Ash's top six of hidden gem pickups.

OilCityPickups

I thought this would be a fun exercise.

This is a very personal list ...

No10.

The original spec DiMarzio Super Distortion. I adore them, it has to be an old one mind ... as Larry changed the formula.

No 5.

The Ibanez Super 70 ... A PAF output pickup with a blistering alnico 8 magnet ... again the old ones are different to the later reissues.

No 4.

The original Hofner staple humbucker pickup ... it's a shame they die so easily as they sound really nice ... luckily they are easy to get rewound to original spec.

No 3

The original 60s spec firebird pickup ... glorious humbucking Tele on steroids sounds.

No 2.

The original DiMarzio PAF ... nothing like a Gibson PAF ... but lovely none the less.

No 1.

The DeArmond Dynasonic ... shares some DNA with original staple P90s, and is as difficult to fit to a guitar because of the 'valve gear' on the back ... but what a sound! Chewy and powerful while still being sparkling and cutting. I have a 1950s pair I'm just waiting for the right guitar to be a home for them.

earwighoney

OilCityPickups said:

I thought this would be a fun exercise.

This is a very personal list ...

No10.

The original spec DiMarzio Super Distortion. I adore them, it has to be an old one mind ... as Larry changed the formula.

No 5.

The Ibanez Super 70 ... A PAF output pickup with a blistering alnico 8 magnet ... again the old ones are different to the later reissues.

No 4.

The original Hofner staple humbucker pickup ... it's a shame they die so easily as they sound really nice ... luckily they are easy to get rewound to original spec.

No 3

The original 60s spec firebird pickup ... glorious humbucking Tele on steroids sounds.

No 2.

The original DiMarzio PAF ... nothing like a Gibson PAF ... but lovely none the less.

No 1.

The DeArmond Dynasonic ... shares some DNA with original staple P90s, and is as difficult to fit to a guitar because of the 'valve gear' on the back ... but what a sound! Chewy and powerful while still being sparkling and cutting. I have a 1950s pair I'm just waiting for the right guitar to be a home for them.

Great list. 

Here's my list of 'alternative pickups'

5) Hershey Bar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNuukrlh2yQ

4) Johnny Smith 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1x78S0bv1V4

3) Guyatone Gold Foil
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLqdl-UPKB8

2) Supro Vista Tone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLIrZEXiT-w

1) Supro Lap Steel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC0vap86UuY

earwighoney

For Johnny Smith's I think this guitar sounds superb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hLjwwW_txo

OilCityPickups

Gold foils are actually becoming a bit mainstream now :-)

I like delving into those designs that have almost disappeared outside of their 'genre' like the Dynasonic. Everyone thinks they are just some rockabilly pickup, but they really are far more than that. Or the Firebird ... that everyone just thinks Johnny Winter and slide playing.

timmypix

It's funny you should mention the Firebird as being a Tele on steroids, as I am very close to approaching you about a Firebird neck/Tele bridge set for a partscaster I'm putting together!

earwighoney

OilCityPickups said:

Gold foils are actually becoming a bit mainstream now :-)

I like delving into those designs that have almost disappeared outside of their 'genre' like the Dynasonic. Everyone thinks they are just some rockabilly pickup, but they really are far more than that. Or the Firebird ... that everyone just thinks Johnny Winter and slide playing.

Yeah you're right about Gold Foils.  As much as I like Collings guitars, when Gold Foils have started being used on their guitars then they might not be an 'alternative' pickup. 

IMO, the Neil Young FB sound is one of the all time great guitar sounds. 

OilCityPickups

I've fitted firebird pickups to Flying Vs and SGs ... as well as Teles and even Strats ... they are brilliant in so many guitars.

Funkfingers

timmypix said:

It's funny you should mention the Firebird as being a Tele on steroids, as I am very close to approaching you about a Firebird neck/Tele bridge set for a partscaster I'm putting together!

One of the old guard American guitar authors - probably Craig Anderton or Donald Brosnac - pointed out that it is physically possible to stack the two coils of a vintage Firebird pickup under a Telecaster neck/Rhythm pickup cover.

My nomination for hidden gem or "forgotten" pickups are the Seymour Duncan Jason Becker Perpetual Burn and SHAH-1 Allan Holdsworth signature model humbuckers. The former gets very little publicity nowadays. The latter is only available as a Custom Shop special order item. Most of what it does can be achieved by an A2 magnet swap into an SH-/TB-4 JB.

OilCityPickups said:

No 1. The DeArmond Dynasonic ... shares some DNA with original staple P90s, and is as difficult to fit to a guitar because of the 'valve gear' on the back ... but what a sound! Chewy and powerful while still being sparkling and cutting. I have a 1950s pair I'm just waiting for the right guitar to be a home for them.

For the past eighteen months, I have been mostly enjoying the PRS/G&B D-Type pickup in a semi-hollow S2 Vela. Very responsive to picking dynamics, volume pot settings and amplifier gain.

OilCityPickups

Funkfingers said:

timmypix said:

It's funny you should mention the Firebird as being a Tele on steroids, as I am very close to approaching you about a Firebird neck/Tele bridge set for a partscaster I'm putting together!

One of the old guard American guitar authors - probably Craig Anderton or Donald Brosnac - pointed out that it is physically possible to stack the two coils of a vintage Firebird pickup under a Telecaster neck/Rhythm pickup cover.

