TalismanRich Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 And a final that.... Pickups are just microphones for a guitar. Why do SO many famous singers DEMAND to only use a specific microphone for their voice if the sound engineer could just eq their voice at the board? I have always found that the transducers (mechanical -> electrical and electrical -> mechanical) show the greatest variations in the chain. That would include pickups, microphones, turntable cartridges and speakers. Speakers have generally had the greatest variation in my experience. Even with the losses I've had in my hearing, I can easily tell a Vintage 30 from C12N. Its not even close to being subtle. The problem is not if they are different, but if one is inherently better than the other. That's not a matter of accuracy, but a matter of taste. The same goes for pickups. You might like a dark sounding pickup, I might want one that has a nice treble spike at 5kHz to give it some sparkle. One man's mud is another man's magic. (Check out the GuitarFreak spreadsheet sometime to see how changing pots and caps works the response curves of a pickup) Just about everything we do with guitars amounts to "what type of deviations from true fidelity do we want in our signal". In the audio world, 40% distortion is HORRID. In the guitar world, its a nice creamy crunchy with a touch of bite. Hook that OCD or RAT to your stereo some day and see what it sounds like. It has been said that Link Wray got his famous crunchy distorted tone on Rumble by cutting into the paper cones on the speakers (Dave Davies did the same thing). In the end, its whatever gets you the sound you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TalismanRich Posted July 18, 2017 Share Posted July 18, 2017 what browser are you using Rich? Doesn't matter! Its part of IPBoard, not the browser. I use FIrefox on my desktop, Chrome on my laptop, and IE on the downstairs desktop with the audio/video editing software. They all work the same way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidsmoke Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 well it hasn't worked for me for sometime, as it once did test Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidsmoke Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 and boom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 It depends on embedding settings on the yt video I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmac Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 After reading this post I decided to put the Antiquities back into my 20th Anniversary and a set of Thomas Infield Blues Sliders. Man does it sound good. Why did I take them out in the first place? I don't know what I was thinking. But I did. Thanks for bringing up the topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 I have always found that the transducers (mechanical -> electrical and electrical -> mechanical) show the greatest variations in the chain. That would include pickups, microphones, turntable cartridges and speakers. Speakers have generally had the greatest variation in my experience. Even with the losses I've had in my hearing, I can easily tell a Vintage 30 from C12N. Its not even close to being subtle. The problem is not if they are different, but if one is inherently better than the other. That's not a matter of accuracy, but a matter of taste. The same goes for pickups. You might like a dark sounding pickup, I might want one that has a nice treble spike at 5kHz to give it some sparkle. One man's mud is another man's magic. (Check out the GuitarFreak spreadsheet sometime to see how changing pots and caps works the response curves of a pickup) Just about everything we do with guitars amounts to "what type of deviations from true fidelity do we want in our signal". In the audio world, 40% distortion is HORRID. In the guitar world, its a nice creamy crunchy with a touch of bite. Hook that OCD or RAT to your stereo some day and see what it sounds like. It has been said that Link Wray got his famous crunchy distorted tone on Rumble by cutting into the paper cones on the speakers (Dave Davies did the same thing). In the end, its whatever gets you the sound you want. Great post! Took me years to stop trying(unsuccessfully) to make a clean electric guitar sound like an acoustic guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted July 20, 2017 Share Posted July 20, 2017 But can't you use your tone controls to eq it to your liking? This is what annoys me about all the nit picking about pickups. Sure they each have their own flavor, but at the end of the day a high quality pickup is a high quality pickup right? You use your tone controls to balance out the tone exactly the way you like it. Now if there was no such thing as eq or tone controls, I can see a person wanting to change pickups to alter their tone. You think Jimi, Stevie or Rory gave a flip about pickups? Actually they did, they either tore apart their guitars and swapped them with parts from other guitars or tried out various other new guitars until they found one that sounded right. That's why we find so many "closet queen" guitars because they either didn't sound or play good. Its been recorded many times over how guitarists rip apart guitars back in the day because they didn't sound good. SRV's number one was a mix of parts. Pickups from 1959, body from 1963, neck from 1962. So, ya, I think SRV cared about his pickups. Rory swapped pickups on his 1961 Strat (along with other parts like tuners, pickguard, and the nut). Not to mention he had the pickups rewired to a single master tone and master volume. So I'm certain he was concerned with the tone of his pickups. Jimi Vaughan probably didn't care because he destroyed or otherwise went through guitars like a chain smoker goes through disposable lighters. Hendrix was known for playing Supros, Danelectros, an Epi Wilshire, Fender Duo-Sonics, Fender Jazz Masters, Fender Stratocasters, Gibson Flying V, Gibson Les Paul Custom, Gibson SG Custom, Gibson Les Paul Special.... So while he didn't mess with electronics, he just bought new guitars (or was gifted them). So what's your next argument? Now, to your point about tone controls... Tone/Volume controls are fun to play with. I've started likely the use of my 535 with the selector in the middle and either rolling down the tone on the bridge pickup or the volume on the neck. Gives me a slightly different sound and makes rhythm and lead differ from each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleLeroy Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 my faves. but I don't play jazz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duhvoodooman Posted July 22, 2017 Share Posted July 22, 2017 So, recently I picked up a set of SD Antiquities on sale at GC with the intention of putting into my Epiphone ES 