Has anybody tried Tom Anderson pickups?

[Rex Rocker]

I'm thinking on swapping the Super Distortion in my Ibanez SZ for an H3 or an H3+ (I'm particularly interested in those)... I like my Super Distortion, but I'm not sure it is my pickup, so I want to experiment with different pickups and I've heard these are awesome quality.

So... if you could compare them to the Super Distortion or some other known pickup, it would be great!

Thanks!

 

[cobrahead1030]

i used to have an h3+ in a jap strat i owned, it was a really thick pickup with a nice output range, it was a bit too smooth for my tastes tho i like something with a little more bite...it sounded great for lead stuff, just lacking a little in the metal rhythm dept. i will say that's one guitar & pickup i wish i hadn't sold tho

i like the h1 and h1- neck pickups a lot tho, i currently have an eclipse with an h1 in the neck and it's definitely one of my favorite neck pickups

 

[Rex Rocker]

Thanks, man! Any other pickup you could compare it to?

 

[cobrahead1030]

the closest thing i can think of is an EMG 85, but it's got a smoother top end and not quite as tight in the lows

 

[Rex Rocker]

oh... thank you! I wonder how it would do in an all mahogany guitar... I usually tend to like my tone kinda dark and nasty, but only to an extent where it's not muddy...

 

[cobrahead1030]

might wanna check out the hn2+ for a piece of mahogany

 

[Rex Rocker]

How is the output on that? I prefer higher output pickups like the Super Distortion. In fact, I really like the Super Distortion, only problem I've got with it is that it sounds too 'big' at times. I've had problems with it getting a bit out of control through some of the bigger-sounding amps.

 

[cobrahead1030]

the output is similar to the h3+ it just has a more focused bottom end (not quite as thick sounding, but not thin by any means) and a little more open sounding on the highs...it's kinda like a cross between a super distortion and a JB, but without the fizziness the jb can sometimes have

i've actually been keeping an eye out for a nice cheap'ish guitar just so i have an excuse to get an hn2+ myself

 

[Rex Rocker]

oh, sweet! I ought to try one of those out!

 

[cobrahead1030]

i just realized the guitar you're using...i used to have an sz320mh with a super dist. that the previous owner had installed, ended up swapping it out for a JB

i actually ended up buying a blue 520 as well...great sounding guitars, i just couldn't get used to the 25.1" scale, the frets were also a little smaller than i like but the sound was good enough that i could get around that

 

[Rex Rocker]

I love the guitar. The frets are small-ish, but I got used to that already. The thing sounds BIG, which I like, and the neck is one of the most comfy necks I've played. It's nice and thick, but not baseball-bat thick, which is perfect for me.

I really like the Super Distortion. I remember I was this close to pulling the trigger on a Seymour Duncan Distortion instead because I kept reading I'd want a bright pickup to balance out the mahogany in the guitar. I'm glad I didn't get the SD Distortion. I prefer a bit of flub in the low-end as opposed to a harsh top-end/upper-midrange. However, my only complaint with the Super Distortion is that it kinda gets hard to control under certain situations, so techincally, what I'm looking for is just a slightly tighter Super Distortion. The output, the top-end, the mids, and just the overall feel are PERFECT for me.

I've thought about a Super 3, but I'm afraid it might be too dark for a guitar with so much mahogany in it. I've also thought about the EMG 85, but I gave an LTD EC with an 85 in the bridge a run recently thru my POD and it felt too compressed and not as clear as the Super Distortion.

BTW, you post at the ESP forum from time to time, don't you? I think remember hearing good clips from you!

 

[cobrahead1030]

yeah, it sounds like you need to give that hn2+ a try sometime, they go pretty cheap used on e bay if you keep an eye out (i know they're on the pricey side if ya buy new)

and yeah i post on the esp board as well

the 85 is a nice pickup as well but it takes some time to get used to, it also works well with amps like boogies or my cobra that can quickly go from being too dark to being too crispy on the highs...the h3+ you initially asked about is pretty similar to the 85 tho, but if ya want more clarity than the 85 you might wanna steer clear there

 

[Rex Rocker]

I'll keep my eyes open for eBay offers, then.

On a side note, any experience using 1 meg pots? I've heard they really 'open up' the pickup as far as frequencies go. I'm curious about these.

 

[cobrahead1030]

i've not tried 1 meg pots, i know i switched from 250k to 500k in my les paul a while back and thought it really made the guitar sound more open and clear