My nomination for hidden gem or "forgotten" pickups are the Seymour Duncan Jason Becker Perpetual Burn and SHAH-1 Allan Holdsworth signature model humbuckers. The former gets very little publicity nowadays. The latter is only available as a Custom Shop special order item. Most of what it does can be achieved by an A2 magnet swap into an SH-/TB-4 JB.

OilCityPickups said:

No 1. The DeArmond Dynasonic ... shares some DNA with original staple P90s, and is as difficult to fit to a guitar because of the 'valve gear' on the back ... but what a sound! Chewy and powerful while still being sparkling and cutting. I have a 1950s pair I'm just waiting for the right guitar to be a home for them.

For the past eighteen months, I have been mostly enjoying the PRS/G&B D-Type pickup in a semi-hollow S2 Vela. Very responsive to picking dynamics, volume pot settings and amplifier gain.

The Jason Becker pickup is a true classic ... not tried the Holdsworth pickup. 
People really miss out pickup wise when they just go for the usual suspects. Les Pauls sound amazing with Firebird pickups, and I tried a pair of rewound Hofner staples in our pickup tester Strat (bodged in with gaffer tape and foam) ... and it sounded brilliant. There is more to life than a Duncan JB :-)

axisus

DiMarzio Super Distortion: Why would they change a pickup? Why not keep the old one and just call the new version by a different name?

OilCityPickups

axisus said:

DiMarzio Super Distortion: Why would they change a pickup? Why not keep the old one and just call the new version by a different name?

The magnet assembly of the original pickup was a bit unique ... the magnet wasn't the same size as the current one. The original pickup was unpotted and the pole screws were a different sort of steel. I think they updated it to make it easier to mass produce than the original. The same is true of the Super 70 ... the original was super high quality and must have cost a fortune to build. 

TheMarlin

My favourite. 

59/60 Filtertrons. 
TV Jones Classic Plus (Bridge). 
Gibson P94’s (adore the tone of Gibson ES195)
Dynasonics
Supertrons (neck)
Hilotrons
Mojo Gold-foil
Oil City neck P90 I had was glorious. 

OilCityPickups

TheMarlin said:

My favourite. 

59/60 Filtertrons. 
TV Jones Classic Plus (Bridge). 
Gibson P94’s (adore the tone of Gibson ES195)
Dynasonics
Supertrons (neck)
Hilotrons
Mojo Gold-foil
Oil City neck P90 I had was glorious. 

Thanks for the mention ... I'm not exactly non mainstream lol ... 
The Dynasonics I have need a damn fine guitar to go in ... as soon as I can afford it I shall pick up something interesting. 

TheMarlin

OilCityPickups said:

TheMarlin said:

My favourite. 

59/60 Filtertrons. 
TV Jones Classic Plus (Bridge). 
Gibson P94’s (adore the tone of Gibson ES195)
Dynasonics
Supertrons (neck)
Hilotrons
Mojo Gold-foil
Oil City neck P90 I had was glorious. 

Thanks for the mention ... I'm not exactly non mainstream lol ... 
The Dynasonics I have need a damn fine guitar to go in ... as soon as I can afford it I shall pick up something interesting. 

You could always shove those Dynasonics in one of my guitars!  I'd give them a good home!

Fuengi

I'm absolutely clueless about pickups.

I like the P90s in my Mustang. If I wanted something approaching that in my Stratocaster what would I look for in a single coil? 

OilCityPickups

TheMarlin said:

OilCityPickups said:

TheMarlin said:

My favourite. 

59/60 Filtertrons. 
TV Jones Classic Plus (Bridge). 
Gibson P94’s (adore the tone of Gibson ES195)
Dynasonics
Supertrons (neck)
Hilotrons
Mojo Gold-foil
Oil City neck P90 I had was glorious. 

Thanks for the mention ... I'm not exactly non mainstream lol ... 
The Dynasonics I have need a damn fine guitar to go in ... as soon as I can afford it I shall pick up something interesting. 

You could always shove those Dynasonics in one of my guitars!  I'd give them a good home!

Ha! Tough luck dude ... I think they are staying with me ;-)

TheMarlin

Heads up, there is a functioning old Dynasonic for sale over at Gretsch Talk.

OilCityPickups

Fuengi said:

I'm absolutely clueless about pickups.

I like the P90s in my Mustang. If I wanted something approaching that in my Stratocaster what would I look for in a single coil? 

The tough bit is that the conventional Strat pickup form factor only allows for tall, narrow pickups ... and the essential character of a P 90 comes from a short fat coil with twin opposed magnets. You can get in the ball park but to get a short fat coil you need to use much finer wire to save room ... which adds more compression. it's all a trade off.  

OilCityPickups

TheMarlin said:

Heads up, there is a functioning old Dynasonic for sale over at Gretsch Talk.

Interesting ...

Funkfingers

Fuengi said:

I like the P90s in my Mustang. If I wanted something approaching that in my Stratocaster what would I look for in a single coil? 

One of the Lace Sensor models purports to do exactly that. I forget whether it is the Burgundy or the Purple. 

impmann

Mini Humbuckers sound amazing in the right setting - almost acoustic levels of detail.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5qUa1ZRY4g

I'm also a massive fan of the original Shergold pickups (made by ReAn). Unusual construction (I'm sure Ash can give chapter and verse about it - he rebuilt one of mine for me) gives a very distinctive sound - especially if you fit 500k pots instead of the factory fit 100k ones.

I also rather like the original Kent Armstrong PAF+ he used to hand make when based in Ashford (not the Sky or "Designed by" Far Eastern ones). Quite bright, very pokey but with a great snarl. Hard to find now...