[gregr]

This time around I’m saying screw it, I’m going for a weak bright humbucker.

I’m thinking about an Air Classic Neck. I know the EJ Bridge or HFH are the standouts, but I’m looking for something that sounds more like a normal humbucker, if that makes any sense.

I’m aiming for an Area 67 in the neck, but am willing to compromise on a 58. I’d like to be able to go between the bridge and neck as if they were like a calibrated humbucker set.

[darkbluemurder]

The HfH is not weak by any means. The low DCR measurement is probably due to the fact that the coils are wound with larger gauge wire than normal "(normal" for a low output pickup is 42 AWG). Air Classic neck might work for what you want.

Cheers Stephan

[gregr]

I appreciate the reply.

FWIW, I own an HFH. It doesn’t really have the tone I’m looking for in the bridge position. I want some grunt in the lower mids, and the texture you get from a more traditional humbucking design.

DiMarzio’s EQ specs and descriptions have always been very good. I don’t know either way about the new 4-band versions, but I will say that I agree with what is given for the HFH. Here’s the current data given for the three pickups I listed.

Air Classic Neck:
206 mV
B: 3.0
LM: 4.0
HM: 3.5
T: 6.5

EJ Bridge:
200 mV
B: 3.0
LM: 3.5
HM: 3.5
T: 8.5

HFH:
226 mV
B: 1.5
LM: 3.0
HM: 4.0
T: 8.5

[mmmguitar]

I've used both Air Classics and the EJ Custom in the bridge position. I'll also throw the Bluesbucker out there as a contender (though its character is more aggressive than the other choices). If you're willing to entertain non-Dimarzio options, I've found the Suhr Thornbucker, Duncan '59 and Seth Lover, and Kiesel Allan Holdsworth (Essentially their take on the double screw version of the SD '59 neck) to achieve the same end. And that's without getting into how great modern active designs such as the Fluence Classic and EMG '50s lineup sound nowadays.

[gregr]

Thanks.

How was the Air Classic Neck in the bridge position? I’m hoping for something PAF-ish but with a bit more evenness through the low mids and at a lower volume (with which I think the air gap can help).

The idea is to dial the amp to optimize the neck pickup and then get something thick but not overpowering in the bridge position.

I take it your recommendations are the neck versions of each pickup? I know a SD 59B is much hotter than what I want to try for this project. The Seth bridge, even with the A2 would also be too much.

[mmmguitar]

I take it your recommendations are the neck versions of each pickup?

With the SDs; yes. Being as I do the opposite of what you're shooting for (I dial in the bridge pup first), I can't say whether the Air Classic neck will work for you - I ended up preferring the bridge model or a non-airbucker PAF to give it a bit extra body that the AC neck was missing in my case. It honestly seems like you're in for a bit of trial-and-error. I look forward to reading what ended up working for you. In my head, it seems that whatever PAF ends up balancing with the Area single will likely come down to adjusting pickup heights more than anything else.

[gregr]

It honestly seems like you're in for a bit of trial-and-error. I look forward to reading what ended up working for you. In my head, it seems that whatever PAF ends up balancing with the Area single will likely come down to adjusting pickup heights more than anything else.

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