Pickup Recommendation

Beyond Black

Well-known member
I’ve got a Mahogany/Rosewood Flying V that is very dark and loose sounding. Not very lively. Need something to tighten, brighten up a little (not too bright) and give it some teeth. Liven it up. I’ve always used alnico pickups. I also dig high output. Maybe something ceramic in this one? Not a BKP guy. Thanks in advance! :thumbsup:
 
Beyond Black":53u7x7m8 said:
I’ve got a Mahogany/Rosewood Flying V that is very dark and loose sounding. Not very lively. Need something to tighten, brighten up a little (not too bright) and give it some teeth. Liven it up. I’ve always used alnico pickups. I also dig high output. Maybe something ceramic in this one? Not a BKP guy. Thanks in advance! :thumbsup:
What tuning?
 
firejack":cv82lxip said:
Beyond Black":cv82lxip said:
I’ve got a Mahogany/Rosewood Flying V that is very dark and loose sounding. Not very lively. Need something to tighten, brighten up a little (not too bright) and give it some teeth. Liven it up. I’ve always used alnico pickups. I also dig high output. Maybe something ceramic in this one? Not a BKP guy. Thanks in advance! :thumbsup:
What tuning?
D# through high gainers. SD Distortion? SD Alternative 8? Dimarzio Super 2?
 
I have a DiMarzio Super3 (B) and DiMarzio Super2 (N) in an all mahogany PRS guitar and it slays. They’re priced great on Reverb used too. Hard to beat.
 
Beyond Black":294lmflm said:
D# through high gainers. SD Distortion? SD Alternative 8? Dimarzio Super 2?
I'm having a similar experience with a guitar I'm trying to setup in C#/Drop B. I'm going to try a Motor City Ceramic Solution in it. But if you are only going a half step down (with approximately 10-48 string gauge?) then yeah a Duncan Distortion might be a good fit. Personally for a guitar in Eb that needs some livening up, I'd go with a Motor City 2nd Degree Black Belt, Motor City HotHead or Jim Wagner Darkburst.
 
Relevant reading:
https://www.harmonycentral.com/forum/fo ... 1/1222586-


Perhaps also interesting to note; my Gibson V is all mahogany, but with an ebony FB. I've put a DiMarzio Breed Neck in the neck pos, and it's one of the best tones evah! The Breed (opposed to the Air Norton) still has a tad of a jangly top-end, that helps it cut through a bit better, while retaining a huge, full Les Paul-esque body PAF tone.
 
psychodave":rtuv4opi said:
Honestly... an EMG 81.
OP mentioned 'I've always used alnico pickups'.... probably not for nothing.
I used EMG 81/85 for a while...didn't bond with it. Sure, they're tight, they handle drop tunings great, but they definitely lack the juiciness of a good Alnico-based pup.
 
custom 5 is always a safe bet imo. I liked it a lot in my all mahogany PRS and it'll chug like there's no tomorrow.
if you're looking into dimarzios as well then the illuminator, dominion and d-sonic all kick ass in mahoghany, plus they all hold very well in lower tunings.
 
Speeddemon":2n85rz4k said:
psychodave":2n85rz4k said:
Honestly... an EMG 81.
OP mentioned 'I've always used alnico pickups'.... probably not for nothing.
I used EMG 81/85 for a while...didn't bond with it. Sure, they're tight, they handle drop tunings great, but they definitely lack the juiciness of a good Alnico-based pup.

I hear ya, he’s in a jam with a “dark and loose” sounding guitar. I don’t think an alnico or ceramic pickup will be enough.
 
psychodave":3iz6gqrc said:
Speeddemon":3iz6gqrc said:
psychodave":3iz6gqrc said:
Honestly... an EMG 81.
OP mentioned 'I've always used alnico pickups'.... probably not for nothing.
I used EMG 81/85 for a while...didn't bond with it. Sure, they're tight, they handle drop tunings great, but they definitely lack the juiciness of a good Alnico-based pup.

I hear ya, he’s in a jam with a “dark and loose” sounding guitar. I don’t think an alnico or ceramic pickup will be enough.
DiMarzio Evo and Duncan Distortion would definitely tighten/brighten things up there.
Or a Bill Lawrence L500XL.
 
Duncan Distortion, Gibby 500T or an OLD Dirty Fingers. If that's not enough, try a 1 MEG OHM volume pot and/or disconnecting the tone controls.
 
I have a SD Black Winter set in a V. I really dig them. They're like an updated version of the SD Distortions. Tighter bass and a more refined high end but not ice picky or shrill.
 
jsp":1hz8c058 said:
+1 for the Duncan Distortion.

I've had that pickup in Gibson SGs in the past and is a great all-around pickup. Great chug and solid tone.

Braciola mentioned the Lollar Imperial pickup. That is a great pickup and have one in a custom made SG type guitar I have. The mids are pretty pronounced in that guitar when compared to my other guitar pickups (2nd Degree Blackbelt, Warren DeMartini Sig RTM, Gibson 57' Classic, and Fender Lace Sensor).
 
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