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Post subject: Help Choosing Pickups
Posted: Sun Sep 29, 2013 7:51 am
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I recently bought a Carvin HSS Bolt (strat style guitar) - build quality is fantastic, neck is incredible, but I am not digging the stock pickups at all. They are very bright and thin sounding compared to my American Standard HSS strat. The bolt sounds pretty good on it's own, but if I A/B it with the my strat, the strat sounds much better. So I am looking to put similar strat pickups and electronics in my bolt.

I believe my strat is a 2009 and has 2 tex mex single coils along with a diamondback humbucker. I am very impressed with overall tone of these pickups.

I'm probably going to buy tex mex single coils for the bolt, but the diamondback humbucker is not for sale new. I also want black pickups for the bolt and it is rare to come across a used black diamondback humbucker.

So I'm looking for a Seymour Duncan humbucker that is similar to the diamondback. I really like position 2 (Autosplit Humbucker with Middle Single) on my strat, so I probably want a Duncan with similar output to the Diamondback.

I've read conflicting information about the Diamondback; some people say it is similar in output to a JB, other people say it is similar to a 59 or Pearly Gates. The Diamondback doesn't seem as hot as a JB to me, so I'm thinking it is closer to a vintage humbucker but am not sure. Does anyone know the output of the Diamondback or what Duncan pickups would get me in the same ballpark?

I'm thinking 2 tex mex single coils with a 59 or PG would be a great sounding set! Any other suggestions?

I'm also going to build a new loaded pickguard for the new pups. Carvin uses 500K pots with their single coils (probably a big part of the problem) so I want to replace the pots, cap and switch with strat style electronics.

Thanks for any help you can provide!


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Post subject: Re: Help Choosing Pickups
Posted: Tue Oct 01, 2013 2:43 pm
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Since you plan on replacing the pots, cap, and switch. May I suggest you try that first before replacing anything else. It's cheap and easy and if it doesn't make an improvement you can move forward from there.


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Post subject: Re: Help Choosing Pickups
Posted: Wed Oct 02, 2013 2:59 am
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I brought it to my guitar tech and he also recommended swapping out the pots before doing anything else. He said in his experience their pups are fine, so it is likely the 500k pots that are causing the issue. So it's in the shop now getting 250k pots and having the treble bleed cap on the volume pot removed. I'll update the thread when I get it back in a few days. It would be nice if that's all it needs (and much cheaper!). Thanks for the help.


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Post subject: Re: Help Choosing Pickups
Posted: Tue Oct 08, 2013 6:21 pm
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I got the guitar back tonight and played it for a bit. The 250k pots are definitely an improvement - the brightness problem is much better but the pickups still sound thin when I A/B it with my strat. The strat just sounds better all around to my ears. I think it still comes down mostly to electronics though, because the carvin sounds very good unplugged.

The humbucker on the carvin actually isn't too bad so maybe I can get away with just replacing the single coils. But part of me wants to just put together a whole new loaded pickguard so I know everything is as close as possible to a strat in terms of electronics.

But if I go that route and it still doesn't sound as good as my strats I'm going to be pretty disappointed in this guitar. I'm trying to decide if it's worth sinking the money into new pickups or just getting rid of the bolt and picking up a used american standard strat. I'll have to mull over this for a few days.

It doesn't sound bad as is, but every time I plug in the strat I'm reminded of how much better it could sound. I was considering another strat when I bought this, but they don't have a MIA with 22 frets and 12" radius (and I've been curious about carvin and stainless steel frets for years) so I went with the bolt.


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Post subject: Re: Help Choosing Pickups
Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2013 12:10 am
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If you don't mind me asking. Why do you want two similar sounding guitars? I would say, create something different altogether so you can have some variety. It comes in handy when it's time to record.

There are so many cool humbuckers a to choose from. Gibson 498t, Dimarzio Steve's special or tone Zone. Maybe something in the aftermarket boutique lines. One of my favorite guitars has a Steve's special in the bridge and two JB jr Neck pickups. Another cool sound is putting a duncan 59 neck pickup in the bridge. It's not too over the top treble like the bridge version, and not too high powered to pair with singles.

