What Pickups for a Flying V

[VonBonfire]

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

That V custom is sweet!!!

I couldn't ever swing the $ for one of those. Very nice bro.

 

[ChurchHill]

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.

Yeah, that's exactly what I want to do and why I'm wondering about what may end up in this one. I love the look with the covered pickups, but that still leaves tons of options. The '85 and '81 both have OG Dirty Fingers and they're not going anywhere. The V98 currently has an amazing set of Burstbuckers in it (only Burstbuckers I've ever liked, not like any other pickup I've ever heard). So, I'm thinking something in the middle? But, IDK.. I might have a better idea after spending time playing it tomorrow.

 

[ChurchHill]

That V custom is sweet!!!

I couldn't ever swing the $ for one of those. Very nice bro.

Thanks! I've wanted one forever, took me awhile to get there. Just one of those dream guitars for me. I've always liked Vs and I've always liked Black Beauties... this is the best of both. I can't wait to get to know it better! Ah...sleep is overrated, might pull an all-nighter

 

[VonBonfire]

Thanks! I've wanted one forever, took me awhile to get there. Just one of those dream guitars for me. I've always liked Vs and I've always liked Black Beauties... this is the best of both. I can't wait to get to know it better! Ah...sleep is overrated, might pull an all-nighter

The things worth having most are worth waiting for. You can tell that line to your boss when you don't come back to work until Thursday!

Enjoy bro!!!

 

[Uzi Nein Millimetah]

Yeah, that's exactly what I want to do and why I'm wondering about what may end up in this one. I love the look with the covered pickups, but that still leaves tons of options. The '85 and '81 both have OG Dirty Fingers and they're not going anywhere. The V98 currently has an amazing set of Burstbuckers in it (only Burstbuckers I've ever liked, not like any other pickup I've ever heard). So, I'm thinking something in the middle? But, IDK.. I might have a better idea after spending time playing it tomorrow.

I'd be tempted to have one V with an uncovered bridge pup + covered neck. Wouldn't quite seem right to do that to the Custom, so maybe the '01 V98?

Or maybe you need FIFTH V for that take?

I've always wanted to have a '67 style V with 3 controls in a cluster. Would be a great platform for the above or for EMGs.

One of my other great passions is fast cars. I've been away from them for a while, but will probably dive back in soon, which will definitely limit my extra cash for guitars. So maybe I need one more score before then!

 

[SFW]

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

I think so...

 

[anomaly]

I'd either get the Duncan Distortion bridge pickup with something like a 59 in the neck (neck pickup is not too important to me) or just leave it stock.

 

[LPMojoGL]

Getting a Flying V that comes stock with 498T/490R pickups. I have that set in another guitar. So, I'm thinking about something else for this one.

I'll mostly play 80s rock/metal on this one. So, something a little over the top without going too far.

The guitar is all mahogany with an ebony fingerboard.

One caveat, the guitar currently has covered pickups, I like that look, and I want to keep it. So, whatever I choose will have covers.

I've never had a problem balancing pickups with different output (I only listed resistance in K below when known), either by raising/lowering or with 2 volumes.

My silverburst SG, ebony fretboard, sounded thin with a Burstbucker 3 in the bridge. Tried a lot of pups in that guitar. Motor City Detroiter was the solution.
That BB3 is killer in my LP. And while it sounded thin in the SG, I got some of the best VH (VHII, specifically) tones with it in that guitar.

My Explorer, closer in sound to an LP than an SG, and probably similar to the V, sounds amazing with a Godwood set.

Both, the Detroiter and Godwood, use an unpolished A5 magnet, wound with 42 guage wire, to the brink of good sounding output, around 10k. They share the same properties, such as tight attack, plenty of output and impressive dynamics.

The Bursrbucker Pros in my Silverburst LP were tight, with more perceived output than their impedance reading would suggest.

Hard to go wrong with an old JB or Super Distortion.

