Fun thing to try: I just removed the Ceramic magnet from a DiMarzio Super Distortion and installed an AlNiCo IV magnet, and HOLY MOLY!!! It has all the output and muscle of the Ceramic, but a much more open and lively dynamic sound.
@88_TROUBLE_88 I'd love to, but I sold the guitar I put that pickup in. It's an easy modification, I encourage anyone to try some simple magnet swaps. It's easier than you think!
2 years laters 😅 some other good pickups : Ibanez super 58/ Maxon U1000/lace sensor gold/ DiMarzio FS1 /Fender nocaster 51/Fender CS69/Dimarzio custom paf pro.
Great video brother!! Just installed a Seymour Duncan Seth Lover Bridge in my Epi 58’ Korina Moderne and it completely changed its tone, which was way shrilly.. no more!!
My favorite humbucker is the Pearly Gates from Duncan. I used to prefer the JB, but the Pearly Gates is a little bit sweeter and pairs just as well with the Jazz as the JB. Single coils; Fender Tex Mex for me. 80 bucks a set and I like em better than the Specials personally. Great vid, Robert.
Seymour duncan didn't come out with the dimebucker AFTER dime passed. Dime, and grady worked with sd to make the pickup. Matter of fact, dime was using the prototypes on the last tour he finished. The korean ml he was playing when he was killed, was loaded with the production model we can buy today.
One thing about the Duncan Full Shred. Some pickups make a big splash when they hit the market, some make a small splash that becomes a tsunami over a number of years. For the Full Shred, a pickup first produced in 1987, the year I first loaded one into a Baretta, it didn't make a big splash. I only met one other player who was rocking one on the Sunset Strip back then and he was playing a Viv Campbell signature Kramer Nightswan which came loaded with the FS in the bridge. What's happened over the decades is the FS grew a fanbase in the nü-metal, trash, dark metal, prog and djent world. It's extremely articulate with high gain and has excellent one. You can play complex chords in low tunings and it won't get muddy. The low end is also tight without being thuddish. And the harmonics are absolutely popping. By the specs it's medium output, but it sure doesn't sound low output.
No, it doesn’t. I’ve always loved the Full Shred because, despite its output rating, it sounds like a flamethrower. And like you said, it maintains clarity perfectly. I’ve never understood why more people don’t buy these things up.
@@RobertWJackson It's catching on now, but it just took a long time. I always called it Duncan's DiMarzio, meaning that the design and the marketing campaign and even the double hex look of the thing scream Full Shred. At the time it came out, in the 80s, DiMarzio were still big competition for Duncan and almost all of their ads in guitar mags were replete with shredders and ad copy about high precision accurate performance and razor sharp accuracy blah blah blah. Take it for what it is, it's all hype. I still love a lot of DiMarzios but their ads were a real trip. They still use the same kind off marketing concept. I just trust my ears. I don't care if a pickup is designed by Joe Schmo so long as it rocks.
I've NEVER been disappointed by a Schecter pickup. They started with variations on traditional designs and tone spectrums, then moved into making hotter pickups. Great guitars, great electronics. @@RobertWJackson
Great video Robert, 1977, my 19th birthday my big brother bought me a Dimarzio super distortion for my Fender mustang, he created a monster, 1st guitar was a 65 Gibson SG Jr so I'll always love that p90 / soapbar sound, and my Duncan jbs rock the town
That was an informative and enjoyable video. My favorite pup is the Gibson '57 classic on my LPs. I also use many of the brands that you name in other guitars. Thx for a great listen!
Seymour Duncan and dimarzio are where it’s at. I adore my Jackson Mick Thomson with his signature blackouts. I loved the emg 81/85 set and I have to say, the EMTY Blackouts have me on the Duncan side for active pickups. A buddy of mine is also wrapping up a custom build for me with a lone dimarzio x2n in the bridge a la chuck schuldiner. Really excited to try that out for some monstrous tones using the neural soldano plugin
One of my absolute favorites is the Seymour Duncan Antiquity Humbucker set. Clarity, bite, versatility. It's all there and they just sing. Had a set in my Explorer from '95 and they just gave that guitar exactly what I wanted in the tone department, only problem is the guitar didn't stay in tune worth a damn and broke high E strings like it ate them for breakfast so I sold it. Still got the pickups though.
I would have to agree. I've got those on my Les Paul with the "relic" Antiquity version and it took the guitar from so-so level to holy grail level in my collection. They must have some kind of unobtainium magnets to do that.
Thx Robert for the video. About a year ago I bought a used set of Gibson 490R 498T for my 338 copy. I be getting around to installing them this weekend.
I've been using Rio Grande tall boys in my main vintage strat for over 20 years. I think Rio Grande makes some of the best pickups around in various models both humbucker and single coils.
@Vinnie Provolone I could never really pick out the difference between '59 and the Jazz pups, my guitar teacher told me it was because I tried a RR in a music store and I would here it through my own rig. I hear nothing but great things about the Jazz pup.
Seth Lover at Gibson and Ray Butts at Gretsch were working independently of each other, but at the same time to create a hum canceling pickup. Lover’s patent application landed at the Patent Office before Butts’ application did and that’s why Lover is attributed with the invention of the Hum Canceling guitar pickup. True story. It’s probably best that creation of this invention happened as it did. I can image s that if each man had been aware of the other’s effort and had decided to collaborate, we’d have ended up with a creation known the Butts-Lover pickup. There’s a gay bar joke in their somewhere and that’s why the PAF and FilterTron monikers are definitely easier to market. lol
My list for stacked humbuckers would be the Bill Lawrence L250, Dimarzio Fast Track 2, Dragonfire Duo Rail and Dimarzio Chopper. Bridge P.U. ; Dimarzio Evolution, SD JB, Dragonfire Screamers, Carvin M22SD ( like a Evo, but w/ better bass, more upper mids, better highs, more headroom ) , Schaller Actives P.U. , Bare Knuckel Rebel Yell and GFS Fat Crunchy Pat's. Neck humbucker ( for Metal ) ; Bill Lawrence XL500, Dragonfire Modbucker, S.D. Screamin' Demon, GFS VEH and S.D. Pearly Gates.
I'd love to see a list with boutique manufacturers, however this could be quite difficult. My fave pickup is Axesrus Waith (made for me in England) but i also dig Gibson 500t, Carvin M22T, DiMarzio SD, SD Invader, Tonerider Octane etc....
Great review on a very complex subject - considering pickups sound different in different types of guitars (i.e., hollowbody vs semi hollowbody vs solid body/glued in neck vs solid body with bolt on neck, etc etc etc). Well done!
I've have Gibson 496r/500t, '57/'57+,490r/498t(my fav Gibson), sd jazz/jb, & emg85/81, but my favorite of all is the sd18(whole lot of humbucker), hot paf tone, super articulate, with just the right amount of growl
I still have a DiMarzio super distortion in the plastic box that I have had new since the 80s.Never beem fitted .It was going to go in an Sg copy but that got stolen and I have never really found a use for it since.However it sits on the shelf with a model ship and an eight ball trophy of same vintage.
Builtings?, I just fitted Epiphone pro buckers to my 1979 Washburn falcon replacing the awful EMG 81/85 set I stupidly put on it when I was younger, very pleased especially with the coil splitting tones, came all prewired with solder less connections. As I've got older I've grown to appreciate the lower output pickup
@@RobertWJackson I got done playing with my Dean Vmnt, a little eq helps with Daves Signature pickups, just chopping a song together. Great leads for sure .
