"The most dynamic humbuckers"

[SINNguitars]

Hey guys!

Ok, I'm building a custom neckthrough guitar, and the client - the player want's only a neck pickup on it. a humbucker. Only condition in that the PU must be EXTREMELY DYNAMIC. And the style he plays is rock, he's singer and he plays only rhythm guitar.

We are seeking for dimarzios, duncans and EMG's ...maybe others makers PU's too that are easy to find from Finland.

What do you guys think? Any advices? Please put some list on your favourite Dynamic neck Humbuckers for rock guitarists.

Thanx!

-Mikko

[Sweetfinger]

For me, the "dynamic" description without any other reference would be a red flag that this guy has no idea what he actually wants. I would try to get an idea of what pickups this guy likes or has played and didn't like in the neck position of a guitar before ordering something. If it comes down to just slappin' something in there to get it done, I'd go with any vintage output PAF style pickup. Personally, the Duncan Pearly Gates neck is a winner. The '59 would do. The Alnico II pro is one I would avoid, too "smooth".

[Plucky]

Hi Mikko,

It depends on what kind of "rock" music he plays, but if availability is a concern, I've found that a very safe choice would be a Seymour Duncan Jazz neck pickup. I've yet to have a client who did not absolutely love this pickup. It's one of my favorite factory-made pickups. Good luck on the project!

-Ron

[Mark Hammer]

Let me guess. The client always has the distortion on somewhere in the chain, and still wants "dynamics".

You'll want something that is a) lower from the strings, and b) not overwound.

The dynamics is not just a function of the pickup, but a function of the headroom limitations it might impose on the rest of the chain. A more sensitive pickup will quickly exhaust headroom on pedals, and placing it nearer the strings will also result in less headroom.

Since it is nearby, the Kent Armstrong Filter-tron replacement might be a nice one to consider: http://www.wdmusic.com/filtertron_st...up_nickel.html

[David Schwab]

Hi Mikko,

It depends on what kind of "rock" music he plays, but if availability is a concern, I've found that a very safe choice would be a Seymour Duncan Jazz neck pickup. I've yet to have a client who did not absolutely love this pickup. It's one of my favorite factory-made pickups. Good luck on the project!

-Ron

I have one I'm trying to get rid of! It's a nice sounding pickup, but I had it in a basswood bodied guitar, and it was too boomy in the low registers. Sounds nice up the neck though.

I got it because a customer bought a new Jackson, and it didn't sound good in that guitar at all. Was very bland. He replaced it with a DiMarzio Evo neck, which worked better in that particular guitar.

I really like the Air Norton, and I'm not a big DiMarzio fan. But it's a really nice sounding neck pickup. I like the Duncan Alnico II Pros also.

Getting back to the OP... dynamics is more about your playing and the amp's tone. But stay away from EMGs, as they sound a little squashed, which is one of the things I like about them.

It sounds like he really wants to play acoustic guitar. Something very clean would work, like a Bartolini 1C, or 1CTA (Tuck Andress's model)

[SINNguitars]

thanx

Hey!

Thank you guys very much for your replies! I have no time now to quote you all but.... First i have to post a link for that band's myspace site: turning page on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Downloads

Ok... actually i've been thinking about pearly gates, jazz or air norton. And ofcourse dynamics come from your hands, but some PU's seem to response in "dynamics" better than others... i have one EMG-81 leftover, but i was thinking that it's sound is too much "compressed".

I think that i'll try SD Jazz neck first, actually a year ago i build one guitar nearly same specs with Jazz on neck, and i liked the sound a lot.

bytheway, guitars wood/bridge specs are:

-ebony 25,5" FB
-Maple neckthrough
-Khaya Body wings
-fixed gotoh bridge

-Mikko

Thanx again!!!!! I'll post some information as soon as i get guitar ready.

[jrfrond]

I'm going to come out of left field with this suggestion:

TV Jones Power'Tron in the HB-mount package.

If there is a pickup I've ever heard, used and retrofitted that can do just about everything (bop, jangle, rock) and maintain clarity and superior dynamics, it's this one. A bit pricey at $135.00, but to me, it's the best there is.

[LtKojak]

Why a Humbucker?

I think that i'll try SD Jazz neck first, actually a year ago i build one guitar nearly same specs with Jazz on neck, and i liked the sound a lot.

bytheway, guitars wood/bridge specs are:

-ebony 25,5" FB
-Maple neckthrough
-Khaya Body wings
-fixed gotoh bridge

If you like dynamics, there's NOTHING like a P-90. Twin AlNiCo 5 magnets, about 10,000 turns of AWG42 wire. That's a powerhouse when it comes to deliver all the nuances in picking.

Is your customer SURE he wants only one p'up and in the NECK position...? If I was you, I'd advice him to get a slightly underwound (7.8-8.5K) P-90 in the neck position and a slightly overwound PAF humbucker (8.5-9.0K) for the bridge position.

That'll be a guitar that can play just about any style of music but it will excel in rock.

EDIT: I've just heard his band... he wants a BRIDGE p'up, not a neck one to play this particular style of music. Talk to him before it's too late.

HTH,

[Sweetfinger]

Is your customer SURE he wants only one p'up and in the NECK position...? ....EDIT: I've just heard his band... he wants a BRIDGE p'up, not a neck one to play this particular style of music. Talk to him before it's too late.
HTH,

+1
RED FLAG! This guy needs to come in IN PERSON with HIS RIG and play a few different guitars and pickups because he may be saying one thing and meaning something else. You need to get a good idea of what his reasoning is for a neck pickup, which many rockers consider as useless as eye snot. You need an idea of what he "thinks" is dynamic. He may end up actually wanting a Duncan distortion in a bridge position. Yup. Find out now and save a whole lot of unpleasantness later on.

[SINNguitars]

neck pu

Hey!

Huh, thanx guys for this many replies! Been away for a while.

yeah... he really plays only with neck pickup in this band... rhythms, lots of octaves. I've been discussing this topic with him many times, and he always says that the bands sound comes from mix of his neck PU sound and leadguitarist's bridge PU sound.. huh! And he has played quite a lot... what is a lot, in this case about 15 years. And when he ordered this guitar, he wanted it to be only a Turning Page (band's name) guitar, a one of a kind, with huge band's logo inlay on fretboard, and only a neck PU. Ofcourse i wanted him to be sure that the neck PU is only the one PU he wants... and he is sure. But i will route a bigger pot cavity as an option for him, when he wants a bridge Pick up too

I'll post some news and pics when i have something new...

thanx!

[Mark Hammer]

+1 on Sweetfinger's reply. What one player means by "dynamic" may be entirely different than what another means. Relying on musicians' verbal descriptions is a very risky game.

[SINNguitars]

Project finito

Hey guys!

...promised to send some pics when guitar is finished, huh it's been ready for couple of months now, but i've been so busy that i have forgotten to post 'em.

Anyway, here they are. Guy who ordered this guitar, really only wanted a neck PU. He's wery pleased with the guitar, it's sound and playability. The pot is push pull with series/paraller switching.

Again, thanx guys for your help!!

[David Schwab]

Nice looking guitar! So what pickup did you end up using?

[SINNguitars]

Nice looking guitar! So what pickup did you end up using?

Thank you very much David!

I tried SD jazz neck... and so far he has been very pleased with the PU!