Two Guitars, Four Pickups - complimentary tones?

[markd21]

So, it has been a while friends! I haven't really been focused on gear too much lately, mostly just working on music. Anyway, I have two geetars that I want to put pickups in. I need your endless expertise to guide my way! The goal is to balance the tone of these two instruments to create what will provide the best tones for my upcoming release. Both guitars are set-up in C# Standard. Guitar One uses 11-52 strings. Guitar Two uses 10-48 strings.

Guitar One: Super Modded SE 594 DC - All USA Parts, currently with Core 58/15LT pickups. Guitar seems to lack clarity on the low-end. I am thinking it could be that the strings are too thick and tense. However, I am also beginning to think it MAY be the pickups....

Guitar Two: SE CE24 - All USA Parts, patiently waiting for the set of Core 59/09 pickups I ordered for it. I have a little flexibility with guitar because it naturally snappy and has a nice, clear top end.

My conundrum is as follows....

The 594 sounds a bit muddy, regardless of pickup height, etc. The 58/15LT pickups are pretty but lack the slice I am hoping to get from the 594. On the other hand, I am wondering if the CE will accept the 58/15LT and still keep the extra clarity. Then, I wonder if swapping the LTs in the 594 will give it more oomph.

For amps I am using an Bogner Uberschall, a Deizel VH2, an EVH 5150 Iconic, and a Marshall 3203. The cabs I have are a 1960 w/ G12T75s and a Mesa Recto 2x12 w/ V30s.

Guide me gurus!!

 

[Greywolf]

I'd start with a lighter gauge , the 9.5-42's worked for me. Depends on the guitar..

 

[bodia]

Hey dude! Good to hear from you. Those 59/09s would be great in the 594. I'd try that before I put them in the CE just to see if that gets you what you want. I had 59/09 in one of the 594s I used to own (bridge....neck was the LT). That was a great sounding guitar.

 

[gush]

Personally, I think for your C# standard tuning none of the pickups you mentioned are good choices.

I seriously think you need a set of M pickups in one or both guitars.

M pickups work extremely well in low tunings and they resist getting muddy and nasty on the low end.

Just my 2 cents

 

[Mentalo87]

The shorter scale length of the SE 594 with lighter string gauge will lack even more definition. The 11-52 seem fine in that perspective. Shorter scale length in general might not be the first choice for down tuning, exceptions prove the rule. There are a ton of aftermarket PUs that can tighten the low end, would be helpful if you could point us into the direction of your musical preferences…

Edit: The Seymour Duncan Distortion is a all time classic to start with. High output ceramic PU. I’ve put them in a 2001 Santana SE and a Jackson Dinky for Dropped C stuff. Works great for high gain, laid back blues maybe not so much.

 

[markd21]

I'm doing music like Candlemass, Green Lung, mixed in with some psychedelic and smooth jazz.

 

[markd21]

Thanks for the suggestions!

I have never enjoyed a high-output pickup. Even at the height of my old Tampa Death Metal band, I used RG550s with DiMarzio PAF Pro pickups. I let my amps do the heavy lifting. That's how I've done it for 40 years, lol.

Reason? I like a great clear, clean tone. Lower output pickups give me that. The hottest I can handle is a JB.

 

[Mentalo87]

Unfortunately I‘m not very experienced in the low output territory. Don’t get fooled by the JB, that’s really high output with close to 17k of DCR. But if you were happy with the PAF Pros why not try them? Maybe someone else can chime in and help out.

 

[gush]

HFS works well for low tuning stuff too but I in my experience M pickups are cleaner sounding and more articulate.

HFS won't cost a lot to buy used.

 

[Maertl513]

Personnally opinion: V30 wouldn't be my choice, because they colour additionally. And the T75 the same. Maybe good choice for Rock and Blues, but not acknowledged for clarity.

Another gear part which has an impact on the behaviour/tone is the guitar cable. Maybe yours has too much capacity.

Leave the pickups for untouched. Cable first, then speakers.