I’ve been rocking Duncan’s for as long as I’ve been modding guitars. Duncan Custom Custom in the bridge of my SG with a no name P94 on the neck Duncan JB/59 in my San Dimas 59’s in my partscaster And a Gibson 57 classic in my Les Paul
I dont if they make any now but the gretsch supertons in my astrojet are fantastic, basically slightly higher output filtertron with blades insted of poles
My Favorite pickups are EMG 81, I do have Seymour Duncan JB, Black winter, Hot rails . Dimarzio I have X2N, Super Distortion, D-Activator. So I have a few on the list. I really like the old Carvin M22 series pickups. The M22sd was a great bridge and the M22 neck pickups sing so good. I wish they still made them. great Video Robert.
I love Carvin pickups too, I hope Carvin or Kiesel makes them again. The M22SD, is like a Dimarzio Evolution, but with cleaner bass, more upper mids, better highs and a lot more headroom. I think Steve Vai based his Evolution pickups by Dimarzio, on the Carvin M22SD pickup .
Such a difficult job trying to come up with this list and I have to agree with a lot of them. Classics and modern both mentioned. Hard to argue with that.
I have two guitars with Fishmans. My BC Rich JRV has the Modern Fluence and my Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy has a variant that was made for the Prophecy series. I think they sound great and I like the different voicings. The Prophecy pickups are especially cool because they have a modern and vintage PAF voicing as well as a single coil like mode.
You made my day and I couldn't agree with you more on the Duncan JB . I'm always searching for a better sound and have tried many pickups. But I can't find a better all around pickup that can do high HIGH gain and roll off better while maintaining a smooth sound than the JB! I'm always looking for a better one as we all are . I play on 1 channel all the time,even if the amp has 3 channels. ! I won't use them.. I am always rolling the volume pot to control the gain, volume ,. That's just how I learned. You made me feel better that maybe I'm missing out on something lol. However I will give a shout out to the emg 81z? But that guitar now has a JB in it!! 🤘🤘
Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge and Jazz in the neck, case closed, sounds great 99% of the time. For more over the top squigglies harmonics and output Wylde L500xl in the bridge and jazz in the neck. But for me the Seymour Black Winters are by far the best all around for anything not pristine clean, don't let the logos and marketing fool you, they are very well balanced and plenty of output, very good articulation and seperation and sounds very good split as well, so unless you want a Fender clean or are into country or funk music this is by far the best all rounder you can get.
Dude, I was taking notes. You are righteous as well as timely. I have been neck-deep in pup lore and your contribution goes a long way in extricating me from pickup hell. I love it, but I hate it. Know what I mean? New subscriber and honored to be so. Cheers from SE Asia.
Put me down on the hate side for all versions of the Fender Noiseless and add Lace to those too. Didn’t realize who much I didn’t like them until i shot them out against two other Strats. It shocked me. But as many people picked them in that vid over the Texas Specials and the Alnico 2’s.
Commenting real time. I’m a Tone Zone guy for the right guitar. I dropped one in my BC Rich Gunslinger and it smokes. Love my Super Distortions too which as you know - was my first aftermarket love bc of Ace! Yes the TV Jones are better
F to the hell yeah on Texas Specials. Have them in a Strat and a Tele. The cleans are super underrated- everyone focuses on that driven SRV thing and they’re missing half the beauty of it
I’ve heard a lot of people talking about the Duncan Custom, and it’s left me wanting to get my hands on one for the longest time. From a lot of the demos that I’ve heard, it has the same versatility as the JB, but with more harmonic response and a tighter low end due to the ceramic magnet. The 7 string sets gets you really close to the super metallic sounding tones you get from bands like Meshuggah or After The Burial, and with a boost in front the tightness really gets an opportunity to shine through in regards to both the palm mutes and arpeggiated riffs.
Spoiler alert: pickups add next to nothing to your tone outside of output level and clarity. Anything you’ve been told about “more harmonic response” or “tighter low end” in regards to pickups is nothing more than a myth.
My favorites: 1. JB/Jazz combo: add a coil split and you can get pretty much any sound you want. I have 3 guitars with this setup. 2. Gibson 490R/498T: you don't need massive output to sound big. There's a reason my Les Paul Goddess gets a lot of playing time. 3. Fishman Fluence Classic: the Moderns are great, but I think the Classics are more versatile. 4. Bare Knuckle Rebel Yell: I like these the most out of the BKs I've tried. 5. Fender Texas Special: how to make a perfect Strat tone.
I love the Dirty Fingers, as well, both the vintage ones and the current reissues, but those pickups DO NOT like high-gain amps. They’re really meant more to turn a moderate gain amp into a high gain amp, otherwise they just get really muddy.
I’m on the hunt for a very smooth, perfectly balanced pickup set both in eq and paired with each other. I hate harsh sounding highs and I’m looking for something with a more vintage voice.
Great video and great choices.. I love the Dimarzio SD.. The JB was always a tad bright for me in some guitars.. I also love the Dimarzio Super 3 .. Had one in my Fender HM strat years ago.. One I think that most people don't know about that is great is the Rio Grande BBQ bucker.. Very cool pickup.. Thanks man..
Your taste runs very similar to mine. I love the Dimarzio SD as my number one, followed by the JB because of the treble, and third is the Super 3, which sounds great but, to me, can get a tad muddy in the bottom at times.
@@nomadronin7361 Yeah. I totally agree with all you said. I'm also liking the Duncan Custom 5 which sounds like the DiMarzio SD to me. Maybe a tad less output, but same EQ overall. I'm sticking one in my Charvel as soon as I have time. ♥️🤘
No one can deny the popularity of the JB. I think the reason it's had so much sticking power is that it's a genuinly great pickup, DESPITE the fact that EVH and so many legends have used it and continue to use it. It's just rock solid. I think the reason it caught on so well also has a lot to do with the evolution of high gain amps. I'm not an expert in how pickups are made but I now a lot about how they sound and why a particular pickup works well with a particular amp or pedal while another may not work so well. For one, the JB gained popularity at just the right time. Although first produced in 1976, it didn't make a splash till Eddie, Randy and other great players adapted it. It worked very well for their amp setups. Players in the Hollywood shred scene, which I was a part of in the late 80s, started adapting the JB, first probably because of who used it, but they realised it worked great and had no buyers remorse. This was the time when amps started have more high gain right out of the box with the master volume and dual channels. You put an ax with a JB in front of a JCM 800 and a good dirt box and it's going to scream. Same with a Laney, Boogie or solid-state Randall. The legend of this pickup just grew and grew. It became the stock pup for several Kramers including the unofficial EVH model, the Baretta. The Super Distortion was still very popular in this era, but the JB was gaining ground fast. The Super Distortion is still going strong, but it's hard to argue against the fact that the JB has surpassed it as the number one most popular after market (and in many cases stock) pickup of all time. The thing just works. It can make a clunky amp sound a lot smoother and musical. I've experienced this firsthand. Personally, it's not my go-to pickup. I'm more likely to use a Full Shred or one of my favorite DiMarzios including the X2N or Super 3.
Mike Hunt yes, but I am more on boutique pickups right now and actually upgrading the bar magnets to get the sound that I want. I will definitely recommend the iron gear pickups, entwistle pickups and dragon fire pickups, they have some quality pickups that will meet every guitar player’s demand
I love the SSL-5 and you are right, Seymour Duncan recommended that you pair them with SSL-1, JB Jr, Hot Rails, and the full JB. They have a high K output, but the Strat sounds are classic, yet revved up! The SSL-5 Bridge with SSL-1 Middle/Neck is a perfect Strat set!
