Dilemma on humbucker pickup output..

[jerryjg]

There appears to be two divided opinions on humbucker pickups. One idea seems to be to get a low to moderate balanced output pickup , so that youre amp can literally do the "dirty work" and saturate those power tubes . Then again, those full shredders get their obnoxious (thats a compliment) sound from "SHO"(super high output, and I believe there should be a pickup named the "sho " someday) pickups like the Duncan invader with allen pole pieces.. I believe i just answered my own question.Its a matter of personal prference. I hate when that happens.I think the real concern is identyfying what pickup will give you which sound with which type of guitar. Many variables, and thats what tends to confuse.

[concert410]

You called it Fezz. I bought a Squire and put an Invader in it to use as a spare guitar/shred guitar. If I am playing high gain all the time, it ROCKS, but it is hard to get it to clean up in a good way. It is definitely usable, but not versatile.

[JAM]

...Muddy and flat...

Yep, that really nails it. When I was teaching numerous students would 'upgrade' their guitars with high output p'ups. Never heard one that sounded good clean. But of course for what they wanted it worked OK.

[jerryjg]

well, there is even a gray area, of "high" output pickups. They arent super hot-You get something supposedly like the Duncan Deamon, or the Distortion, which are supposedly the cleanest most open high outputs. Then you have youre hotter wound PAF's which are moderate outputs-just wired with more turns or thicker gauge wire than the originals. Theres a lot to become familiar with, and its taken me awhile to study the info. and I am still not decided.

[Mesotech]

Most of the guys that go for the mega distortion one trick pony pickups only know how to ride one pony.

Nuttin' wrong with that, just sayin'

[lightseeker55]

I use the Bill Lawrence L500L on my Les Paul and the L500XL on my Heavy Metal Strat. It cleans up real well when you turn the volume know. I have a series parallel switch on mine that gives more versitlity. Bill Lawrence has Q Filter to add more dimensions and tone to the L500 pickups. My L500L pickup is not high output while the XL is. The amazing thing about both pups is they are very clean and clear even when overdriven and they remain clean when playing clean. I did an AB comparsion to the Dimarzio EVO bridge and the Bill was so much clearer, smoother and more dymanic. The EVO has harsh and brittle. You will really need a rack to clean up the EVO.

[jerryjg]

I use the Bill Lawrence L500L on my Les Paul and the L500XL on my Heavy Metal Strat. It cleans up real well when you turn the volume know. I have a series parallel switch on mine that gives more versitlity. Bill Lawrence has Q Filter to add more dimensions and tone to the L500 pickups. My L500L pickup is not high output while the XL is. The amazing thing about both pups is they are very clean and clear even when overdriven and they remain clean when playing clean. I did an AB comparsion to the Dimarzio EVO bridge and the Bill was so much clearer, smoother and more dymanic. The EVO has harsh and brittle. You will really need a rack to clean up the EVO.

I've heard the Dimarzio hot '59 is a very well balanced pup, that will give even a bright sounding guitar a great range of tones without being overly empasized in any particualr area-bass mid or treble.Its so hard to get a tight sounding low range and also achieve something that doesnt upchuck midrange or get overly glassy or even shrill in the highs.(ve heard great things about Lawrence pups, but have also heard that there are spurious Bill lawrence pickups.

[jrgtr42]

Like others have said, it depends on what you're looking for., I have a few guitars set up each way (I have a bunch of 'bucker guitars, besides the Fender and clones) My Les Pauls both have fairly low-outputs, Duncan '59s in one, Burstbuckers in the other.
I have a BC Rich Mockingbird with Dimarzio Super D in the bridge, not even sure whats in neck...a Guild with other high-outputs.
Not only do I use each for different things, I actually play differeently on each guitar...

[lightseeker55]

Yes there are Bill Lawrence rip offs out there The Bill Lawrence USA pickups are rip offs. Here is a rip off, You can ONLY buy genuine Bill Lawrence pups from his web site (www.billlawrence.com). His former business partner is using the Bill Lawrence name which has no right to use and very much tarnished Bill's reputation in the 90s. He can use the Lawrence name but not Bill Lawrence. Stay away from dealers that sell Bill Lawrence USA pickups. They sound very thin and they also squeal. Plus, the blades are also thin. The real Bill has a fat chunky sound yet clear. The other geniune Bill Lawrence dealer besides Bill himself is Bruce of Bull Fighters Guitar on eBay. He sells the Keystone pickups. Stay away from the Washburn N4 guitars. They are using fakes because I got a CD from a guitar magazine that reviewed the N4. It sound so thin and had no chunk to it. And Bill has no contract with them. The "Cowboy From Hell" Dean replica is geniune L500XL. I played it and know the sound. It is genuine and Bill supplies the pickups for Dean. All I can say is be careful.

[pc]

We've dealt with the "real" Bill Lawrence argument several times in the past, so let's not dredge it up again. There are TWO sides to every story, and soon enough there will be someone from the other side of the argument here to remind us that the "real" Bill Lawrence isn't actually named Bill Lawrence at all, etc.

Thanks. This is a helpful thread and I don't want to see it deleted.

[Offshore Angler]

I've kind of come to the conclusion that it's easier to sound "OK" with high outputs, but it's more likely you'll sound great with low outputs. But it's also much harder. Even for the punky stuff I prefer lower outputs because I can push the amp into the crush zone and still retain articulation on chords. Then I break my own rule and use a slightly overwound pickup in my Esquires.

The issue with the super hots is that they don't (for me) clean up when you roll off the volume. They just get quieter and less defined sounding. The way my live rig is now, the last third of the volume doesn't change the volume as much as it does bring in the dirt. It's so much easier for a chump like me to just use the volume than to negotiate the mike stands, cords, Rickenjangle, beer bottles,... and try to stomp on the pedal ( with bifocals!) when it's time for a solo. That first phrase of a solo is 90% of it and if you're futzing around looking for the dirt box there's a measureable chance you'll blow it.