Pickup tone comparisons

Mr. Moon

Mr. Moon

Force of Naked
Hi. Does anyone know of a guitar pickup manufacturer's website which not only provides samples of what their product sounds like, but what the stock pickup in the same guitar sounds like?

For example, I have a Gibson Les Paul Studio which has the original pickups. I'm thinking about upgrading to a set of Seymour Duncans, but I'd like to hear what they sound like compared to the stock pickups to see if there's really that much difference. Problem is, they only have samples of what the Seymour Duncan pickups sound like on the SD website, but no samples of what the originals sound like, so I have to way to compare the two.

It wouldn't be a big deal if they weren't such a PITA to install, but still, I wouldn't be able to do any A/B listening tests to figure out if they are really that much more of what I'm looking for. SD does offer a free exchange program between different SD pickup models if you don't like they way their pickups sound in your guitar, but it's only valid (I believe) if they are installed by a authorized SD dealer, and even so, they don't cover labor, which you'd have to pay for each switcharoo of the pickups.

...Maybe someone could lend me their LP with SD's in it so I could do some A/B testing??!!

No?

:(

:D

-mr moon
 
I really doubt Gibson is going to let Seymour Duncan post clips of the same guitar playing the same riff with each pickup to show how bad the Gibson one is...

I recently upgraded the bridge pickup on my SG standard from the stock one, I was willing to give up a decent clean sound to get a much better distorted sound, but ended up getting a much more versatile pickup. I got a SD custom custom to fatten the distortion up, but it also gave better clarity, smoother highs, chimier cleans. My point is no matter how good you think your guitar sounds now with the stock pickups (which in the studios REALLY aren't that good, even compared to other Gibson pickups) it will sound noticably better with new pickups (be they seymour duncans or whatever).

EDIT: Also I had the same skepticism about pickups before that you do, thinking that it won't make a huge difference and that it was mostly for people who just want to tweak everything on their guitar, but I am now sure you will be back here after you try new pickups thanking me :D
 
ibanezrocks said:
I really doubt Gibson is going to let Seymour Duncan post clips of the same guitar playing the same riff with each pickup to show how bad the Gibson one is...

I recently upgraded the bridge pickup on my SG standard from the stock one, I was willing to give up a decent clean sound to get a much better distorted sound, but ended up getting a much more versatile pickup. I got a SD custom custom to fatten the distortion up, but it also gave better clarity, smoother highs, chimier cleans. My point is no matter how good you think your guitar sounds now with the stock pickups (which in the studios REALLY aren't that good, even compared to other Gibson pickups) it will sound noticably better with new pickups (be they seymour duncans or whatever).

EDIT: Also I had the same skepticism about pickups before that you do, thinking that it won't make a huge difference and that it was mostly for people who just want to tweak everything on their guitar, but I am now sure you will be back here after you try new pickups thanking me :D
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Yeah, I've swapped out pickups in a few of my other electric guitars (1988 Ibanez S-series, Ibanez 7-string, homemade strat with humbuckers mutt), but the LP is a little too much of a byatch to try to swap them myself. Everyone I've talked to about it and everywhere I've read says that there is a large difference between the stock 490/498 and the SD's I'm looking at. I just wish I could hear them side by side to say "F#ck yeah, sign me up!!" or decide that the cost might not justify it.

Oh well, it was worth a shot... ;)

-mr moon
 
Hang on, don't you have the guitar with stock pu's already? Why can't you plug it in and try to emulate the sound of the clip? Or have I missed something? But I'd agree, I have recently put in SD SH'59's in my strat and Bill Lawrence HB's in another guitar, both are magic. The Bill Lawrence were very hot and I had to lower them quite away to get the clean I wanted but they cook.
 
Clive Hugh said:
Hang on, don't you have the guitar with stock pu's already? Why can't you plug it in and try to emulate the sound of the clip? Or have I missed something? But I'd agree, I have recently put in SD SH'59's in my strat and Bill Lawrence HB's in another guitar, both are magic. The Bill Lawrence were very hot and I had to lower them quite away to get the clean I wanted but they cook.
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Well, I could try to do that, but it still doesn't really allow me to compare what the stock pickups sound like compared to the SD's, with all the other variables (i.e. amplifier, gain settings, room, etc.) remaining constant. If I had samples of the guitar tone with stock pickups and then after the SD's had been installed, with all the other variables remaining the same, I could then say "Yeah, I really like the high-end clarity and tighter lows of this pickup as compared to the stock ones" or whatever. If I try to emulate the sound of the sound sample, all that that would tell me is that I can tweak the amplifier in such a way that I'm able to get that tone, and it would not really be a reflection of what the guitar alone sounds like. Subtle difference, but important to me, especially considering that I like a more aggressive tone than the overdriven sample that SD has posted on their site, so I’d never really want to have my guitar sound exactly like that anyways. Add to that the fact that I don't know what make/model of guitar they used for the sample, and it becomes apparent that I cannot really judge what the pickups will sound like compared to my stock one at all...