Definitely great list. You got to number 2 and I was like number 1 better be jb. It is by far in the most guitars I own, jb and jazz combo. Emg 81 is my second choice however I prefer emg 81/60 combo. The only pair I would add is th petrucci set rainmaker and Dreamweaver. I bought those and put in my Ibanez j custom. Fishman I am not a fan of. I love Fishman acoustic, by far best acoustic and electric piezo. But the electric pickups I find them harsh. The other reason I don't like them is battery life. You might get 5 days of 1-2 hours of play on a 9 volt. Where emg go a year for me. They have a rechargeable pack as well but do I need another thing on a charger all the time. My guitars with Fishman recharge packs I can't just pick up and play if they been sitting a few weeks. You have to charge them first. I got that BC rich warlock extreme last year with Fishman. Pulled and put in emgs. Battery was in electronic cavity. Had to pull it every week to change it.
*My current favorite two humbucker pickup combination by far is a Duncan 59' Custom Hybrid at the bridge, and a Duncan Alnico II Pro Neck at the neck... The best classic Strat set that won't hum is a DiMarzio Area set..., a 67' at the neck, a 58' in the middle, and a 61' at the bridge... The Area 67' is the cleanest, brightest, and least bassy, of the entire DiMarzio Area series, and is modeled after the underwound CBS era 67' Strat pickups that Hendrix used at Monterey.... The Area 58' is the second cleanest of the line, and is modeled after the original spec 58' Strat pickups used by Buddy Holly... And the Area 61' is the third cleanest of the series, and it it was modeled after the randomly overwound 61' Strat pickups used by Stevie Ray Vaughan...*
The Reverend pickups with three fat polepieces for trebles and blades for the bass strings are a major breakthrough for us that like smooth highs and tight lows.Also the Duncan Nashville's or 5/2 strat pu similarly uses alnico 5 for bass and alnico 2 for treble.P 90 are the most versatile of vintage pickups..Ask Tony Iommi and / or Duane Eddy..two quite different players.
Hey Robert, why not get a single pickup guitar that allows for easy pup swaps? look no further than to your shirt, Kramer has the 84 or the barretta special.
It’s still a pain in the ass. LOL Also, I’ve learned that pickup demos are particularly difficult because, in order to effectively demonstrate a pickup’s tone, you have to compare it to a stock pickup or a well-known pickup of some kind in the exact same guitar. Every time I’ve ever done a video on pickups, it’s always been A LOT of work that yielded very little results.
Well maybe guys forget about the dan Armstrong plexi guitars you could slide the one pick up in and out and swap for different tone models rock country jazz ...they slid in and out and were fastened by a thumbscrew in the back.....no soldering....and they still fetch a good buck today......many of the usual suspects have played em. Sorry for trolling.....just sayn....peace lol I guess I'm way off topic nvrmnd lol
I rarely do reviews of anything, I primarily just do demos. Regardless, pickup demos are colossal-sized pain in the ass because I have to modify one of MY guitars at MY own expense, which is total bullshit and a complete waste of my time. I’ll likely never do another pickup video again unless I am WELL compensated for it.
I had a USA BC Rich Warlock with Dimarzio super distortions and it was a beast!! Loved it! Now I have a Jackson with the 81/85 set and I'm loving it too! Also the Gibson 498R/500T set are great sounding IMHO
my favorite pickups are gibson burstbucker pro atleast the ones i have from 2014 i dont know if they have changed but damn thos pickups are insanely nice
I’m buying some Slick Fullerton Tele pick-ups and taking out my fender vintage-toneless. The stock-pickup sounded better & my guitar-wrencher is a legend in Hollywood ... Seriously. They suck. The Slick Fullerton’s sound perfect to my ears.
Hope this helps....its called a building because in this case, 'ing' is a suffix with meaning 'the product of'. Such as a chick that has hatched is called a hatchling. Therefore the product of a build is a building.
Surprised there was no mention of Lindy Fralins, Lollar Imperials, Throbaks, Wolftones, etc. oh well. I have Lindy Fralin Vintage Hots in my USA Hamer Daytona (strat), and Wolftone Marshallhead bridge/Dr. Vintage neck in my USA Hamer Monaco Elite. Outstanding.
@@RobertWJackson fair enough. Each to their own. I’ve been kinda meh about most of the Duncans I’ve tried. Of all the Duncan’s, the SH-11 Custom Custom in the bridge of an SG I used to have stuck around the longest. Also not a fan of the Gibson 490/498 set. I have a set of those in my Les Paul Standard. At some point, those will get yanked out. It’s all very subjective based on each person’s style. For my Les Paul, I’ll be looking for something with more of a vintage low-wind PAF. The Wolftones replaced a Duncan Custom/‘59 set that was in my Hamer Monaco Elite.
These are all solid pickups. I'm not big on actives but I'd take EMG over Fishman. I just prefer the 81 when it comes to actives. For me it defined what an active should be and I don't think Fishmans necessarily sound better. I've tried a few Bareknuckles and they are good. I dig the Duncan Full Shred and JB. Both great pickups. I love the Dimarzio Super Distortion and X2N. I find the D Activator to be a little cold. I know the X2N ain't exactly warm either, but maybe I'm just used to it so it's a personal bias. The Bill Lawrence is a great pickup and the Duncan Dimebucker, modeled after it, is also terrific. I don't think one is necessarily better than the other. They are just too similar. For an all out metal tone I'd go with the X2N. It also coil splits and does parallel like a champ. To cover everything under the sun I'd go with a Super Distortion bridge and DiMarzio Air Zone in the neck. I also love the Tone Zone and Air Zone and Steve's Special, the latter being one of the best pickups you can buy if you play with a lot of mids in your amp. It dials them back and gives you a lot of control.
Yes! I have a JB/59 set in my Les Paul and it's by far the best pickup I've ever played. I recommend them every chance I get bc of how versatile they are. I play everything from Zeppelin, Skynyrd and Sabbath to Lamb Of God BLS and Metallica and I have yet to find a style of music that these pick ups don't do extremely well!
Every guitar I play on a regular basis has a Gibson p90 or a high output equivalent. I wish Gibson could build a guitar that would stay in tune for more than 1 song. I have tele but can’t listening to it, but it will stay in tune for days. I had some 490s ,thought they sounded muddy
I bought the het set quite awhile ago imo they are way more well rounded then the 81 89 (not saying the 81 89 are bad they sound great for what I use them for.)
Ironically, the JB is on my hotlist to purchase next and tryout as I’ve never played one. I was gonna by the classic JB/Jazz combo. On another note, the best sounding pickup I own is the Gibson Dirty Fingers+. It’s one of the ones like Robert said, you can only get it in a Gibson guitar. However, the regular Dirty Fingers bridge pickup is on the market. I bought the set from a Reverb seller that removed them from a 2016 Gibson Flying V as he said they were too hot for his taste. I’ve only installed the bridge one so far in my cherry Epiphone G400 SG and that sucker sounds unbelievably killer. I can’t comment on the clean tone though as I play higher gain stuff. It sounds extremely tuff and throaty and definitely my favorite pickup of my ten plus guitars. I have the Dimarzio Super Distortion III in my Jackson V and to me it sounds like a classic rock pickup. Looks cool though, they’re red in my black V. My next favorite is the EMG 57. I have the 57/66 in two of my guitars and that bridge position 57 rocks! They’re active but also have the pole pieces so I guess that’s why they sound so killer. By the way the new Epiphone Prophecy guitars come with custom Fishman Fluence pickups. I believe they have three different settings. Off topic but I think the Epiphone Prophecy series guitars are really good quality for the money, and Robert had them on the list in one of his videos about great guitars for the money or under rated guitars or something.
