Worst pickup you've played

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
  • Start date Start date
TGP cork sniffers will pay hundreds for those old Gibson T-Top pickups, and I think they suck! No bottom and bright.

Other wise, it's hard for me to comment on pickups since I never had 1 guitar where I tried out several different pickups in it. I think if you grab a guitar and don't like what you hear, it could be a combination of things such as the guitar itself, strings, setup, etc.

I for one like Dimarzio's and Duncan's that I've tried.
 
+1 on the Dimebucker.

That thing is a hot mess for anything but exactly what it's designed for....I think it's a complete waste of time for anyone not in a Pantera tribute band.
 
Did you try the Crunch Lab? It's supposedly based on the D-Sonic and tweaked to Petrucci's liking
Click to expand...
No, I haven't tried the Crunch Lab.[/quote]

Don't bother with it. I've had several and they just aren't a good pickup for my needs. Again, that is only my opinion. It isn't bad but there is a certain frequency that I just dislike on it. Others love them. I hate the D-sonic as well.

I dislike the Dimarzio Super 3. I felt like I was in a 1.2 kHz bottle.
I somewhat dislike the Evolution bridge pickups now that I have had them in a couple of different guitars. A bit too much zing.

Steve's Special is not my favourite either.

George Lynch screaming demon. Hideous. Probably the most mis-named pickup.
 
I like the Crunch Lab... it's no Tone Zone but it's got something interesting going on
I have a Steve's Special in a basswood guitar and it's probably my least favourite Dimarzio that I've tried, especially for rhythm. I think the Evolution bridge (neck is ok) is pretty bad; it's not scooped, spiked or flat, it just doesn't sound right. I'm a bit less familiar with Duncans, all models I've tried sounded good, just not my cup of tea.
 
fluff191":2uh478bx said:
Duncan Full Shred. What a waste of wire.
Click to expand...
I've heard that pickup sound like garbage in some guitars and amazing in others. I can't think of a pickup that I have a decent amount of experience with that I think always sucks...it's so dependent on the guitar that it's going in and the amp that it's being played through. I typically don't like newer JBs, but I've heard instances where they work well. Same with the Dimarzio Tone Zone. One the best and worst sounding pickups that I've ever experienced...perhaps the most "self-polarizing" pickups that I've ever come across.

The X2N is a great case study. It came out ('79 IIRC) in the days when there weren't really any high gain amps...Boogie Mark series being the closest thing at that time. It more or less was meant to slam the front end of a Marshall, and it did that well. Used with a more modern amp like an Uberschall or Herbert with the gain dimed, of course it isn't going to sound cutting or articulate...that's not what it was made for.
 
bigdaddyd":3ol5mlsu said:
Enjolras56":3ol5mlsu said:
Gibson P-100 (stacked P-90)
Click to expand...

I love these.
Click to expand...

Maybe you were the one who bought mine of eBay?! :)
I really didn't appreciate my LP Special til I put the Lollar P90's that are in there now. More dynamics and harmonic overtones.
 
racerevlon":35opsbqj said:
Toss-up between Dimarzio EVO2 (ice-pick boosted high mids that NO amount of EQ would fix) and anything Anderson (Woof, Woof, here boy...). Anyone who can't get on with an X2N should look into bass. The X2N is a high-output pickup with an almost flat EQ curve. Most people who don't like that pickup bought it for the wrong application or reason. I have a couple and dialed in correctly, they slay, but if you add too much (really ANY) gain to them they're all fizz. You gotta know how to use your gear before you go saying, "Oh, that thing's junk." It's like saying, "I want a pickup with more mids," then going and buying a Steve's Special and saying it's a horrible pickup. No, it's not a horrible pickup, you're an idiot and didn't do your homework...
Click to expand...

Wait....all Anderson pickups suck and are woofy, and you're telling other people they need to know how to use their gear? :lol: :LOL:
 
Duncan Custom 5, but I'm not a big fan of any of the customs.
 
Business":1c5qubsu said:
Well, let's rule out EMGs and other actives right now, because everybody knows they suck :D
Click to expand...

Agree for the 81/85, not a fan...but I'd give the Hetfields a chance. I think they sound great and much less compressed that the standard EMGs.
 
Dimebucker and the SD Screamin Demon . Disliked both of them equally
 
Both the Duncan Custom Custom and the Duncan RTM Warren DeMartini sig were the worst pickups for me. The Custom Custom I had in 3 guitars and the RTM was just in my soloist, but it was the same thing, too bright when soloing and spongy with fast rhythm. My only guess is the Alnico II magnet must not work well with my style & rig.
 
EMGs, and I'm really not stoked on the 490-500 varietal from Gibson.
 
headlessdeadguy":iv5rwrm6 said:
greenmosheen":iv5rwrm6 said:
DIMEBUCKER!!! Oh my god what an awful rape of my eardrums... Anyone want to buy one? Lol!
Click to expand...
Haha that was a great purchase on your behalf. lol :lol: :LOL:
Click to expand...

the guys that sold it to me is an a-hole. :lol: :LOL:
 
Enjolras56":3vdg8mvj said:
bigdaddyd":3vdg8mvj said:
Enjolras56":3vdg8mvj said:
Gibson P-100 (stacked P-90)
Click to expand...

I love these.
Click to expand...

Maybe you were the one who bought mine of eBay?! :)
I really didn't appreciate my LP Special til I put the Lollar P90's that are in there now. More dynamics and harmonic overtones.
Click to expand...


Maybe they changed them, but I had them in a '93 Gibson LP Special. I loved them. I hate most P90 pups. I know a lot of people don't like them, but I did and so did a lot of people that played that guitar. It was quiet and sounded like it had P90s in it. Then again it was before internet forums and people thought they weren't supposed to like stuff. I like just regular P90 pups not some take on them.
 
Bare Knuckle Pickups. Tried 3 different models in various guitars and couldn't sell them fast enough. The people that use them must be getting paid or something.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top