Anywho, thanks for the suggestion. I guess I'm just going to have to go for it and try them out to hear the difference for myself. H3ll, maybe I'll just make my own before/after samples and post them somewhere. ;)

-mr moon

Edit: I see you're in Western Australia, eh? My brother lived in Sydney for the past 5 years and has just moved back to the states. He was teaching and conducting research at UNSW, but recently landed a "real" job in the States. Come to think of it, he's in Sydney visiting friends right now... Small world.
 
just from my personal experience, the biggest difference where you'll here a big difference in your pickups is with a tube amp. With a tube amp, pickups/guitar makes a huge difference in your attack and tone especially in your clean sound.

I've noticed with a solid state amp, there isnt a neglible difference. yes there is some, but not that much. Also with recording direct through whatever plug ins/amp emulators you use in computer based recording there is not much difference. If you are micing a Tube amp the pickups matched with a type of guitar will make all the difference.

yep.
 
Mr. Moon said:
Hi. Does anyone know of a guitar pickup manufacturer's website which not only provides samples of what their product sounds like, but what the stock pickup in the same guitar sounds like?
Click to expand...

There are so many variables in play that the only way to really know how much diff (and which way) it will make to you in your particular setup is to bite the bullet and do the swap.
 
metalj said:
just from my personal experience, the biggest difference where you'll here a big difference in your pickups is with a tube amp. With a tube amp, pickups/guitar makes a huge difference in your attack and tone especially in your clean sound.

I've noticed with a solid state amp, there isnt a neglible difference. yes there is some, but not that much. Also with recording direct through whatever plug ins/amp emulators you use in computer based recording there is not much difference. If you are micing a Tube amp the pickups matched with a type of guitar will make all the difference.

yep.
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Marshall JCM2000 DSL100. I gots toobs!!

Yeah, baby!! :D

-mr moon
 
ggunn said:
There are so many variables in play that the only way to really know how much diff (and which way) it will make to you in your particular setup is to bite the bullet and do the swap.
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Yup, I think you're correct. However, if they had samples of *any* guitar with the 490/498 pickups as stock and then samples of the *same guitar* with the SD's (keeping all other variables the same; like amp settings, room mic placement, etc.), I could at least get some idea of the audible difference(s) between the SD pickups and the stock ones. Not that this would be the same difference I'd hear with my setup, but it would give a ball park idea of what I might be able to expect.

Ah well, who needs to hold on to money anyways? :rolleyes:

-mr moon
 
ditto ...

metalj said:
just from my personal experience, the biggest difference where you'll here a big difference in your pickups is with a tube amp. With a tube amp, pickups/guitar makes a huge difference in your attack and tone especially in your clean sound.

I've noticed with a solid state amp, there isnt a neglible difference. yes there is some, but not that much. Also with recording direct through whatever plug ins/amp emulators you use in computer based recording there is not much difference. If you are micing a Tube amp the pickups matched with a type of guitar will make all the difference.

yep.
Click to expand...
even different tube amps, i just swapped my peavey C50 for a Fender Blues Deluxe RI and i had almost quit using my strat cause the tone i was getting wasn't there (sd hot rails in bridge) anyhoo it smokes now, in all positions, course i went from el84's to 6l6's also
but on topic i don't think i could trust a website tone chart alone, i think i would seek out players with my style, or taste and do a comparison that way but still there are equipment colorings there ....just my .02
 
Mr. Moon said:
Yup, I think you're correct. However, if they had samples of *any* guitar with the 490/498 pickups as stock and then samples of the *same guitar* with the SD's (keeping all other variables the same; like amp settings, room mic placement, etc.), I could at least get some idea of the audible difference(s) between the SD pickups and the stock ones. Not that this would be the same difference I'd hear with my setup, but it would give a ball park idea of what I might be able to expect.

