EVH Tone - Pickup Roundup

For all things to build the brown sound

Moderators: VelvetGeorge, RACKSYSTEMS

Post Reply
User avatar
vanhalen5150
Senior Member
Posts: 7307
Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2008 3:13 pm
Just the numbers in order: 7
Location: Halifax, Canada

Re: EVH Tone - Pickup Roundup

Post by vanhalen5150 » Thu Nov 24, 2011 10:41 am

Marshall SL12301 wrote:
vanhalen5150 wrote:9K PU with 2 EP3's in series for VH1..... :P
I have the duncan 78 which is supposed to be THEE pu he had wound by duncan. It does a great VHII :lol:
I have about 12 different PU's that are supposed to be THEE PU.....The seller told me so. "This is the one!" :lol:
12000 Metro Kit

Marshall SL12301
Senior Member
Posts: 1362
Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2011 4:34 pm
Just the numbers in order: 7

Re: EVH Tone - Pickup Roundup

Post by Marshall SL12301 » Thu Nov 24, 2011 11:07 am

vanhalen5150 wrote:
Marshall SL12301 wrote:
vanhalen5150 wrote:9K PU with 2 EP3's in series for VH1..... :P
I have the duncan 78 which is supposed to be THEE pu he had wound by duncan. It does a great VHII :lol:
I have about 12 different PU's that are supposed to be THEE PU.....The seller told me so. "This is the one!" :lol:
the way VH swapped pu's they probably ARE! :mrgreen: :lol:
R.I.P Mark Abrahamian, You will be remembered!

User avatar
rgorke
Senior Member
Posts: 4509
Joined: Fri Feb 08, 2008 11:37 am
Just the numbers in order: 13492
Location: Drought Ravaged SoCal

Re: EVH Tone - Pickup Roundup

Post by rgorke » Thu Nov 24, 2011 6:28 pm

vanhalen5150 wrote:
Marshall SL12301 wrote:
vanhalen5150 wrote:9K PU with 2 EP3's in series for VH1..... :P
I have the duncan 78 which is supposed to be THEE pu he had wound by duncan. It does a great VHII :lol:
I have about 12 different PU's that are supposed to be THEE PU.....The seller told me so. "This is the one!" :lol:
Just keep sending them to me!!
"If you make a mistake, do it twice and smile and let people think you meant it." Jan Van Halen.

dirtycooter
Senior Member
Posts: 2923
Joined: Fri Oct 03, 2008 3:02 pm

Re: EVH Tone - Pickup Roundup

Post by dirtycooter » Thu Nov 24, 2011 9:47 pm

There is no #1 pickup. Eds a pickup whore. But examples here and whats used going into what is the best learning experience one can have. Clips clips clips!!!! Its all in there :wink:

Don't think for a second that he didn't try try try.........its all over the eras of albums. Theres a ballpark he knows and he was playin around with alot of shit all the time. Nowdays i think he tries to find one that covers all the p/u's he fingerbanged in the past. One will do the ooh but not the ahh.

You really believe we aren't subject to the same shit he had to sort out????? :scratch:

User avatar
Tone Slinger
Senior Member
Posts: 6520
Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2006 10:31 am

Re: EVH Tone - Pickup Roundup

Post by Tone Slinger » Fri Nov 25, 2011 9:36 am

I think the idea of Ed changing pu's DURING that first albums recording is a VERY VALID idea !

That would explain (Esplain Lucy) alot, like why 'ATBL', 'I'm The One' and 'Ice Cream Man', have a harder edge (ceramic magnet MM ?) and why 'Eruption', 'Atomic Punk' and 'Little Dreamer' have a very slightly more WARM and OPEN thing (Duncan rewound paf ?)

The Franky's neck (radius fret size, fingerboard, etc) at that point is also questioned, as possibly NOT being the maple capped Ellsworth/Charvel.

The wire used on the DSD,MM types are the awg43, which is thinner than the awg42 that Gibson used/s. You can get more output and drive(turns), while not 'sounding' like it would with the awg42 wire being wound that much,which would be a FAT pu 'physically' if possible, but sound shitty (probably pure mush ?).

