Suhr Aldrich or Tremonti in SC250?

[boardn10]

Hey guys,

I love my 2008 SC250 but I find that since this guitar has so much natural resonance, the SC250 sounds a little over the top. Like almost too big. The Aldrich in my LP gives me a tighter more controlled tone. I want that jog tone off the SC250 bridge pickup but a bit tighter and cleaner.
I am wondering if the Tremonti bridge pickup could be an option? I know Tremonti tried a bunch of pickups till he got one tight enough for him.
I am thinking either that or the Suhr Aldrich.
The Aldrich may be better clean since it is Alnico V.
Other suggestions?

Thanks!
Rich

 

[boardn10]

I like the Wolfetone Timbrewolf a lot too.
WCR Icebucker too.

Curious about newer PRS pickups.

 

[boardn10]

Nobody has changed the pickups in an SC250? I heard at least one guy doing a Bareknuckle.

 

[bodia]

I haven't in a SC250, but I did roll a bunch of pickups through other models. I have to admit, I LOVE the Aldrich. I played another forum member's SC594 that he had put a set of Aldrich pick ups in. I ordered a set as soon as I got home that afternoon. I put those in a KL-33 (all Korina Santana). That guitar seriously rocked. I also have a set of them in my beat to snot Core Mira. Love them in that guitar, as well. I put a set of PRS \m/ pick ups in a Santana (maple neck). Those are awesome pick ups, too. They are ceramic, and hot, but they clean up well. Sparkly cleans from them. Definitely not a one trick pony. I preferred both of those over the Tremonti. Just my take.

I rolled a bunch of sets through other 594s, but they were more PAF leaning.

Other options: Zhangbucker. He's near Kansas City and makes great pickups. Also has great front end communication. He asked a lot of questions about the guitar I was putting his pick ups in, and what I was looking to achieve, tone wise.

Bare Knuckles are great. Very good customer service. A little pricey.

Hope some of this helps.

 

[boardn10]

Thanks man!!!

Love the Aldrich.

I have one in my LP Standard and am tempted to try a Wolfetone Timbrewolf in the LP however. Wish I could move the Aldrich to my SC but it is nickel covered and the SC is open black cool l.

The SC250 has massive push and lows. Not sure thr EQ of the SC250 Bridge pickip. Anyone know!?

The Suhr is balanced...
The Wolfetone TW is more scooped like a Duncan Custom or C5, slight scoop. Big chunky lows. It could work in my LP. If I moved the Suhr to my SC, I would want to replace the neck Pickup since I want a nickel cover. Unless it is easy to install a matching nickel cover.

 

[boardn10]

I rarely use my volume knob to get clean. I either use my bridge pickup or neck Pickup full on.
We do a lot of fast switching between clean and heavy on the amp.

Wonder if my SC and LP will each really retain their identity if both have the Aldrich.
Don't want guitars sounding alike.

Are there polarity issue with other pickups and PRS pickups? I have seen it with PRS before.

 

[bodia]

I rarely use my volume knob to get clean. I either use my bridge pickup or neck Pickup full on.
We do a lot of fast switching between clean and heavy on the amp.

Wonder if my SC and LP will each really retain their identity if both have the Aldrich.
Don't want guitars sounding alike.

Are there polarity issue with other pickups and PRS pickups? I have seen it with PRS before.

Not polarity issues. PRS wire colors don't jive with some other manufacturers color schemes. So red on one brand could be white on PRS. People make the mistake of following a PRS wiring diagram when installing SD pick ups, or vice versa.

 

[boardn10]

Thanks man!
I had heard of polarity issues in years past but I won't worry. Maybe that is when peoe mixed up the wiring as you mentioned.

So how does the PRS m pickup compare to the SC250 bridge which is also ceramic and over 15k. Same as the Tremonti.

I am tempted to get the Aldrich since I find Alnico better for clean and gain. More versatile.
Funny that the ceramic Dragon Bridge in my PRS CE22 is perfect. Replaced that with a Dragon II and went bsck to the Dragon Bridge pickup.

 

[BrianC]

Aldrich fan here....

 

[boardn10]

I think the Tremonti could be tighter than the sc250 but I love that Aldrich.

 

[elvis]

The Tremonti bridge is identical to the SC250 bridge. Had both. Went to BKP Cold Sweat. Roll with the Aldrich or a BKP Nailbomb (overwound Cold Sweat).

 

[boardn10]

The Tremonti bridge is identical to the SC250 bridge. Had both. Went to BKP Cold Sweat. Roll with the Aldrich or a BKP Nailbomb (overwound Cold Sweat).

Thank you!
I am familiar with aldrich so will do that. Ever try the Wolfetone Timbrewolf? Love it but it has chunky bass which may be best for my LP. It's a balanced LP, light in weight.

