Pickups

gush

Where is that speedo pic
Joined
Nov 4, 2012
Messages
6,907
Location
washington iowa
I've been living with LT pickups in my McCarty for a while now and this is one of the most frustrating things I've dealt with for a while.

The bridge pickup just doesn't satisfy me as much as that wonderful neck PU does and I'm preparing for another PU swap.

I spent a few hours yesterday comparing McCarty with cu24 5909 trying to decide if my covered 5909 would work.

I happened into a couple of fair deals this week, scored a set of LT TCI and a DGT set. I think the DGT bridge will be going in for now, not sure if there is enough of a difference between TCI or nonTCI LTs to make that swap worth it?

My thing is the LT bridge doesn't produce the tones I love when playing chords but the lead tones produce a fatter more pronounced tone that also has a nice "push" to it which is why I tend to go back to the LT after trying other pickups.

Am I alone on this? Or is this something others experience as well?
 
I've been living with LT pickups in my McCarty for a while now and this is one of the most frustrating things I've dealt with for a while.

The bridge pickup just doesn't satisfy me as much as that wonderful neck PU does and I'm preparing for another PU swap.

I spent a few hours yesterday comparing McCarty with cu24 5909 trying to decide if my covered 5909 would work.

I happened into a couple of fair deals this week, scored a set of LT TCI and a DGT set. I think the DGT bridge will be going in for now, not sure if there is enough of a difference between TCI or nonTCI LTs to make that swap worth it?

My thing is the LT bridge doesn't produce the tones I love when playing chords but the lead tones produce a fatter more pronounced tone that also has a nice "push" to it which is why I tend to go back to the LT after trying other pickups.

Am I alone on this? Or is this something others experience as well?
I didn’t care for the bridge LT. I was very happy with the WL594 I got back in 2016 with with an LT neck and 5909 bridge. Fantastic. Not too much difference with the TCI version.
 
The bridge 58/15 LT TCI in my SC594 wasn't for me. I think that was a part of me deciding that the guitar wasn't for me. I ended up trading the guitar for a P22. The 58/15 LT TCI in the bridge just seemed flat, especially in comparison to how good the neck 58/15 LT TCI seemed.
 
I still love the LT bridge pickup in my core 594. I got core LT’s for my S2 594 when they were available aftermarket, but in that guitar the bridge LT was slightly anemic - I wouldn’t say underpowered in terms of balance with the neck pickup, but it just didn’t have the push in the right frequencies. I went for one of the newer 57/08 bridge pickups and it’s a nice improvement.
 
I struggled with the LT pickups in my 594 as well. There was too much of a volume drop when swapping guitars at gigs. I put 57/08s in it. They are a huge improvement and have been in there for about 7 years now I was fortunate enough to get them when they were winding them hotter. They are around the spec of the 59/09s. If I were to do that swap today, knowing what I know now, I would probably put a set of 59/09s in it, especially if I could find an older covered set.

The TCI LT may be better. I have not had the same issue with the LT in the Studio I bought last year. I bought a 57/08 for it when I bought the guitar. I had every intention of swapping it knowing how I didn't like the LT pickups in my 594. They changed something because that LT in my Studio is doing a fine job and doesn't have the low output level issue I had with the LT pickups in the 594.
 
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never liked LT's.

I like hotter pups especially in the bridge. Suhr Aldrich pups for me. They do it all and at a decent price.
I have a pair of Aldrich pickups in a custom built Suhr Modern. They are probably my least favorite thing about the guitar. I thought about changing them for a while. Then I decided to leave it alone and consider it more of a harder rock guitar. It does that well.
 
I didn’t care for the bridge LT. I was very happy with the WL594 I got back in 2016 with with an LT neck and 5909 bridge. Fantastic. Not too much difference with the TCI version.
If I were going back to more gain then 5909 would absolutely be going in but I'm looking for something different. DGT bridge is going in .......at least that's what I think right now!!
 
The bridge 58/15 LT TCI in my SC594 wasn't for me. I think that was a part of me deciding that the guitar wasn't for me. I ended up trading the guitar for a P22. The 58/15 LT TCI in the bridge just seemed flat, especially in comparison to how good the neck 58/15 LT TCI seemed.
All versions of that neck pickup are incredible.

I'll never understand how the two pickups can contrast themselves by so much.

Do you use a lot of gain in your tone? I have a feeling the more gain you use the more you may dislike the LT bridge??? Just a theory.
 