These pu's(DSD/MM) basically evenely matched coils, meaning each one was around 6.5 to 7 or so output. This gives that middle frequincy bump to some extent.

Seymour noticed how old pafs had more turns on one coil over the other.

I'd imagine that he (Seymour) would have used the awg43 wire to overwind a paf to basically his modern 'Custom' spec, which I think is one coil at 6 something and the other at 8 something. This would affect the overal eq to more upper mids/highs and bottom, as opposed to the more rounded mids of a equal coil wind design like the DSD/MM.

I think a5 magnet was more common to late '50's to T-top paf types as well. The 'CUSTOM 5' is sounding relavent for a try :scratch: .
Rip Ben Wise (StuntDouble) & Mark Abrahamian (Rockstah)

Marshall SL12301
Senior Member
Posts: 1362
Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2011 4:34 pm
Just the numbers in order: 7

Re: EVH Tone - Pickup Roundup

Post by Marshall SL12301 » Fri Nov 25, 2011 2:06 pm

Tone Slinger wrote: I'd imagine that he (Seymour) would have used the awg43 wire to overwind a paf to basically his modern 'Custom' spec, which I think is one coil at 6 something and the other at 8 something. This would affect the overal eq to more upper mids/highs and bottom, as opposed to the more rounded mids of a equal coil wind design like the DSD/MM.

I think a5 magnet was more common to late '50's to T-top paf types as well. The 'CUSTOM 5' is sounding relavent for a try :scratch: .
Tone slinger tried the custom 5 and it is ok but you may want to try one of these first,
http://www.seymourduncan.com/forum/show ... hp?t=22538" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It is a badass pu! it is half duncan 59 and half duncan custom 5 :thumbsup:
R.I.P Mark Abrahamian, You will be remembered!

User avatar
T.L.
Senior Member
Posts: 560
Joined: Sat Nov 17, 2007 5:18 pm

Re: EVH Tone - Pickup Roundup

Post by T.L. » Sat Nov 26, 2011 2:38 am

Marshall SL12301 wrote:
Tone Slinger wrote: I'd imagine that he (Seymour) would have used the awg43 wire to overwind a paf to basically his modern 'Custom' spec, which I think is one coil at 6 something and the other at 8 something. This would affect the overal eq to more upper mids/highs and bottom, as opposed to the more rounded mids of a equal coil wind design like the DSD/MM.

I think a5 magnet was more common to late '50's to T-top paf types as well. The 'CUSTOM 5' is sounding relavent for a try :scratch: .
Tone slinger tried the custom 5 and it is ok but you may want to try one of these first,
http://www.seymourduncan.com/forum/show ... hp?t=22538" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It is a badass pu! it is half duncan 59 and half duncan custom 5 :thumbsup:
Wow...

User avatar
Tone Slinger
Senior Member
Posts: 6520
Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2006 10:31 am

Re: EVH Tone - Pickup Roundup

Post by Tone Slinger » Sat Nov 26, 2011 12:04 pm

That does sound great. So, I have a zebra tremelo spaced 'Custom Custom'. I just dont like the larger size of these 'trembuckers'. It sounds real great , though maybe just a tad 'soft' (A2 probably).

So, if I get a standard sized '59 (I gave mine to a friend) along with a 'Custom 5', I can get two hybrids huh ?

Put the custom 5 coil closer to the bridge. That would be cool considering one of the two hybrid hb'ers would have the slug coil from the Custom 5 at the bridge.

I wonder if Seymour Duncans custom shop would do this ? Since the money for two (as well as the time/effort) would be around $180 or so.
Rip Ben Wise (StuntDouble) & Mark Abrahamian (Rockstah)

Marshall SL12301
Senior Member
Posts: 1362
Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2011 4:34 pm
Just the numbers in order: 7

Re: EVH Tone - Pickup Roundup

Post by Marshall SL12301 » Sat Nov 26, 2011 12:15 pm

Tone Slinger wrote:That does sound great. So, I have a zebra tremelo spaced 'Custom Custom'. I just dont like the larger size of these 'trembuckers'. It sounds real great , though maybe just a tad 'soft' (A2 probably).

