Це відео не доступне.
Перепрошуємо.
Is it REALLY Worth Swapping Pickups? Seymour Duncan Slash Pickups vs Monty's Underspun PAFs
Вставка
- Опубліковано 8 сер 2024
- For my Presets visit: johnnathancordy.gumroad.com/ Here's a topic that I think can sort of fall into the GAS category. Luckily for me, I'm rubbish with a soldering iron, so swapping pickups has never really been something I'm overly tempted to do. The Les Paul I bought had Seymour Duncan Slash Alnico 2 pickups in it, and so I asked Monty's if they'd put in a set of Underspun PAFs, as I thought they'd be about as different as I could get without putting in...I dunno Active EMGs or something.
How are you doing with your GAS at the moment?
www.buymeacoffee.com/johnnath... - if you like what I do and
only if you wanted, you could buy me a coffee!
Get my PADs bundle here: www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr... (this folder will grow, and I'd encourage you to ask for different keys/songs and stuff that might suit this type of preset?)
I've decided to make it possible to grab both my Helix/HX Stomp bundles (the expression bundle with freeze presets has always been separate) together for £5 - www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr... - I will then email you a link to both bundles!
Try my general patches for Helix or HX Stomp in this bundle for £3 using this link - I will then send out the patches! www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr...
You can get my EXPRESSION patches in this bundle using this link - I will then send out the patches! www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr...
Try my patches for Pod GO for £3 using this link - I will then send out the patches! www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr...
/ johnnathancordy get my backing tracks here
www.buymeacoffee.com/johnnath... - if you like what I do and
only if you wanted, you could buy me a coffee!
00:00 Intro with Vox style tones
3:05 My history with Pickups
4:30 Pickup differences
5:35 Thoughts
6:55 Without an AB test are these noticeable?
7:15 Could this save a guitar?
7:38 With lots of drive, the differences are smaller?
8:10 Where you hear the difference
11:00 More thoughts
13:03 Slash Pickups
14:32 Monty's Underspun PAFs
I hear a difference between the two sets. Personally, I prefer clarity. In practice, as distortion is turned up, that difference is less apparent. And in a band context, few people other than guitarists will even notice any difference. We guitarists tend to get lost in minute differences in tone and there can be simpler ways to get “that tone”. The player has to be happy with the tone, but it is worth realizing that it often doesn’t matter as much as we think it does. Spend more time and energy on playing music than chasing equipment.
Excellent playing in the video!
I preferred the Slash pickups by far. They were "doing the thing," had mojo, expanded the tonal palate of your guitars, and made your expressive playing different. I'm not saying the Monty's pickups aren't good, but they don't add anything to what you already have with your other guitars.
It's very difficult to evaluate pickups unless you have a guitar like the Somnium, where you can swap pickup almost instantly. I think access to all the electronics and pickups should be from the back of the guitar, so accurate evaluations, easy changes, and maintenance can be done.
Also, lower string pull from alnico 2 really makes a difference the lighter the string gauge goes. They also cant produce as much low end response or top end clarity so the mids get pushed out, which usually helps any tube amp/sim respond more to touch/volume knob changes. I think he should try a lower output set of 2s and see whatsup.
The Duncan Slash pup is just a solid pickup. Not weak and not too much output.
There's alnico 2 pickups which slash happened to use and there's the official Slash alnico 2 pickups which are different to the original.
The slash pickups in this video have the bobbins set too high which causes the booming sound to be too loud.
So it needs to be lowered and the adjustable pole pieces must be raised slightly.
So if you lower the bobbins by 1 screw turn, you then raise the screws, 1 full turn.
I’ve an early 90’s Mexican Tele and about a year ago I swapped the stock ceramic pickups for a fairly cheap but well regarded set of Tonerider Hot Classics with Alnico III magnets and it made a huge difference! To the point where that guitar which was my backup is now the one I pick up every day.
Definitely a difference. What you prefer is down to taste. For the sequence you played at the end, I preferred the Monty's.
I was tempted to swap out my Les Paul pickups for something more modern and clean but then realized I could almost accomplish the same sound by dialing each pickup volume back a bit. Typically 8 on bridge, 5-6 on neck for middle position. Gives it a more mellow, vintage, edge of breakup vibe.
Alternatively, you could try lowering them.
