I think I love my Fractal gear most...

[R I Blues]

Low output, low wind pickups in all my guitars and all of them adjusted low. Pure nickel strings and Seymour Duncan Antiquities is the staple for me.

Best of luck, I think that you will love the Suhr. Whether you decide to go SSS or HSS, consider a blender control to take the place of one of the tone pots.

 

[6L6C]

Like allot of you I prefer my lower output pickups, but it took me a while to learn my lesson.

In 81 got my first electric guitar (Les Paul Standard) had already been playing 4 years at this point. Being young and gullible, I had to change my pickups! My friends told me so! (who were also, young and gullible). Guys at the music store told me so! And guitar magazines were filled with advertisements interviews with artist and so on.

The common denominator: HOTTER IS BETTER !

So during a good part of the eighties I was changing pickup’s like crazy. To the credit of allot of these pickups, I have to say they all really sounded good once you spent some time with the pickup heights, but still not really for me. But more importantly, although I found them to be different shades of the same color. At least when driving the amp hard. Clean was a different story, was not working for me. Had the idea of putting the original pickups back in, cleans sounded great with those suckers! But I have no idea what happened to those pickups. Early 90’s Duncan puts out a Seth Lover recreation. My cleans were back! And by then I was using Mesa Boogie, plenty of gain on tap no problem there. And everything just seemed easier to dial in.

So things I learned from this time in my life:

Spent lots of money on pickups

Don’t listen to friends who are just as stupid as you

Don’t listen to sales people who are just as stupid as you (and also want to make a sale)

There is no wonder pickup that will make your tone perfect in no matter what guitar it is installed in and amp combination and so on.

On a positive note: I became proficient at soldering and knowledge of wiring this stuff up! And just a better feel as far as setting up pickup heights and balancing everything.


Edit: Almost forgot !! Sometimes the manufacture gets it right. (If I left those pickups alone in that Les Paul Standard, they would probably be still in the guitar) The Seth Lovers reminded me so much of the original pickups in the guitar.

John

 

[6L6C]

I feel exactly the same way. I have been playing my PRSs for a while now, but I don't think I shall unlock the full potential of the black box, until I get a proper strat.

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Yes !

 

[Jbmetal]

Unless I'm playing jazz or metal, I generally keep the coils split in my PRS. It just sounds better in every way.

 

[hippietim]

I've never been a fan of high-output pickups, real amp or virtual. Neither was EVH. Part of the key to his tone is the relatively weak pickups he used. High output pickups don't have enough treble and sound too compressed.

The exception to that for me is that high output humbuckers can be great with a Twin or Deluxe. Those amps have more than enough treble and if you kill the bass you get a nice thick semi-clean tone for single not lines.

 

[GuttaLaser]

Custom Shop 69 and low pups setting for my Strato (love the "acoustic" twang if you know what i mean).
Low output SD Seth Lover for the LP (slighly "microphonic" pups but in a good "vintage" way).
For the Charvel Bumblebee... exactly the SD "Model '78" pup (yeah ya know what is it!) wounded and signed by Mr. Seymour himself.
With the Greenswirl Jem I play with input sensivity on the Axe and the trim of the amp block.
So "low" is the keyword to me.

 

[brokenvail]

What's the Thornbucker like? I'm super keen on the gold finish but it's a good deal.

Thorn bucker is a low ouput Suhr pup similar to output of SSV(little weaker) with softer sweeter highs. I want a thorn bucker+ (slighter Highter but still low output)

I use slight hotter Anderson humbucker but keep their height down

 

[Geezerjohn]

What pickup config? SSS? HSS? What are ML pickups?

SSS. The Mike Landau (ML) pickups are superb. They offer a great balance and tight but smooth response. They clean up very well with the volume backed down, but still retain a full rich tone. They compress and drive very well with the gain turned up. I have the Classic wired with one volume knob and two tone controls. One tone control is dedicated to the bridge pickup. The other controls both the middle and neck pickups. Very easy to dial in tonal variations. A simple to operate, great performance guitar. One of the most expressive guitars I have ever owned.

 

[barhrecords]

I've got low wind pups in almost everything but my custom shop les paul.

These are next for that guitar: http://ox4pickups.co.uk/product/ox4-humbucker/ low wind with A4 magnets.

 

[iaresee]

Does anyone know if all Suhr Classic Pros routed for a humbucker in the bridge even if you get the SSS setup?

