Versatile pickup for single humbucker guitar

[IPlayHamers]

I have a ESP Custom Shop Eclipse with a single EMG 81 and volume knob. I would like to replace this pickup with something that compliments this guitar better. The body rings like a bell and is very loud and resonant acoustically, but the EMG seems to be choking the tone.

I'm concidering Lindy Fralin, but I'm open to other suggestions. I'd also be interested in a push/pull switch for the volume control to tap the coils.

Thanks.....

[SoCalSteve]

You probably already know this, but you'll need a hot pickup if you're going to split the coil. I have a single hum charvel with a Duncan JB in it that works well. The JB sounds very good split. The JB can be a little bright in some guitars but it works well in my alder body/rosewood fretboard Charvel with vintage type trem.

[IPlayHamers]

Originally Posted by SoCalSteve

You probably already know this, but you'll need a hot pickup if you're going to split the coil. I have a single hum charvel with a Duncan JB in it that works well. The JB sounds very good split. The JB can be a little bright in some guitars but it works well in my alder body/rosewood fretboard Charvel with vintage type trem.

The JB is a very bright pup. I had one in my Schecter C1 Classic and while it sounded good with certain amps and on clean stuff, it lacked grith.

I may forgo the coil tap thing because I'd prefer a lower output pup. The guitar just sounds too goo to have a high output pup ruin in IMO/

Thanks for the feedback and please keep em coming.

[Atomic Punk]

Originally Posted by SoCalSteve

You probably already know this, but you'll need a hot pickup if you're going to split the coil. I have a single hum charvel with a Duncan JB in it that works well. The JB sounds very good split. The JB can be a little bright in some guitars but it works well in my alder body/rosewood fretboard Charvel with vintage type trem.

Another vote for the JB. I've got one in my Ibanez RG550 and one in my Fender HM Strat. I also really like the DiMarzio Air Zone. I had one in the HM before the JB and it sounded great also, very close to the pick-up in my EB/MM Axis (EVH).

[Shredcow]

Low output would be the way to go for humbuckers IMO... all the gain and compression you need can be achieved via pedals but try restoring touch sensitivity - that's tough.

I'm using a HAS Sound Legacy, wound @ 7.8k. Its actually very creamy sounding and surprisingly loud considering it is a low output pup. There's good growl in the low end and its slightly glassy sounding. Not overly tight or bright, just a little looseness which I think is crucial for that more organic feel.

I'm curious though, since I've been on the lookout for a single hummer myself, where/how did you get that guitar?

[Caretaker]

Any good PAF type will do what you need. Lots of boutique guys. I prefer the Wolfetone Greywolf for this type but if you want something less expensive, try the Dimarzio Virtual PAF.

[7String Thing]

how about a wcr? i also love my jb in my parker as well as the custom shop pickups i ordered, they were very well done.

[Blue4Now]

I am tellin ya, I have the answer. A SD Custom 5. It works so well in my single pickup Charvel. It splits very well and is a bit warmer than the JB so it is a little more versitile. With the tone control you can even get it to sound like a neck pickup. Well almost.

[jumpnblues]

If you're not going to split the coils I'd give the Lollar Imperial very serious consideration. Gorgeous sounding humbucker with a very sweet, airey top end and well balanced lows and mids.

Tom

[rooster]

I'd put in a Bill Lawrence L-500L with a tone pot and a series/parallel switch. That'll give you a LOT of ground. If you have a 3-knob capability, I'd go the extra mile and get a Q-filter for the 2nd tone knob, too.

rooster.

[62Tele]

TV Jones Powertron : PAF meets Filtertron. You can get a coil split if you want it but the volume knob does heck of a lot.

[John Phillips]

Originally Posted by Blue4Now

I am tellin ya, I have the answer. A SD Custom 5. It works so well in my single pickup Charvel. It splits very well and is a bit warmer than the JB so it is a little more versitile. With the tone control you can even get it to sound like a neck pickup. Well almost.

I'd go with this too. It's not a 'vintage' wound pickup, but it's lower output than the JB and doesn't have that nasal upper mid peak, and is much more transparent and touch-sensitive than you might expect for a 14K pickup.

The other thing you might consider is putting a cap and resistor network (parallel, not series) on the volume control. If you get the values right it will make the pickup cleaner and get brighter and more single-coil-like as you roll down the volume, since it modifies the pot value as you turn it down. It even works well on the Duncan Invader pickup in the Tom Delonge Strat (with a 220K resistor and 680pF cap), which is not your normal candidate for cleaning up well .

[Chikn]

http://www.tonefordays.com/html/pickups.html

Look for a pickup called the "Jekyll And Hyde". It has tapped coils, so you can go from a hotter, Super Distortion-like tone, to a more vintage, PAF sort of sound.