Dialing back volume has opposite effect on tone (darker and duller) compared to lower output pickups (brighter and bitier). Treble bleed circuit of course can remedy this
Also a 10 band EQ Pedal can really dial things in. I like nice pickups and almost always upgrade, but if I just want a little different flavor, I adjust my EQ pedal and it’s probably a bigger difference than a pickup swap. That’s if you already have a good quality set :)
Vintage tone is brighter not more mellow lol... it's just brighter without being harsh like modern tone is lol
I think this is part of maturity as in a guitar player. So many times we fall for next biggest or better what ever for a guitar. But when you learn to work with what you have then you become a better player. And also rely on the way you play. Technique is a major factor also.
Man that is one cool solo. I love the tone on the Monty pickups.
This subject to me is about the ‘transition period’ and wrapping your head around what you have. Your outro tone was warm and voice-like not shabby at all but not what you’d quickly appreciate coming off a Strat. However, over time, it sinks in nicely. Very nicely. And as another mentioned, a good EQ pedal can go a long way here.
Thanks for playing the bluesy riffs. I asked a Seymour Duncan rep what pickups I should go with to get a BB King tone, and they recommended trying the Slash pickups. From here, they sound pretty close. Maybe a hint much on the bass side, but that could probably be dialed down some, or even split coil.
Raise that tail piece 7mm on the bass side and 5.7mm on the treble side.
As you have it set, it forces the bridge to bend in the middle by 3-5mm.
There's enormous forces acting on that soft metal bridge from those strings.
After you raise the stop piece, you'll get 2 choices for the bridge saddles.
You can either use the original no notches saddles with strings that slide from side to side OR you get to cut a tiny notches in each saddle but this dulls the string vibration slightly.
Really nice playing. Both sets of pickups sound great. The lower wind Monty's definitely better capture that Tele on steroids thing. The biggest takeaway for me is how sweet and vintage the Slash set sounds performing lower gain blues. It's not just for hard rock.
Thanks for taking the time to do this comparison - really helpful for me as I'm about to press the button on Monty's Underspun PAFs & 335 50's loom for my 15 year old Epi Broadway (more or less a Gibson L5 style). I noticed that Matt briefly demonstrated the Underspuns on a Monty's video in a similar full body 'acoustic' electric and given the pick-ups in the Epi are 'just OK' I landed on the Underspuns - more for a chimey clean arpeggio chordal rhythm thing than jazz (not a jazz player). I may also try the Underspuns + 50's loom in another nice budget Epi solid body - still thinking about that. Thanks again - great playing - honestly both sound good in the Les Paul, depends on how you're gonna use them I guess.
I'm about to do exactly this in my Epiphone 335, as I mostly play clean tones live at the moment. How did it go for you?
@@futilejester Haven't done the mod yet but certainly looking forward to it! I imagine the underspuns will be great for your 335 - let us know how you get on! :)
Nice comparison. All comments valid. My all time favourite pickups are the Gibson Dirty Fingers (for my playing style and taste obviously). For the more “mellow” and clearer tones, I prefer the Seymour Duncan Antiquity’s or Seth Lovers.
To my ears, they both sounded great. There are small differences - if tone is a game of inches, this is a few inches. I actually liked the Slash pickups a little better, but I'd love to have either.
Thank you. Nice Video !
I liked the Slash Pups more for Rock and the Monty for Jazz
I'm digging your playing style bro. 👏🏾
I thought about changing my humbucker pickups but the clarity and spank I was looking for I could sort of get with an EQ pedal. An EQ pedal is a good Anti-GAS missile system
i bought a charvel HSS super strat, that came with really hot/dark sounding single coil pickups, to balance out the hot humbucker in the bridge. i was really unsure about the guitar until i changed the pickups to a more vintage paf-ish humbucker and low output, bright/traditional strat-sounding pickups - now it's one of my favorites! but i think it was more the type of pickup, rather than some "magical" brand, that did the trick.
I'm in the same situation, my charvel has got the stock duncans in, and I was wondering whether it was just my ears making something up or not, I do sometimes feel like I should've got a different one, i mean, the important things are there, it feels great, its light etc. but i just dont dig the sound. What did you change the pickups to?
@@tomc9302 I changed them to Duncan SSL-2 (what they call 'vintage flat') in the neck, SSL-2 RW in the middle and the TB59B trembucker in the bridge.
Well, the answer is yes, absolutely. However, it depends on what you have already, and where you want to go with the sound. I have my guitars that I would never dream of changing pickups....yet in others, they were fair game for changes. And it all worked out with great satisfaction on my part. Others will relate....you are playing, and the only person in the room, you play a chord or passage....and the smile that comes to your face is natural and instictive. Bingo!