Own a few of the pickups on this list and was shocked to see the JB hit #1! I actually have a JB jr in a tele and its one of my favorite pickups of all time as well. The 498T/490R is probably one of the most versatile and unsung pickup combos of all time. Simple and yet unbelievably effective ( throughout the 90s they, alongside another favorite: the 500T/496R ceramics, were in almost every Gibson made, save for the historic line and the 57 Classic and Classic Plus PAF)
Yep, those were the good ol’ days. Then somebody at Gibson said “BURSTBUCKER!!!” and many of their guitars began to sound like shit. LOL (I actually really like the Burstbucker Pro, but the 1, 2, and 3 are all hot garbage.)
@@RobertWJackson I had the 498T/490R set in an LP Tribute that I couldn’t gel with at all but for me they are magic in an SG or Explorer. I think the brightness pairs well with those all mahogany bodies. Learning to love my Burstbucker Pros in my LP but it’s taken me awhile
I got the 496/500 in a 97 studio and they are powerful. At least compared to my Strat with 3 color Lace Sensors. Why no love for those p/u's. I love the versatility of these. All the tones for cover band work I get out of these. But I also see a lot of bad reviews for these and how fast they get replaced.
It's funny you say the JB is the best. I literally just purchased a JB and a Jazz for my guitar, tonight. $156.00 US. They won't even arrive for two days. Can't wait to install them. This will be my first time playing on these pups and I know they're going to be everything I expect and more. Cheers
Hee hee!! Buildings should be called builts!! My favorite is the Duncan 59,its an alnico V PAF creation, sounds as good or better than botique priced pickups. Have a ser in my Washburn Idol. Another fav,DiMarzio Tone Zone. Bought a Peavey Limited ST that the previous owner installed and sounds perfect alone or perfect with the Peavey single coils. Another fav,DiMarzio HS-2 Strat pickups which sound awesome clean or heavily distorted. Have to include the DiMarzio PAF PRO as it sounds great ,also perfect with HS-2's in the neck and middle. P-90...YES!!! Also,have a Stew-Mac Golden Age PAF alnico V--simolar to a Duncan 59 but not a copy. A great extremely well made pickup that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Great video.😎👍🤘😎🇱🇷
actually.. EMG had a telecaster set since the mid-80's.. i know because i put that in myh telecaster because my tely was picking up the 60hz cycle in my basement and i wanted a more quiet pickup.. they are great but i am very susprised telecaster player don't put them in their guitars..especially that neck which is wayyyy better than any telecaster neck pickup out there
Robert, have you tried SD Retributions? Designed by Dino Cazares with lots of help from LA guitar tech Moshe Alvarez, they sound a lot more alive than EMGs. Love mine!
Im no Dimebag historian but didnt his guitars (maybe only production signature models) sometime in the late 90's have the Dimarzio X2N in them? not sure if he ever used it but I believe Dean or Washburn used them in signature models. Dimarzio Dactivators are one of the best pickups ever made. I have the 7 string version and it is amazing. Not only does it sound better than ANY active pup it can hang with any other passive.
Fun thing to try:
I just removed the Ceramic magnet from a DiMarzio Super Distortion and installed an AlNiCo IV magnet, and HOLY MOLY!!! It has all the output and muscle of the Ceramic, but a much more open and lively dynamic sound.
Demo on your channel?
@88_TROUBLE_88 I'd love to, but I sold the guitar I put that pickup in. It's an easy modification, I encourage anyone to try some simple magnet swaps. It's easier than you think!
@@jonathananthony1901
Fair enough
2 years laters 😅 some other good pickups : Ibanez super 58/ Maxon U1000/lace sensor gold/ DiMarzio FS1 /Fender nocaster 51/Fender CS69/Dimarzio custom paf pro.
Great video brother!! Just installed a Seymour Duncan Seth Lover Bridge in my Epi 58’ Korina Moderne and it completely changed its tone, which was way shrilly.. no more!!
My favorite humbucker is the Pearly Gates from Duncan. I used to prefer the JB, but the Pearly Gates is a little bit sweeter and pairs just as well with the Jazz as the JB.
Single coils; Fender Tex Mex for me. 80 bucks a set and I like em better than the Specials personally.
Great vid, Robert.
Seymour duncan didn't come out with the dimebucker AFTER dime passed. Dime, and grady worked with sd to make the pickup. Matter of fact, dime was using the prototypes on the last tour he finished. The korean ml he was playing when he was killed, was loaded with the production model we can buy today.
Ive got a Bill Lawrence L500XL just waiting on a new guitar to put it into. I spoke with Bill Lawrence himself when I ordered it years ago.
Check you out..
@@88_TROUBLE_88 What do you mean by that.
seymour duncan black winters are nice too. much like a x2n but not as piercing
59/Jazz and the JB, best pickup combo IMO. I also enjoy the Custom 5 in the bridge. Dímarzio Súper Distortion and X2N are also fantastic.
One thing about the Duncan Full Shred. Some pickups make a big splash when they hit the market, some make a small splash that becomes a tsunami over a number of years. For the Full Shred, a pickup first produced in 1987, the year I first loaded one into a Baretta, it didn't make a big splash. I only met one other player who was rocking one on the Sunset Strip back then and he was playing a Viv Campbell signature Kramer Nightswan which came loaded with the FS in the bridge. What's happened over the decades is the FS grew a fanbase in the nü-metal, trash, dark metal, prog and djent world. It's extremely articulate with high gain and has excellent one. You can play complex chords in low tunings and it won't get muddy. The low end is also tight without being thuddish. And the harmonics are absolutely popping. By the specs it's medium output, but it sure doesn't sound low output.
No, it doesn’t. I’ve always loved the Full Shred because, despite its output rating, it sounds like a flamethrower. And like you said, it maintains clarity perfectly. I’ve never understood why more people don’t buy these things up.
@@RobertWJackson It's catching on now, but it just took a long time. I always called it Duncan's DiMarzio, meaning that the design and the marketing campaign and even the double hex look of the thing scream Full Shred. At the time it came out, in the 80s, DiMarzio were still big competition for Duncan and almost all of their ads in guitar mags were replete with shredders and ad copy about high precision accurate performance and razor sharp accuracy blah blah blah. Take it for what it is, it's all hype. I still love a lot of DiMarzios but their ads were a real trip. They still use the same kind off marketing concept. I just trust my ears. I don't care if a pickup is designed by Joe Schmo so long as it rocks.
Agreed. Some of the best pickups I’m using right now are the proprietary Schecter USA Apocalypse pickups in my CR-6.
I've NEVER been disappointed by a Schecter pickup. They started with variations on traditional designs and tone spectrums, then moved into making hotter pickups. Great guitars, great electronics. @@RobertWJackson
Great video Robert, 1977, my 19th birthday my big brother bought me a Dimarzio super distortion for my Fender mustang, he created a monster, 1st guitar was a 65 Gibson SG Jr so I'll always love that p90 / soapbar sound, and my Duncan jbs rock the town
That was an informative and enjoyable video. My favorite pup is the Gibson '57 classic on my LPs. I also use many of the brands that you name in other guitars. Thx for a great listen!
The Fishman Open Core Classics I have in my Charvel pro mod so cal style 2 are killer pickups. Highly recommend
good to see some love for the 490R/498T!
Great info. About buildings vs “builts” - why do we drive in the parkway and park in the driveway?
Haha that's funny too
Ha! I've always said this!!!
And,.
We don't take a sh*t, we leave a sh*t. Lol
:)
@Vinnie Provolone but a carrot is more orange than an orange....
