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The Pickup Place / Re: Best humbucker for both cleans and dirt?

« on: March 01, 2019, 12:55:47 PM »

With my rigs (Fractal Audio Axe FX II and Fractal Audio AX-8) I find the 36th Anniversary PAFs, Bluesbuckers  and Satch Tracks to be great for both clean and dirty. The Bluesbuckers get great clean sounds when run in parallel or when split.

In my PAF and PAF + Satch Track guitars I split the pickups. I also run treble bleeds (330 pF) on all my guitars which really helps the volume control clean up.

With all of that said, my rigs are incredibly versatile in terms of gain staging and EQ so I feel the rigs are what really make it easy to get good clean and dirty tones from the same pickups. I suppose I could use heavier pickups (e.g. the Tone Zone, which I used to use) and get the same results but it would take more work to get the same results.

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The Pickup Place / Re: Air Norton S help

« on: November 15, 2018, 11:55:14 AM »

I can speak to the Chopper vs. Satch. I've got in the neck of one guitar and plan on getting it in the neck for 2 more guitars. It's my favorite "high power" single coil.

Under high gain, the Satch Track is clear, not muddy or overly bright. It retains more of that single coil type tone when compared to the Chopper which sounds a little too thick and heavy to me. The Satch Track also sounds even more single coil like when it's split.

I have it matched up with a 36th Ann bridge pickup by the way.

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The Pickup Place / Re: Air a Norton or unair an Air Norton?

« on: October 02, 2018, 12:31:33 PM »

Thanks for all the replies folks. Now I just need to pick the right guitar to try it in.

I think I'll go with my camo Charvel that has a Tone Zone and Chopper in it.

I'm not in love with the Tone Zone anymore and like the Satch Track more than the Chopper.

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The Pickup Place / Re: Need humbucker that fits with single coils better than 36th Bridge

« on: September 12, 2018, 02:18:17 PM »

I would go with either a Bluesbucker or an EJ Custom.

If you want to split the Bluesbucker with a single and keep things hum-canceling you need to be very aware of polarity and wiring. I find the Bluesbucker to be clearer than the 36th Annv.

The EJ Custom is bright but not weak or thin. If I really want to get closer to the singles in term of output and tone I'd go with this one.

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The Trading Post / WTB 36th Anniversary PAF Zebra F Spaced

« on: August 16, 2018, 02:13:14 PM »

The title says it all.

If you have this pickup drop me a PM.

Thanks.

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The Pickup Place / Re: Air a Norton or unair an Air Norton?

« on: August 03, 2018, 11:22:58 AM »

Thanks for all the info!

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The Pickup Place / Re: Air a Norton or unair an Air Norton?

« on: August 01, 2018, 04:21:55 PM »

As I recall, to truly air a humbucker one needs shorter slugs or shorter screws, correct? Not saying these can't be had but worth knowing for sure.

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The Pickup Place / Air a Norton or unair an Air Norton?

« on: August 01, 2018, 10:14:47 AM »

I'm looking to try out a Norton or Air Norton but in order to keep my options open I was wondering if it would be easier to air a Norton or unair an Air Norton? I know about the half-air mod and while I might end up doing that as well I'm focused on the two extremes.

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The Pickup Place / Re: Vintage Dimarzio PAF Pickup

« on: July 24, 2018, 11:31:53 AM »

In my experience - the original DiMarzio PAFs are quite a bit different to the new ones - they seemed to have more clarity - it's hard to describe but I think it's what people have come to call transparency.

I like the Virtual PAF Bridge and the Virtual Hot Bridge. Have not laid hands on a Virtual PAF Neck... yet. I also like the 36th Anniversary Bridge.

Try to keep my eyes open for the old DP103.

The newer PAF Master Set and the PAF 59 Set were both disappointments for my goals.

I've been interested in the VHPAF but have chosen to not try one because if I really liked, I'd have to get like 14 more for all my guitars.

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The Pickup Place / Re: Vintage Dimarzio PAF Pickup

« on: July 23, 2018, 12:44:36 PM »

In my experience - the original DiMarzio PAFs are quite a bit different to the new ones - they seemed to have more clarity - it's hard to describe but I think it's what people have come to call transparency.

When we're discussing Dimarzio PAFs we really need to compare apples to apples because Dimarzio has offered a slew of PAF variants over the years (Virtual, Virtual Hot, Air Classic, PAF Master, 36th Anniversary, etc.).

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The Pickup Place / Re: Bluesbucker brighter than 36th Ann PAF?

« on: May 24, 2018, 01:23:57 PM »

These two videos really helped me to get an idea of what the pickup sounds like so I ordered a pair from Mike at Mike's Music Shop.

TE 212 Dimarzio Bluesbucker

Dimarzio Bluesbuckers: The Demo

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The Pickup Place / Re: Bluesbucker brighter than 36th Ann PAF?

« on: May 22, 2018, 09:52:43 AM »

Assuming all things are equal (same guitars, some pots) is the Bluesbucker perceptibly brighter than the 36 Ann PAFs?

Yes. But not ice-picky or harsh.

It’s a good pickup for neck and bridge.

I read your review Darth and it helped steer me in the direction of BBs. Thanks for writing it up.

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The Pickup Place / Re: Bluesbucker brighter than 36th Ann PAF?

« on: May 22, 2018, 09:51:59 AM »

I tried the Bluesbucker in the neck of one guitar, and now it’s in all of them, as well as in the bridge of a semi hollow-body. The only downside I can think of is that their ceramic magnets don’t sound like alnico (if that’s your preference).

Eh, I'm not stuck on magnet types. There's more to a pickup than the type of magnets used.

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The Pickup Place / Re: Bluesbucker brighter than 36th Ann PAF?

« on: May 22, 2018, 09:51:30 AM »

The Bluesbucker is tonally brighter than the PAF 36ths for me. It's still one of my favourite pickups.

Thank you for the confirmation.

I'm looking to get something a bit brighter and clearer than the 36th so it seems like this might be the ticket. I'm also looking at Fralin Big Single Coils and Sunbuckers though the later seem very similar to the Bluesbucker.

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The Pickup Place / Bluesbucker brighter than 36th Ann PAF?

« on: May 21, 2018, 12:20:36 PM »

I'm thinking about switching out a pair of 36th Ann PAFs (bridge and neck models) for a pair of Bluesbuckers because I've got too many guitars with PAFs. I want something different but in the same vintage category and not a PAF.

I've already got one guitar with EJ Customs and I've owned a guitar with a Humbucker from Hell so I'm not going there on this guitar.

On paper, the Bluesbucker seems brighter so I'm just looking for validation of this. Assuming all things are equal (same guitars, some pots) is the Bluesbucker perceptibly brighter than the 36 Ann PAFs?