I'm the recent proud owner of a PRS SE Semi Hollow with Bigsby. I'm currently considering a pickup swap and I need some help making up my mind.
I'm looking for decent definition in the midrange--a good fundamental tone--and a touch of twang when in "crunch" overdrive. I won't be playing much high gain stuff on the guitar.
One option I'm looking at is humbucker-sized P90s, specifically the Seymour Duncan Phat Cats, which were reputedly originally designed for Hamer's semi-hollow guitars. I'm having some difficulty placing P90s sonically based on what I find on the web. In some quarters they sound positively metallic and twangy, which I like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c8hYFHbMIA. However, elsewhere, they sound pretty dark and dull, and quite humbucker-like. My suspicion is that they are very rig-dependent in their response.
The other option is the renowned TV Jones Classic Filtertron-type pickups. From what I've heard online they are definitely metallic sounding, almost acoustic, with a less-defined fundamental midrange. Not so much twangy as "sparkly" in mid-crunch situations. From what I understand they are in the Starla ballpark. They are also purportedly what Malcolm Young of AC/DC uses, which is great, because I do love that crunch sound.
I'm a bit stuck at the moment, because I'm worried if I go with the Phat Cat P90s I might discover they're actually too humbuckerish, and if I go with the TV Jones I might discover they're a bit brittle and thin-sounding.
Does anyone have any experience with P90s and/or Filtertrons and can offer some guidance?
Please don't suggest I try both in a shop and make up my own mind, or I try to stick with the stock pickups, etc. etc. I live on an island with less-than-optimal access to different guitar rigs, hence the call for advice.
I'm looking for decent definition in the midrange--a good fundamental tone--and a touch of twang when in "crunch" overdrive. I won't be playing much high gain stuff on the guitar.
One option I'm looking at is humbucker-sized P90s, specifically the Seymour Duncan Phat Cats, which were reputedly originally designed for Hamer's semi-hollow guitars. I'm having some difficulty placing P90s sonically based on what I find on the web. In some quarters they sound positively metallic and twangy, which I like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c8hYFHbMIA. However, elsewhere, they sound pretty dark and dull, and quite humbucker-like. My suspicion is that they are very rig-dependent in their response.
The other option is the renowned TV Jones Classic Filtertron-type pickups. From what I've heard online they are definitely metallic sounding, almost acoustic, with a less-defined fundamental midrange. Not so much twangy as "sparkly" in mid-crunch situations. From what I understand they are in the Starla ballpark. They are also purportedly what Malcolm Young of AC/DC uses, which is great, because I do love that crunch sound.
I'm a bit stuck at the moment, because I'm worried if I go with the Phat Cat P90s I might discover they're actually too humbuckerish, and if I go with the TV Jones I might discover they're a bit brittle and thin-sounding.
Does anyone have any experience with P90s and/or Filtertrons and can offer some guidance?
Please don't suggest I try both in a shop and make up my own mind, or I try to stick with the stock pickups, etc. etc. I live on an island with less-than-optimal access to different guitar rigs, hence the call for advice.
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