Anderson Pickups: help

[sparkle**]

I have an Anderson Drop Top Classic, It has the H3 bridge pickup... It is very hot and maybe a little to bright for me... What is a good Anerson pick up, not so hot, not so bright?

Maybe there is just a better pickup to use, a friend said I should try a Duncan Jeff beck pickup?

 

[flicker180]

i LOVE my H2+

i've got one in my stratatele and also in my Anderson Cobra...good upper end punch with a good bass/mid balance.

dave

 

[Scott Peterson]

As far as Anderson pickups go, the H2+ was always my fave bridge HB.

Do a search on the WCR or Wagner pickups here on the Gear Page if you are looking for something very special.

 

[Glowing Tubes]

H2 or H2+ are great choices, still allow for the clarity to get through.

 

[Leonc]

Love the H2+ in the bridge!!! Have it in my DT Classic and in my Cobra.

 

[j_el_jee]

two more votes for the H2+, I have one in my Cobra and one in my Explorer.

Definitely more high end clarity than a JB, but maybe slightly less mids. Sounds great split as well.

 

[Mr.Hanky]

If you want an Anderosn pup call Roy (at Anderson) and stop putzing around in here. No one on the planet knows better then he does.

You did try lowering it no?
usually a really hot pup is not too bright, the top end rolls off I thought.
DO NOT GET A JB if the Anderson is too bright for you, that I can say from experience.

 

[Leonc]

Originally posted by Mr.Hanky
If you want an Anderosn pup call Roy (at Anderson) and stop putzing around in here. No one on the planet knows better then he does.

You did try lowering it no?
usually a really hot pup is not too bright, the top end rolls off I thought.
DO NOT GET A JB if the Anderson is too bright for you, that I can say from experience.

Golly Gee Mr Hanky. Where do you think most of us got the idea about using H2+ pups in the bridge? Could it have been...oh....Roy? I'd bet that Roy probably hipped most of us to H2+s...either directly or indirectly.

 

[Distortion]

I have found that the H2+ is a great pickup for average weight instruments.
If you have a very light guitar the H3 actually seems to be a better fit.

 

[oscar100]

i always found anderson pickups too bright.....

try either a wcr ( jim wagner) or a john suhr DSV which to my ear have much more warmth and vibe

 

[Mr.Hanky]

Originally posted by Leonc
Golly Gee Mr Hanky. Where do you think most of us got the idea about using H2+ pups in the bridge? Could it have been...oh....Roy? I'd bet that Roy probably hipped most of us to H2+s...either directly or indirectly.

Awwww, poo poo on you.

Look nimmy, don't get your panties in a bunch cause I offered the guy good advice. Maybe next time you should say something like "last time I talked to Roy" or " I had the same problem and I called Anderson and they said".

 

[fjs1962]

My favorite Anderson humbucker is the HO2. I've tried the H2, H2+ and H3 and they are OK, but end up being too scooped and compressed for me. The HO pickups are designed like a traditional humbucker with the magnet under the coils while the H pickups are really like two single coils side by side. To me the HO2 is more focussed and sounds more like a vintage humbucker. Of course if you don't mind going with something other than Anderson there are plenty of choices out there...

 

[fuzzyguitars]

I have always had a love hate relationship with my anderson guitars and the stock pickups.

My workhorse anderson is a 97 hollow koa drop top, no pickguard.

It came loaded with the H2+ in the bridge. I initially thought it sounded pretty good but I was playing a lot of modern heavier tunes and eventually changed it. Yes I thought it was too bright.

The first change was to a Dimarzio Tone Zone. That pickup stayed in the guitar for about 3 years! It was really really ballsy with lots and lots of lows and low mid oomph. It was really hot and could drive non master volume amps really well.

Obviously I liked the pickup alot for it to stay in there for so long. I eventually became disatisfied with it becuase it was too damn hot and wouldnt balance well with the other pickups. Also the high end detail and definition was not there. Sounded like poo when played clean.

Called up Roy and was guided toward the next pickup. The H3.
This lasted about a year. It had much better upper high definition and cleaned up pretty good with volume knob.