Why have the same sounds when you have the opportunity to have a few more? Maybe think about some of the sounds you wish your strat could accomplish, and try to create those sounds with your other guitar.

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Post subject: Re: Help Choosing Pickups
Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2013 5:53 pm
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Definitely a fair question. I was mostly hoping to have another good sounding HSS strat style guitar so I can keep 1 in standard tuning and 1 tuned a half step flat. I play in a couple bands that tune differently, so I would like to have similar tones available in each tuning without needing to setup a guitar frequently (change string gauge, truss rod, etc.) anytime I want a guitar in a different tuning.

But I certainly don't need the guitars to sound identical. Different but equally good is fine; I just am not finding the stock Carvin pups anywhere near as pleasing to the ear as my Fender pups. I also have and like Duncans, Dimarzios and Gibson pickups; unfortunately the Carvins don't sound as good as any of these pickups to me.

So a Duncan humbucker and a couple of different single coils could definitely work. I've also thought about making the Carvin into more of a superstrat instead; with the flatter radius and thin, fast neck it seems like it would be great for it. I really like the Duncan JB in the bridge of superstrats, I would just have to decide what single coil (or stacked buckers) to use with it. Maybe a Lil' 59 in the neck and I'm not sure what to put in the middle, maybe a Cool Rails?

I've also thought about just putting on a new HH pickguard with the tried and true 59/JB combo with a 5 way switch so it coil splits in positions 2 and 4. The Bolt is routed for 3 humbuckers.

In the back of my head I'm also trying to figure out how much I want to spend on upgrades to the guitar because they typically don't have great resale. But I guess I always use any pickups I buy in another guitar, so it isn't that big of a deal.


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Post subject: Re: Help Choosing Pickups
Posted: Fri Oct 11, 2013 1:02 am
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I can understand having two similar sounding guitars in that kind of situation.
I have over 20 electrics at the moment. It's pretty crazy to have that many, but I have made some nice discoveries along the way from point a-b.

The first thing I had to consider was midrange, and how much of it I'm willing to handle. My best advice is to keep your eye on that in the EQ sections of pickup descriptions. Because it can be a tricky thing. The midrange works in tandem with Treble or Bass when you look at a chart. In other words, if a pickup has a high treble rating, and a relatively high midrange, the result will most likely be blistering highs. The midrange is enhancing it. Same with the Bass side of things. If you look at a Duncan Hot rail bridge model. It's pumped with bass and midrange. It's so boomy in bass in a bridge position, it can actually get lost in a mix.

My plan of attack with HH, usually is to have something with highs and mids in the bridge, bass and mids in the neck position along with a weaker output in the neck. If you stick to that equation, the middle position will take on the best of all attributes.

That being said, some of my guitars have heavy mids in the bridge (JB, gib, emg, tone zone). And some have more treble ( 59b or n, fender).

For neck positions, I have to have big bass. I use a wah, and when I do, I always use the neck pickup to keep from ice-picking the crowd with it when it's in use. I'm always a big believer in vintage output hums in the neck. My favorites being Giovanni at the moment. But I also use gibson 490r, duncan Jazz, emg, and something you'll probably never run across in your lifetime. Keep in mind though, you can alway take a higher powered hum and swap the magnet for less string pull. I have a Tone Zone in the neck of one of mine that sounds great.

The neck position is very important to what happens in the middle. That's why I don't like 59's in the neck. They lack bass. A 59 set leaves you with a mostly treble guitar that lacks variety. Not sure why people buy sets of them. I personally think it's a terrible choice for the neck.

Being that you have a HSS situation, that's one if the things I wanted to touch on. For the bridge, it's all about how much midrange you like there. But after that, I would suggest a middle with big mids, and neck with bass. I don't think you'd be very happy with a cool rail in the middle. It's a flat lifeless pickup in that position. I have one in the middle of my Ibanez, and it will be replaced with a JB jr.. Freaking great pickup for the middle. I'm just afraid that pairing a cool rail with a 59 neck will end up being a bland and lifeless combo.

