Pickup advice... anderson H3 vs Suhr SSH+

[gibson5413]

I have an H3 in my Bulldog, an H2+ in my Classic and an H3+ in my Drop Top. I am not good at comparing them but I would agree with most of what I have read here. H2+ is really balanced and has less output than the others. The H3+ sounds great and has great dynamics for being so hot. The H3 is definitely in between and I like it a lot. To be honest it isn't as hot as I thought it would be but works great for legato runs. I really like all three.

I also have a Suhr SSH in my other Anderson Classic with MLs in the middle and neck. Great pickup for more vintage to classic rock tones. The SSH has the least amount of output. I really like it but don't love it. It fits well with the single coils. To be honest I would have put an H2+ in the bridge if only Tom would make his humbuckers with white bobbins. It was purely a vain decision but I like the pickup.

 

[gibson5413]

HN3. Bam.

+1


Jason's Drop Top clips sound awesome! This is a great pickup too. Hot and allows you to play legato with ease. The main difference (correct me if I am wrong Jason) between the H and HN series are the HN is more focused in the midrange, right?

 

[Cflat96]

HN3. Bam.

+1


Jason's Drop Top clips sound awesome! This is a great pickup too. Hot and allows you to play legato with ease. The main difference (correct me if I am wrong Jason) between the H and HN series are the HN is more focused in the midrange, right?

Yeah. The HN3 doesn't have quite as much of that hi-fi sound and that certain "crackle" that the H2+, H3, and H3+ can have. The highs and lows are not as strong. There's a bit more of a roll-off up top and there is more high mids and focus. The H2+ in comparison sounds wider.

 

[Dragoneti]

Gibson5413 I have to admit that both my h2+ and h3+ purchases where made mostly because of your clips... If the H3 is a bit hotter than h2+ just for a more ease when soloing then I think we are gold. Your bulldog has an H3? then I'll give it a listen, I think you have posted some sound with it on youtube and tonefinder

I will also look into the neodynamium version of the pickup, the HN3.

 

[MrDan666]

HN3. Bam.

Jason's Drop Top clips sound awesome! This is a great pickup too. Hot and allows you to play legato with ease. The main difference (correct me if I am wrong Jason) between the H and HN series are the HN is more focused in the midrange, right?

Yeah. The HN3 doesn't have quite as much of that hi-fi sound and that certain "crackle" that the H2+, H3, and H3+ can have. The highs and lows are not as strong. There's a bit more of a roll-off up top and there is more high mids and focus. The H2+ in comparison sounds wider.

If that's how the HN3 sounds... I wish i had gone with that rather than the H3. I would much prefer the H3 with more mids and less bass/treble!

 

[droptrd]

i have an aldrich bridge humbucker in a super strat (Suhr c1) and i do like it very much. Kind of like a Duncan JB but with more clarity maybe even a tad brighter.

My thoughts exactly.

To the OP

I dont have experiance with the H3 but I found the SSH+ to be a very blah blah bland PU. Not dimensional at all IMO. If i had to choose between the 2 id go H3 as ive yet to try one. On the other hand, id recommend the Aldrich

 

[gibson5413]

HN3. Bam.

Jason's Drop Top clips sound awesome! This is a great pickup too. Hot and allows you to play legato with ease. The main difference (correct me if I am wrong Jason) between the H and HN series are the HN is more focused in the midrange, right?

Yeah. The HN3 doesn't have quite as much of that hi-fi sound and that certain "crackle" that the H2+, H3, and H3+ can have. The highs and lows are not as strong. There's a bit more of a roll-off up top and there is more high mids and focus. The H2+ in comparison sounds wider.

If that's how the HN3 sounds... I wish i had gone with that rather than the H3. I would much prefer the H3 with more mids and less bass/treble!

I think you would really like the HN3. Every clip I have heard is killer.

 

[aw9190]

To me, the SSH+ or Aldrich both feel so much better than the H3 when playing. Even though the H3 is pretty high output, it actually sounds very 'dry' if that makes sense... Whereas the Suhr SSH+ and Aldrich both have much more of a saturated/juicy kind of tone to them. To me, they both sound hotter than the H3 even though they're probably just on par output-wise.

The SSH+/Aldrich and H3 will all work fine in a Superstrat, but going by the info you gave in your original post.. I would vote the Aldrich for sure.

I never played through the Tom Andersons, but i would have to agree that the Aldrich has a stauratedness that i find very pleasent.

I have a USA Charvel San Dimas also and i left the stock pick ups in there i thought they sound good, and i would definitly say that my the charvel and the suhr sound similar to say the least. Both are alder body, and both have floyd's.

 

[supersonic]

I've own a H2+ and H3, I've switched back and forth afew times. I've settled on the H2+ as I find it clearer, snappier and more focused. The H3 is more lower mid heavy and fluid, great for legato lead work.

 

[metalmaniac93]

You might want to check out the BKP Holy Diver, Motor City Garuda or Afwayu. I have used all of three of these, plus the H3+, DSH+ and Aldrich.

 

[Dragoneti]

Well, yesterday I ordered a H3, so i will post back my findings when it gets delivered to me

Thank you all for your answers!!

 

[ChuggNorris]

Yeah. The HN3 doesn't have quite as much of that hi-fi sound and that certain "crackle" that the H2+, H3, and H3+ can have. The highs and lows are not as strong. There's a bit more of a roll-off up top and there is more high mids and focus. The H2+ in comparison sounds wider.

This is interesting to me.


Going to be looking into this...

 

[peterc52]

Never tried an Anderson pickup but have 2 guitars with aldrich and one with SSH+. Awesome pickups

 

[Mahlakuorrutus]

This is interesting to me.


Going to be looking into this...

Jfc dude 11 year old necro? Might as well raise uncle Abe from his grave.

 

[ChuggNorris]

Yeah. The HN3 doesn't have quite as much of that hi-fi sound and that certain "crackle" that the H2+, H3, and H3+ can have. The highs and lows are not as strong. There's a bit more of a roll-off up top and there is more high mids and focus. The H2+ in comparison sounds wider.

This is interesting to me.


Going to be looking into this...

Never tried an Anderson pickup but have 2 guitars with aldrich and one with SSH+. Awesome pickups

I was looking at the SSH+ and started reading up on the Anderson stuff...

Really curious about the HN3...


Didn't know James Hetfield used a h3 in a white Explorer, master of puppets etc etc, interesting stuff.