175. After playing the 175, I found that I really like the pickups I have as I play mainly jazz stuff on the 175. Then, I struggled to find a home as I really like the pickup setups on most of my guitars. I decided to swap out the SD 59's in my H150 CM. I was regretting my decision until I played the guitar...WOW, what a sweet sounding guitar. I cannot put it down. A marriage maid in heaven. The mids are what get to me...the thing plays like butter and through my Dumble in a box (i.e. my Zendrive) the gain is wonderful. I can't speak for Seth Lovers, the Antiquities were an excellent investment...the H150 is now on the top of my playing list (and that's over my 3 Les Pauls) Tim you got that right, Antiquities are EXCELLENT! I highly recommend them too. I say that if more people tried them in the club, less members would spend the extreme extra for Throbaks. Heartily agree, gentlemen. I have a 2005 R9 that I just never thought sounded as good as it could; the Burstbuckers in it (a 3 at the bridge and 2 at the neck) always impressed me as being just a bit too harsh sounding on the top end, esp. the bridge. Just before Christmas in 2015, GC ran a 20% off coupon special, which I used to pick up a pair of Duncan Antiquities for $180 + tax. These sound just right to me in that guitar--noticeably sweeter and smoother than the BB's but still plenty of grind with the gain dialed up. Not saying that there might not be some 'buckers out there that I'd like even better, but these are a great value, esp. at 20% off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Degassed perhaps, but at our age we've already been degaussed. The magnetism just ain't as strong. Here's a good review and comparison between Seths and Ants. https://legendarytones.com/vintage-style-pickups-explored-2/ Awesome comparison... I like the honest review. At one point in time, I was all about Burstbucker Pro's.... Then I went to SD 59's and finally Seth's. For 2/3 the price of Antiquities, you really can't go wrong. But if you were planning to spend the dough on Gibson pups, then a couple extra dollars for Antiquities is the way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 Actually they did, they either tore apart their guitars and swapped them with parts from other guitars or tried out various other new guitars until they found one that sounded right. That's why we find so many "closet queen" guitars because they either didn't sound or play good. Its been recorded many times over how guitarists rip apart guitars back in the day because they didn't sound good. SRV's number one was a mix of parts. Pickups from 1959, body from 1963, neck from 1962. So, ya, I think SRV cared about his pickups. Rory swapped pickups on his 1961 Strat (along with other parts like tuners, pickguard, and the nut). Not to mention he had the pickups rewired to a single master tone and master volume. So I'm certain he was concerned with the tone of his pickups. Jimi Vaughan *EDIT* HENDRIX *probably didn't care because he destroyed or otherwise went through guitars like a chain smoker goes through disposable lighters. Hendrix was known for playing Supros, Danelectros, an Epi Wilshire, Fender Duo-Sonics, Fender Jazz Masters, Fender Stratocasters, Gibson Flying V, Gibson Les Paul Custom, Gibson SG Custom, Gibson Les Paul Special.... So while he didn't mess with electronics, he just bought new guitars (or was gifted them). So what's your next argument? Now, to your point about tone controls... Tone/Volume controls are fun to play with. I've started likely the use of my 535 with the selector in the middle and either rolling down the tone on the bridge pickup or the volume on the neck. Gives me a slightly different sound and makes rhythm and lead differ from each other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElNumero Posted July 25, 2017 Share Posted July 25, 2017 In a short answer... Sh!t goes in, Sh!t come out. Every recording engineer I have talked to or have read from has stated that the less eq'd a signal is, the purer the final tone will be. Funny that people will buy a $1500-3000 guitar and then go cheap on pickups. The tone out of the guitar will also effect the tone of your pedals (so then you need to eq them as well). Life is too short to compromise on inferior pickups. And yes, I do believe the artist you quote cared about pickups. Why did Stevie have a #1 if he didn't care? He changed the neck on #1. Clapton bought 3 Strats and kept the best of each to make "Blackie" his ultimate Strat. El Numero, if what ever pickups work for you, great. But I want my guitars to achieve they highest potential they can and sometimes that means upgrading the pickups to what tones I want to hear when played clean. It all starts with a great clean tone platform from the amp (without much tone changing on the amp) and then the pedals & effects afterward. Just my .02 YMMV Point well taken! El Numero And a final that.... Pickups are just microphones for a guitar. Why do SO many famous singers DEMAND to only use a specific microphone for their voice if the sound engineer could just eq their voice at the board? Point well taken again! El Numero Actually they did, they either tore apart their guitars and swapped them with parts from other guitars or tried out various other new guitars until they found one that sounded right. That's why we find so many "closet queen" guitars because they either didn't sound or play good. Its been recorded many times over how guitarists rip apart guitars back in the day because they didn't sound good. SRV's number one was a mix of parts. Pickups from 1959, body from 1963, neck from 1962. So, ya, I think SRV cared about his pickups. Rory swapped pickups on his 1961 Strat (along with other parts like tuners, pickguard, and the nut). Not to mention he had the pickups rewired to a single master tone and master volume. So I'm certain he was concerned with the tone of his pickups. Jimi Vaughan probably didn't care because he destroyed or otherwise went through guitars like a chain smoker goes through disposable lighters. Hendrix was known for playing Supros, Danelectros, an Epi Wilshire, Fender Duo-Sonics, Fender Jazz Masters, Fender Stratocasters, Gibson Flying V, Gibson Les Paul Custom, Gibson SG Custom, Gibson Les Paul Special.... So while he didn't mess with electronics, he just bought new guitars (or was gifted them). So what's your next argument? Now, to your point about tone controls... Tone/Volume controls are fun to play with. I've started likely the use of my 535 with the selector in the middle and either rolling down the tone on the bridge pickup or the volume on the neck. Gives me a slightly different sound and makes rhythm and lead differ from each other. No next argument. El Numero Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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