Custom pickups: what should I ask my luthier?

[davidrf]

Hi there,
I'm going to get a couple of custom humbuckers made by my luthier (a highly renowed pickup maker) for my SE Custom 24. I'm not a big humbucker expert, and I'd like to go there with a pretty clear idea on what to ask him. Please help. Here's some pointers (I'll give him the same pointers, but I'd like someone to tell me what commercial pickups are close to my needs, so I can also tell him "make something like the xxxxxxxx"):

- First of all, the original SE pickups sound a bit "dull" to me
- Even though I mainly play some pretty heavy stuff (grunge, punk, hard rock, but also some blues and a very tiny bit of metal) I don't think I'm a fan of very high output pickups, and AFAIK there's no need for very high output to sound big and heavy.
- So, in the bridge I'd like something that could get me a big, mean, growling sound, but at the same time retain detail. I like the bridge sound a bit "dark". Is it something like the Seymour Duncan JB?
- For the neck humbucker, I'd like something with evenness, sweetness, clear highs without being shrill, warmth and complexity. Am I describing a sort of a PAF? Or what?

Anyway, I think it's pretty clear I'm a bit confused. I have very little experience with humbuckers. Any advice is welcome!

 

[László]

To me, you're describing something that good PAFs have, but of course, it'll vary from vendor to vendor, so that may or may not be what you want.

Still, it's hard to go wrong with a great set of PAF style pickups, no matter what music you're playing.

 

[davidrf]

To me, you're describing something that good PAFs have, but of course, it'll vary from vendor to vendor, so that may or may not be what you want.

Still, it's hard to go wrong with a great set of PAF style pickups, no matter what music you're playing.

I ended up asking him a PAF in the neck and a kind of slighlty lesser-output JB in the bridge. He says he made similar pickups both for SEs and Core american PRSs and you can't be wrong with a configuration like that (both Alnico 5.). I hope they will sound great, but knowing that luthier I have very few doubts. In a Stratocaster American Standard that I had he made the most wonderful sounding strat single coils I've ever heard (for a price... but it's right to pay quality and expertise)

 

[charliefrench]

It can be difficult choosing new pickups especially when you don't have the facility to try them on a similar or the same model of guitar that you intend to install them into. Recently I put some A5 PAF like pickups into my own SE Custom 22 and the transformation is astonishing.

Your man has come good for you before and it is likely he will deliver again. Hope you don't have to wait too long

 

[Mike Duncan]

thick, lush, and articulate...those are my favorite descriptors.

 

[charliefrench]

thick, lush, and articulate...those are my favorite descriptors.

You can't go far wrong with those and all the builders will tell you that each and every pickup he makes will fit the bill perfectly

 

[Dusty Chalk]

I ended up asking him a PAF in the neck and a kind of slighlty lesser-output JB in the bridge. He says he made similar pickups both for SEs and Core american PRSs and you can't be wrong with a configuration like that (both Alnico 5.).

You really can't go wrong with that combination.

 

[elvis]

Les has it right. I generally look for PAF plus a bit more output and bite. It's a great starting point for describing a tone. Incidentally, I use BKP Cold Sweats. It sound like you might want something that sounds like BKP Mules.

I think what you ordered should work well. The JB is a great pickup, I used them for years.

 

[davidrf]

Your man has come good for you before and it is likely he will deliver again. Hope you don't have to wait too long

He said about 10 days I'm really curious to hear how much the tone can improve. As I said, in my American Standard Strat the improvement was nothing less than massive.