I changed it out becuase my playing was gravitationg towards more classic rock and classic 80 metal. The imbalance with all the pickups was driving me nuts.

In went the H2+. All was good until I was bit by the WCR pickups bug! I got a set of Goodwoods that I put into a Les Paul Custom that I could never get to sound right. One RS kit and Goodwoods and it became my favorite 24 3/4 player.

So......... About 5 weeks ago I put in a WCR Goodwood into the guitar. Initially loved it. Way more clarity, the best clean up with volume knob. It is still in the guitar right now but I think I am going to go back to the H2+. THe Goodwood has a pecuilar low midrange thing that doesn't mesh too well with this guitar. I think it has more to do with Andersons Vintage Voicing system and it doesn't like to play with the WCR.

Bottom line.

Call Roy.

PS I also highly recommend the HO series as well. My buddy had one in a swamp ash solid drop top and it was pure van halen tone when played into an old superlead!

Made me rethink the whole high gain pickup thing.

Lower output lets a lot more of the guitar to come through.

 

[fjs1962]

Originally posted by fuzzyguitars
PS I also highly recommend the HO series as well. My buddy had one in a swamp ash solid drop top and it was pure van halen tone when played into an old superlead!

That's exactly how my Drop Top with the HO2 sounds! I can usually dial in a sound with most pickups using pedals and such, but I never could get the H series pickups to give me what I was looking for plugged straight into my cranked Germino. The HO2, on the other hand, is punchy, crunchy and tight!

 

[sparkle**]

Talked with Roy briefly.....and the p/up he reccomened was...
The HN3..

A very hot patented pickup with increased mid-range concentration, it is very articulate without sacrificing power. This is Vivian Campbell's favorite bridge pickup.

 

[Distortion]

AT one time, Mesa Boogie was using a Drop Top Anderson with a H3 in the bridge to test their amps before shipping out.

 

[Mr.Hanky]

FWIW I have never been a fan of Anderson HB's, and I have had 5 Anderson's, still have 3. They have some weird compression thing going on that I never dig, some love it some do not. You may want to try some of the other options out there, especially since there are so many pup makers out there making great products.
Buy used and save $$

 

[fuzzyguitars]

Originally posted by fjs1962
That's exactly how my Drop Top with the HO2 sounds! I can usually dial in a sound with most pickups using pedals and such, but I never could get the H series pickups to give me what I was looking for plugged straight into my cranked Germino. The HO2, on the other hand, is punchy, crunchy and tight!

WHen my buddy brought over the guitar I didnt think that low output HO's would sound good distorted. But OH my, was I wrong!.

I am going to have to get a guitar made for me
Maple neck and fretboard. Solid light swamp ash body. Floyd rose trem and some type of low output humbucker!

I was told by someone that EVH used to take old PAFs and unwind some coils. THis did two things, lowered the overall output, and made the coils unevenly wound which has a profound influence on how a pickup sounds@!!

 

[sylvanshine]

Originally posted by sparkle**
Talked with Roy briefly.....and the p/up he reccomened was...
The HN3..

A very hot patented pickup with increased mid-range concentration, it is very articulate without sacrificing power. This is Vivian Campbell's favorite bridge pickup.

+1 on the HN3. Have them in my Drop Top Ts with an H1+ in the neck. Stunning combo. Running through Bogner XTCs and have never been happier. Can't wait until I can pop something hotter in my Atom. The H2+ sounds anemic to me now.

 

[eddyrox]

Originally posted by fuzzyguitars
WHen my buddy brought over the guitar I didnt think that low output HO's would sound good distorted. But OH my, was I wrong!.

I am going to have to get a guitar made for me
Maple neck and fretboard. Solid light swamp ash body. Floyd rose trem and some type of low output humbucker!

I was told by someone that EVH used to take old PAFs and unwind some coils. THis did two things, lowered the overall output, and made the coils unevenly wound which has a profound influence on how a pickup sounds@!!

...ahhh...that would be me.
pix say 1000 words....and yesss....we were both wrong!