Hot pickup with tight, lean low end

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ZEN Amps

ZEN Amps

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I have a Les Paul on the thicker side - looking for a bridge pickup with less lows than the current one (Wolfetone Blisterbucker).

I think this model is Wolfe's version of a Duncan DIstortion, not really sure. What have you guys tried that may help me out? Happy to explore boutiques but if there's a Duncan or Dimarzio you like hit me up.

It's for heavy rock, a bit of metal maybe.
 
I haven’t tried the SSH+ in a Paul. But almost certain that it would fit the bill
 
Ceramics tend to tighten the boomier guitars. For Duncan’s—The black winters I believe are just a modern distortion that’s a little less sizzly with tighter low end. Likewise if it needs to be super tamed you could try a nazgul.

I also am a big fan of the PRS \m/ pickup as well. I have that in a couple of Les Paul’s and it’s a laser beam in the low end.

Last recommendation would be a lundgren. Black heaven or m6. These are all right in the low end with a lot of definition but different flavors.
 
ZEN Amps said:
I have a Les Paul on the thicker side - looking for a bridge pickup with less lows than the current one (Wolfetone Blisterbucker).

I think this model is Wolfe's version of a Duncan DIstortion, not really sure. What have you guys tried that may help me out? Happy to explore boutiques but if there's a Duncan or Dimarzio you like hit me up.

It's for heavy rock, a bit of metal maybe.
Click to expand...
Duncan Custom Custom
 
ZEN Amps said:
I have a Les Paul on the thicker side - looking for a bridge pickup with less lows than the current one (Wolfetone Blisterbucker).

I think this model is Wolfe's version of a Duncan DIstortion, not really sure. What have you guys tried that may help me out? Happy to explore boutiques but if there's a Duncan or Dimarzio you like hit me up.

It's for heavy rock, a bit of metal maybe.
Click to expand...
I loved the seymour duncan custom/59 but currently am using a wagner ironman. It is much much better than the seymour duncan
 
If you go Bare Knuckle there are options such as the Emerald , Aftermath, Polymath etc. Check out the EQ chart on each pickup which is pretty accurate as to how much lowend you will get from each one.
 
If you're going for a heavy rock tone, with a bit of metal, I can recommend Bareknuckle Mules. I have them in my Knaggs, and they sound really good.

Here's a clip if it helps, though I was going for a metal tone. Apologies, it was only uploaded on Instagram, forgot to put it on Youtube.

 
My first reaction was a Duncan Distortion so it was funny to read that you have a boutique version of that. You might buy one of the old DDJs if you can find one. They are a bit more organic sounding with less low end. Sounds great in my LP.
 
I use Planet Tone pickups in a number of my guitars. Recently replaced a set of Bare Knuckle Silos with another set from PT and have zero regrets. I like them for the tone, but the pricing is a bonus. Give them a look - definitely have some stuff with very tight low end. Loud and quiet.
 
Seymour Duncan Seymourizer II from the 80's, large rough cast ceramic, measures about 12.5 to 12.7K give or take, the lows are tight not boomy and it has the grind of the Custom and Distortion with a little less mid emphasis and output which helps keep things more balanced, defined with clarity.

If you can't find an old one Duncan made this wind the neck pickup for the modern Distortion pickup sets and gave it the designation SH-6N, then new ones are 13K. I prefer the slight underwind closer to 12K myself.
 
itsgoodnow said:
Ceramics tend to tighten the boomier guitars. For Duncan’s—The black winters I believe are just a modern distortion that’s a little less sizzly with tighter low end. Likewise if it needs to be super tamed you could try a nazgul.

I also am a big fan of the PRS \m/ pickup as well. I have that in a couple of Les Paul’s and it’s a laser beam in the low end.

Last recommendation would be a lundgren. Black heaven or m6. These are all right in the low end with a lot of definition but different flavors.
Click to expand...
I've never played the Black Winters, but I was literally going to mention the others lol. They would all handle it well, so it would just depend on what is needed.

PRS \m/ - Super clean and versatile, though a little stiff with leads. Really sounds like a clean, high-powered PAF in many ways with the chirp it has in the pick attack, but it has the tightness and voicing to handle heavy rhythms. Super fun pickup to riff on.

Lundgrens - The Black Heaven has more grit and a more modern mid voicing than the \m/, but it's still surprisingly versatile. The M6 is tight as well, but it has a lot of lows and a little less versatile. Depending on the guitar, the bass can be too much. In my LP, the M6 had a big, though tight & compressed, low end. In my Ibanez, which is naturally a tight guitar, it was surprisingly boomy in the lows. Just one of those things.

Ducan Nazgul - It's kind of like a leaner, dirtier, & more aggressive Black Heaven in many ways. However, it's not as versatile. Super fun pickup to riff on. I'm kind of mad at myself for not checking it out sooner lol.
 
fearhk213 said:
I've never played the Black Winters, but I was literally going to mention the others lol. They would all handle it well, so it would just depend on what is needed.

PRS \m/ - Super clean and versatile, though a little stiff with leads. Really sounds like a clean, high-powered PAF in many ways with the chirp it has in the pick attack, but it has the tightness and voicing to handle heavy rhythms. Super fun pickup to riff on.

Lundgrens - The Black Heaven has more grit and a more modern mid voicing than the \m/, but it's still surprisingly versatile. The M6 is tight as well, but it has a lot of lows and a little less versatile. Depending on the guitar, the bass can be too much. In my LP, the M6 had a big, though tight & compressed, low end. In my Ibanez, which is naturally a tight guitar, it was surprisingly boomy in the lows. Just one of those things.

Ducan Nazgul - It's kind of like a leaner, dirtier, & more aggressive Black Heaven in many ways. However, it's not as versatile. Super fun pickup to riff on. I'm kind of mad at myself for not checking it out sooner lol.
Click to expand...
Great minds. The black winters are cool. The hair and sizzle from the distortion (which I also love) is replaced with tighter leaner voice and is definitely has more mid-low grind emphasis. Both are great.

The others I absolutely dig are the monotone hell benders. I had no expectation and it might be my new favorite pickup. But it’s a honeymoon period so ask me in a month haha
 
Thanks guys. I was going through a parts box today and found an old Distortion, might try that first.

I haven't heard anything but that Wolfetone in this axe so not sure if that pickup is bottom heavy, the guitar itself is... or a bit of both. Makes tone chasing fun at least.
 
For my experience with that situation, I went with Bare Knuckle Silos and painkiller. Painkillers are tighter and works fantastic in a darker guitar. Silos sounds good in anything.
Also a vote for PRS \m/

Note I’ve not had these in a Les Paul, but in all mahogany PRS guitars.

If you really want tight, then the BKP Cold Sweats, but they were too bright in the bridge.

If you want cheaper, for the neck, Dimarzio Humbucker From Hell is an all time favorite neck for me. They sing in darker guitars neck position. Dimarzio Evolution in the bridge and Humbucker from Hell in the neck is a great combo and won’t break the bank.
 
Last edited:
ZEN Amps said:
Thanks guys. I was going through a parts box today and found an old Distortion, might try that first.

I haven't heard anything but that Wolfetone in this axe so not sure if that pickup is bottom heavy, the guitar itself is... or a bit of both. Makes tone chasing fun at least.
Click to expand...
Please let us know what caps and wiring schematic it is running, could also be contributing.

I have heard elsewhere that a Wolftone has a really thick bottom end, but cannot recall which one.

Swapping with something you know will help reveal if it is the guitar, wiring, or pickup contributing to the excess low end.
 
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