That was actually a big difference once you got to the lead tone examples. I've had Alnico II Pros in my Les Paul since 1990-something (before the custom Slash versions where even available) and they don't have quite the midrange bump your Slash pickups have. If you can't decide between the two you have, check out the Alnico II Pros. It would give you the neck tone of the Slash pickup and the bridge tone of the Monty.
Gorgeous playing John. Thanks for that.
Oh yes, pick-ups. Both sounded great, would be happy with either tbh. I suspect the music is in your fingers and the whole instrument and I’m not sure it makes much difference pulling some kind of emotional response from your listener with either set.
I often changed pups in my LPs and then I discovered it wasn’t worth it unless you changed the harness and used Gavitt wire. Then you get to hear what your pups really sound like. Have just ordered some Underspuns for one of my Lesters. I’m also using Monty’s PAFs, Antiquities, Seth’s, BK PG Blues & Stormy Mondays.
I’d say you have to like the guitar itself, the way it feels, the way it resonates unplugged - for pickup swap to make any sense at all. I put Radioshop pickups in my Classic Player strat which I liked a lot but thought standard pickups could be improved, and the difference was HUGE. The sound has changed for better although I did not A/B them, but most importantly the feel has improved by miles, the way new pickups react and pick up the nuance of picking... incredible, and that’s the biggest difference for me.
You're supposed to do some homework into yourself and what you're doing in life.
You should look at your life that, at some point, you're going to end up with a collection of guitars.
If you buy expert hand made you'll end up with a small collection.
If you buy mass production or factory made, you'll end up with lots of guitars.
In buying factory 🏭 made, you're supposed to end up with a set that is more closely suited to your life philosophy.
You're not buying 1 guitar out of factory mass production.
You're lying to yourself.
First of all, excellent playing as always. Tasty licks.
I disgaree with the statement about gainier tones. Some pickups will highlight those differences. E.g. Seymour Duncan Full Shred on one end, and the Dimarzio Tone Zone on the other. The Full Shred will eat all the gain you throw at it, and retain its clarity and pick attack, almost like a single coil, but the Tone Zone will get warmer and bigger. Whereas a Dimarzio Evo will probably accentuate more of its harmonic content.
But this isn't exactly a measure of the brightest vs the warmest. The various kinds of pickups in between have their own characteristics. E.g. Duncan 59 might have a take on the PAF, but a Dimarzio Paf Pro will have a relatively modern character on it. Another example would be the differences between the Dimarzio Super 3 and the D'Activator. Both ceramic, wound hot, but both sound different from each other, while retaining a Dimarzio signature.
I had a LP STD 50s neck from 2004 or so, which I eventually sold - I just couldnt get it to sound the way i wanted. It sounded very stiff and lacked character. I had the guitar for about 9-10 years. I still had the LP bug though and I finally purchased a LP VOS R8 - the difference was night and day, what really caught my attention was when rolling back the volume on my R8 I get a really nice airy organic sound, something which I didn't get on the STD. In theory the woods and stuff are better on the R8, however, I think it has a lot to do with the pickups... I always think that strats with vintage pickups and wiring sound best with tbe volume at "9".
I suggest that rolling off the volume allows pickups to breath and lets their character shine through... Everything doesn't always need to be at "10".
Airy sound - reissues have unpotted pickups. Theyre gonna spund like that. I also have an R8 and compared to my other LPs with potted pickups, it sounds more loose, airy, not as stiff or as full as the others.
The 2004 Standards was loaded with burstbucker pro alnico5 and imho they are the worst Gibson pickups ever, they are thin and cold on First strings, maybe nice for hard rock riff because sooo dry, but i really hated that pups at the end
Pickups and electronics have the biggest influence on the tone of the guitar, in my opinion. It’s easy to do swaps too, and electronics are a lot cheaper than a whole new guitar (in most cases). I’ve had intermediate level guitars that are good to go and high end guitars that needed a pickup swap, it’s hard to tell for sure until you actually get your hands on it and get it going through your rig.
The worst part is the option paralysis of all the pickups out there, and all the anecdotes of their tones versus how they’ll actually sound in your guitar and with your gear. I find it’s better to just go for brighter pickups as you can always EQ the amp a bit darker or roll the tone off, where trying to add the brightness back never seems to work out as well imo.
You have a bizarre concept.
You're thinking in reverse.
In buying mass factory 🏭 production, you're going to end up with MORE guitars than had you bought into precision made.
You're misleading the public to think in a reverse way.
