What Pickups for a Flying V

[Fiesta Red]

The 80's Seymourizer II's usually run 12K to 12.7K ohms resistance with large rough cast ceramic magnets, mine are like 12.5 and 12.65Kohms. The SD SH-6N's usually are right at 13K ish. They have been a favorite pickup of mine for a long long time and cover alot of territory IMHO.

The older SD SEYII's Also don't have tons of low end like the newer production pickups do. From my experience anything from 12-13K seems to be a goldilox zone for higher output with the pickup still retaining some of the PAF balance to it. Any time pickup are wound over that you get more mids emphasis and that you either love or you don't. All the old great sounding BL L500XL's are in the 12K to slightly less than 13K range as well.

The SH-6 neck I flipped around and put in the bridge had too much low end.

 

[Uzi Nein Millimetah]

Cost no object: BKP C-Bomb + Cold Sweat Neck

Smart money#1: DiMarzio D Activator Set (my favorite ~newish set)

Smart money #2: EMG 81/60

Econo: Swap bridge to 500T. Profit. I had this in a Gibson V (uncovered) + old covered PAF style of some sort (probably from 80s LP) back in the day....rocked!

Gibson Balls Deep: 500T + 496R. More Profit.

 

[Brain Becker]

I chose other. I like emg's in my flying v.

 

[VonBonfire]

Nobody wants to talk about how sweet the bite on that that alnico 498t through a 4 hole Marshall sounds.

 

[harddriver]

The SH-6 neck I flipped around and put in the bridge had too much low end.

All of mine are early 1980's models so anything newer could be a bit more bass heavy. Jim Gaustad has also made this observation older pickups to newer production ones for what ever reason or reasons. He's just going to have to try a couple and see what fits the bill to his ears.

I had a 2000 Gibson V with a 500T and that pickup wasn't all that great... kinda thin sounding, especially in a V from what I remember, the V's are kind of on the lean side of things when talking about lows/bass compared to Les Pauls and Explorers so a little more low end from a pickup might not be a bad thing.

He says he wants one with a nickel cover so that's something to consider.

I guess if Mr Churchhill wants the whole Wolf Hoffman experience he could go EMG.

 

[VonBonfire]

I had Gibson V with a 500T and that pickup wasn't all that great kinda thin sounding, especially in a V from what I remember, the V's are kind of on the lean side of things compared to Les Pauls and Explorers so a little more low end might not be a bad thing.

They have less chunk in the bass and more air in the highs, kinda like a 335 IME.

 

[ChurchHill]

The SH-6 neck I flipped around and put in the bridge had too much low end.

That may not be as big of a deal in this V. My other Vs don't have a ton of low end, anyway. How much low end are you talking about?

 

[Uzi Nein Millimetah]

My V easily had more chunk than your average superstrat. It sounded huge with the 500T! A major improvement to my ears vs the JB that had been in it when I first bought it.

If you need more junk down low, the Super Distortion or DD will do it.

 

[ChurchHill]

Cost no object: BKP C-Bomb + Cold Sweat Neck

Smart money#1: DiMarzio D Activator Set (my favorite ~newish set)

Smart money #2: EMG 81/60

Econo: Swap bridge to 500T. Profit. I had this in a Gibson V (uncovered) + old covered PAF style of some sort (probably from 80s LP) back in the day....rocked!

Gibson Balls Deep: 500T + 496R. More Profit.

I've got the C-Bomb in another old Charvel and it freakin' rocks! I've got the A-Bomb in a Rhoads and it's just as good, just a little different, but so are the guitars.

I've got a couple of 500Ts around, too. Would be a no-cost option if I'm not happy with the 498T and worth installing.

 

[Uzi Nein Millimetah]

I've got the C-Bomb in another old Charvel and it freakin' rocks! I've got the A-Bomb in a Rhoads and it's just as good, just a little different, but so are the guitars.

I've got a couple of 500Ts around, too. Would be a no-cost option if I'm not happy with the 498T and worth installing.

I have the C-Bomb in my #1 Charvel USA.

It's special.

 

[ChurchHill]

Update...

First, the new V is supposed to be here tomorrow! I'll post some pics as soon as I can.

This will be my 4th V. In addition to the one I mentioned with the Busterbuckers, the other two have OG Dirty Fingers.

 

[Uzi Nein Millimetah]

Update...

First, the new V is supposed to be here tomorrow! I'll post some pics as soon as I can.

This will be my 4th V. In addition to the one I mentioned with the Busterbuckers, the other two have OG Dirty Fingers.

I've actually been thinking about grabbing some Dirty Fingers just for fun in my Edwards John Sykes LPC.

