Pickups

[Benzine]

I've been playing the guitar for 3 years now and have never really known much about pickups. What makes a top of the range pickup different to a standard one you get with a cheap guitar and is it worth it (i have a Washburn Dime333)? Do they reduce fuzz when playing live and just give a better sound?

 

[Sunbane]

I've been playing the guitar for 3 years now and have never really known much about pickups. What makes a top of the range pickup different to a standard one you get with a cheap guitar and is it worth it (i have a Washburn Dime333)? Do they reduce fuzz when playing live and just give a better sound?

Right off the bat, I'd answer that question with "yes". In most cases guitar producers drop in the cheapest pickups they can find to keep the price down - at least this is true for all "economy-priced" guitars, to which I think the 333 belongs(?). What pickups does it have now (do they have any logo or such)?

For an example I could take my Jackson Rhoads (early RR3) that had Jackson brand pickups in it. The amount of distortion I got was decent, but the overall sound was very bassy (boomy even) and palm muted strumming on the 6th string produced this horrid, unarticulated mud sound. I switched the pickups for EMG's and now the guitar sounds great! The boominess is gone - the bass frequencies are still there (not as exaggerated though), and now I get that "chunky" sound I wanted all along.

EMG is my personal choice, but there's also Seymour Duncan, DiMarzio and a few other pickup producers out there that are worth investigating. If you're unsure, try lending other people's guitars and play them through your rig. That way you'll get an idea of what aftermarket pickups can do for you.

Also, check out these two older topics:
http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=90071
http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=76265
You may find something interesting in there.

Good luck in your quest for tone and feel free to ask anything else!

'bane

 

[Benzine]

Thanks, palm muting can sound a bit too bassy now you mention it, can't seem to get a decent crunchy sound either. The pickups were unbranded but i think they were just standard washburns

 

[Dead Winter]

I use EMGs personally...I just love that crunch they put out. Squeals too.

 

[FrostGiant]

Cheap pick ups can cause problems. Especially cheap actives. That's what I have in my bass right now and they are noisy as hell. But in my KE-2 I've got Seymour Duncans and I like those a lot. I've got a cheaper/economy Jackson as well with Duncan Designed pickups. These aren't horrible, but I'd never record with em.

 

[Benzine]

Cool, thanks for the help. i know what i'm gonna buy next

 

[Emperyan Asphyxiation]

Duncans aren't bad........If you want to go for passive, that is.

 

[TekChef]

Also,make sure you look into what kind of output/tonal properties the pickup have.

Ex..I also have a KE-2(Jackson USA made guitar), the Jazz model at the neck sounds great..

The JB at the bridge is THIN...that pickup would sound good in a Les Paul.
(I am going to put in a BL L-500XL...I am not into active pickups)

soo...get the idea of the tone you want in mind, and find the pickup that best suits it.