mealz1281734035 Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 I've done some research on what pickup's to put in my zakk wylde....just want to hear your opinions on my choices Neck: I really want to try out a p90 kind of deal, so I've been thinking a GFS mean 90 in the neck position Bridge: I've been leaning toward the GFS power rails (I did a lot of reading on the difference between the crunchy and power rails, apparently the power rails is more balanced) I just want your opinions on this pickup combination...not really looking for anything other than GFS pickups (I'm just a poor university student...and I've heard a lot of good things about GFS pickups) I play a lot of alternative music...a kind of punk rock distortion (something kind of ballsy and something that sounds rich when you palm mute, yet can really stand out in lead), and a nice warm clean sound... On top of all that I want to keep the 'black' pickup look...(I love the look of the EMG's, but i want to try something different...change up the tone of my guitar) Thanks for your help:) Mealz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrismo Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Try a Mean 90 in the neck and a "Fat Pat" in the bridge. The neck will have a nice clean, and the bridge (most often compared to a Burstbucker 3) will get crunchy enough for what you want to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mealz1281734035 Posted November 13, 2008 Author Share Posted November 13, 2008 Read up a bit of the fat PAF....they got some pretty good reviews, deffaintly considering them! Would it make a difference if it's covered or not?? Thanks for the suggestion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkEpTiKaL Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 Leaving the cover off of any pickup will give it a tiny bit more treble than a covered pickup. The reason for this is because the magnets in the pickup, "pick up" the vibrations from the strings. When you put a piece of metal between the two, there is a small amount of treble lost, but nothing too obvious. It pretty much comes down to what you like better aesthetically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ButchCassidy Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 I think if you play punk rock and such the mean 90 might not be for you, but that's just my opinion. If anything, supposedly the Gibson P-94's are hotter, so you might want to look in to those. I have GFS mean 90's in my dot and I honestly couldn't see them used for punk (i guess this is really what type of punk you look at though) unless you use some sort of pedal. I love my mean 90's, but I don't think you'd need anything besides the emg's to get what you want to get. I might be wrong of course, but I would ask myself if it was a good investment. Definitely keep it black like you were saying though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Leaving the cover off of any pickup will give it a tiny bit more treble than a covered pickup. The reason for this is because the magnets in the pickup' date=' "pick up" the vibrations from the strings. When you put a piece of metal between the two, there is a small amount of treble lost, but nothing too obvious. It pretty much comes down to what you like better aesthetically.[/quote'] What happens is the metal cover acts as a magnetic diffuser for the direction of the magnetic field of the polepieces. The magnetic field is less focused resulting in less defined tone. To the ear it 'soften ups', with a very slight treble rolloff. FWIW. The magnets don't pick up anything. They're only there to magnetize the string. The moving magnetized string changes flux in the coil which generates current. Once you've struck/picked a string you could remove the magnet alltogether and the PU will produce sound as long as the string will resonate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mealz1281734035 Posted November 15, 2008 Author Share Posted November 15, 2008 I think if you play punk rock and such the mean 90 might not be for you' date=' but that's just my opinion. If anything, supposedly the Gibson P-94's are hotter, so you might want to look in to those. I have GFS mean 90's in my dot and I honestly couldn't see them used for punk (i guess this is really what type of punk you look at though) unless you use some sort of pedal. [/quote'] I don't just play punk rock ...I play a lot of stuff on clean too, and i've been getting into some blues lately...That's why i thought i might put a mean 90 in the neck position, i just assume that they'd have a nice warm kind of sound to them...I'd have the uncovered fat PAF (i think i'm going to go with one of these instead of the power rails) for the more rock kind of stuff...just so I can try cover all the sounds that i need Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkEpTiKaL Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 What happens is the metal cover acts as a magnetic diffuser for the direction of the magnetic field of the polepieces. The magnetic field is less focused resulting in less defined tone. To the ear it 'soften ups'' date=' with a very slight treble rolloff. FWIW. The magnets don't pick up anything. They're only there to magnetize the string. The moving magnetized string changes flux in the coil which generates current. Once you've struck/picked a string you could remove the magnet alltogether and the PU will produce sound as long as the string will resonate.[/quote'] Ah, thanks Ric. As always, take whatever I say with a grain of salt, because I have no idea what the heck I'm talkin' about ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curtoons Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 I just took the gold covers off my black Elitist Custom. I'm still on the fence with the look of it now (it looks like the Mick Jones Les Paul, without the cracked up finish!) but the tone is a bit edgier... which is what I was looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Ah' date=' thanks Ric. As always, take whatever I say with a grain of salt, because I have no idea what the heck I'm talkin' about [/quote'] I wouldn't worry about it. Even some 'bulltique™' pickup-manufacturers don't know the heck what they're talking about. I may not either, but I'm not the one selling pickups... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Nazarenie Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 i think those early punk groups did use p90 guitars because they were cheap? definately the buzzcocks... if they count... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulsaslim Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 I've got both Mean 90s and Fat Pats. They are good pickups but neither one of them are what you could call 'punk' pickups. Way too warm. The power rails are a good choice. I see where GFS has a new 'hot' pickup called the VEH. I ordered a set of them this morning. I intend to put them on a Switch (vibracell) tele. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mal Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Just got back my Sheraton II from the shop. The stock pickups were replaced with Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates in the bridge and a SD Alcino II Pro in the neck. Coil tapped both through the tone knobs as well. There are lots of choices in pickups, but I can tell you I am extremely happy. It's like the guitar was taken out from underwater. Each string sings and there is a lot more pick sensitivity. I can go from a very smooth clean tone on a single coil of the Pro, to full growl on the Pearly Gates. I was going to buy a single coil, likely a Strat, but I'm not sure, other than just wanting a Strat again. SD makes a whole range of quality pickups at a fair price. Anyway, I am stoked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mealz1281734035 Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 I've got both Mean 90s and Fat Pats. They are good pickups but neither one of them are what you could call 'punk' pickups. Way too warm. The power rails are a good choice. I see where GFS has a new 'hot' pickup called the VEH. I ordered a set of them this morning. I intend to put them on a Switch (vibracell) tele. Now I'm all confused again...haha To be honest, I wouldn't call the music I play 'punk'....I play a lot at church, we play Hillsong United (australia) and planetshakers, so it's more that kind of tone that I'm after....The reason im thinkin bout the mean 90 is because the hillsong guitarist uses one (sounds good)....but yea, I'm still keen on another GFS pickup for the bridge, just not sure which one would fit best for what I play Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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