School me on pickup replacement

[chille01]

I've owned scads of guitars, but I've never swapped out my pickups in any of them.  I've got a Tokai Love Rock (Les Paul clone), and thinking about swapping out the stock pups.  Play mainly crunchy rock and roll stuff with a EL34, AC/DC kind of tone on the amps.  Once in a while I get a little fuzzier with an Octavia clone.  I'm happy with my rhythm tone, so just looking for something with a bit more grease for lead work.  Something with more sustain, and probably some higher output.  Any ideas?

Heard of GFS
Bare Knuckle
Seymour Duncan
Rio Grande...

Which PUPS have rocked your world?

[Instant Dan]

There are a lot but if you are looking for AC/DC sound, you need to look into the Alnico II area as far as pickups go.

One of my favorite pickup combo's for LP's for a more balanced sound is the Gibson 57 combo.

[chille01]

Thanks Dan.  Interesting note:  You've got my real name in your pic.  Creepy!

[inductorguitars]

Lindy Fralin
Lollar
the creamery

The Fralin's are the least expensive.

[db3jed]

I've tried lots of different pups through the years (I've been doing guitar repair/mods since '84) so I've had a chance to try lots of pups.
Funny thing; after all of the pups I've tried/heard through the years I keep finding myself coming back to the Dimarzio Super Distortion (in the bridge position).
I guess it just tickles the right spot for me tonally (in a Gibson Explorer and a Fender Fat Strat Floyd).
I could have saved a LOT of money if I had  figured that out 20 or so yrs. ago...
So there, that's my recommendation: Dimarzio Super Distortion.
They're cheap and for all of the pups available out there it was the first aftermarket pup and as such it's kinda' the standard against which every other pup can be compared.
And if you don't like it there's always somebody out there that will take it off your hands!

[Baltar]

I'm very happy about my GFS pickups.  If you want the classic AC/DC tone sniff out the GFS '59 PAF.  I have one jammed in the bridge of my Eastwood SG and a Dream 180 in the neck.  The stock Eastwood pups were muddy. 

[VOLVO)))]

Super D's are great.

GFS pickups are crushers.

Bareknuckle will put you in the poor house, but slay

Duncans have always been kind of "meh" to me.

Get a boost. It'll be easier.

[chille01]

I have a boost, but it's busted.  And I like to tinker.  And said guitar needs to go in for a setup and flaky input jack repair anyway.  I know I could do it with myself, but I'm sloppy with an iron, and have more free money than time.  So the GFS are really as good a deal as they seem?  The cork sniffer in me keeps looking for a catch... a reason they are so cheap.  Is there one?

[db3jed]

As to the reason they're so cheap, my understanding is that they are made in Korea.
I have no experience with them but they have a very vocal user base.
Just Google "GFS pickups" and you'll find a few very lengthy threads about them.

[VOLVO)))]

Ultra-factory direct? Only a few sets of hands touch 'em, as you know, the most expensive thing is ~time.~

The less handling, the cheaper.

[LogicalFrank]

I think they just charge you based on what it actually costs to make the things not the brand name. A lot of pickups are kind of a scam if you ask me... We've had the technology for a better part of a century and they are built by machines which are overseen by factory workers. I don't care what country it's made in, it's still a damn magnet w/ a wire wrapped around it, same design since forever. I have no idea how on earth even US made ones cost ninety bucks a pop. I guess if you are getting some boutique thing where a guy that gives a shit oversees the machine and then dips them in organic beeswax or whatever, that's fair enough. But a Duncan for ninety fucking dollars? Ridiculous.

(I feel the same way about dynamic mics. Dirt simple tech made in a factory.)

[mawso]

The stock pickups in a Love Rock are fairly overwound already.. the ones in my Love Rock had roughly the same output as a JB, although a lot darker/muddier.. keep that in mind if you're looking for something hotter than what you've got.

[Jake]

Bumping this one up to ask:

Does anyone here have any experience with the Seymore Duncan Antiquity humbucker? There's lots of vids and online chatter, but not much in the regards of the rather beastly riffing that goes on in these parts by you gents. Thanks!

[yesca]

try some kt77's i recently put them in my Laney AOR and they have so much sustain. i actually didn't get enough sustain when the AOR was loaded with el34's. also i mainly use agile with p90 pickups

[clockwork green]

Bumping this one up to ask:

Does anyone here have any experience with the Seymore Duncan Antiquity humbucker? There's lots of vids and online chatter, but not much in the regards of the rather beastly riffing that goes on in these parts by you gents. Thanks!

The lack of wax potting worries me. I know the added sensitivity from not potting is part of the charm but at my volume levels even my cleans would scream with feedback. Most of the blues lawyers that use them also use small amps which seems like a good match.

[Jake]

Excellent point clocky. I had not considered that.

Let me ask you this: have you actually experienced the wrath of an unwaxed pickup in front of your setup or are you just pretty sure it would happen? I ask because I'm looking to replace a few vintage Dimarzio Superdistions in a recently acquired guitar that I'm pretty sure are not potted. To my surprise, they are not out-of-control squeal machines with my rig, which is loud and gainy.

[bitter]

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