Seymour Duncan and dimarzio are where it’s at. I adore my Jackson Mick Thomson with his signature blackouts. I loved the emg 81/85 set and I have to say, the EMTY Blackouts have me on the Duncan side for active pickups. A buddy of mine is also wrapping up a custom build for me with a lone dimarzio x2n in the bridge a la chuck schuldiner. Really excited to try that out for some monstrous tones using the neural soldano plugin
Why the comment was a reply to your Carlin esque dissection of weird English words and phrases is beyond me. I must’ve been half asleep commenting
One of my absolute favorites is the Seymour Duncan Antiquity Humbucker set. Clarity, bite, versatility. It's all there and they just sing. Had a set in my Explorer from '95 and they just gave that guitar exactly what I wanted in the tone department, only problem is the guitar didn't stay in tune worth a damn and broke high E strings like it ate them for breakfast so I sold it. Still got the pickups though.
I would have to agree. I've got those on my Les Paul with the "relic" Antiquity version and it took the guitar from so-so level to holy grail level in my collection. They must have some kind of unobtainium magnets to do that.
Thx Robert for the video. About a year ago I bought a used set of Gibson 490R 498T for my 338 copy. I be getting around to installing them this weekend.
My go to pickup is the Duncan Distortion. One of the best for high gain tones in my opinion.
Yep, great pickup. George Lynch’s favorite!
I've been using Rio Grande tall boys in my main vintage strat for over 20 years. I think Rio Grande makes some of the best pickups around in various models both humbucker and single coils.
The JB and Jazz pair really well. IMO though the best one is the Bareknuckle Juggernaut.
My Charvel San Dimas has the '59 and JB combo which is classic as well. I need to get the Jazz pup into one of my guitars one day.
Your Charvel has the JB? Interesting. Charvel usually opts for the Custom in the bridge, while Jackson usually uses the JB.
@@RobertWJackson The 2015s style 2H (Specific Ocean great finish) came with the classic 59/JB pups. The So-Cals came with the Super Distortion set.
@Vinnie Provolone I could never really pick out the difference between '59 and the Jazz pups, my guitar teacher told me it was because I tried a RR in a music store and I would here it through my own rig. I hear nothing but great things about the Jazz pup.
@@RobertWJackson I think my Schecter C1 Classic has that combo
I should know that
I put a Dimarzio Super 3 in the bridge & a Dimarzio PAF in the neck of a Ibanez Jem Jr. It's a hot rod now! I love it!
My top 3 are Seymour Duncan TB 6 Distortion and TB 4 JB and the EMG 70s hybrid puckups.
Seth Lover at Gibson and Ray Butts at Gretsch were working independently of each other, but at the same time to create a hum canceling pickup. Lover’s patent application landed at the Patent Office before Butts’ application did and that’s why Lover is attributed with the invention of the Hum Canceling guitar pickup. True story.
It’s probably best that creation of this invention happened as it did. I can image s that if each man had been aware of the other’s effort and had decided to collaborate, we’d have ended up with a creation known the Butts-Lover pickup. There’s a gay bar joke in their somewhere and that’s why the PAF and FilterTron monikers are definitely easier to market. lol
I realize that you were attempting to be humorous, but gay jokes just like racial jokes are in bad taste...no matter your personal feelings
Jeez I guess clowning just brings the clouds out now for some....chill the fuck out! It's not that serious damn!
Crybabies like you are why the world is now full of sjw clowns offended by everything. Don't like his joke keep scrolling
And stand-up comedians, South Park and Family Guy still use them and it still works. Remember Ralphie May?
Yes, there is. Just shift the "s." That way you include heteros and homos alike. Who doesn't love butts? So, butt-lovers may it forever be.
My list for stacked humbuckers would be the Bill Lawrence L250, Dimarzio Fast Track 2, Dragonfire Duo Rail and Dimarzio Chopper.
Bridge P.U. ; Dimarzio Evolution, SD JB, Dragonfire Screamers, Carvin M22SD ( like a Evo, but w/ better bass, more upper mids, better highs, more headroom ) , Schaller Actives P.U. , Bare Knuckel Rebel Yell and GFS Fat Crunchy Pat's.
Neck humbucker ( for Metal ) ; Bill Lawrence XL500, Dragonfire Modbucker, S.D. Screamin' Demon, GFS VEH and S.D. Pearly Gates.
I'd love to see a list with boutique manufacturers, however this could be quite difficult. My fave pickup is Axesrus Waith (made for me in England) but i also dig Gibson 500t, Carvin M22T, DiMarzio SD, SD Invader, Tonerider Octane etc....
I bought a partscaster strat with SD Handwound Hendrix Custom shops. Goddamn they sound good!
Great review on a very complex subject - considering pickups sound different in different types of guitars (i.e., hollowbody vs semi hollowbody vs solid body/glued in neck vs solid body with bolt on neck, etc etc etc). Well done!
Didnt Ray Butts build the first humbucker but was beat to the Patton office?
I've have Gibson 496r/500t, '57/'57+,490r/498t(my fav Gibson), sd jazz/jb, & emg85/81, but my favorite of all is the sd18(whole lot of humbucker), hot paf tone, super articulate, with just the right amount of growl
I still have a DiMarzio super distortion in the plastic box that I have had new since the 80s.Never beem fitted .It was going to go in an Sg copy but that got stolen and I have never really found a use for it since.However it sits on the shelf with a model ship and an eight ball trophy of same vintage.
Builtings?, I just fitted Epiphone pro buckers to my 1979 Washburn falcon replacing the awful EMG 81/85 set I stupidly put on it when I was younger, very pleased especially with the coil splitting tones, came all prewired with solder less connections. As I've got older I've grown to appreciate the lower output pickup
I have never been to impressed with the JB and the Thrash factor pickup. I do like the Duncan p rails. Thanks for the video, fun watch!
Thanks man!
@@RobertWJackson I got done playing with my Dean Vmnt, a little eq helps with Daves Signature pickups, just chopping a song together. Great leads for sure .
Nice upload and plenty of info that I didn't know...thanks
Nice List Mr Robert Sir!!
Gibson 500t and the Seymour Duncan Distortion are some of my favourite pickups
I’ve been rocking Duncan’s for as long as I’ve been modding guitars.
Duncan Custom Custom in the bridge of my SG with a no name P94 on the neck
Duncan JB/59 in my San Dimas
59’s in my partscaster
And a Gibson 57 classic in my Les Paul
I dont if they make any now but the gretsch supertons in my astrojet are fantastic, basically slightly higher output filtertron with blades insted of poles
My Favorite pickups are EMG 81, I do have Seymour Duncan JB, Black winter, Hot rails . Dimarzio I have X2N, Super Distortion, D-Activator. So I have a few on the list. I really like the old Carvin M22 series pickups. The M22sd was a great bridge and the M22 neck pickups sing so good. I wish they still made them. great Video Robert.
I love Carvin pickups too, I hope Carvin or Kiesel makes them again.
The M22SD, is like a Dimarzio Evolution, but with cleaner bass, more upper mids, better highs and a lot more headroom.
I think Steve Vai based his Evolution pickups by Dimarzio, on the Carvin M22SD pickup .
@@diaryofanaxeman539 My old carvin dc125 has the M22SD in the bridge. They are awesome pickups and now hard to find.
Such a difficult job trying to come up with this list and I have to agree with a lot of them. Classics and modern both mentioned. Hard to argue with that.
I have two guitars with Fishmans. My BC Rich JRV has the Modern Fluence and my Epiphone Les Paul Prophecy has a variant that was made for the Prophecy series. I think they sound great and I like the different voicings. The Prophecy pickups are especially cool because they have a modern and vintage PAF voicing as well as a single coil like mode.
