Bigger sounding 36th Anni Bridge?

[skoora]

Wolfetone Marshallhead?

This.

 

[skoora]

AT-1 is a fatter 36th.

I thought the AT-1 was their JB.

 

[Fiesta Red]

I don't like many Dimarzios but I like the 36th anniversaries. In one of my LP clones, I have 500K pots and Dimarzio 36 anni neck and bridge. Neck sounds fantastic in this guitar. Hard to beat. the bridge is nice and crunchy and tight but it can feel a bit light in "girth" ( every woman's complaint) and a bit thin on the high end. I'm looking for something that is tight and crunchy like it but bigger sounding and fuller in the highs for lead playing. What pickup am I describing that is easy to find and doesn't cost half the price of a Charvel?

I'd second the response in this thread to get a Duncan 59.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

The old slash 2's have flat mids.

That being said, if you want to see how a magnet swap might change your pickup, this is one of the best comparison vids I have found:

I've never tried swapping magnets. I am interested in it but don't want to screw something up.. as far as i know, essentially a bit of heating solder to get it apart and then slide a new magnet in?

 

[Music&Chaos]

I've never tried swapping magnets. I am interested in it but don't want to screw something up.. as far as i know, essentially a bit of heating solder to get it apart and then slide a new magnet in?

I have never swapped them, but that's what I pretty much gather as well.

 

[D-Rock]

The DiMarzio Air Zone is exactly what you're describing.

 

[Speeddemon]

I thought the AT-1 was their JB.

I thought so as well, although the AT-1 in one of my Les Pauls behaves a bit like a more powerful PAF and not as screamy as a JB sometimes can be.

@Kapo_Polenton if you don't mind even more power, harmonics and such, you could try the Norton. But I'm with you on the PAF Pro; way too nasal for that.
Heck, even the Breed Bridge may be a better choice than a PAF Pro, although it's too polished/polite/vanilla IME.
I'm running my 36th Anniv neck with either a Super Distortion or with a Duncan Custom/59 Hybrid, although I settled for a Pearly Gates neck to make that guitar (Burny Randy Rhoads cream LPC) all-Duncan.

 

[PDC]

Seymour Duncan Whole Lotta Humbucker with the rough Cast A-5. It's the only other PAFish pickup that is equal to my 78 model SD. PDC recommended these so I tried one on a whim and I really like it. If you don't like A-2 magnets in PAF's check the WLH out.

I've had Dimarzio 36 anniversaries in the past and the SD WLH is just better.....of course IMHO.

Damn! I am SO glad to hear that you are still really liking the Whole Lotta' - I have 2 of them and once I found the right guitars for them, I have never had the slightest itch to try anything else. They really are like a traditional PAF with just a 'touch' more output and punch. I think these really shine in slightly denser, heavier bodied guitars - I've got one in an unpainted / oil finished Musikraft Northern Hard Ash body that weighs a ton and it just checks every box. My other Whole Lotta is in a particularly dense Alder strat body that has always been finicky about pickups and it is an absolute keeper.

 

[SgtThump]

The Dimarzio Fortitude is essentially that. Even advertised as such.

Yes.

https://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/medium-power/fortitude-bridge

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

So what I have uncovered in my box of wonders:

Dimarzio PAF classic bridge
Duncan Slash AlnicoII ( first generation)
Air Zone ( which used to be in this guitar actually, 10 years ago lol)
Tonenerd Sunset Strip
Pariah Patina (alnico 2)
Custom Custom ( this one sucks, too dark)
Paf Pro ( disqualified - hate the mids)
Dimarzio AT-1

 

[heath]

I've never tried swapping magnets. I am interested in it but don't want to screw something up.. as far as i know, essentially a bit of heating solder to get it apart and then slide a new magnet in?

I've swapped magnets on a bunch of pickups over the last two decades. Most only require a screwdriver to remove the little screws to get the back plate off. At that point the two coils should lift with minimal effort. You may need a smaller flat screw driver to pry the old magnet loose from the wax. I have seen a pickup (dimarzio EVO comes to mind) that was using epoxy or hot glue to hold the magnet down, which required a soldering iron, but that was the only one that I remember needing an iron for.

The hardest part is making sure you get the new magnet oriented the same way as the original magnet was. I usually do this by putting the new magnet both end to end with the old one and then on top of the old one prior to removing and figuring out if they are lined up north to south. I also recommend marking the magnet you are removing with a silver sharpie on top with arrow pointing toward the wire exit so in case you drop it or change back you can quickly ascertain which direction it goes.

 

[Speeddemon]

Duncan Slash AlnicoII

Most likely too dark as well, if the Alnico Pro II is anything to go by.

 

[GreenRust]

So what I have uncovered in my box of wonders:

Dimarzio PAF classic bridge
Duncan Slash AlnicoII ( first generation)
Air Zone ( which used to be in this guitar actually, 10 years ago lol)
Tonenerd Sunset Strip
Pariah Patina (alnico 2)
Custom Custom ( this one sucks, too dark)
Paf Pro ( disqualified - hate the mids)
Dimarzio AT-1

Shootout between Sunset Strip, Air zone and AT1..
Then select. I'd say sunset strip...but maybe that's a little more juice than you want for that guitar.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Shootout between Sunset Strip, Air zone and AT1..
Then select. I'd say sunset strip...but maybe that's a little more juice than you want for that guitar.

Maybe.. I have this idea of it sounding bigger but still "dry" if that makes sense. So it has that clarity without too much compression.

 

[harddriver]

Damn! I am SO glad to hear that you are still really liking the Whole Lotta' - I have 2 of them and once I found the right guitars for them, I have never had the slightest itch to try anything else. They really are like a traditional PAF with just a 'touch' more output and punch. I think these really shine in slightly denser, heavier bodied guitars - I've got one in an unpainted / oil finished Musikraft Northern Hard Ash body that weighs a ton and it just checks every box. My other Whole Lotta is in a particularly dense Alder strat body that has always been finicky about pickups and it is an absolute keeper.

Mine is in a Poplar bodied Kramer Pacer Imperial with a floyd. I think it's a great PAF with just enough output that it feels great but still has that PAF quality about it and I like the difference between the rough A-5 magnet versus the A-2 in my 78 model PAF, the A-2 in 78 has a bit softer attack, some compressions and squish that I truly love. The WLH has a little more backbone but it isn't twangy underpowere overly bright spankfest that the 59B can be especially with a Floyd Rose bridge.

So YEP....I'm still liking it....Thanks!

 

[Kelly]

I thought the AT-1 was their JB.

It's basically a 36th wound to jb specs.

 

[Emg77]

Just put a Dimarzio fortitude in the bridge of one my Les Paul’s it is pretty fat sounding. I dig it. A touch more low mid than your typical “PAF” which adds the fatness to it.