# Cleanest Neck Pickup ?????



## toastman (Mar 28, 2008)

So I finally chose the Dimarzio evolution for my bridge (thanks to your opinions).

Now, I would like a good neck humbucker.

I have an RG320 PG (roland cube-60 amp) and I want:

THE CLEAREST SOUNDING NECK PICKUP ! THE LEAST MUDDIEST PICKUP.

Mostly for playing clean. Kind of like a Gilmour tone. 

what is it guys ??? help me out !

tx again !!!!:rockon2::rockon2:


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

toastman said:


> So I finally chose the Dimarzio evolution for my bridge (thanks to your opinions).
> 
> Now, I would like a good neck humbucker.
> 
> ...


Well, in simple terms, single coils = clean, so if you intend to use a humbucker, and you want what I would call clean, make sure it's a four conductor pickup and plan to add a switch to coil tap the unit.

Clean is a fairly loosely used description in this context. Some people think P90s are clean. Others think that rolling the volume pot back on a humbucker is clean.

It depends a lot on HOW clean your idea of "clean" really is. To me, clean is a Tele (with single coils only of course) through a Roland JC120.


For a Gilmour clean you really do want a single coil pickup. Personally I prefer EMGs but it's a matter of taste.


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## violation (Aug 20, 2006)

Any of Dimarzio's "Vintage Output" humbuckers... PAF Classic and EJ Custom come to mind.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

virtual PAF? if it wasnt a basswood RG, i'd say Seymour duncan Jazz


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## toastman (Mar 28, 2008)

Milkman said:


> Well, in simple terms, single coils = clean, so if you intend to use a humbucker, and you want what I would call clean, make sure it's a four conductor pickup and plan to add a switch to coil tap the unit.
> 
> Clean is a fairly loosely used description in this context. Some people think P90s are clean. Others think that rolling the volume pot back on a humbucker is clean.
> 
> ...



well i dont want it to be a single coil cuz i want it to be good for metal rythym..

am i too far out of line here?


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

email dimarzio, see what they suggest


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

Dimarzio Humbucker from Hell.


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## violation (Aug 20, 2006)

toastman said:


> well i dont want it to be a single coil cuz i want it to be good for metal rythym..
> 
> am i too far out of line here?


Look at the PAF Pro and Air Norton then... both by Dimarzio, you get the best of both worlds with them IMO.

If you want an example of the PAF Pro clean and overdriven listen to some Paul Gilbert (older stuff, his new album he used single coils for clean) and for the Air Norton check out anything by John Petrucci.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

toastman said:


> well i dont want it to be a single coil cuz i want it to be good for metal rythym..
> 
> am i too far out of line here?


That's why I suggested a four conductor humbucker. That gives you the best of both worlds. You wire up a coil tap and activate it when you want to play clean. The rest of the time it's a regular humbucker.

Like I said, it comes down to what you call clean. To my ears a humbucker (without a tap) just doesn't deliver a clean tone at all. Backing off the volume pot does take some of the output away and so mkes it a bit cleaner, but it also makes it duller in my opinion.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

you can replace the volume pot with a different spec pot so that reducing the volume doesnt give you treble cut.


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## toastman (Mar 28, 2008)

violation said:


> Look at the PAF Pro and Air Norton then... both by Dimarzio, you get the best of both worlds with them IMO.
> 
> If you want an example of the PAF Pro clean and overdriven listen to some Paul Gilbert (older stuff, his new album he used single coils for clean) and for the Air Norton check out anything by John Petrucci.


Do you think the PAF Pro is good for playing metal rythym as well ? (for the neck position)


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I'd be looking for something different and more versatile than what every other player in your chosen style is using. It's probably not what you're after, but a nice singlecoil size stacked humbucker, or noiseless singlecoil, would be different. A P-90 would also be cool. If it needs a boost, an MXR boost or some such pedal would do the trick.

Just thinking out loud.

Peace, Mooh.


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## violation (Aug 20, 2006)

toastman said:


> Do you think the PAF Pro is good for playing metal rythym as well ? (for the neck position)


I don't know too many people that actually use a neck pickup for metal rhythm (unless it's a clean tone) but yeah it would work fine if you wanted to do it. 

If you decide you want a tone that sounds similar to a single coil out of a humbucker a very simple way is knocking out some of the bass and mids with an EQ pedal. Look at Paul Gilbert's GE-7 here for a sample of the settings.

The only things I look for in pickups are decent dynamics and enough output to crunch my amps... EQ properties get worked on through the amp or a pedal.


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## toastman (Mar 28, 2008)

violation said:


> I don't know too many people that actually use a neck pickup for metal rhythm (unless it's a clean tone) but yeah it would work fine if you wanted to do it.
> 
> If you decide you want a tone that sounds similar to a single coil out of a humbucker a very simple way is knocking out some of the bass and mids with an EQ pedal. Look at Paul Gilbert's GE-7 here for a sample of the settings.
> 
> The only things I look for in pickups are decent dynamics and enough output to crunch my amps... EQ properties get worked on through the amp or a pedal.


Great !

Thanks for the response !


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