 

[Geezerjohn]

Sorry Ian, I am not sure about that. I suggest an email to Suhr. You can also try Brian at Humbucker Music. They are a very large Suhr dealer. He was very helpful to me when I ordered my Classic.

 

[brokenvail]

Does anyone know if all Suhr Classic Pros routed for a humbucker in the bridge even if you get the SSS setup?

I have been told by Suhr that the Classic pro's are housed for HSH

My 2017 guitar purchase will be a Suhr JM Pro.

Keep in mind Suhr pro have the v70 single coil. It is their lowest output single coils and very true to that 70's tone.

Next to FAS the silent circuit has to be one of my fav inventions

 

[iaresee]

I have been told by Suhr that the Classic pro's are housed for HSH

Yup! Just got confirmation on that from Suhr.

My 2017 guitar purchase will be a Suhr JM Pro.

Nice. That alt-style headstock is cool too. I can't afford it, but the Thornley signature JM looks fantastic.

Keep in mind Suhr pro have the v70 single coil. It is their lowest output single coils and very true to that 70's tone.

Yup.

Next to FAS the silent circuit has to be one of my fav inventions

I'm looking forward to a quiet Strat.

 

[StickMan]

I'm still blown away at how good the stock Gretsch Filtertrons in my 6120 sound through the Tweed Deluxe model in the Axe.

 

[iaresee]

I'm still blown away at how good the stock Gretsch Filtertrons in my 6120 sound through the Tweed Deluxe model in the Axe.

Yea. I really love the TV Jones pickups in my La Cabronita through all the Fenders in the AFII.

 

[StickMan]

Yea. I really love the TV Jones pickups in my La Cabronita through all the Fenders in the AFII.

I don't know if it's just something that's somehow timeline appropriate or what. The Tweed Deluxe being very much the amp of the day in the heyday of the 6120. It just works. I've set up a couple of lead scenes. One with the drive just under 5, and a slap back type delay for a more authentic roots rock sound. The other I've set the drive to about 6, and used longer delay with more feedback.

While the lower drive one sounds really cool and authentic. You could use the higher gain one for just about any modern kind of music, it's that good.

 

[brokenvail]

That alt-style headstock is cool too. I can't afford it, but the Thornley signature JM looks fantastic.

I prefer the normal suhr head stock but I can live with the hybrid. As for the Thornley. I love series parallel switching but not a fan of where he has his switches for that. Also prefer the Pro neck shape over the V on his. You can get a custom model JM for less than his Sig. Truth be told with a pickguard swap you can make a Pro have the wiring like his. If by change (unlikely) I hate the S90 I am getting a new pickguard routed for two humbuckers and a 5 way instead of 3 way toggle and will wire it like this:

N HB series
N HB Parallel
N HB (in series) in parallel with B HB (in series)
B HB Parallel
B HB Series

I will have a push pull that splits the HB's when in position 3. With push pull engaged position 3 gives me one coil from each pup in Parallel with each other for a total of 6 sound. It is killer!!

 

[Hotplate]

Nice. That alt-style headstock is cool too. I can't afford it, but the Thornley signature JM looks fantastic.

Man I dig that new sig JM.. didn't know about these.

I prefer low output pickups across the board. But I tend to go for more classic tones and playing styles, so it makes sense.

 

[brokenvail]

Man I dig that new sig JM.. didn't know about these.

I prefer low output pickups across the board. But I tend to go for more classic tones and playing styles, so it makes sense.

funny thing I have been gravitating to lower output pups but don't necessarily go for classic tones

 

[JCBitB]

I thought I was the only one going through this revelation! I have to recommend D Allen pick ups, I have some p51's in a les Paul for a modern take on low output paf's, and I had a set of Powerages in it previously that are recreations of a hot T-Top pick up (think angus). Hope to snag some alley-kats (modernish take on a brighter 57 paf)

I heard Pete Thorn say that he likes low output pick ups, because you can always boost them if you need more. I filed it away as good info, but not good enough to inspire the purchase of new pick ups. Then on stumbling through the D Allen lines, I realized I wish I had heard this and put it into practice sooner!

Lower output seems to lend some extra complexity and depth in the tone, even when you throw a dimed boost in there. There's just a whiskey-soaked quality to the top and mids that a rolled down volume knob on hot pups can't give. Wish I could explain it better, but you know how it goes...