If you go high powered bridge, I'd pair it with 2-JB jr's and you'd have a smoking guitar free of hum. If you're more into medium to vintage output in the bridge, look toward the DiMarzio line of neck and middle, or fender for true single coil. I'd recommend a certain set of Squiers, but finding them is very hard, so I can't. Best middle and necks I own though. No joke.

Anyway, that's my opinion. My true test of a good combo of pickups is obviously balance, and just as important, overtone. When I switch from bridge to middle to neck, I want to hear the overtones descend from treble, to mid, to bass. That's when I know I've got the variety I require for myself.

Good luck. Hope it works out for you.

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Post subject: Re: Help Choosing Pickups
Posted: Sat Oct 12, 2013 6:35 am
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Thank you for the detailed response - lots of great info in there! I'm up to 10 electrics at the moment so I understand how it's easy to let them get out of control. I'm trying not to buy any more without getting rid of something but we'll see how that goes.

I've never thought that much about how the EQ of the neck and bridge pickups will affect the middle position. On HH guitars, I mostly use the bridge pickup for any crunchy rhythm playing or leads that I really want to cut and be nasty. I use mostly the neck pickup for cleans or if I want creamier, smoother overdriven leads. But maybe I'd use that middle position more if I matched up my pickups properly!

On HSS strats, I mostly use the bridge for crunchy rhythm or leads, neck for cleans or creamy leads, and the bridge/middle position if I'm going for more of a country tone (one of my bands plays a handful of country songs). I don't use the middle pickup or neck/middle all that often.

I have the 59 in a couple of guitars and it sounds great, but they are both mahogany body, so that is probably helping a lot with the mids. I have an American Select Strat (not the current model - the mahogany body one that was out a few years back) that I made into a HH strat with a JB/59 and that's probably my best sounding guitar. I also have a Hamer Studio Mahogany that came with the 59 set and that sounds pretty decent too but once again, that guitar is completely mahogany. Those pickups may sound vastly different in an alder Carvin.

I have the Gibson 490R/498T in a les paul and 490R/490T in a sg and really like both sets. Gibson makes great pickups. But they are quite a bit pricier than Duncans or Dimarzios, so I'll probably stick with one of those brands.

I'll have to pop back over to the Duncan web site and start reviewing some pickups and their EQs. I think the JB/JBjr/JBjr set is definitely a contender. I also really like the Fender TexMex pickups in my American Standard HSS strat (I know some people don't), so a couple of those with a vintage output humbucker is another option. I mainly play through an Orange TH30 head and 212 cab, so there is plenty of gain on tap if I decide to go with a lower output humbucker. Decisions decisions...


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Post subject: Re: Help Choosing Pickups
Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2013 8:20 pm
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JLAMO7 wrote:
.

But if I go that route and it still doesn't sound as good as my strats I'm going to be pretty disappointed in this guitar. I'm trying to decide if it's worth sinking the money into new pickups or just getting rid of the bolt and picking up a used american standard strat. I'll have to mull over this for a few days.


Would it be possible to install the strat electronics on the carvin to give it the test drive before hand? Then you can decide. Just a though...

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Post subject: Re: Help Choosing Pickups
Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2013 12:19 pm
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That would probably be the best way to go if I knew anything about replacing guitar electronics and soldering :D. But I don't have any experience messing with guitar electronics so I'd have to bring it to my local place for any pickup swaps. I'm sure I could learn how to swap pickups and electronics, but I am about as un-handy as you can get so I wouldn't want to learn on the Carvin or a MIA strat.

I've thought about picking up a really cheap used guitar just so I can mess around with learning this stuff but haven't gotten around to it yet.

In the meantime, I haven't replaced anything on the Carvin yet. I'm still deciding how I want to proceed and trying to save a little bit of cash. But now I am thinking of going more in the superstrat direction with a full size bridge humbucker and 2 single coil sized buckers. Just have to save the funds for it first.


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