Ah well, who needs to hold on to money anyways? :rolleyes:

-mr moon
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Well, even then you wouldn't know. The way you would change things in your setup to get the sound you want will be different than, for example, me. The same pickups in the same guitar, set the same way, miced the same way, etc. might actually sound worse than the originals to your ears, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you couldn't tweak a killer tone out of them that would have been out of reach with the originals. The only way to know for sure is to try it.
 
The point of my original post, though rambling, was that the stock Gibson pickups suck, and for how much the guitar costs it would be a waste of money not to put something decent in it for pickups. The difference will be huge, instantly noticable, and definitely worth the cost. Atleast replace whichever pickup you use the most, or whichever you feel is worse.
 
There have been more famous recordings made with stock Gibson pickups than you can count. Have you experimented with pickup height? Small adjustments can yield noticeable improvements in tone and response.
That being said, I have a Les Paul Classic and swapped out the pickups for Gibson Burstbucker Pros. Played through an Allen Accomplice or old Fender Deluxe I get more compliments on my tone than on my playing!
 
Update: I have a set of the SD's on order and will have them within a couple of weeks. I had to order them rather than pick them up right away as I got both the JB (bridge) and Jazz (Neck) with the nickel codpiece ...er, I mean "cover" to match the look of the originals on the guitar.

And while I'm sure that many, many, many, many tunes that I love have been recorded over time using the 490/498 pickups, I'm just looking for something a bit different, in that Jerry Cantrell kind of way...

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions! ;)

-mr moon
 
Whatever you do, hang on to your original Gibson pickups. I swapped out my Gibson Les Paul pickups some years ago for SD's. At the time I was looking for a little more edge. While the SD's are great souding pickups, I wish I still had my original pickups in order to restore my LP to it's original state. Time has a way of making us change our musical taste and the sounds that we are going after. I have some old recordings I made with those Gibson pickups and man I wish that I still had them. I'm just saying hang on to the Gibsons in case you decide you want to go back to the sound that you had. I would also consider the advice given earlier on experimenting with tube amps and microphone placement. Good Luck!
 
Doc Holiday said:
Whatever you do, hang on to your original Gibson pickups. I swapped out my Gibson Les Paul pickups some years ago for SD's. At the time I was looking for a little more edge. While the SD's are great souding pickups, I wish I still had my original pickups in order to restore my LP to it's original state. Time has a way of making us change our musical taste and the sounds that we are going after. I have some old recordings I made with those Gibson pickups and man I wish that I still had them. I'm just saying hang on to the Gibsons in case you decide you want to go back to the sound that you had. I would also consider the advice given earlier on experimenting with tube amps and microphone placement. Good Luck!
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Solid Advice Doc. Do what the Doctor orders !!!!! keep those originals for later use.
 
Doc Holiday said:
Whatever you do, hang on to your original Gibson pickups. I swapped out my Gibson Les Paul pickups some years ago for SD's. At the time I was looking for a little more edge. While the SD's are great souding pickups, I wish I still had my original pickups in order to restore my LP to it's original state. Time has a way of making us change our musical taste and the sounds that we are going after. I have some old recordings I made with those Gibson pickups and man I wish that I still had them. I'm just saying hang on to the Gibsons in case you decide you want to go back to the sound that you had. I would also consider the advice given earlier on experimenting with tube amps and microphone placement. Good Luck!
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Yup, that is SOP (standard operating procedure). I still have all the original pickups from guitars I don't even own anymore!! :D

-mr moon
 
Mr. Moon said:
Yup, that is SOP (standard operating procedure). I still have all the original pickups from guitars I don't even own anymore!! :D

-mr moon
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Sounds like you're already ahead of the game!
 
Edit: I see you're in Western Australia, eh? My brother lived in Sydney for the past 5 years and has just moved back to the states. He was teaching and conducting research at UNSW, but recently landed a "real" job in the States. Come to think of it, he's in Sydney visiting friends right now... Small world.[/QUOTE]

Sydney's about 5000 miles away from here.
 
Clive Hugh said:
Edit: I see you're in Western Australia, eh? My brother lived in Sydney for the past 5 years and has just moved back to the states. He was teaching and conducting research at UNSW, but recently landed a "real" job in the States. Come to think of it, he's in Sydney visiting friends right now... Small world.
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Sydney's about 5000 miles away from here.[/QUOTE]

Exmouth is 2397 miles from Sydney. Are you farther west that that? :confused:

:D

-mr moon
 
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