 

[ChurchHill]

I'd be tempted to have one V with an uncovered bridge pup + covered neck. Wouldn't quite seem right to do that to the Custom, so maybe the '01 V98?

Or maybe you need FIFTH V for that take?

I've always wanted to have a '67 style V with 3 controls in a cluster. Would be a great platform for the above or for EMGs.

One of my other great passions is fast cars. I've been away from them for a while, but will probably dive back in soon, which will definitely limit my extra cash for guitars. So maybe I need one more score before then!

Well... that IS the version I don't have, yet... Those current '70s Vs are tempting.

 

[Zado]

Fucking RTM

 

[Shreddy Mercury]

DiMarzio bro here....gotta be some blend of Super Distortion and PAF Pro or 36th Anniversary.

 

[Frehley12]

I have an Epiphone Dave Mustaine with Thrashfactor pickups. To me it's a tighter JB. I really like them.

 

[harddriver]

I have an Epiphone Dave Mustaine with Thrashfactor pickups. To me it's a tighter JB. I really like them.

I forgot about the Thrashfactor Mustaine JB's. I do think those sound tighter that standard JB's.

 

[cragginshred]

#1 See how they sound

#2 Suhr aldrich sound great in every guitar!

 

[VonBonfire]

DiMarzio bro here....gotta be some blend of Super Distortion and PAF Pro or 36th Anniversary.

dUbbEL kReeMz at the bridge are always a solid choice in a Gibson. Plus you can get them with gold covers and polepieces.

 

[JiMB]

I have a Pariah-Dirty Dog with a few extra winds in my Gibson 70’s Tribute V.

 

[ChurchHill]

Got to spend a good amount of time with it yesterday. I'll post more in the NGD thread.

For now, I'm gonna keep the 498/490 in it. They're good pickups and I'm still getting accustomed to what it sounds like. If it's in need of something that the stock pups aren't giving me, I haven't found it yet.

If I do change them out, I might try the Throbak DT-102, simply because I have them already, so it's a no cost option. My concern is that they're too close to the Burstbuckers I have in my natural V and I really want this one to have its own voice. Then again, maybe they'd be different enough. Easy enough to put them in and find out, though.

If I do buy something new for it, I think there are several really good options mentioned here. Suhr Aldrich is one I've wanted to try and just never have. Trying an SD Distortion neck in the bridge, similar to an old Seymourizer II, seems to have piqued my curiosity as it's in the 12-14k range of many of my favorites. The SD RTM is, well... I just like that sound.

But, I think I'm going to leave it alone for awhile and just see what it tells me it needs. I'll post more about how sounds and plays in the other thread.

Thanks, everyone, for all the good opinions and info!!

 

[ChurchHill]

I have a Pariah-Dirty Dog with a few extra winds in my Gibson 70’s Tribute V.

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That's an awesome V! Gorgeous LP behind it, too!

What's the neck like on that 70s V? I've seen some recent clips of MS playing one just like that. What did you think of the stock pickups or were those Pariahs in it when you got it?

 

[JiMB]

That's an awesome V! Gorgeous LP behind it, too!

What's the neck like on that 70s V? I've seen some recent clips of MS playing one just like that. What did you think of the stock pickups or were those Pariahs in it when you got it?

Thanks! The neck is slim, not as slim as a ‘60’s shape but definitely slimmer than the R8 sitting behind it in the photo. The original pickups were 70’s Tribute pickups, they were a bit undefined in the high end for me. I have good clarity and just enough push with the Pariah now.

 

[ChurchHill]

Yeah, the 70s Tribute pups look interesting on paper, but what you said about the highs is usually what I end up thinking, too, with few exceptions. Either undefined or harsh for both. For example, there is exactly one set of Burstbuckers that I like. The rest I can't stand. The Custombuckers are much better, I think, but I like them even more after swapping the magnets for A4 or A2.

That R8 is stunning, love the double creams! What color is that? Whatever it is, it's stunning!