Question - do you find the SC250/Tremonti pickups have a lot of lows? I don't know the EQ of the pickup. Not sure if the low end I hear is the guitar, pickup or both. Either way, my tone is huge but I want slightly tighter lows and better cleans.

I'll target the Aldric.

I will go check out the Nail Bomb.

 

[boardn10]

Elvis,

The Nail bomb is overwoud Cold Sweat. Cold Sweat is ceramic but looks like the Nail bomb can be had in alnico too.

Strange I don't find the SC250 tighter. My LP and Aldrich are tighter but not as huge sounding as my SC250.

Thinking if I go Aldrich or Alnico NB it won't be tighter, but maybe less so.

Currently cleans are tough on the bridge due to the low end boom and gain is amazing and huge. I just prefer tighter. I'll see again at rehearsal tomorrow

 

[elvis]

Ceramic will be tighter, which is to say that it has more upper mids focus than low focus. LP style guitars have tons of lows, the ceramic balances that out with lots of high mid harmonics with high output.

When you think of the Cold Sweat, think of John Sykes on the Whitesnake or Blue Murder album. He used a Dirty Fingers pickup and Mark III. I get great pinch harmonics and even tone on a SC over a wide range of gain and very nice clean tone.

You can turn down the bass knob on the amp to tighten it up as well.

 

[boardn10]

Right..
So I wonder if alnico will make my SC less tight. My LP Standard has lows but not as much as my SC250. It's is also tighter with the Aldrich than my SC.
I love warm guitars and pickups, that's for sure.

Maybe SC250 pickup is best.
Ao you recommended the Aldrich but I don't think that will be tighter. Hmm. Not sure now. All I know is my SC has massive lows and punches hard..
I want it more controlled.

Yep I tried turning the bass knob down on thr amp for clean, still plenty boomy. On gain, it got slightly tighter but lost the bigness.
I can plug in my LP, and it's tight and ready to go.
I just love how big the SC sounds.

Love John Sykes......

You like the Cold Sweat over the SC250 it sounds...

 

[elvis]

Turn down the gain a bit and listen to the change in low end. If you want tight, you want lower gain. The SC250 bridge pickup is super hot and will drive the crap out of your amp.

 

[bluenova]

Tremonti set and Aldrich set are going to be very similar, and as said before the sc250 bridge is the Tremonti bridge. I’ve got a couple PRS with the Tremonti set and an Explorer with the Aldrich set. I play the same stuff with the same settings on any of those guitars. They both do great in the hard rock scene. Id try lowering the pickups in your sc250 to get rid of the boom and get a little more control over it.

 

[boardn10]

Turn down the gain a bit and listen to the change in low end. If you want tight, you want lower gain. The SC250 bridge pickup is super hot and will drive the crap out of your amp.

Very good point man!! I haven't had the guitar long so I need to tweak a bit more.

It's always a battles whether or not to have hot pickups and lower gain or vice versa. Some guys like hot amps and medium pickups and some hot pickups and lower gain amps or leaving gain lower.
To me it depends on the guitar. My PRS CE22 sounds so good with the Dragons, including the bridge, at 19k ceramic. It's amazing, regardless of amp. I tried lower output pupa and it didn't work.
At the same time, some amps don't discriminate and some amps like low or medium output pups. My PWE was like that.
It loved my medium output Gibson Bill Lawrence pickups. Wish I still had those but the Aldrich I use now is great.
I can always buy like Lollars that will be close to the Bill Lawrence Gibsons I had.

 

[boardn10]

Tremonti set and Aldrich set are going to be very similar, and as said before the sc250 bridge is the Tremonti bridge. I’ve got a couple PRS with the Tremonti set and an Explorer with the Aldrich set. I play the same stuff with the same settings on any of those guitars. They both do great in the hard rock scene. Id try lowering the pickups in your sc250 to get rid of the boom and get a little more control over it.

True but the Aldrich is Alnico.
Also I think the SC250 has more low end.
Yes I have to play around with pickup height sometimw. I think they are at about 2/32 (bridge pup) and neck ia lower.
Pickups seem to get tighter, closer to strings, to a point.
I like variety and my LP and SC250 are rather different of course. I just find the LP and Aldrich tighter. I'll play around and we have practice tomorrow.

 

[boardn10]

Guys,
I think I found some issues and have a solution...
I realized the preamp of my Belle Epoch delay pedal was on all the time, which was making my rhythm compressed and boomy, plus ruining my clean. I have it in my loop for delay. I switched it to true bypass and It opened up my clean, switched my SC to the middle position and cleans are perfect now thru my DR clean using a touch of chorus tonight at a jam session. I have to get used to switching to the middle or neck for clean. I love the middle best. It's worth it to get used to switching pickups while playing with others. I need to take full advantage of my guitars instead of always using the bridge pickup. What a difference in cleans. With the pickup position and removing the always on buffer/preamp, it sound big, open and full now. No boomy lows either.