Deciding on pickups is tough

sandman

sandman

Well-known member
So many brands, so many models. Many overlap and sound similar. Analysis paralysis is easily achieved for me and I end up not knowing what I want. Options are good but also frustrating sometimes lol
 
I know the feeling. I've owned a several Dimarzios, Duncans, Friedman Classic Plus, and others, yet the sound I like most so far is from an unknown Gotoh from a 1980s Fernandes. Don't ever let someone tell you that pickups do not matter much. Every one I've owned has a different character.
 
For me it became much easier once I realized how much better vintage pickups sound and feel and there are many hidden gems that are very affordable. It made all the pickup guys recommend here worthless to me besides Lundgren for something modern and different in a cool way
 
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Yea. I was going to put my Arcane Mr Scary hum and single in but have decided to keep a rail hum cancelling single in neck and not sure which one nor what bridge humbucker

What are you going for? I don't much like to recommend pickups, but am personally fond of the nazgul or BW for pretty much most everything. The dimebucker and super distortions kinda hold a special place in my heart for trem equipped guitars. Also, mostly deaf and a fan of the invader, so probably not the best go to for advice on tone over feel/feedback :ROFLMAO:
 
What are you going for? I don't much like to recommend pickups, but am personally fond of the nazgul or BW for pretty much most everything. The dimebucker and super distortions kinda hold a special place in my heart for trem equipped guitars. Also, mostly deaf and a fan of the invader, so probably not the best go to for advice on tone over feel/feedback :ROFLMAO:
Im obviously an 80’s fan but im wondering about Dimarzio At1 and a cruiser in neck. I like melodic and ambient stuff also so Im not sure what to do lol
 
Lisa is gonna know better than me for superstrats, that's for sure - not where my pickup experience lies.

I will say that I really like the SH-14 and I use it whenever I have a trem equipped/25.5 guitar. It's got the right amount of low end and output to put that type of guitar more into my tonal comfort zone.
 
Im obviously an 80’s fan but im wondering about Dimarzio At1 and a cruiser in neck. I like melodic and ambient stuff also so Im not sure what to do lol

Honestly have no experience with those pickups, so would only be relaying someone else's pov and not much for recommending neck pickups. That said, the pegasus, custom 5 that Dan mentioned, or duncan custom (in order of output) would probably be in my shopping cart for ambience/dynamics/articulation and dealing with timed/dynamic/modulation effects. That's just me though, and not sure what neck pickup would pair well with them off of the top of my head other than a staggered alnico 5 🤷‍♀️
 
Honestly have no experience with those pickups, so would only be relaying someone else's pov and not much for recommending neck pickups. That said, the pegasus, custom 5 that Dan mentioned, or duncan custom (in order of output) would probably be in my shopping cart for ambience/dynamics/articulation and dealing with timed/dynamic/modulation effects. That's just me though, and not sure what neck pickup would pair well with them off of the top of my head other than a staggered alnico 5 🤷‍♀️

I actually don't know, I have always paired the sh-14/custom 5 with a single coil of some kind - either a true single coil, or a duncan phat cat hb sized p90
 
I actually don't know, I have always paired the sh-14/custom 5 with a single coil of some kind - either a true single coil, or a duncan phat cat hb sized p90

I feel that's a good pairing. Especially with the phat cat. The custom 5 kinda falls in between the pegasus and the custom, imo/ime. I guess for me after that it would come down to distance from bridge, light hand/heavy hand, string gauge, and amp gain/output to decide which of them output wise would be best.
 
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DiMarzio X2N?

There are too many choices, so I go with what I know. I like my Duncan guitars, but when looking to replace pickups I tend to go to DiMarzio because I've always been pleased with the sound.

My Chuck Schuldiner Stealth has one DiMarzio X2N; and would probably be my first choice for a bridge pickup in an HSS config

For my dual humbucker Chibanez I went with a set of DiMarzio D Activator-X which I had many years ago, and liked. I have a few Jackson's with Duncan Blackouts (active) that I like too.