Agreed I have the Prophecy V and it sounds great.
@@21stcenturymetal31 Those Prophecy guitar can chug. 24 frets, Grover locking tuners, and Fishmans? Under a grand? Take my money! 😂😂😂🤘✌️
One of my favourite pickups is the Bare Knuckle: Holy Diver, great tone, very underrated
You made my day and I couldn't agree with you more on the Duncan JB . I'm always searching for a better sound and have tried many pickups. But I can't find a better all around pickup that can do high HIGH gain and roll off better while maintaining a smooth sound than the JB! I'm always looking for a better one as we all are . I play on 1 channel all the time,even if the amp has 3 channels. ! I won't use them.. I am always rolling the volume pot to control the gain, volume ,. That's just how I learned. You made me feel better that maybe I'm missing out on something lol. However I will give a shout out to the emg 81z? But that guitar now has a JB in it!! 🤘🤘
I love the Seymour Duncan Little 59' & the EVH Wolfgang pups
Good call on the Wolfgang. I always forget those. They’re great!
The hamer explorer I had had Seymour Duncan and a JB in bridge pickup they sounded excellent
Finally! I’ve asked you for this video a few times and it’s done! One of the few things in life that has gone right for me 😂🙃. Thanks Robert 🤘
Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge and Jazz in the neck, case closed, sounds great 99% of the time. For more over the top squigglies harmonics and output Wylde L500xl in the bridge and jazz in the neck. But for me the Seymour Black Winters are by far the best all around for anything not pristine clean, don't let the logos and marketing fool you, they are very well balanced and plenty of output, very good articulation and seperation and sounds very good split as well, so unless you want a Fender clean or are into country or funk music this is by far the best all rounder you can get.
Yes! The JB is IT! Although I wish the Fender 57/62 strat pickups and the Burns Tri Sonics were in the list too.
Dude, I was taking notes. You are righteous as well as timely. I have been neck-deep in pup lore and your contribution goes a long way in extricating me from pickup hell. I love it, but I hate it. Know what I mean? New subscriber and honored to be so. Cheers from SE Asia.
Thanks man! Welcome to the family! 🤘🏼🤘🏼🤘🏼
I did a switch replacement on a friend of mines "91 Charvel and he had an X2N in it, that thing screemed
Put me down on the hate side for all versions of the Fender Noiseless and add Lace to those too. Didn’t realize who much I didn’t like them until i shot them out against two other Strats. It shocked me. But as many people picked them in that vid over the Texas Specials and the Alnico 2’s.
Commenting real time. I’m a Tone Zone guy for the right guitar. I dropped one in my BC Rich Gunslinger and it smokes. Love my Super Distortions too which as you know - was my first aftermarket love bc of Ace!
Yes the TV Jones are better
F to the hell yeah on Texas Specials. Have them in a Strat and a Tele. The cleans are super underrated- everyone focuses on that driven SRV thing and they’re missing half the beauty of it
Park says they’re underwhelming - the Fluence. I kinda wanted to get a Satchel with them in it
Yes on #2 and #1 100%. I used to dream of the Super Distortion! Now I have a set in an LP and multiple JBs
Don’t forget how well the JB splits!
Out of all those pickups I own guitars that have 3 of the pickups on this video.
Emg81, D-activator, and jb59.
I prefer the d-activators.
I’ve heard a lot of people talking about the Duncan Custom, and it’s left me wanting to get my hands on one for the longest time. From a lot of the demos that I’ve heard, it has the same versatility as the JB, but with more harmonic response and a tighter low end due to the ceramic magnet.
The 7 string sets gets you really close to the super metallic sounding tones you get from bands like Meshuggah or After The Burial, and with a boost in front the tightness really gets an opportunity to shine through in regards to both the palm mutes and arpeggiated riffs.
Spoiler alert: pickups add next to nothing to your tone outside of output level and clarity. Anything you’ve been told about “more harmonic response” or “tighter low end” in regards to pickups is nothing more than a myth.
Your Dad joke actually made me LOL. The facial expression was epic BTW. FWIW, my DiMarzio MegaDrive has been one of my favorites for a long long time.
They’re not dad jokes. They’re unanswerable questions.
My favorites:
1. JB/Jazz combo: add a coil split and you can get pretty much any sound you want. I have 3 guitars with this setup.
2. Gibson 490R/498T: you don't need massive output to sound big. There's a reason my Les Paul Goddess gets a lot of playing time.
3. Fishman Fluence Classic: the Moderns are great, but I think the Classics are more versatile.
4. Bare Knuckle Rebel Yell: I like these the most out of the BKs I've tried.
5. Fender Texas Special: how to make a perfect Strat tone.
All great picks! I agree about the 490R/498T set. Great pickups.
@@RobertWJackson As much as I love the OG Dirty Fingers in my '85 Explorer for shreddy metal, the 490R/498T combo are perfect for classic rock.
I love the Dirty Fingers, as well, both the vintage ones and the current reissues, but those pickups DO NOT like high-gain amps. They’re really meant more to turn a moderate gain amp into a high gain amp, otherwise they just get really muddy.
I’m on the hunt for a very smooth, perfectly balanced pickup set both in eq and paired with each other. I hate harsh sounding highs and I’m looking for something with a more vintage voice.
Great video and great choices.. I love the Dimarzio SD.. The JB was always a tad bright for me in some guitars..
I also love the Dimarzio Super 3 .. Had one in my Fender HM strat years ago..
One I think that most people don't know about that is great is the Rio Grande BBQ bucker.. Very cool pickup..
Thanks man..
Your taste runs very similar to mine. I love the Dimarzio SD as my number one, followed by the JB because of the treble, and third is the Super 3, which sounds great but, to me, can get a tad muddy in the bottom at times.
@@nomadronin7361 Yeah. I totally agree with all you said. I'm also liking the Duncan Custom 5 which sounds like the DiMarzio SD to me. Maybe a tad less output, but same EQ overall. I'm sticking one in my Charvel as soon as I have time. ♥️🤘
Thank you for the love of the Lawrence XL500! Alas, you left off the Pearly Gates, but we all have our favs.
No one can deny the popularity of the JB. I think the reason it's had so much sticking power is that it's a genuinly great pickup, DESPITE the fact that EVH and so many legends have used it and continue to use it. It's just rock solid. I think the reason it caught on so well also has a lot to do with the evolution of high gain amps. I'm not an expert in how pickups are made but I now a lot about how they sound and why a particular pickup works well with a particular amp or pedal while another may not work so well. For one, the JB gained popularity at just the right time. Although first produced in 1976, it didn't make a splash till Eddie, Randy and other great players adapted it. It worked very well for their amp setups. Players in the Hollywood shred scene, which I was a part of in the late 80s, started adapting the JB, first probably because of who used it, but they realised it worked great and had no buyers remorse. This was the time when amps started have more high gain right out of the box with the master volume and dual channels. You put an ax with a JB in front of a JCM 800 and a good dirt box and it's going to scream. Same with a Laney, Boogie or solid-state Randall. The legend of this pickup just grew and grew. It became the stock pup for several Kramers including the unofficial EVH model, the Baretta. The Super Distortion was still very popular in this era, but the JB was gaining ground fast. The Super Distortion is still going strong, but it's hard to argue against the fact that the JB has surpassed it as the number one most popular after market (and in many cases stock) pickup of all time. The thing just works. It can make a clunky amp sound a lot smoother and musical. I've experienced this firsthand. Personally, it's not my go-to pickup. I'm more likely to use a Full Shred or one of my favorite DiMarzios including the X2N or Super 3.
