I can't address humbuckers specifically,
but all of my Gretsch guitars have been
upgraded with TV Jones pickups.
Absolutely everything Jones is excellent
in quality, sound, etc.

https://tvjones.com/shop/guitar-pickups/starwood-humbucker/

Went through Gretschbuckers (too dark) and Tonerider Birmingham set (more like P90's but they split to sound like actual single coils) before I found the Seymour Duncan Psyclones (humbucker sized). Like filtertrons at lower gain and PAFs at higher registers. They look incredible.



Attached File

The set that came on my EBMM JP6 has been doing it for me. Bridges has a mid range snarl that cuts through the mix pretty well and the neck has a touch of stratiness to it to make it very useful for blues and rock as well. It’s a Dimarzio Steve’s special in the bridge and an Air Norton in the neck. It’s an 05 JP6 so I believe they’ve since changed them.

Wolfetone. Marshallhead bridge, Dr. V neck.

I have Rio Grandes in all my guitars.*  They came stock in Robin guitars which is when I got hooked.  They were not operating for some time but were just purchased and the new owners brought back some of the original staff and are making investments.

For rewinds I've used Tom Brantley and he does high quality work.

I have used the Seymour Duncan JBs before and they are nice.  I used a George Lynch Screamin' Demon for a bit but it doesn't have the fullness that I like.

*technically I am installing a set in my last guitar tomorrow when they get here LOL

I’m generally a Seymour Duncan fan, but for cost savings, Guitar Fetish is a great option! Their professional series PAF copies just went into an Epiphone Dot that I have, and it turned it into a completely killer vintage vibed guitar.

Since cheaper ones were mentioned... when i sold my Schecter with EMG 81/89R i put an Artec Power Rails in the bridge and Artec Hot Platinum in neck of my Ibanez and they were a good passive alternative to the EMG 81/85 setup. I think each of those Artecs are avail from GuitarMadness on Reverb and Ebay and both are like $30 each. They also looked badass in the Ibanez...color is a bit off in the pic but they were all traditional vintage cream that matched the binding and pickup rings.

Attached File

My PRS Mark Holcomb came with seymour Duncan Alpha and Omega from the factory. They are just tame enough to give beautiful clean tomes, with exceptional lows, but hot enough to shread the death metal if thats what you like.

Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates in a semi hollow or mahogany guitar are my favs.    Also like a Duncan JB with an Alnico 7 mag swap, but it's a bit of a one trick pony (but it's a damn good trick).

The PGs are actually pretty low output, let's the amp/efx box color the tone way more, while retaining that snarly undertone.    The A7 JB is just hot as 9 kinds of hell and will drive the s**t out of your amp.

I've never had a JB in a guitar so I've been stalking the classifieds for a used one.  I love the tone of all the metal greats that use them so why not? They are all usually within $10 of new which is crazy so prob should buy new.

I think I've got an old JB laying around that you can have.  Shoot me a PM.

I strongly recommend you go all in and put an Alnico 7 magnet in the JB.   The magnet is cheap, and 4 screws to swap it out, takes about 2 mins.   I only somewhat liked the JB with the A5 in it.   With the A7, a much stronger magnet than the A5 and most ceramic mags for that matter, it moves that kind of treble/high mid spike downward so that instead of trying to even that spike out with the EQ so it's not so ice pick harsh, it puts that spike right in the correct mid neighborhood so that it just has a super thick, rich, nasty, screaming, balls out snarl.   It won't do anything else very well, mind you, but the JB was kind of a one trick pony to begin with.   You have a neck pickup if you want some cleaner and smoother tones.

I have one guitar with an unholy alliance between DiMarzio and Seymour Duncan. It's a mahogany double cut (think SG) with a PAF Pro (my favorite neck pickup) in the neck and a Pearly Gates in the bridge. They play together really nicely.

I put a SD SH-2 and SH-4 "Hotrodded" humbucker set in my Ibanez S. They're a bit hotter than the stock pickups and a little brighter as well. No complaints.

Duncan 59/Custom Hybrid in the bridge.
Duncan Sentient in the Neck.

I was looking for something really really versatile.
The 59/Custom can do about anything. Sounds fantastic in a mahogany PRS.

If a 59 and a Jazz had a baby soundwise it would be the Sentient.
Such beautiful cleans.

This setup covers everything from ambient to thrash.
Doesn't really do the sweedish buzzsaw but you could get it there with a little extra push from a pedal.

