# John Suhr Pickups



## Archer (Aug 29, 2006)

I recently ordered some of John's pickups and have them loaded into some of my guitars. Here is a little review.....let me just say that I am IMPRESSED. I ordered a Doug Aldrich set, 2 Fletcher-Landau singles and a DSH. 

The Doug Aldrich set is a Gibson Les Paul Standard....all I can say is WOW! The bridge is THE nicest hot pickup I have ever heard. Strong in the low mids, very tight low end and a nice smooth high end.....it is hot as hell (17K) but perfectly clear and warm sounding. This pickup is what the Duncan Custom tries to be (don't get me wrong cause I love the Duncan Custom) but doesnt QUITE achieve. The Aldrich neck is a pretty standard sounding PAF with increased clarity in the midrange and a smoother top end. Pairs beautifully with the bridge.

The Fletcher Landau pickups are in an Alder bodied Tom Anderson Classic. The pickups are nice chimey strat pickups, great mids and no ice pick highs. VERY clear, very detailed but they are a little hard and strident sounding on some of my amps (especially my Matchless) They are not as warm as the Anderson pickups they are replacing....I'll likely go back to the Anderson pickups next string change. The F-L pickups sound great with my Mesa/Boogies (a Nomad 45 and a Stiletto Ace) and my Koch Multitone but these pickups aren't me. If you are running stock Fender pickups these are a HUGE upgrade for real vintage sort of sounds. That isnt my thing though...I want a warmer single coil tone. My preference doesnt draw away from the clarity and musicality of these pickups.

Now for the pickup that impresses me the most...the DSH. It is a medium-hot pickup (13K) with amazing clarity and punch. I put it into a Brian Moore C-55 and was amazed at how the pickup sounded in a mahogany body-maple neck guitar. The fequencies of the pickup compliment the acoustic sound of the guitar perfectly. I had lost interest in the Moore recently (was bored with my homemade pickups I guess) and have to say that this DSH has made the guitar sound new. It splits really nicely (though not as well as a hotter pickup) and the split bridge/split neck gives a really nice tone. Great pickup. I am going to order a DSV neck pickup for the Moore.

2 thumbs WAY up for Suhr pickups.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...two more thumbs up!

i have a set of three in my 96 tele deluxe plus.

in fact, i like them so much that i just bought a strat set. now all i need is a strat in which to install 'em!

-dh


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