bmf5150 - EVH bridge pickup?

[jhale667]

excellent info on the custom, custom custom, and custom 5

someone recommended i try out the duncan custom since i like the SH-6 but not the distortion - so that i dont loose the sh-6's character.

if i could get a wolfgang pickup and ahold of an A8, and also get ahold of a doner pickup (model?) and switch it, i would love to see what would sound better/best.

since the wolfgang is supposedly a hot PAF, im sure it runs an alnico 5.

i guess if you could space the A8 with a few pieces of paper you could replicate the spacing difference of the JB versus SH-6 and get the wilder side of things i presume.

I have the TB Custom in an Ash 1-hum/Floyd Strat with a maple neck and it sounds MEAN... though not as aggro as I remember the same guitar sounding with a SH-6. You might like it. I have a CC in a Koa S/H/Floyd Strat - wasn't so into the low end on that, and probably would have changed it out already had I not added some low-end girth elsewhere (cough, Big-Block) - still may if I like the C8 better.


Here's a cool place to get magnets, where I'll be getting mine from...

http://www.wymoreguitars.com/Humbucker-Magnets_c_60.html

 

[bmf5150]

Im no EVH thats for sure!!!i love his tone and the way he plays,i figure i can get very close to the tone and can learn some of his playing syle.

 

[jhale667]

Im no EVH thats for sure!!!i love his tone and the way he plays,i figure i can get very close to the tone and can learn some of his playing syle.

Sounds like you are, and you have.

 

[bmf5150]

i have not played the custom custom in a long time.i know the EVH frankenstein pickup is around 14k alnico 2 magnet,i dont think that its that far off from the custom custom..

 

[bmf5150]

which pickup has more highs?

 

[jhale667]

which pickup has more highs?

No experience with the EVH, but I'd be surprised if it had less highs than the CC...their highs are very "round", not ice-picky in the slightest...not muddy, but not what I'd call "bright", y'know? The CC is around 16-17k...

 

[jhale667]

which pickup has more highs?

Based on memory, the EVH but not much if any at all.

That's kinda what I figured, but not like I'm an expert or anything...

OK, but now I'd like to hear comparison clips... I like the CC/Custom wind output OK, but might be nice to try something similar (A2) with a tad less...but still in the "PAF w/balls"park....

 

[OldSkoolNJ]

Sounds awesome bmf5150
It actually inspired me to play a few hours today and mess with some Van Halen

 

[bmf5150]

Thanks!!!

 

[bmf5150]

what pickups are they swapping? JB's and SH-6's?

because supposedly they are the same pickup coil wise just different magnets.

i wonder what an old wolfgang pickup with an A8 switch would sound like

if you take a dimarzio super distortion and take the ceramic magnet out and use an alnico 5 its sounds very very very close to the wolfgang bridge pickup...

 

[glpg80]

what pickups are they swapping? JB's and SH-6's?

because supposedly they are the same pickup coil wise just different magnets.

i wonder what an old wolfgang pickup with an A8 switch would sound like

if you take a dimarzio super distortion and take the ceramic magnet out and use an alnico 5 its sounds very very very close to the wolfgang bridge pickup...

i like the ceramic tone of the sh-6, but hate the distortion.

the super distortion is the same thing.

if the wolfgang pickup had more of this character it would be nice, im thinking i might use your recommendation and put an alnico 8 magnet in a super distortion.

thanks for that info man i greatly appreciate it. i bet that would be an awsome combination that would blend very nicely with an air norton in the neck or a PAF pro in the neck

 

[jhale667]

Hmm, an A8 in a Super Distortion from what I've read might sound really cool, or be completely over the top ...and supposedly string-pull can be an issue with A8s so height adjustment it crucial.

 

[glassjaw7]

You've got the tone nailed.

Funny, for all those guys saying that tone is all in da fingers...I guess bmf5150 cut off Ed's fingers and replaced his own with E'ds...

+1

 

[bmf5150]

After all the pickups I have tried the motorcity 2nd degree black belt is still the best for that vintage vanhalen tone to my ears!no I don't have the skills of Peter thorn to play VH but I think the tone is very close!!never had much luck with that dimarzio super distortion like a lot of other guys who swear by them,way to bright through my rig!!dave Friedman got killer ears and sure steer me right for the VH tone with the M/c second degree black belt

 

[metalmaniac93]

Your tone rocks!!! I thought about putting a 2nd Degree Blackbelt in my old Kramer, but the BKP RY suits me fine so far for high gain tones. I had the MCP Detroiter in the Kramer, but I did not like the low sound. Great pickup though!!

 

[reverymike]

Interesting that the Black Belt gets the VH tone best from all you tried. It's an A5 magnet isn't it?

I figured an A2 would be an important ingredient to the tone. I wonder if the MCP Black Iron gets close? I believe that's basically a Black Belt, but with the A2 magnet in place of the A5.

 

[Bronco]

Interesting that the Black Belt gets the VH tone best from all you tried. It's an A5 magnet isn't it?

I figured an A2 would be an important ingredient to the tone. I wonder if the MCP Black Iron gets close? I believe that's basically a Black Belt, but with the A2 magnet in place of the A5.

Negative, the Black Iron is an Angel Dust w/A2, not a 2nd Degree BB; this was originally introduced as the "Blister Bucker"; for whatever reason, Wade decided to change the name to Black Iron...BTW, I have all three, and all three are great at what they do.

But yeah, Angel Dust and Black Iron are much hotter than the 2nd Degree BB for sure. FWIW, I totally agree with bmf5150 on this one: hands down the the 2nd Degree BB nails early EVH for sure! And it is an A5...I tell you, for a PAF type pup, it really is far less 'brittle' sounding than others...just really chewy and malleable.

IMO:
2nd Degree BB = EVH
Angel Dust / Black Iron (Blister Bucker) = DeMartini

 

[romanianreaper]

I have one in my EVH Wolfgang Special and really like it. I have a Suhr Aldrich in my Les Paul and the EVH competes with it quite nicely.

 

[AmpliFIRE]

I had a Blisterbucker and didn't care for it...was kinda bland sounding. I much prefer my SD A2 Custom/59 hybrid.

 

[bmf5150]

I Agree bronco,Dave Friedman and wade did a great job voicing that motor city 2nd degree blackbelt pickup for the EVH tone!!im sure glad Dave told me about it!!