Have you ever split the coils on the 59/Custom?
How's it sound?

I'll have to take a closer look at the Sentient... From it's moniker, I had it pegged as a metal-type. Jazz or '59 are usually my fallback neck pickups...

Long time Duncan buyer...
First one was a quarter pounder strat PU, late 70's by mail order. Back then  they used a  label that
looked like a mimeograph copy, typed with a typewriter. Very plain.
Still have it, altho not in a guitar right now.

 A couple of JB's, one in a V, one in a LP copy, a Pearly Gates, Tele vintage with coil tap, they don't appear to make that one any more.
A couple of Duncan customs in an Explorer, it appears they don't make the neck version anymore.

A Little 59 strat humbucker, don't see that one offered either. A set of antiquity 8 string single coils, have one in a lap steel right now.
And they don't show those available any more. I may have some others, can't remember right now.

I have strayed off the Duncan plantation, I put a set of GFS Nashville hot "Retrotrons" in a LP special,
in place of the p-100's from the factory. They sound nothing like a real Filtertron.
 I have a Gretsch Filtertron in a "Malcolm" I put together for a Bon Scott Tribute band  I was in.
That being said, the GFS are spanky clean, with some girth. They really respond to using volume and tone controls,
 backing off for rhythm and full on for leads.

 And a set of Fender Texas Specials in a Taco Strat.  I like 'em.

 As Always YMMV

I've found that playing under a fair amount of dirt, pickup swaps don't do much to be worth the cost for tone. Other than the output of the pickup pushing the distortion harder or softer. In a mix, it's basically null.

Now feel wise when playing a pickup swap is more noticeable. But that has to do with the output, and how you adjust the gain to compensate.

I play with less dirt than one would typically think, even for the heaviest style of metal, and prefer a pickup on the hotter side and really hit the strings. If I crank the dirt, the resulting compression will squash all tonal variations between pickups.

I only swap pickups to replace microphonic pickups, or if I need more or less output. The only guitar I have that still has its swap is a Tele I put quarter pounds in to hit the amp harder while still keeping the twang.

I like the Duncan distortions in my Soloist the most when playing alone, but in a mix they are near impossible to tell apart from the stock pickups in my epi lp. Especially more difficult after double or quad tracking. I also absolutely hate the spikey sound of schecter's pickups in my 7 string, but in a mix or band context they sound great. But again, if I tune my LP down that low, you can't pick them apart in a mix.

I always thought. I wanted a DD for the bridge for that "hair in your teeth" edge you hear on early Metallica, Tool,  and other bands you associated with DD, EMG 81, SD Invader and other ceramic pickups. I finally realized you can almost get there with about any other PAF thru HO humbucker with your other signal chain settings. Still, i might try a SD Custom Custom sometime since its not as dark as the DD and would suit a wider range of styles.

The thing I like about high output ceramics is the feel. You can get a more consistent level dynamically, which is great for faster or more technical playing without cranking the amp's or dirt box's distortion. It let's me keep it tighter in the low end.

I like a PAF style for more dynamic playing feel wise. Something where there is less dirt, but gets nice and crunchy when you dig in. DD style and other HO pickups don't do that as well as the lower output options in my experience.

I haven't had darkness issues with my DD. My only issue was the neck was a bit muddy untill I lowered its height. I can take them from a good hard crunch to clanky melodic death chugs. Clean is pretty good, but my LP and Tele do clean better. And that's with both a dark Orange and bright Marshall amp.

They’re fairly high output and more known for metal, but Dimarzio Dominions are great all around pickups and also split really well.

Went back and re-read my post. Must have been thinking of Custom, not Custom-Custom since Custom is ceramic...

I've been through multiple models from EMG, Bare Knuckle, Dimarzio, Seymour Duncan, and various other boutique shops. I will only install the following into new guitars... The bridge pickups have to basically be installed very low in the guitar because they are very high gain. I have a single coil tap in the Black Winters and they aren't unusable to make clean tones. I also run no tone knob, so I'm sure that would take the highs off if you did.

Dimarzio - X2N

Attached File



Seymour Duncan - Black Winter

Attached File

Hey, just saw this.

Yeah, they're in a PRS SE and has the split coil switch.
Sounds a bit thin with the switch pulled so I don't use it much but it's not something I've spent a lot of time tweaking.

So far the combo of the neck and bridge is is fantastic.