Stephens Design Pickups, First Videos of the 61HD PAF Pickups-Two Neck Choices

[Seegs]

Originally Posted by Stephens Design

You might want to subscribe to my YouTube channel to be notified of new videos coming. I tested the new PG HD neck today and it might be what you're looking for. Its about 8.2K real clear with good bass response and great vowel tones, almost out of phase sounding at times. The new youtube demo will include the HD bridge with neck out of phase for Pete Green tones. With the neck flipped back around and in phase the set specs are very close to Duane Allman's preferred set, so that might appeal to some as well.....

I listened to th PGHD demo and first off the bridge pu has great bite and sounds amazing...

With the first 61hd demos I think I might have preferred the warm version as the bright version was very aggressive but it is really a tough decision...

I think you may be right in that the PGhd seems like it falls somewhere in between the 61hd warm and bright...what I find difficult to grasp is that the pghd is the hottest of the bunch but yet sounds the clearist to me...are my ears deceiving me??

Also which set has the most sustain?

CHow,
Seegs

[Stephens Design]

The PG HD neck is really only .5K hotter, so it doesn't get much darker really, but did get louder. The neck pickups go thru a break-in process and this one is pretty new so it does warm up a little bit over time. Don't forget though that the neck PG pickup is installed BACKWARDS, so that tends to clean up the signal, so thats why it may be sounding more clear. I'm working on a new demo with the PG HD set but with the neck in phase and installed the right direction and you can hear the neck got noticeably warmer sounding, but still clear. Should have that up by sunday night. I'm trying to relate it to Duane Allman's PAF's but I'm terrible at trying to nail his tone, I have a small 80's Marshall Studio 15 and tho its got the Marshall tone, its no match for Duane's 50 watter with those Cerwin Vega speakers, and ported back etc. Plus I don't have a feel for his playing style; I did a try at doing slide guitar and having major trouble with that since I don't play slide, but at least it'll give you an idea of what that set sounds like used normally. The Allman clone guys should have no trouble pulling Duane out of these if they have the right gear and style etc. Duane's bridge pickup actually sounds hotter, its really nasal and sounds a bit like its choking itself which is a sign its just a little too hot. Billy Gibbons played the '61HD bridge in a Tele style custom guitar built for him by Tao Guitars, so you can at least hear what a pro can do with it in a non-Les Paul guitar:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3Zq5...3L9LSf0F-5x9uQ

There is only one HD bridge, so you'll be seeing the same bridge in more videos coming, in combo with the two necks; should get everyone totally confused ;-) The sweeter version of the neck has more sustain by a little bit, more touch sensitive, but the more distortion you use the more creamy it will get too. Just depends on what you like.

[Seegs]

Ok...so if you flip the 61hd warm pickup around it will clear up a bit as well...right?

Be nice to hear the PG set with the magnets in a conventional orientation so I can compare the both...

Reason I ask as in addition to doing lots of Blues soloing in my trio I do lots of Motownish rhythm playing...Mr. Big Stuff by Jean Knight is the pinnacle of Motown rhythm playing tone for me...

Do you have pricing and avaliability set yet? If so maybe you could pm me the details...

Chow,
Seegs

[Stephens Design]

Love the old Motown stuff, is that the "Wrecking Crew" on that cut?
Yes, if you flip the sweet version neck pickup around it will get a little more clear, not a whole lot but you may notice it. You can compare the PG neck in the new video below to hear the difference, but that pickup is breaking in more and got a little more clear anyway, so that changed by itself some.....

I finished the non-out of phase VL61HD bridge and HD PG neck video here. I played a little more bass notes on the neck, attempted some slide work (ha ha ha...) and tried to get some Marshall type tones out of my old Studio 15, though that amp is a bit boxy sounding with its small cab.

My pricing is on my website sdpickups.com though I've not updated the site with any of the HD descriptive stuff yet, I wear too many hats and can't quite keep up with all the projects I have going. You can email me from my website for all the details and cover options etc..

[Seegs]

Not the WC they were an incredible bunch to include Glen Campbell and Barney Kessel...They did however...work with these artists...Notable artists employing the Wrecking Crew's talents included Nancy Sinatra, Bobby Vee, The Partridge Family, The Mamas & the Papas, The Carpenters, The 5th Dimension, John Denver, The Beach Boys, Simon & Garfunkel, and Nat King Cole.

These guys played on Mr. Big Stuff....Producer/arranger Wardell Quezergue (he also appeared on keyboards) handled the record well, with a band consisting of Malaco hands like guitarist Jerry Puckett...Bass: William Laverne Robbins. Drums, percussion: James Carey Stroud.

Listened to the new PG clip and it is stunning...having said that...there is something to be said for facing the screws towards the bridge...I have just tried that with my 339 and although subtle it does make a very positive difference...now I'm all kinds of confused as there are so many great sounds to process...

Thanks for the clips...gonna have to go over them for a bit...

Chow,
Seegs

[Stephens Design]

Yeah it can get confusing. There will be one more video showing the HD bridge in combination with the two neck choices, then that pretty much covers all the options. These videos are exhausting to make and usually take 2 or 3 days.

[nowgibson]

Hey Dave, I like the "sweet neck", I'll email you so now we have VL61HDSN.
Mark

[Stephens Design]

Dont worry, I contact everyone about 2 weeks before I build their sets to make sure what they want, so you'll know ahead of time and we'll go over everything then too. "HDSD" I like that idea, maybe I'll use that as its getting a little confusing with 3 different neck options, 4 if you count the PG neck as the in phase version ;-)