@@Gma7788 I have no idea what you're trying to say lol
A few years back I compared a variety of humbuckers from Seymour Duncan and DiMarzio. I didn’t notice huge differences in the Seymour Duncan’s I tried - all pretty much the same sound with varied output levels. The DiMarzio’s were all much more distinct in their sound and each one had unique characteristics. Those are the only two brands of aftermarket pu’s I tried. I also have tried some Suhr guitars and have heard some pretty big differences between the SSH+ and the Aldrich. These days I tend to stick with whatever comes in the guitar because GAS, money, and life’s too short. I just avoid buying guitars that have pu’s I don’t like
That 10% more wind or something on the Aldrich sounds a lot more than the SSH+ for sure. And I do hear differences in the Dimarzios I've played. They all have their unique characteristics. Not gimmicky considering there are so many types of Dimarzios. Looking forward to trying out the rails.
@@azharkhan8796 The Aldrich pu’s have something going on in the high mids that I just couldn’t get used to. And I really appreciate DiMarzio’s. If you read the descriptions they are spot on you just need experience to get the appropriate context. I’m actually in the market right now to get a strat that I can put the same pu’s that Andy Timmons uses into. That neck pu tone he gets it literally perfect
@@nobodyimportant76467 I actually have a Cruiser Bridge on the way for my middle, and a Chopper for the neck. I went with the chopper because I want the neck to keep up volume wise with a hot bridge. Otherwise Id have done the AT combo as well. I bet youll be pretty happy once you get around to it.
Damn John, I know you just recently started messing with the Les Paul,. Sounds so Good!
Beautiful guitar too. What a sound! I don't have your ears, they both sound fantastic...
Seeking more clarity and presence and dynamic range in a traditional single -cut, LP style guitar makes perfect sense to me. Overwound, excessive mid-range peaked, compressed pickups may have been all the rage in the late 70's and early 80's, but I think that was more about the amplification/effects rather than the actual tone from the guitar.
If you ask me, Hendrix and Page used guitars that had a lot of clarity (strats and teles - eventually PAF equipped guitars). Gorham (sp?), Robertson and Moore used guitars that had clarity (ceramic mini-hbs from LP Deluxe or PAF equipped Juniors and eventually PAF LPs) in Thin Lizzy. I've heard it said (and it seems true to me) that the best LP style guitars have a tone like a telecaster on steroids.
They all certainly experimented with effects that had lots of mids and compression (fuzzes, treble boosters, etc), but the starting point of the sound was a guitar that had clarity and presence.
John, it's subtle but there are cases where you get a set that just fits the guitar better. When I've swapped pickups it's been in guitars I knew I was going to keep either way, I just wanted something slightly different. I put a bit brighter pickups in my CC15, and my K-Line got a set that was slightly darker. This was after I'd owned each guitar for a while (the K-Line was a year, the CC15 was like, 6 or so months?). I did not A/B, but I could tell the difference just because I bought each set to solve a specific "problem" and they did, as opposed to just wanting "better pickups". Usually when I part with a guitar it's not because of how it sounds, FWIW. I do think when you get a set of pickups that REALLY matches a guitar and you get them dialed in just right it's the same sort of thing that happens when you get your tuning just so or you get the salt level of your food just perfect.
Great video as always, thank you! I just got a guitar that happens to have Thornbuckers. Amazing top end chime/ sparkle from a HB. Would love your thoughts if you ever have the notion. Thanks again.
I prefer the Montys , the Slash pickups sound more muffled. Montys are more open. Depends what sound you're after. Would love it if you reviewed more pickups on your channel 😀. Thanks. Great channel 👏
Swapped and tried many pickups in one lifetime.
Two words if you wanna be safe: Seymour Duncan
But today, with all the various voicings and pickup types, one can find many amazing pickups and sounds from 30 dollar all the way to 200+ USD. I have a Yamaha with stock Alnico Vs on the neck that I adore. But when it comes to bridge pickups....I generally prefer Marzios or SDs.
I've also learned, most people or the generic guitarist won't know a damn thing about pickups. Be it winding, output, magnets, ceramic whatever.
This is a very informative video mate. Cheers. Monty sounds fab might be worth a try next time I fly into UK. Loving your UA-cam grind 💯💯💯
I much prefer the Seymour Duncan. I wonder how difficult it would be to switch from one sound to the other with an EQ at the mix stage.
Great tone! I love alnico 2 magnets, it gives more mids, more bite... Great playing!
By the way i was watching your Gibson and i saw that the angle between the tailpiece and the brigde is a little too much, dont your string dont feel too hard to bend? If i were you i would do topwrap the strings on the tailpiece or decrease the angle a little bit... it will feel more confortbly even with 011 strings...
