European-made single coils: uncertain what I really need

rapakivi

I'm in the market for new single coil pickups for my Duo Sonic, 22.7" scale, 7.5" fretboard with maple neck, poplar body.

I'm mainly interested in postpunk, indie, alternative, 60s garage, earliest/pre-punk/NY scene, but also love crisp, punchy cleans. Only use a fuzz or distortion pedal or go for an edge of breakup sound if not playing completely clean. Not interested in high gain music, metal, blues or classic rock. While I like crisp, bright cleans, I think I do prefer the Jaguar and mustang sound over Strats in general.

I've talked to different producers but am very uncertain on what exactly I need. A bit more power on the bridge pickup and maybe a baseplate? But how much oomph is too much for my needs? Would I still get nice cleans? What megnets? And how much does the short scale of my guitar influence the sound? Will Strat pickups sound good, considering nobody really does offset/shortscale ones and will my guitar 'just' sound like a Strat? A producer of course can recommend vitage 60s pickups, or hot vintage ones with about 7-9k but for me it's difficult to say what the right choice is as I simply lack the experience.

Btw, I don't like the current pickups: far too warm, don't respond well to pedals, and the sound is not very refined. Playing more guitars first to learn what I want is difficult as I can only play very lightweight, small and tiny neck guitars due to some joint/connective tissue issues unless I enjoy disconnecting various joints Nope, I don't.   Thus there's just not more choice for me.

Help?

Funkfingers

What type of plastic pickup covers are you thinking of using?

The "vintage correct" closed top covers can only accommodate pickups with their rod magnets flush with the surface of the upper fibreboard bobbin plate. 

IMO, the Fender Duo-Sonic is its own thing. Without the encumbrance of a vibrato bridge and accompanying cavities, the tone is never going to be exactly like a Jaguar or even a Mustang. Not necessarily a bad thing.

paulnb57

Bare Knuckle Sinners, don't be (mis) guided by the huge output, turn the volume pot down a bit and they do clean very well, not Stratty, but bloody good, up the volume pot and it will drive a clean amp into breakup, I stick a treble bleed on the volume pot as well, My absolute favoirite pickup, much underestimated.......in my opinion...
I have one in my custom Mustang, along with a single coil size Creamery P90, the P90 is also very good but will be replaced by a Sinner when I can find someone selling one on....

rapakivi

Funkfingers said:

What type of plastic pickup covers are you thinking of using?

The "vintage correct" closed top covers can only accommodate pickups with their rod magnets flush with the surface of the upper fibreboard bobbin plate. 

IMO, the Fender Duo-Sonic is its own thing. Without the encumbrance of a vibrato bridge and accompanying cavities, the tone is never going to be exactly like a Jaguar or even a Mustang. Not necessarily a bad thing.

My guitar has staggered poles and plastic covers with holes. This seems to work quite well on this guitar in that the sound of all strings is there. I think these are rather cheap Strat pickups.

Yes, I realize the sound will not be the same as a Jag or Stang. Top mounted strings will have an influence on the sound as well, and there's no space for more complicated rewiring similar to a Jag. I could do a few things with push/pull pots if I deepen the cavity a bit but that's for later. At the moment I'm trying to decide on pickups that fit the music I like. And it's so darn difficult if you don't know how to interpret specs and how those will sound in your guitar.

rapakivi

paulnb57 said:

Bare Knuckle Sinners, don't be (mis) guided by the huge output, turn the volume pot down a bit and they do clean very well, not Stratty, but bloody good, up the volume pot and it will drive a clean amp into breakup, I stick a treble bleed on the volume pot as well, My absolute favoirite pickup, much underestimated.......in my opinion...
I have one in my custom Mustang, along with a single coil size Creamery P90, the P90 is also very good but will be replaced by a Sinner when I can find someone selling one on....

Hmm... I was rather thinking of the Irish Tour to still get a crisp 60s sound but they might be a bit too warm when used on a shortscale guitar. I think the Sinners sound a bit too dark for my liking. At least I'm missing a bright punch and a bit of twang in that sound. How much I need of that or can achieve with my guitar is a different question though. I do dig the typical single coil sound and am not really into humbuckers while I know that that many of the bands I mentioned used humbuckers. I've never actually tried P90s as there's no guitar I can try them in. They might just be a bit too powerful as well but I don't know.

Roland

rapakivi said:

... it's so darn difficult if you don't know how to interpret specs and how those will sound in your guitar.

The only solution I’ve found involves buying trying and reselling pickups. The advantage of the forum is quite a lot of us do it, and the pickups get passed around.

rapakivi

Roland said:

rapakivi said:

... it's so darn difficult if you don't know how to interpret specs and how those will sound in your guitar.

The only solution I’ve found involves buying trying and reselling pickups. The advantage of the forum is quite a lot of us do it, and the pickups get passed around.

Yep, there seems to be a good amount of experience around here with a UK/European focus. This is why I joined. I'm not in the UK, and selling used pickups will likely be a bit more difficult but we'll see about that. Of course I want the perfect sound, and I want it now but I think it will be a journey of discovery to figure out what that perfect sound is.

victorludorum

The Creamery seem to do a few options aimed at the punk/post punk sound.