Opinions on Fender Atomic Humbucker

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nigelpkay

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Just got a new Fender American Special HSS strat with the Atomic humbucker.
I tried it in the store with a JCM 800 1 watt amp, and also a 5150 III (wow nice amp and cabinet).
I thought it sounded really great for a stock humbucker, its specs are just like the JB, and it sounds pretty close to it, actually a bit more balanced to my ears. I compared it to my BKP Holydiver in a Charvel, and I think I liked the Atomic better, although not as thick, it just stood out more with sharper pick attack and the eq was more pleasing. I'll have to do a few more experiments.
Anyone else like the Atomic?

This video is exactly how it sounded to me on the 5150 III:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O-BxA9HTCQ
 
I like the Atomic. Lots of people change them out but for a stock pickup...very solid.
 
After playing with it a bit more, I can definitely feel that it's not as thick as a JB/Holydiver, got a bit more Fender springy-ness to it, but it does the job well.
I want to try my Holydiver in this Strat, but their pickguard and humbuckers have this weird thing where it is one hole/screw one side, and two holes/screws on the other side. WTF...
 
I had a Fender Cyclone that had the Atomic humbucker in it and I liked it. I'm not all that picky with pickups though. I did also try several others in that guitar and had to drill a couple of holes since it had that single screw thing also. I recorded comparison clips too.

Pickups used were #1 EMG81,#2 Suhr Aldrich, #3 Squier Humbucker(17.4k) #4 Fender Atomic all in a Fender Cyclone with fresh 10-52 strings. Pickup #5 was a SD JB in a Squier Super Sonic 10-60 strings about 2 weeks old. Pickup #6 was a Jackson J95 in a Charvel Model 88(mahogany body) with 10-60 strings that were old.



I ended up keeping the Squier pickup. I'll admit I have a bit of hearing loss and that they all sound very similar to me.
 
Yeah after playing with it some more, you just need to crank the gain on it a bit more or boost it more, up the mids and bass a bit on your eq, and it's pretty damn near identical to the JB.

After spending a year doing multiple pickup swaps, boutiques, etc on all my other guitars, I'm quite stoked that I can play this guitar right off the shelf with its stock humbucker and I don't feel like replacing it. American strat, 70's headstock and jumbo frets to boot too. All for under $1000 and my store even threw in a hard case. Now I want the vintage sunburst one too.
 
bubbastain":2r87btso said:
Pickups used were #1 EMG81,#2 Suhr Aldrich, #3 Squier Humbucker(17.4k) #4 Fender Atomic all in a Fender Cyclone with fresh 10-52 strings. Pickup #5 was a SD JB in a Squier Super Sonic 10-60 strings about 2 weeks old. Pickup #6 was a Jackson J95 in a Charvel Model 88(mahogany body) with 10-60 strings that were old.



I ended up keeping the Squier pickup. I'll admit I have a bit of hearing loss and that they all sound very similar to me.
Click to expand...

Forgot to add, in that comparison, I thought the EMG and Squier pickup sounded the best. Atomic was ok in the middle, Aldrich and JB didn't sound good at all. But sometimes its down to guitar as well. It's true to the casual ear, no one would know much of a difference. The Atomic works great for me so far, and to be honest I don't want to drill a hole to play the pickup swap game again.
 
The Atomic to me seems like a more balanced JB, and that seems to be a common phrase associated with the Atomic.
 
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