New to Floyd, Need a pickup.

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skoora

skoora

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Just got an EVH Frankie relic (white one) and I feel the pickup gets a little too indistinct under gain for rhythm playing. It’s a pretty hot pickup. I’m used to Gibson’s and PAF/hot PAF but thinking the same pickup I have in a Gibson might be a little too lean in a basswood, Floyd guitar. What’s some decent options for a beefy, without being tubby, not high output HB for this kind of guitar?
I’m also thinking of getting a Hum/SC pickguard and covering the routing holes. Definitely want to at least get the neck pickup wired in with the switch they stuff in the middle spot.
 
skoora said:
Just got an EVH Frankie relic (white one) and I feel the pickup gets a little too indistinct under gain for rhythm playing. It’s a pretty hot pickup. I’m used to Gibson’s and PAF/hot PAF but thinking the same pickup I have in a Gibson might be a little too lean in a basswood, Floyd guitar. What’s some decent options for a beefy, without being tubby, not high output HB for this kind of guitar?
I’m also thinking of getting a Hum/SC pickguard and covering the routing holes. Definitely want to at least get the neck pickup wired in with the switch they stuff in the middle spot.
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What's your amp, what kinds of music do you want to use this guitar for and how much high end and upper mids do you want?
 
JohnnyGtar said:
What's your amp, what kinds of music do you want to use this guitar for and how much high end and upper mids do you want?
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Typically a plexi/JMP kind of amp. Also have a TVerb, LSS and a Stiletto Deuce. Guitar is for rock, punk rock and metal. Classic metal, not the kind of stuff that’s current now. I do like a present, vibrant sound. Something that would jangle pretty good with volume roll off. Spanky is good. Something that responds well to pick attack dynamically. But want that grunt when it’s Root fifth time. You know, I want it to be perfect 😂

Also curious how stiff a Floyd should feel to depress. Factory, it takes some muscle. It’s a top mount that has no pull back. Do I lighten the springs until just before the bridge raises up to get a lighter touch on the bar?
 
skoora said:
Just got an EVH Frankie relic (white one) and I feel the pickup gets a little too indistinct under gain for rhythm playing. It’s a pretty hot pickup. I’m used to Gibson’s and PAF/hot PAF but thinking the same pickup I have in a Gibson might be a little too lean in a basswood, Floyd guitar. What’s some decent options for a beefy, without being tubby, not high output HB for this kind of guitar?
I’m also thinking of getting a Hum/SC pickguard and covering the routing holes. Definitely want to at least get the neck pickup wired in with the switch they stuff in the middle spot.
Click to expand...
A hotter PAF will do fine IMO

 
Jalen Origin pickup will cover VH to 80's Metal
 
skoora said:
Typically a plexi/JMP kind of amp. Also have a TVerb, LSS and a Stiletto Deuce. Guitar is for rock, punk rock and metal. Classic metal, not the kind of stuff that’s current now. I do like a present, vibrant sound. Something that would jangle pretty good with volume roll off. Spanky is good. Something that responds well to pick attack dynamically. But want that grunt when it’s Root fifth time. You know, I want it to be perfect 😂
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DiMarzio FRED. And don't worry, it won't make you sound like Joe Satriani! LOL I like 'em with a 500K volume pot. Gary Brawer told me that when Satch was using a FRED he ran a 250K volume pot to warm it up a tad. He was using basswood guitars back then.

skoora said:
Also curious how stiff a Floyd should feel to depress. Factory, it takes some muscle. It’s a top mount that has no pull back. Do I lighten the springs until just before the bridge raises up to get a lighter touch on the bar?
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Yes, that will do it. However, double stop bends can go out of whack on a trem equipped guitar if the springs are too loose. What's the answer? Play with the spring tension until you're happy.

Note that this guy's double stop bends are in tune on a trem equipped guitar. A bit of time with a screwdriver and you'll find what works for you.



And welcome to "Club Floyd"!
 
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JohnnyGtar said:
DiMarzio FRED. And don't worry, it won't make you sound like Joe Satriani! LOL I like 'em with a 500K volume pot. Gary Brawer told me that when Satch was using a FRED he ran a 250K volume pot to warm it up a tad. He was using basswood guitars back then.



Yes, that will do it. However, double stop bends can go out of whack on a trem equipped guitar if the springs are too loose. What's the answer? Play with the spring tension until you're happy.

Note that this guy's double stop bends are in tune on a trem equipped guitar. A bit of time with a screwdriver and you'll find what works for you.

And welcome to "Club Floyd"!
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Thanks, but I wouldn’t say I’ve joined the club as much as, snuck in the delivery entrance to steal some Office supplies 😏
 
skoora said:
Also curious how stiff a Floyd should feel to depress. Factory, it takes some muscle. It’s a top mount that has no pull back. Do I lighten the springs until just before the bridge raises up to get a lighter touch on the bar?
Click to expand...
Yes. And/or you can try using one less spring.
 
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Congrats on the new guitar! I love the look of the no-stripe 'relic' Frankys.

I've got a pair of the basswood stripe series in the stable and I agree, Basswood can be finicky when it comes to pickups. Also, no doubt that the knife-edge posts on a Floyd will take away some of the fullness and 'chunk' that you would get with a hard-tail or even a 6-screw trem with more contact between the body and the bridge.

FWIW - I found most of the low/mid output A2 pickups felt a little 'watered down' in the basswood, Floyd equipped stripe series guitars. I had better results with the Jalen Franky/Pinnacle which is around 14k as opposed to the Jalen '78/Origin which is in the 8-9k range. To be clear, I love the '78/Origin pickup - but it seems to really shine in a denser, heavier body guitar.

Anyway - I swapped a ceramic magnet into the Jalen Franky (which comes with an A2) and it really shines in the basswood, Floyd equipped stripe guitars that I have. They are both sporting ceramic magged Pinnacle Frankys now. Jalen will wind a Frank with the EVH baseplate and a ceramic mag at no additional cost. I think you'd dig it.

As far as the neck, I really like the Duncan little '59 in the neck position. It retains that single coil character, but with more output to better balance a hum in the bridge.

Enjoy that new guitar!!!
 
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VH1R2 said:
Seymour Duncan JB, just a thought.
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Played a JB for many years (albeit in Gibson’s) and it has all the qualities I’m trying to not have in this guitar 😉
But what sucked in one kind of construction may shine in another.
Even though I’m not a VH player at all, ( I got the guitar for the feature set)….I love the sound Ed got on 1984. It’s more clear and ringing but growls.
 
skoora said:
It comes factory with only two springs.
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Could try adjusting the claw or moving the springs to the outer two hooks on it?
Also, not super happy with the duncan distortions on my new Charvels.
Fortunately, I have a bunch of pickups to try.
Not a buttload like alund, though. Maybe half a cheek's worth?
 
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