SD Custom Custom for singing lead work. SD Full-Shred for neck pickup.
JB alnico 8 with 1 meg pot, but I tend to replace all my humbucker pots to 1 meg, due to it opens up more clarity and output of the pickup
Mike Hunt yeah, why? you can upgrade the stock JB alnico 5 magnets to Alnico 8 or buy a special order JB 8
Iv gotten into swapping magnets in last 2,3 years , lots of fun . And save $ and usually nail down what i want . Worth trying .
You definitely have some clarity going on
Mike Hunt yes, but I am more on boutique pickups right now and actually upgrading the bar magnets to get the sound that I want. I will definitely recommend the iron gear pickups, entwistle pickups and dragon fire pickups, they have some quality pickups that will meet every guitar player’s demand
I make a few with Alnico 9
I love the SSL-5 and you are right, Seymour Duncan recommended that you pair them with SSL-1, JB Jr, Hot Rails, and the full JB. They have a high K output, but the Strat sounds are classic, yet revved up! The SSL-5 Bridge with SSL-1 Middle/Neck is a perfect Strat set!
I find this videos very helpful in my search for pick ups, thanks Robbert
You’re welcome!
Definitely great list. You got to number 2 and I was like number 1 better be jb. It is by far in the most guitars I own, jb and jazz combo. Emg 81 is my second choice however I prefer emg 81/60 combo. The only pair I would add is th petrucci set rainmaker and Dreamweaver. I bought those and put in my Ibanez j custom.
Fishman I am not a fan of. I love Fishman acoustic, by far best acoustic and electric piezo. But the electric pickups I find them harsh. The other reason I don't like them is battery life. You might get 5 days of 1-2 hours of play on a 9 volt. Where emg go a year for me. They have a rechargeable pack as well but do I need another thing on a charger all the time. My guitars with Fishman recharge packs I can't just pick up and play if they been sitting a few weeks. You have to charge them first. I got that BC rich warlock extreme last year with Fishman. Pulled and put in emgs. Battery was in electronic cavity. Had to pull it every week to change it.
*My current favorite two humbucker pickup combination by far is a Duncan 59' Custom Hybrid at the bridge, and a Duncan Alnico II Pro Neck at the neck... The best classic Strat set that won't hum is a DiMarzio Area set..., a 67' at the neck, a 58' in the middle, and a 61' at the bridge... The Area 67' is the cleanest, brightest, and least bassy, of the entire DiMarzio Area series, and is modeled after the underwound CBS era 67' Strat pickups that Hendrix used at Monterey.... The Area 58' is the second cleanest of the line, and is modeled after the original spec 58' Strat pickups used by Buddy Holly... And the Area 61' is the third cleanest of the series, and it it was modeled after the randomly overwound 61' Strat pickups used by Stevie Ray Vaughan...*
Man you left off two of my favs, the Duncan Antiquitys and the Screamin Demon
Screaming Demon huh! I like the sound of that.
For Strat Sullivan out of Texas and Klein also out of Texas, if you like the 69 custom shop tone
Robert I have to agree with you 100%
I have always felt the JB was too bright in the bridge. I did once pair one with the SD Distortion. The JB worked well in the neck spot.
@BigKii yes, I have used 250k on everything for years.
The Reverend pickups with three fat polepieces for trebles and blades for the bass strings are a major breakthrough for us that like smooth highs and tight lows.Also the Duncan Nashville's or 5/2 strat pu similarly uses alnico 5 for bass and alnico 2 for treble.P 90 are the most versatile of vintage pickups..Ask Tony Iommi and / or Duane Eddy..two quite different players.
Those are independently made humbuckers by a company called "RAIL-HAMMER" and aren't necessarily exclusive to Reverend. They're my favorite
I’m building a Strat with vintage style p/u’s.I’ve named it building .However it may be fully built one day so I will call it built.
Hey Robert, why not get a single pickup guitar that allows for easy pup swaps? look no further than to your shirt, Kramer has the 84 or the barretta special.
It’s still a pain in the ass. LOL Also, I’ve learned that pickup demos are particularly difficult because, in order to effectively demonstrate a pickup’s tone, you have to compare it to a stock pickup or a well-known pickup of some kind in the exact same guitar. Every time I’ve ever done a video on pickups, it’s always been A LOT of work that yielded very little results.
@@RobertWJackson that makes sense
Well maybe guys forget about the dan Armstrong plexi guitars you could slide the one pick up in and out and swap for different tone models rock country jazz ...they slid in and out and were fastened by a thumbscrew in the back.....no soldering....and they still fetch a good buck today......many of the usual suspects have played em.
Sorry for trolling.....just sayn....peace lol I guess I'm way off topic nvrmnd lol
Dave Grohl uses those right?
I'd have to go for the Rowe DeArmond M5A single coil, very unique sound and priceless in the bridge position on an LP.
For me The Duncan SH-5 custom is by far the best P\up I've ever used. Gives me everything I need tone-wise.
In total agreement - its got a mean sound - no flub - harmonics on all strings - perfection…
The Suhr Doug Aldrich pickups are amazing! You gotta review those
I rarely do reviews of anything, I primarily just do demos. Regardless, pickup demos are colossal-sized pain in the ass because I have to modify one of MY guitars at MY own expense, which is total bullshit and a complete waste of my time. I’ll likely never do another pickup video again unless I am WELL compensated for it.
Fort the EMGs, I love the 89s, because you can split them.
Also for Duncans, I love the 59 sets
I stay in a nice built. 🤪🙃😉
Me too. LOL
I had a USA BC Rich Warlock with Dimarzio super distortions and it was a beast!! Loved it! Now I have a Jackson with the 81/85 set and I'm loving it too! Also the Gibson 498R/500T set are great sounding IMHO
my favorite pickups are gibson burstbucker pro atleast the ones i have from 2014 i dont know if they have changed but damn thos pickups are insanely nice
The Pros are the only Burstbuckers that I like. I have one in the neck position of my SG. I HATE the Burstbucker 1, 2, and 3.
Lace Sensors are the best pickups ever in my opinion :)
I’m buying some Slick Fullerton Tele pick-ups and taking out my fender vintage-toneless.
The stock-pickup sounded better & my guitar-wrencher is a legend in Hollywood ... Seriously. They suck.
The Slick Fullerton’s sound perfect to my ears.
I bought a Slick SL54. Immediately sold my #1 axe because it could not compete.
@@johnschutt9088 Seriously? Because I can’t believe the sound of those pick-ups.
My favorite pickups are the Duncan Jb and the Dimebucker. I run my shit through a 6505+ and it rips
Yep ace never had the neck & middle even wired. Just the bridge.
Hope this helps....its called a building because in this case, 'ing' is a suffix with meaning 'the product of'. Such as a chick that has hatched is called a hatchling. Therefore the product of a build is a building.
I think my IQ went up a few points reading your comment
Surprised there was no mention of Lindy Fralins, Lollar Imperials, Throbaks, Wolftones, etc. oh well. I have Lindy Fralin Vintage Hots in my USA Hamer Daytona (strat), and Wolftone Marshallhead bridge/Dr. Vintage neck in my USA Hamer Monaco Elite. Outstanding.
The Wolftones are cool, but I HATE Lindy Fralin pickups. Not a fan of those at all.