I've swapped bass pickups and find the low E to be the most impacted by different pickups. I agree that I hear more extreme differences with things like mustang or jazzmaster pickups vs hot tele pickups
I definitely preferred the Duncan's myself. Something about the articulation that was de-emphasized in the other set.
I swapped the anemic stock Carvin's for a Lollar Eldorado neck and an Imperial bridge in a 2011 Carvin (pre-Kiesel). Completely changed the sound. Inspires me to play it more than ever.
Don't know the science behind it, don't care...they sound great, and "better" to my ears. Could be placebo because of the money spent...again, don't care.
Not sure if I preferred them in all situations, but in the intro I liked the way the initial transients on the Slash sounded. But I didn’t like either of these as much as the Burstbucker Pros.
As far as my own guitars, I had an Ibanez RGT where I wanted to love it but hated the sound. Went through 4 or 5 bridge pickups and then came on one that basically did make it a different guitar. Regret selling that one.
I’ve made like 5 pickups change in my life, it is a high risk/high reward. Ive changed pickups and preferred the pickups I just removed to the new ones. FOMO has a lot to do with this to, I have a les paul with burstbuckers that I want to try different pickups on because what if that is what’s missing from that guitar, but since I’m relatively happy with that guitar I debate of the cost will be worth it.
Depends on what guitar you're swapping them in though, some guitars are really cheap so there's no risk really.
I prefer the sound of the Monty's in all sections of the playthroughs, however they are a little more strident in the bridge pickup "stab" rhythm chords than the Duncan's. However I like the overall airiness and articulation and glassiness in the clean to edge of breakup. I actually did hear quite a good difference in the fully overdriven lead tone, more of the leading edges of the notes were apparent before they folded into the rounded off sound of the sustain.
Did you have a "Modern" wiring harness before the pickup swap? (Where the TONE controls do NOT act like second volume controls at any VOLUME knob setting besides 10) and if so was there a treble bleed circuit to retain ANY highs when you rolled it down?
Yea. Pickup makes a big difference. I got a PRS SE and I swapped the TCI S to SD Sethlover and Pearly gate. I don’t have to do A B test to know they sound different. Its a whole new guitar.
I've swapped the stock v7/v8 pickups in a few Ibanez Prestiges. The stock ones were ok, but just felt dull. The IBZ labeled stock ones in other Prestiges sound really good. The ones that stand out the most would be dimarzio titans for D standard (great clarity) and the BKP painkiller bridge in my main rg1570. Have the dimarzio CL/LF set in a few guitars as well.
Pickup is the guitar mic so its have the biggest effect on the sound(i build pickups). "Paf" pickups have specific character so they will have more Common Characteristics then not,if you take let say jb vs Gibson paf you will find Big difference in the freq the pickup Emphasizes...this is big Topic so If you would like a more detailed explanation I would be happy to help😁
I've never been sold on swapping pickups out unless it was something totally different like an active versus passive or a noise cancelling versus a standard single coil (which I actually would be interested in trying someday.) I have noise cancelling pups in my fender strat but have often wondered about any tonal differences at least when playing clean. I guess I could go the guitar store with my guitar in hand to compare.
I changed the stock pups in a BC Rich Mockingbird NJ Classic to a PRS Vintage bass (N) and a DiMarzio Virtual PAF (B) and it was night and day, especially the PRS much deeper. The BC Rich were very scratchy, soon they'd growl...maybe too high output
I tend not to change pickups unless they're really rubbish. And that's decided by my ears. Out of 40+ guitars/basses I've only changed pickups on 2 guitars and 1.5 basses. I replaced humbuckers on the 2 guitars.
I prefer to rewire the pots for PTB or more switching options rather than swapping pickups on my instruments
I recently did my first pickup swap on my vintage vs6. Replaced the neck humbucker with a tonerider rebel p90. To be honest the original pickup was perfectly good… but I bought the guitar as a project platform and knew I wanted a p90. I am very happy with the change, but I completely agree with you that sometimes these changes can be minimal. I could hear a difference in the side by side, but would I have noticed if I heard the tracks an hour apart? Probably not. Was one “better”? Not really, I was more focused on the playing.
I changed my Hamer Studio pickups to Tonerider P90'S. Huge difference. I love that guitar more now than ever.
Fun fact: original Slash signature pickuo Is an Alnico ii Pro model which in turn Is a Duncan Jazz with a magnet swapped to Alnico ii.
Great comments below. One thing I have also wondered is with a stock set of pickups (not super super cheap) how close would they get to a boutique set by using an eq pedal and the eq on the amp.
Is it so close that many couldn’t tell the difference?
