Peavey Wolfgang lower output pickups?

ledvedder

ledvedder

Well-known member
What's everyone's experience with lower output pickups in a Wolfgang? What pickups have worked for you? I've been through several pickups throughout the 25 years that I've had my Wolfgang. For years I had the stock pups in it. Then I tried a few SD and Dimarzio. CC, Custom/59, Norton, Tone Zone, Super Distortion. Then I put a set of pups in from a maker called Sounds of Sin. Those lasted for a bit. Then lastly, I put an EVH Wolfgang bridge pickup in it. I absolutely love the feel and playability of this guitar, but seems like I've never really found the right pickup for me. I took it to band rehearsal last night for the first time in a while. Since I've aged, I've found I prefer lower output pickups that have more dynamics throughout the volume range. Just wondering what's worked for everyone in their Wolfgang?
 
I swapped a Jalen Fair Warning into my Wolfgang Special and could not be happier. While it's hot based on the specs (15.5k) it doesn't act like a hot pickup.The mismatched coils and roughcast A5 mag really lean it more towards a vintage vibe.

It's a really clear, articulate pickup with nice overtones/ harmonics and just the right amount of grind. Really dynamic too.

Thru a plexi type amp it really does have a lot of the FW tonality.
 
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M@tt C said:
I swapped a Jalen Fair Warning into my Wolfgang Special and could not be happier. While it's hot based on the specs (15.5k) it doesn't act like a hot pickup.The mismatched coils and roughcast A5 mag really lean it more towards a vintage vibe.

It's a really clear, articulate pickup with nice overtones/ harmonics and just the right amount of grind. Really dynamic too.

Thru a plexi type amp it really does have a lot of the FW tonality.
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I've looked into this pickup. But it seems fairly close to the Duncan 59/Custom hybrid, which I wasn't that crazy about.
 
ledvedder said:
I've looked into this pickup. But it seems fairly close to the Duncan 59/Custom hybrid, which I wasn't that crazy about.
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I can see that spec-wise. I've never used that Duncan so I can't say, but the Jalen is killer.
 
ledvedder said:
I've looked into this pickup. But it seems fairly close to the Duncan 59/Custom hybrid, which I wasn't that crazy about.
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It's nothing like a 59 hybrid. The 59 hybrid is the screw coil of the 59(PAF) output, and the slug coil of the custom. The slug coil has more winds than the screw coil. It uses 42awg and 43awg respectfully. The fair warning is based on a specific early JB where both coils use 44awg and the screw coil has more winds than the slug coil.
 
scottosan said:
The fair warning is based on a specific early JB where both coils use 44awg and the screw coil has more winds than the slug coil.
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Jim Gaustad on the Jalen FW pickup:

"I had the privledge , or i was lucky to find a couple of examples of it, and I've kinda known about this for a while but I never been able to neccessarily prove it. But I've seen some documentation online and, like i said, I've seen a couple of live examples and we put a meter on 'em and the amazing thing is, these original JB's... this was the prototype JB.. probably wound in the mid to late 70's.. before they were available.. you couldn't go to a music store, or a guitar/luthier or whatever and buy a JB pickup back then. There was no "Seymour Duncan Pikcups" yet... so this was the first attempt at it. "
 
scottosan said:
It's nothing like a 59 hybrid. The 59 hybrid is the screw coil of the 59(PAF) output, and the slug coil of the custom. The slug coil has more winds than the screw coil. It uses 42awg and 43awg respectfully. The fair warning is based on a specific early JB where both coils use 44awg and the screw coil has more winds than the slug coil.
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Is it similar to the Pariah 1986? I didn't gel with that either.
 
Pups are such a difficult aspect of the tone chase. The same pickup in 3 of your guitars will sound totally different. No matter the suggestions, it is always going to be a crap shoot. You don't like Jalen or Pariah 86, so feels like you are ruling out anything remotely close to a JB of any type. What about something with an A8 magnet? Maybe Duncan's Lynch pickup. Or how about something like a Dimarzio Air Zone or Andy Timmons pup which is a more balanced and less spikey JB. Worse case scenario, just throw a Duncan 59 in the bridge or a custom SH-5 and call it a day.

If you aren't careful, you will have spent 1K rolling pups through a 1K guitar.
 
Kapo_Polenton said:
Pups are such a difficult aspect of the tone chase. The same pickup in 3 of your guitars will sound totally different. No matter the suggestions, it is always going to be a crap shoot. You don't like Jalen or Pariah 86, so feels like you are ruling out anything remotely close to a JB of any type. What about something with an A8 magnet? Maybe Duncan's Lynch pickup. Or how about something like a Dimarzio Air Zone or Andy Timmons pup which is a more balanced and less spikey JB. Worse case scenario, just throw a Duncan 59 in the bridge or a custom SH-5 and call it a day.

If you aren't careful, you will have spent 1K rolling pups through a 1K guitar.
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I have a Custom I might try. Problem is that I'll have to dremel the legs to fit in the Wolfgang. I also have a few other Duncan's I could try, but again, the legs won't fit without grinding them down. 59, Pearly Gates. Someone also mentioned the Dimarzio Fortitude, which I have, but it's nickel covered.
 
Panhead5 said:
That's the way I feel about it but it seems to me they really specc'd the stock pickups to the guitar instead of just throwing some random Duncans in it
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Yes exactly, i find that they are just perfect for 8t, even the neck pup is sooo good with distortion and stays clear and punchy.

I prefer those to the EVH ones a lot.
 
I find the Peavey Wolfgang pickups far to hot for my liking. I've been reluctant to replace the pups due to the leg mod required. If I don't like the results I'm left with a pair of short legged pups.
 
JohnnyGtar said:
DiMarzio Air Zone bridge, Air Norton neck.
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That's still a ton of output. 17.5k. I feel like I've tried this combination before and wasn't that crazy about it. I've tried so many pickups through the years, it's hard to keep track lol.
 
JLR said:
I find the Peavey Wolfgang pickups far to hot for my liking. I've been reluctant to replace the pups due to the leg mod required. If I don't like the results I'm left with a pair of short legged pups.
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Reasons #1 & #2 I won't mess with another Wolfgang. I find the stock pickups hot and abrasive, and the B.S. to change them, and B.S. raising/lowering them. Stupid.
 
ledvedder said:
That's still a ton of output. 17.5k. I feel like I've tried this combination before and wasn't that crazy about it. I've tried so many pickups through the years, it's hard to keep track lol.
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Maybe try a Pearly Gates in the bridge. They're in the under 10k in output range. I believe, very dynamic and musical. Great harmonics too.
 
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I’m really only familiar With Seymour Duncan and dimarzios even more than Duncan’s. How about something in the dimarzio vintage category? Like
Air classic set
PAF 36th anniversary set
PAF 59 set

Someone mentioned the air zone and air Norton. I love those but yeah they’re still on the higher gain side
 
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