Zach Myers pu replacement

[Heidi Korsmo]

Now before you tell us to get to know them before the swap, we absolutely will. I can say knowing my husband it will probably happen eventually. Our favorite guitar has Saturday Night Specials, Alnico 4 mags. A lot of people say they are translucent, which to my ear is the cleanest, least muddy pu i’ve ever heard. For reference they are in an SG. I think we are putting another set in the Dot. What have some of you put in your Zach? Some we are considering are a Jazz/custom, antiquity jazz/jb, whole lotta humbucker, or a dimarzio 36 anniversary (a 4 and a 5 mag). I always liked Alnico 5’s best, until we bought 4’s! Btw the guitar comes Thursday, nothing like discussing a swap, before it arrives! But hey this forum entertains me! Btw, someone try the sound clips on the Duncan sight for antiquity jazz/jb, doesn’t work for me on 3 different platforms!!!!!

 

[matt3310]

I've got the Dimarzio 36th anniversary in one of my ZM guitars and LOVE them! Perfect pickup for that guitar!

 

[bodia]

I don't have a Zach, but I have done some pick up swapping. Bare Knuckle Abraxsas in a Bernie Marsden, Suhr Doug Aldrich in a KL-33, \m/ in a Santana.

 

[Heidi Korsmo]

I don't have a Zach, but I have done some pick up swapping. Bare Knuckle Abraxsas in a Bernie Marsden, Suhr Doug Aldrich in a KL-33, \m/ in a Santana.

I have heard nice things about those brands, we have never splurged on boutique pu’s. I guess we’ve just been so happy with all the Duncan swaps we’ve done?

 

[Heidi Korsmo]

I've got the Dimarzio 36th anniversary in one of my ZM guitars and LOVE them! Perfect pickup for that guitar!

I've got the Dimarzio 36th anniversary in one of my ZM guitars and LOVE them! Perfect pickup for that guitar!

I would love to hear them!

 

[Heidi Korsmo]

I don't have a Zach, but I have done some pick up swapping. Bare Knuckle Abraxsas in a Bernie Marsden, Suhr Doug Aldrich in a KL-33, \m/ in a Santana.

Would love to hear yours too, maybe expand our horizons. I know some boutique pu’s aren’t anymore than Duncans. We just don’t know about them!

 

[bodia]

Would love to hear yours too, maybe expand our horizons. I know some boutique pu’s aren’t anymore than Duncans. We just don’t know about them!

The Bare Knuckles are kind of pricey. But, the Suhr Aldrich are reasonable. They are hot from an ohm standpoint. However, they are very clear and articulate.

 

[Heidi Korsmo]

The Bare Knuckles are kind of pricey. But, the Suhr Aldrich are reasonable. They are hot from an ohm standpoint. However, they are very clear and articulate.

Ok, I thought those sounded quite nice and I like what you and the guy in the video are saying clear and articulate and responsive. One of the things we love about the Saturday Night’s is how responsive! I will have Matty watch this tonight for sure, thanks!

 

[AP515]

I have heard nice things about those brands, we have never splurged on boutique pu’s. I guess we’ve just been so happy with all the Duncan swaps we’ve done?

I am pretty happy with Duncans too. haven't seen the need to go more boutique. 59's and Seth Lovers are my favorites.

 

[elvis]

The 36 sounds brighter. I'm surprised how similar the aldrich and jb are

 

[Heidi Korsmo]

The Bare Knuckles are kind of pricey. But, the Suhr Aldrich are reasonable. They are hot from an ohm standpoint. However, they are very clear and articulate.

Ok first let me say those were all nice pu’s and I find in pu land the differences are subtle. I wanted to like the Dimarzio best. I actually liked the Duncan jb best, then the suhr, then the 36th! The funny thing is we’ve never been JB fans. Always just found it nice, but.....one of the reasons I wanted to see if “aging” it improved it. My husband say the 59 in his LP is an antiquity because he left it in a sack in his pickup for 15 years!

 

[Heidi Korsmo]

I am pretty happy with Duncans too. haven't seen the need to go more boutique. 59's and Seth Lovers are my favorites.

My husband loves Seth Lovers and we have a 59 neck and 59 hybrid bridge in his LP. You have to give the Saturday Night Specials a listen. Don’t believe the Alnico 4 bashers, I have heard a lot of the original PAF’s were actually Alnico 4’s not 2’s!

 

[elvis]

Are you looking for the same tone or something different?

The 58/15 is a really great pickup. Very punchy and clear.

 

[Heidi Korsmo]

Are you looking for the same tone or something different?

The 58/15 is a really great pickup. Very punchy and clear.

There in lies the question? I think he always wants different, but when listening we tend to like what we like. Duncan’s always are great, it’s a matter of how it will suit your particular guitar. Truthfully, the sentient, nazgul, and pegasus are great pu’s, not marketed to us. If they changed the names we’d probably be playing those! Duncan does have some good marketing....

 

[Heidi Korsmo]

There in lies the question? I think he always wants different, but when listening we tend to like what we like. Duncan’s always are great, it’s a matter of how it will suit your particular guitar. Truthfully, the sentient, nazgul, and pegasus are great pu’s, not marketed to us. If they changed the names we’d probably be playing those! Duncan does have some good marketing....

And that’s a chance you take with swaps, just because they sound good, doesn’t mean they’ll sound good in your guitar. I like the Dimarzio least in a LP, but maybe it’s fantastic in a Zach, just like the guy said earlier!

 

[Jeff D]

This is a cool discussion! I think I'm gonna get a Zach real soon and was thinking of this same topic.

I have a set of 59s and also a mixed set of Seth Lover neck /Alnico II pro bridge laying around for a swap if needed. I'm more of a POP/R&B /JAZZ guy so I'm looking for a more vintage sound but I need kick in the bridge pickup for leads. I pulled the orig pickups from some epiphone waxbucker jazz guitars and used the SDs then pulled the SDs and replaced them with off brand (Warman) P90 type in one guitar and DeArmond clone in another.

If you're looking for the deArmond sound there's a greek (yeah greek) pickup maker called Gabojo pickups and these are some killer pickups. Warm but clarity too. and decent output (but single coil).

 

[andy474x]

I put a Seth set in my ZM, it was an improvement over the stock 245’s keeping in mind what I wanted the guitar to do, which was a warmer and more vintage semi-hollow vibe. Although I think most PAF type pickups would have achieved a similar result. The other half of the equation was moving up to a set of 11’s, usually I can get the tones I want out of a guitar with 10’s but the ZM was slightly thin and “plinky” until I moved it to 11’s.

Need to try those Saturday Night Specials, I almost went with them for the ZM but it just came down to what was in stock locally. I would most like to try them on a solid body though.

 

[Jeff D]

My fingers can't handle 11s for string bending, I get injured!!! (skin under the nail pulls away) been doing that for 40 years!

 

[CyFan4036]

Rob Chapman has a notoriously great ear and he couldn't discern the difference between string gauges. He tested 8-12s I believe. Or maybe I'm remembering wrong...i didn't rewatch the video.

 

[CyFan4036]

I like Prs pickups with a tone cap swap. It helps my ears to not bleed.