It already comes with the excellent Distortion Set, but as I recall, the D.F. had an '80s brashness that I liked a lot, although I haven't played any in years. Is it true that recent production D.F.s are very different/not as good, or just internet hype?

 

[VonBonfire]

This will be my 4th V. In addition to the one I mentioned with the Busterbuckers, the other two have OG Dirty Fingers.

The dirty fingers sound awesome for blues. One of the better players I know in Austin has a sweet V loaded with those and it smokes.

 

[ChurchHill]

I've actually been thinking about grabbing some Dirty Fingers just for fun in my Edwards John Sykes LPC.

It already comes with the excellent Distortion Set, but as I recall, the D.F. had an '80s brashness that I liked a lot, although I haven't played any in years. Is it true that recent production D.F.s are very different/not as good, or just internet hype?

Honestly, I don't know about the new production DFs. I've thought several times about getting one, but I think they're brighter and don't have the low-mid push that the OGs have, at least based on clips I've seen/heard. Still, they're not far off, at least seem to be not far off, and closer than the BKP Cold Sweat. That's also a good pickup, but just didn't have the same oomph for lack of a better word. There are a couple of other makers that I've been interested in, too.

They really are great pickups! Rough when they need to be, and as @VonBonfire said, can be sweet when they need to be. Very touch sensitive, great for many styles, just all-around addictive. I've been hooked since playing a friend's Schenker V years ago and they've not disappointed.

The BKP Aftermath, to my ears, gets a little closer to the Dirty Fingers than the Cold Sweat. It's a more modern sounding pickup, though, a little more mid focused and tighter. Vineham Pickups from Canada makes a "Greasy Fingers" model, which is based on the Dirty Fingers. Häussel Pickups from Germany makes a "DirtyF" model. Amber Pickups, also from Germany, make the "Supernova." Kloppmann Electrics, yet another German maker, has "The Borchardt," a signature model. These last two are not strictly based on the Dirty Fingers, but likely aiming at the same type of sound. The only ones of these I've tried are the BKP Aftermaths.

 

[Uzi Nein Millimetah]

Honestly, I don't know about the new production DFs. I've thought several times about getting one, but I think they're brighter and don't have the low-mid push that the OGs have, at least based on clips I've seen/heard. Still, they're not far off, at least seem to be not far off, and closer than the BKP Cold Sweat. That's also a good pickup, but just didn't have the same oomph for lack of a better word. There are a couple of other makers that I've been interested in, too.

They really are great pickups! Rough when they need to be, and as @VonBonfire said, can be sweet when they need to be. Very touch sensitive, great for many styles, just all-around addictive. I've been hooked since playing a friend's Schenker V years ago and they've not disappointed.

The BKP Aftermath, to my ears, gets a little closer to the Dirty Fingers than the Cold Sweat. It's a more modern sounding pickup, though, a little more mid focused and tighter. Vineham Pickups from Canada makes a "Greasy Fingers" model, which is based on the Dirty Fingers. Häussel Pickups from Germany makes a "DirtyF" model. Amber Pickups, also from Germany, make the "Supernova." Kloppmann Electrics, yet another German maker, has "The Borchardt," a signature model. These last two are not strictly based on the Dirty Fingers, but likely aiming at the same type of sound. The only ones of these I've tried are the BKP Aftermaths.

Vineham looks interesting. I've heard several people talking about them lately, which have to investigate further....

 

[ChurchHill]

Do the Throbaks sound that good with metal-type distortion?

Here's a clip from Metropoulos of the Throbak DT-102 through a "slightly tweaked" Master Volume (assuming 2203).

 

[Fiesta Red]

Here's a clip from Metropoulos of the Throbak DT-102 through a "slightly tweaked" Master Volume (assuming 2203).

Those do sound good

 

[Exo-metal]

Any high output ceramic unless you're tuned low then a high output alnico.

 

[ChurchHill]

Well, it arrived this afternoon. I'll do a NGD in a minute. Haven't really gotten to play it yet. The neck is bigger than I would prefer, but still feels comfortable. I'll change strings tomorrow then put it through its paces, see what I think of the 498/490 and go from there.

Here's a family photo... '85 V, '26 V Custom, '81 The V, '01 V98

 

[Uzi Nein Millimetah]

Well, it arrived this afternoon. I'll do a NGD in a minute. Haven't really gotten to play it yet. The neck is bigger than I would prefer, but still feels comfortable. I'll change strings tomorrow then put it through its paces, see what I think of the 498/490 and go from there.

Here's a family photo... '85 V, '26 V Custom, '81 The V, '01 V98

View attachment 437006

Everything in that pic is killer!

When you have 4 of the same basic guitar, you should cover some wide sonic territory with your pickups. I know I have different pickups in virtually every guitar in my collection, always when they are the same model of guitar.