@@RobertWJackson fair enough. Each to their own. I’ve been kinda meh about most of the Duncans I’ve tried. Of all the Duncan’s, the SH-11 Custom Custom in the bridge of an SG I used to have stuck around the longest. Also not a fan of the Gibson 490/498 set. I have a set of those in my Les Paul Standard. At some point, those will get yanked out. It’s all very subjective based on each person’s style. For my Les Paul, I’ll be looking for something with more of a vintage low-wind PAF. The Wolftones replaced a Duncan Custom/‘59 set that was in my Hamer Monaco Elite.
These are all solid pickups. I'm not big on actives but I'd take EMG over Fishman. I just prefer the 81 when it comes to actives. For me it defined what an active should be and I don't think Fishmans necessarily sound better. I've tried a few Bareknuckles and they are good. I dig the Duncan Full Shred and JB. Both great pickups. I love the Dimarzio Super Distortion and X2N. I find the D Activator to be a little cold. I know the X2N ain't exactly warm either, but maybe I'm just used to it so it's a personal bias. The Bill Lawrence is a great pickup and the Duncan Dimebucker, modeled after it, is also terrific. I don't think one is necessarily better than the other. They are just too similar. For an all out metal tone I'd go with the X2N. It also coil splits and does parallel like a champ. To cover everything under the sun I'd go with a Super Distortion bridge and DiMarzio Air Zone in the neck. I also love the Tone Zone and Air Zone and Steve's Special, the latter being one of the best pickups you can buy if you play with a lot of mids in your amp. It dials them back and gives you a lot of control.
Great video on a volatile lol subject. Your the king of Greatest/Worst ever guitar gear videos...👍
Thanks man!
Yes! I have a JB/59 set in my Les Paul and it's by far the best pickup I've ever played. I recommend them every chance I get bc of how versatile they are. I play everything from Zeppelin, Skynyrd and Sabbath to Lamb Of God BLS and Metallica and I have yet to find a style of music that these pick ups don't do extremely well!
Agreed.
Every guitar I play on a regular basis has a Gibson p90 or a high output equivalent. I wish Gibson could build a guitar that would stay in tune for more than 1 song. I have tele but can’t listening to it, but it will stay in tune for days. I had some 490s ,thought they sounded muddy
I bought the het set quite awhile ago imo they are way more well rounded then the 81 89 (not saying the 81 89 are bad they sound great for what I use them for.)
Ironically, the JB is on my hotlist to purchase next and tryout as I’ve never played one. I was gonna by the classic JB/Jazz combo. On another note, the best sounding pickup I own is the Gibson Dirty Fingers+. It’s one of the ones like Robert said, you can only get it in a Gibson guitar. However, the regular Dirty Fingers bridge pickup is on the market. I bought the set from a Reverb seller that removed them from a 2016 Gibson Flying V as he said they were too hot for his taste. I’ve only installed the bridge one so far in my cherry Epiphone G400 SG and that sucker sounds unbelievably killer. I can’t comment on the clean tone though as I play higher gain stuff. It sounds extremely tuff and throaty and definitely my favorite pickup of my ten plus guitars. I have the Dimarzio Super Distortion III in my Jackson V and to me it sounds like a classic rock pickup. Looks cool though, they’re red in my black V.
My next favorite is the EMG 57. I have the 57/66 in two of my guitars and that bridge position 57 rocks! They’re active but also have the pole pieces so I guess that’s why they sound so killer. By the way the new Epiphone Prophecy guitars come with custom Fishman Fluence pickups. I believe they have three different settings. Off topic but I think the Epiphone Prophecy series guitars are really good quality for the money, and Robert had them on the list in one of his videos about great guitars for the money or under rated guitars or something.
You can buy them at guitar center lmao
Not the Dirty Fingers +, you can’t.
Great video as always Robert 🤘
Who's Rob?
@Fried Rudibega RIGHT???🤦🏻♂️
@@RobertWJackson 😆
I apologise, i thought Rob was just shorted for Robert.
@@TheKBLarsen it's cool. It's kinda an inside joke but he did a vid recently about how he doesn't answer to Rob lolz
Own a few of the pickups on this list and was shocked to see the JB hit #1! I actually have a JB jr in a tele and its one of my favorite pickups of all time as well. The 498T/490R is probably one of the most versatile and unsung pickup combos of all time. Simple and yet unbelievably effective ( throughout the 90s they, alongside another favorite: the 500T/496R ceramics, were in almost every Gibson made, save for the historic line and the 57 Classic and Classic Plus PAF)
Yep, those were the good ol’ days. Then somebody at Gibson said “BURSTBUCKER!!!” and many of their guitars began to sound like shit. LOL (I actually really like the Burstbucker Pro, but the 1, 2, and 3 are all hot garbage.)
@@RobertWJackson I had the 498T/490R set in an LP Tribute that I couldn’t gel with at all but for me they are magic in an SG or Explorer. I think the brightness pairs well with those all mahogany bodies. Learning to love my Burstbucker Pros in my LP but it’s taken me awhile
I got the 496/500 in a 97 studio and they are powerful. At least compared to my Strat with 3 color Lace Sensors. Why no love for those p/u's. I love the versatility of these. All the tones for cover band work I get out of these. But I also see a lot of bad reviews for these and how fast they get replaced.
It's funny you say the JB is the best. I literally just purchased a JB and a Jazz for my guitar, tonight. $156.00 US. They won't even arrive for two days. Can't wait to install them. This will be my first time playing on these pups and I know they're going to be everything I expect and more. Cheers
Hee hee!! Buildings should be called builts!! My favorite is the Duncan 59,its an alnico V PAF creation, sounds as good or better than botique priced pickups. Have a ser in my Washburn Idol. Another fav,DiMarzio Tone Zone. Bought a Peavey Limited ST that the previous owner installed and sounds perfect alone or perfect with the Peavey single coils. Another fav,DiMarzio HS-2 Strat pickups which sound awesome clean or heavily distorted. Have to include the DiMarzio PAF PRO as it sounds great ,also perfect with HS-2's in the neck and middle. P-90...YES!!! Also,have a Stew-Mac Golden Age PAF alnico V--simolar to a Duncan 59 but not a copy. A great extremely well made pickup that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Great video.😎👍🤘😎🇱🇷
Hey, I just gave away a Yamaha Distortion pedal like that.
I don’t blame you. That’s the worst sounding distortion pedal on the planet, and I usually LOVE Yamaha gear. LOL
Great video!
EMG makes oves100 pickup modeĺs. BTW.
actually.. EMG had a telecaster set since the mid-80's.. i know because i put that in myh telecaster because my tely was picking up the 60hz cycle in my basement and i wanted a more quiet pickup.. they are great but i am very susprised telecaster player don't put them in their guitars..especially that neck which is wayyyy better than any telecaster neck pickup out there
Robert, have you tried SD Retributions? Designed by Dino Cazares with lots of help from LA guitar tech Moshe Alvarez, they sound a lot more alive than EMGs. Love mine!
No I haven’t. I’ll have to give them a try.
Spot on, except I think the DiMarzio Evolution should be on the list. But that’s why it you list ....
Im no Dimebag historian but didnt his guitars (maybe only production signature models) sometime in the late 90's have the Dimarzio X2N in them? not sure if he ever used it but I believe Dean or Washburn used them in signature models. Dimarzio Dactivators are one of the best pickups ever made. I have the 7 string version and it is amazing. Not only does it sound better than ANY active pup it can hang with any other passive.
I’m not aware of Dimebag ever using the X2N, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he did. The ceramic magnet blade humbucker was definitely his jam.
@@RobertWJackson Nope sorry I was thinking of CHUCK SCHULDINER of DEATH. My fault.
Fast Eddie Clarke from Motörhead used the X2n back in the day
Damn Good list Robert.
Thanks man!