Also the pickup height.
I like the Monty's pu a lot more. By the way the sound with both is simply fantastic! Which setup are you using (amp, modeler, od pedal,..)? Thanks!
The biggest differences I hear in pickups is the low end response and clarity of each string. Often times, the clarity can be adjusted a little bit by moving pole pieces up and down, but I don't think theres a lot that can be done if the low end is muddy and flubby. There will often be an apparent difference in pups, but I think it comes down to output and how you're hitting your signal chain.
I preferred the Monty in the neck and the SD in the bridge.
Did you experiment with pickup height at all? Did you set them at the same height or whatever height each sounded best?
Ive had quite a few Les Pauls in the past 3 years of trading and there were all sorts of Gibson Pickups and besides the sound beeing pretty similar to what my main guitar has (the slash alnicos) the only noticeable difference was the response when hitting the strings and the top end is usually a bit more or less spikey. My favorites are the 57 classic+ when it comes to gibsons pick ups
I have no preference for either set. They both sound good to me.
As a retired electrical engineer I suspect that the A/B comparison has some problems from a 'design of experiments' point of view. The whole signal chain - from the pick in your hand, the strings on the instrument, and then the pedal board/amplifier/modeler and through the recording chain - has many sections that are non-linear. If you've adjusted your compressor or amplifier to give the sound you want for your 'A' guitar, and you're calling that your reference, and then you plug in your 'B' guitar and it produces a little more or less signal, then the way you excite the non-linear parts of your chain totally changes. If it's hotter, you hear a little more breakup/driven sound. If the strings were old on the pre-changed guitar and new on the post-changed guitar that makes a big difference.
Overall there's a huge number of elements in your signal chain and non-linear systems aren't ever easy to characterize.
Probably a better test, or at least as valuable, would have been perfectly clean tones from both guitars. No pedal chain, no amp/speaker breakup. Doesn't make for as exciting music - and again I do like your playing - but it probably would have had more to do with the change in the pickups and (I think) the wiring & pots in the guitar if all of that was changed.
QUESTION: If you took every one of your guitars, turned them up to 10, and ran them all through the same setup how different would they sound and how much of that comes from the guitar vs everything else? If you balanced the output of every guitar to produce at least the same electrical power how different would they sound? And can you tweak your modeler's signal chain to make them all more similar?
Very tasty playing. Both sets sounded great to me but I slightly preferred the Monty's, they had a bit more clarity to my ears.
I like the Monty's for sure - both sound good but the Monty's are more versatile.. The Slask pups sound good in the upper register when using overdriven solo tones !
Monty’s sound great, but I like the slash pickups here more
The Monty's are definitely different. More definition and a looser break up. They both sound nice
I've got a 70s Japanese lawsuit era Les Paul that plays better than any Gibson I've ever tried.
I've always wondered if the no name pickups (maybe Maxons?) Are the weak spot and if I should change them.
But I always come back to the conclusion that I can't be arsed.
hell yeah, brother
Before getting new pups- Adjust pole pieces to ‘eq’ your guitar.
Ie. The Slash SDs sound much better with pups lowered and pole pieces adjusted.
There's definitely a big difference in the tone, the Monty's are a more 'modern' type of sound, more focussed but less warm, imo. Both pickups also breakup at different stages and in different ways. Imo, changing the pickups makes you have a new guitar, essentially. It does make a big difference.
Slash alnico 2 pro is brilliant PAF
Montys underwound is blanket standard
If thats what you dig
I have tried many pickups, but when it comes to an actual swap, I don't want to spend money and time swapping pickups that are 90% identical. I would rather swap out pickups that sound drastically different to the ones being replaced. Does that make sense?
Makes sense to ME! I've done tons of swaps and it's usually 90% the same, unless the original pups were super cheap. The amp matters far more than the pickups.
Those Slash's sound lovely
Killer playing and tone on this one sheesh.
The Monty's sound clearer, for sure, especially in the edge of breakup settings. For my personal taste, I like 'em a lot. In my case, I replaced the pots with VIPots in my SG and 50's wiring and kept the stock 57 Classic Pickups. There was an improvement in clarity but I think the pickups don't translate what the guitar is acoustically. I bought a set of Wizz PAF pickups that are going to be installed in the guitar in a few days by a luthier that takes care of my guitars because I'm a danger with a soldering iron... I hope that those are the last pieces of the puzzle to end my GAS...
Wizz are good, I think you'll be happy with them if you are looking for more clarity. I put them in my Les Paul which I felt like was a bit dark with the custombuckers and they're still in there years later.