I have a couple of Ibanez PS-10 and a PS-120 that have Duncan '59 model in the neck, and a Custom 5 in the bridge. which I really like too.

Also considering a pickup swap in one of my Ibanez PS-60, to a '70s set: DiMarzio Super Distortion in the bridge, and a PAF in the neck...but the Super 2 eq makes me think that would be a sweet bridge pickup but could get icepicky.

I have a Jackson Warrior with the stock Jackson high-output pickups which are ok, Been looking at DiMarzio options for it, can't decide. Top of the list is a DiMarzio Petrucci set, Dreamcatcher / Rainmaker...
 
DiMarzio X2N?

There are too many choices, so I go with what I know. I like my Duncan guitars, but when looking to replace pickups I tend to go to DiMarzio because I've always been pleased with the sound.

My Chuck Schuldiner Stealth has one DiMarzio X2N; and would probably be my first choice for a bridge pickup in an HSS config

For my dual humbucker Chibanez I went with a set of DiMarzio D Activator-X which I had many years ago, and liked. I have a few Jackson's with Duncan Blackouts (active) that I like too.

I have a couple of Ibanez PS-10 and a PS-120 that have Duncan '59 model in the neck, and a Custom 5 in the bridge. which I really like too.

Also considering a pickup swap in one of my Ibanez PS-60, to a '70s set: DiMarzio Super Distortion in the bridge, and a PAF in the neck...but the Super 2 eq makes me think that would be a sweet bridge pickup but could get icepicky.

I have a Jackson Warrior with the stock Jackson high-output pickups which are ok, Been looking at DiMarzio options for it, can't decide. Top of the list is a DiMarzio Petrucci set, Dreamcatcher / Rainmaker...
I have DiMarzio X2Ns in my Warrior, neck and bridge. I don't like that pickup at all. However, that's my opinion.
 
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DiMarzio X2N?

There are too many choices, so I go with what I know. I like my Duncan guitars, but when looking to replace pickups I tend to go to DiMarzio because I've always been pleased with the sound.

My Chuck Schuldiner Stealth has one DiMarzio X2N; and would probably be my first choice for a bridge pickup in an HSS config

For my dual humbucker Chibanez I went with a set of DiMarzio D Activator-X which I had many years ago, and liked. I have a few Jackson's with Duncan Blackouts (active) that I like too.

I have a couple of Ibanez PS-10 and a PS-120 that have Duncan '59 model in the neck, and a Custom 5 in the bridge. which I really like too.

Also considering a pickup swap in one of my Ibanez PS-60, to a '70s set: DiMarzio Super Distortion in the bridge, and a PAF in the neck...but the Super 2 eq makes me think that would be a sweet bridge pickup but could get icepicky.

I have a Jackson Warrior with the stock Jackson high-output pickups which are ok, Been looking at DiMarzio options for it, can't decide. Top of the list is a DiMarzio Petrucci set, Dreamcatcher / Rainmaker...
Just so many dang options lol
 
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So many brands, so many models. Many overlap and sound similar. Analysis paralysis is easily achieved for me and I end up not knowing what I want. Options are good but also frustrating sometimes lol
I get analysis paralysis on just about everything I go to buy. You a libra too? lol
 
I have DiMarzio X2Ns in my Warrior, neck and bridge. I don't like that pickup at all. However, that's my opinion.
that's overkill lol, especially in the neck!

it's not my favorite, but it cleans up nice with guitar volume, but it won't get pristine clean; and full guitar volume is nasty in a good way IMO.
 
Just so many dang options lol

yes. It takes awhile. I'm looking for what I don't have, and what I think would work best for the guitar, and how I use that guitar. e.g., the PS-60 with super distortion & PAF for example, for '70s hard rock, early thrash.

I want something more smooth, prog metal for my Warrior, so considering the DiMarzio Petrucci set.
 
So many brands, so many models. Many overlap and sound similar. Analysis paralysis is easily achieved for me and I end up not knowing what I want. Options are good but also frustrating sometimes lol
I just stick to the EMG81. But i also like the 498T and the Dimebucker SH-13.
 
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