuckers are wired in series. using them in parallel makes it sound like 2 single coils next to each other. There is a difference.)

I've contemplated changing the pickups in my Les Paul copy, but I'm not sure if the cost is worth it. My Iceman & Mustang are staying as is. The Iceman has Super 80's--which I like, and the Mustang has the stock single coils--I like them too. If I were to put in a humbucker I don't know that I'd like it as much. They're wired to be played singly, or both together-in or out of phase. My favorite setting for the Mustang is both pickups on, but out of phase.


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## Stratin2traynor (Sep 27, 2006)

Dimarzio Area 58's and 61 on my Strat - they are never coming out!!
SD 59's in my Dot - might switch to 57 Classics, don't know yet..
Still experimenting with LP types but I'm enjoying the JB/Jazz combo. Also have a Epi LP with Gibson 490/498 combo - not my favorite. I find them kinda dark.

:rockon:


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Well this is as close as I have to my ideal set up. It would be better of the neck was tappable. I may make that change at some point.

Bridge - EMG 89 w push pull tone pot for coil tapping.
Middle - EMG SA
Neck - EMG 85

I play a variety of classic rock but I could play any genre with the flexibility this layout provides.


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## NB-SK (Jul 28, 2007)

The only pickups I've switched out were the ones in my Epiphone LP Std. I put in Sky pickups (Kent Armstrong), HRO-1A and HPAO-1, black (should have bought 'zebra'). If I remember correctly, the HRO-1 is said to be similar to a Seymour Duncan JB and the HPAO-1 is Kent Armstrong's PAF replica. They both sound great now that I've finally found their sweet spot. I used to have them set way too high. I also did a complete 'vintage' rewiring with braided and cloth wires and orange drop caps (I know, not vintage, but it made a huge difference tone wise. It's as if a blanket had been removed from over the amp speaker). The volume pots now work independently from one another. I'm thinking about installing push-pull pots to do a 'Jimmy Page' job on the guitar.

I only have two other guitars. My Strat came stock with Texas Specials and my Epiphone SG (Japanese, lacquer finish) has some really nice Japanese-made pickups, so I'm not planning on changing those any day soon.


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## fraser (Feb 24, 2007)

3 single coil strat pickups.
second choice, 1 single coil tele pickup.


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

I'm loving this set-up (all Lollar pickups BTW)


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## The Kicker Of Elves (Jul 20, 2006)

Like "thecornman" I'm a big fan of the DiMarzio Humbucker from Hell in the neck position (especially in a heavy mahogany/maple body) but lately I've gone over to using Jon Moore's pickups exclusively...

The two guitars I play the most both have handwound pickups in them...kicked a set of Gibsons out (Classic '57 Plus and Burstbucker #1)...

Kind of itching for a goldtop/P-90 singlecut (most likely not a Gibson/Epi) lately.


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## thecornman (May 13, 2007)

zinga said:


> on my strat, neck and middle two tex mex, in the thrid is a prealy gate ,i get what i need when i need it.I like your godin freeway , how does play and sound?


It plays and sounds great. I use the Humbucker From Hell in the neck the most and just love it. It cuts through when jamming better then any other neck pickup I have tried which is surprising being as it is a lower output pickup. I liked it so much I put one in the neck of my Godin LG too. The Area'58 in the middle is the best noise free single coil that really sounds like a single coil and the Paf Pro in the bridge takes distortion well when I need to crank it up for some rock. I really could not be any happier with this guitar then I am at the moment.


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## bluezombie (May 7, 2007)

I like my EMG60 (N) and SD JB (B)


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## ssdeluxe (Mar 29, 2007)

Robert1950 said:


> Jon Moore P90s. A4 in the bridge and A2 in the neck(my favourite - I'm a neck pup player)




Robert , that's cool ! I think I will order a set from John, just to see check em' out..what tonal ground is he aiming @ with these ?? sorry to stray ...

my fav's :

*strat* : fralin 54's
*tele* : lollar vintage neck/lollar special bridge(or fralin vintage or hot bridge)
*humbuck*: low wind scatterwound fralin neck/fralin reg. bridge (8.4k)...(or real paf's)
*mini-hums*: dimarzio's (can't remember model, but vintage heat, not over-distorto/melter type's)
*p90's*: gibson alnico 5 in neck, a good gibson for bridge is hard to beat, and I love the fralin p90's (more than lollars.....but I'm dying to try hamel's and js moore's for this tone).

** I have to preface all these choices, saying, it TOTALLY depends on the wood and gtr they are going in: some just light up in certain parings others do not, so I paint with a "wide brush" on my generalization of favs. ***


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## ssdeluxe (Mar 29, 2007)

Scottone said:


> I'm loving this set-up (all Lollar pickups BTW)




love that !>...this , I'm sure, could cut any gig ! awesome grain in that wood (both neck/body)...who makes it ???


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

ssdeluxe said:


> love that !>...this , I'm sure, could cut any gig ! awesome grain in that wood (both neck/body)...who makes it ???


made by Koll. I found the original ad on the Destroy all Guitars page. I bought it used from a guy out in BC.

http://www.destroyallguitars.com/itempages/kollTele.html


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## sproul07 (Jun 23, 2007)

My favorite one at the moment is in my Black Strat. The neck and middle are custom wound by Pete Biltoft at Vintag Vibe Guitars and the bridge is a Seymour Duncan SSL-1. I replaced the first tone pot with a Deaf Eddie 'Fat-O-Caster' switch which allows you to combine neck and bridge pickups as well as middle and neck or bridge for a humbucker sound. My fav is the neck/bridge combo. The sound is just amazing when you crank it. Fat, full of sustain. Best guitar ever!


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