@@TCMx3 Thanks! Glad to hear that. I'm looking for more clarity and attack. The 57 classics are not that bad but they are kind of dull and 2D. After I replaced the pots and rewired the guitar 50's wiring I still kept them for 2 years so I could really evaluate if if it was only GAS of if I felt I needed to replace them. I'm really curious to hear how the Wizz sound in my guitar...
Can definitely hear the difference. I preferred the Slash set, but that is subjective.
Great pickup sounds different on a big stage.
Slash pickups sounded a bit tighter more focused to my ears. I don’t know if that is a modern vs vintage paf thing. I tend to prefer burst buckers to custom buckers for the same reason. However it’s entirely up to the individual. As to whether or not it’s really “worth it” to swap out, I’d say it depends on the guitar and the person. I have maybe 15 electric guitars of various types and have only swapped in new pickups on 2 and both of those were because the originals were faulty in some way.
I'd only swap pickups if the current ones sounded really bad. There's a certain point where the improvement in terms of tone are insignificant. The guitar would have to be a comfortable and stable instrument but with pickups that may lack in output or have a muddy tone or are defective for me to change the pickups. I believe pickups have the biggest influence on the tone but the actual instrument affects how we play. I think and feel the guitar differently when I pick up a Les Paul vs a Strat.
I think the slash pickups sounded better to me. Have you ever tried out a 10 band graphic EQ before the amp to change the way the pickups sound? Maybe could have scooped the mids by 1 1/2 or 1DB and it might’ve taken away that congested mids sound you didn’t like.
you might want to consider raising the stop tail or top wrapping. I think I'm seeing your ABR starting to lean a bit forward from the pressure of the strings breaking hard over them
I raised my tailpiece so strings arent touchjng bridge + the break angle is much less steep. Question.,.i barely see anyone (especially pros with raised tailpieces, they all looked screwed right down?) is the only way to get the strings not to touch the bridge is to top wrap if i keep tailpiece screwed down??
@@user-cd2cz3tv3u if you watch Slash's rig rundown, they show the setup on one of his guitars (the one with a 3pc top) and how the stop tail is set way up to help lessen the break angle which helps keep him from breaking strings.
@@nathanmanansala ironic cuz i need to replace the pups in my LP standard unburst (sorta looks like slashes faded goldtop), and ive been debating getting a modern style pup like the wax potted SD Slash 2.0 alnico II pro’s, or something more vintage like Monty/wizz/throbak PAF’s…hard to tell tone thru youtube, but they both shine in their own way. I think im leaning towards the throbak PAF’s (its a non weight relief LP but thankfully only around 8.5lbs), also love the ernie ball slinky smooth 9’s which i believe slash also uses…i jusy keep my guitars in standard tuning (rarely e flat for certain songs), but mostly like playing classic rock..not into drop tuning or heavy/speed metal style music..which is why i might end up with PAF clone pups., the good sets have a certain clairty & dynamic that you cant beat, but i still do like the SD Slash 2.0 pup set lol
for me, the best pickup is pickup that using alnico 2...i dunno its just sound more to me. than other magnet, and i can hear the "clang" of the strings
Considering that I wasn't in the room, headphones, etc., I could barely hear a change. That was with my back turned too. Both sounded great.
If you look up Zeitgeist Guitars, he's done a lot of stuff on this. He restores a lot of vintage Gibsons (expensive stuff often) and he swears by the Seymour Duncan, Dimarzio or Bare Knuckles PAF clones. The case being that these pickups have been used so often that they've been compared and refined by many more people and with much more R&D money behind them ..
And I have to admit, having seen his work first hand, I'm inclined to believe him ..
PS, thought there was quite a considerable difference .. and I felt that the Alnico IIs had more "cut" to them (it sounds brighter to me but that could be more of a high-mid thing than treble ..)
Did you still have your Variax John ? For me that’s always been the first place I go to to try combinations in the virtual world before pfaffing with swapping actual pickups or capacitors.
I have a 2005 Gibson LP ClassicI bought new. Back then they came with the ceramic pick ups and they were not to my liking. I eventually swapped them out with the SD Slash set and have no regrets.
I’ve listened to a lot of your vids and the Montys definitely fit your style. Awesome upgrade.
Yeah but by now those alico magnets HAVE 🧲 lost magnetisum.
Those pickups you got rid of HAVEN'T lost magnetism.
Had you learned to lower the bobbins and raised the adjustable pole pieces, you wouldn't have wasted your money.
Slash and Seymour himself warned ⚠️ you about magnets 🧲 and speaker magnets 🧲 etc... but you didn't listen.