I still love the LT bridge pickup in my core 594. I got core LT’s for my S2 594 when they were available aftermarket, but in that guitar the bridge LT was slightly anemic - I wouldn’t say underpowered in terms of balance with the neck pickup, but it just didn’t have the push in the right frequencies. I went for one of the newer 57/08 bridge pickups and it’s a nice improvement.
I tried a 5708 bridge in this guitar even though I don't particularly care for it. It sounded better than I was expecting but went back to LT.

In my experience, now that I'm playing with cleaner tones the guitar matters more than before.
 
I struggled with the LT pickups in my 594 as well. There was too much of a volume drop when swapping guitars at gigs. I put 57/08s in it. They are a huge improvement and have been in there for about 7 years now I was fortunate enough to get them when they were winding them hotter. They are around the spec of the 59/09s. If I were to do that swap today, knowing what I know now, I would probably put a set of 59/09s in it, especially if I could find an older covered set.

The TCI LT may be better. I have not had the same issue with the LT in the Studio I bought last year. I bought a 58/08 for it when I bought the guitar. I had every intention of swapping it knowing how I didn't like the LT pickups in my 594. They changed something because that LT in my Studio is doing a fine job and doesn't have the low output level issue I had with the LT pickups in the 594.
Interesting
 
I’m one of the odd ones it appears; I like the LT bridge pickup. If I recall, the 594s had the same pickup in both positions, or at least I read that somewhere. Most setups have a hotter bridge pickup, so I can see why many want something with more oomph there. I like that sort of setup too, so I might put it down to my just not being as selective about it. I’d like to get a set of LTs to try in my HB, but they’ve been a bit rich for my experimenting pocketbook. I do enjoy reading different people’s take on the pickups, as it gives me a starting place on some I haven’t tried.
 
I’m one of the odd ones it appears; I like the LT bridge pickup. If I recall, the 594s had the same pickup in both positions, or at least I read that somewhere. Most setups have a hotter bridge pickup, so I can see why many want something with more oomph there. I like that sort of setup too, so I might put it down to my just not being as selective about it. I’d like to get a set of LTs to try in my HB, but they’ve been a bit rich for my experimenting pocketbook. I do enjoy reading different people’s take on the pickups, as it gives me a starting place on some I haven’t tried.
I like 'em as well.
 
I have played a couple 58/15LT equipped guitars and it didn't work for me. UNTIL I got my Studio 22 it pairs perfectly with the Narrowfields
Gush the DGT bridge has some nice push and is pretty warm , the split is nice also
Do you think there us something different about the LT in your studio?

You are the 2nd person to say that about a studio.
 
I’m one of the odd ones it appears; I like the LT bridge pickup. If I recall, the 594s had the same pickup in both positions, or at least I read that somewhere. Most setups have a hotter bridge pickup, so I can see why many want something with more oomph there. I like that sort of setup too, so I might put it down to my just not being as selective about it. I’d like to get a set of LTs to try in my HB, but they’ve been a bit rich for my experimenting pocketbook. I do enjoy reading different people’s take on the pickups, as it gives me a starting place on some I haven’t tried.
I have my LT neck PU level with pickup ring. Bridge is pretty high and I've experimented with height of pickup and screw poles.

I don't HATE it but it just leaves me wanting more sweet stuff. I do enjoy playing lead lines with LT bridge as it does have a nice push that makes the notes very clear and full. Really odd to me considering how it sounds playing rhythm parts??
 
All versions of that neck pickup are incredible.

I'll never understand how the two pickups can contrast themselves by so much.

Do you use a lot of gain in your tone? I have a feeling the more gain you use the more you may dislike the LT bridge??? Just a theory.

Low to medium gain, mostly. And I mostly use the neck. When I switch to the bridge, I want something a little bit more. It always felt like a drop-off.

I’d actually thought at one point that I had a bum pickup, but it measured out how it was supposed to. I’ve got a 58/15 LT+ set in the drawer, but never got around to seeing if it changed my feelings about the guitar.
 
I have played a couple 58/15LT equipped guitars and it didn't work for me. UNTIL I got my Studio 22 it pairs perfectly with the Narrowfields
Gush the DGT bridge has some nice push and is pretty warm , the split is nice also

Do you think there us something different about the LT in your studio?

You are the 2nd person to say that about a studio.

Do you mean Mesa Studio 22, or PRS Studio 22?
 
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