McRosewood Pickup

[JamesLawre]

So I LOVE my '03 McCarty with IRW neck, but the neck pickup gets a little muddy. Recommendations for a pickup(s) change? I'd love to go 57/08's, but they're hard to find and pricey. Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[TroyBaer]

I have an '06 McRosey, and the neck pickup on it is one of my all-time favorites. However, if you're looking for something brighter, the Duncan Jazz is probably a good place to start.

 

[JamesLawre]

Yeah, I loved the neck pickup for a long time but found myself using the coil tap a lot to clean up the neck pickup. Talked to others who thought the same thing. I think I'm going to try some of these. http://www.dallenpickups.com/product_p/wbh p51m.htm

 

[TroyBaer]

Yeah, I loved the neck pickup for a long time but found myself using the coil tap a lot to clean up the neck pickup. Talked to others who thought the same thing. I think I'm going to try some of these. http://www.dallenpickups.com/product_p/wbh p51m.htm

David Allen makes very good stuff, but I'd be a little concerned that the Allen Mustangs may not be all that different than the McCarty pickups -- they use the same type of magnet (Alnico IV) and winding wire (42 AWG), and the Mustangs are only about 10% different on DC resistance (7.2k neck/8.6k bridge vs. 8k neck/8k bridge for McCarty pickups). OTOH, if you find the McCarty neck pickup too dark, the Mustang neck pickup's being slightly underwound may be to your liking.

 

[JamesLawre]

I think them being underwound is key, Troy; and David is going to wind them with this particular guitar in mind and throw in some new NOS caps to open up the top end a bit. The McCarty's aren't way off... just a shade too muddy.

 

[John Beef]

I had a McRosie several years ago now, and a Fralin P-92 (8500 turns) was the winner of the neck pickup swaps. Fat and clear, compared to the otherwise muddy an indistinct McCarty pickup. The McCarty bridge pickup always ended up back in it no matter how many others I tried.

 

[drbob1]

Or you could just trade for a McSoapy IRW… Great neck pickup sound on that guitar!