I've noticed myself, after a few years those alnico magnets 🧲 have noticeably lost their sound.
They don't last forever.
You MUST get them serviced every 5 years, just like slash does.
Those ceramic magnets 🧲 will give you 15 years of service.
Most of you lazy pieces of crap, have no clue what you're talking about.
You're just spreading gossip and misinformation.
I've been considering Monty's Underspuns for a new guitar (my first humbucker guitar in almost thirty years). I definitely prefer them to the Duncans. But the difference isn't great, certainly. I'm kind of surprised at the sound of the Monty's. I too was expecting a lot less . . . well, mud, frankly. I like clarity. I didn't hear it from either set. Maybe I'll just put Strat/Tele pickups in the new humbucker guitar. If the world won't bend to me, I will bend the world nevertheless.
John, after purchasing your helix pack - is the patch email autogenerated? I purchased the helix pack but i haven't gotten any email containing the patches. Thanks!
I have the full monty pickups in my Les Paul at the moment my head spinning whether to go for these others or not. Is there a difference will it get me there. Will it give me more of a slash Or page sound the. The ideal sound for me is and the live 8 concert was/playing Fall to pieces
Well yeah if you’re starting with a good, expensive guitar the stock pickups are probably good to go. But for us poors out here with our significantly less expensive guitars installing even inexpensive aftermarket pickups can make a huge difference.
gotta go open coil with those slash pickups c'mon now! lol
i think the amount of ceaseless guitar tone pedantry boils down to and can be solved by changes in the EQ.
ten band EQ solve all of everyone's problems, but nobody's making insane money off that.
Yep..
That's what I do. Cures a great deal of GAS.
Absolutely - as an FM3 user, I can EQ anywhere in the chain and set the levels anywhere in the chain. I doubt I'll ever be swapping pickups in the future. When I listen to people doing A/Bs I always end up thinking "well that's quite subtle, my cloth ears would never have noticed that".
Alnico 4 for clarity and tonal balance all day!!
I preferred the darker tone, but maybe you could get that by eq’ing the brighter ones..? 🤷♂️
Incidentally, has anyone here changed the pups in a GRETSCH?
I have a G5420t, plays great, electrics sound meh. Am thinking about maybe… TV Jones Classic Filtertrons, or perhaps something from Monty’s (?) …have also had Ben Fetchers FletcherTrons recommended too… so?.. 🤷♂️
Recommendations and experiences appreciated.
I prefer the montys by quite a bit, but would think their normal PAFs would be netter here. Not quite as bright as the underspun ones. I am waiting for my set to arrive at the moment to replace the burstbuckers in my r7.
it was well worth it for my guitars...and change the electronics/wiring too.....much better all round.
I always thought those slash jobs were for a high gain Marshal scenario… brash bridge tones or creamy necky tones.
That’s a nice Les Paul 👌
PAF pickups are darker than I thought, I put some in an Epi 335 and kinda regret not getting something brighter.
Yeh it's interesting isn't it, the only pickups I've ever thought "why do people like these" were some that ended up being quite dull...Unpotted but still with no brightness. An odd mix (I won't say what they were)
I didn't watch the complete video yet but I think it's more about a quality thing...If you buy an instrument at let's say a 1000 dollars the need to upgrade the pickups or electronics is more to a taste thing and not that the stock pickups are bad...But when you're buying a guitar on the lower spectrum... I believe the instrument's greatest weakness is the pickups and electronics...So when it's cheaper the pickups can really save the guitar but if you're going over a grand you shouldn't be expecting bad pickups if I make sense.
Keep factory ones, Lollar Imperial is ones I can hear benefit. My subjective opinion.
I prefer the Duncan's!
Slash pickups definitely have more of the low mid growl, the Monty's are more balanced and have a more open top end. Like you I'm a single coil player and would favour the monty's. But I'm sure Slash would suit lots of other players.
Wait - amp/speakers or modeler/IR ?
I prefer the under spun.
On 3 Alka Seltzers at the moment ...
Monty's have got more clarity and sound slightly hotter.
I think both sound great, and the Montys definitely deliver a "clearer" tone. Slash's tone is certainly mid heavy, especially that cocked wah signature tone that we've all come to recognize and love.
the slash pickup is scooped in the mids like a traditional PAF... check the specs. He gets his cocked wah sound from his modified amp.
I'm all for pickup swaps, but honestly I don't hear a huge difference with this swap. Most of my swaps have resulted in pretty drastic changes, but it has usually been from crappy stock pickups, so maybe that is why?