So, if I get a standard sized '59 (I gave mine to a friend) along with a 'Custom 5', I can get two hybrids huh ?

Put the custom 5 coil closer to the bridge. That would be cool considering one of the two hybrid hb'ers would have the slug coil from the Custom 5 at the bridge.

I wonder if Seymour Duncans custom shop would do this ? Since the money for two (as well as the time/effort) would be around $180 or so.
I use the slug coil from the custom(7K) and the bridge coil from the 59b(4.3K) this is only because it allows a much better split tone when the customs coil is the only coil active. :thumbsup:
Yes duncans CS will make these for $160.
I made mine from a old used custom and used 59b that i got for $90 for the both of them. so i wound up with two hybrids for $90 sold one of them for $60. final cost $30 :mrgreen: :clap:
I use a alnico II in mine but it is a matter of preference. just make sure you use a coil from the 59 bridge model not the neck one :wink:
R.I.P Mark Abrahamian, You will be remembered!

User avatar
Tone Slinger
Senior Member
Posts: 6520
Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2006 10:31 am

Re: EVH Tone - Pickup Roundup

Post by Tone Slinger » Sat Nov 26, 2011 1:41 pm

What is the typical scenario with this hybrid ? I thought that the 'hottest' coil should be closest to the bridge ?

Do you find the A2 magnet to be slightly 'dull' when palm muting on the low e string ?

Its strange, because on one hand I 100 % like the warmth and 'feel' of an alnico 2 magnet, its just that the articulation at times just seems to dissapear.

I'm still messing around. Gonna put a ceramic mag in my awg42 wire 9k.
Rip Ben Wise (StuntDouble) & Mark Abrahamian (Rockstah)

SteadyEddie
Senior Member
Posts: 1035
Joined: Wed Jul 07, 2010 11:55 pm
Just the numbers in order: 7

Re: EVH Tone - Pickup Roundup

Post by SteadyEddie » Sat Nov 26, 2011 4:25 pm

I'd like to hear more pickups with A8 mags. From what I've read, it has the punch and articulation of ceramic, and some of the "sweetness" and a bit of warmth of alnico. I've heard a Super 70 in an old lawsuit-era Ibanez Les Paul and it was full of these beautiful harmonics. It sounded gorgeous, the best LP I've ever heard.

User avatar
Tone Slinger
Senior Member
Posts: 6520
Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2006 10:31 am

Re: EVH Tone - Pickup Roundup

Post by Tone Slinger » Sat Nov 26, 2011 4:41 pm

I get confused about the A8 magnets, because there was a test done to an A8 and a ceramic, and they were basically equal in all respects :scratch: .

I have a very good sounding 9k hb'er (AWG42 wire) that has an A5 magnet. I will swap out the magnet with a ceramic and an A8. I'm thinking the tone may be possibly to 'brittle' and hard with either though with that type of wire and number of turns.
Rip Ben Wise (StuntDouble) & Mark Abrahamian (Rockstah)

Marshall SL12301
Senior Member
Posts: 1362
Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2011 4:34 pm
Just the numbers in order: 7

Re: EVH Tone - Pickup Roundup

Post by Marshall SL12301 » Sat Nov 26, 2011 5:27 pm

Tone Slinger wrote:What is the typical scenario with this hybrid ? I thought that the 'hottest' coil should be closest to the bridge ?

Do you find the A2 magnet to be slightly 'dull' when palm muting on the low e string ?

Its strange, because on one hand I 100 % like the warmth and 'feel' of an alnico 2 magnet, its just that the articulation at times just seems to dissapear.

I'm still messing around. Gonna put a ceramic mag in my awg42 wire 9k.
You can make it however you want. I like the hotter coil in the front for two reasons first it has a great split tone and second it mimics VH's broken PAF more,when john suhr tested VH's main PAF he said the rear coil was not as hot as the front making it almost like a hot single coil. the hybrid has that goin on with it when you use the hotter coil at the front.
the hybrid is best for the 82 era VH tone like the largo show
R.I.P Mark Abrahamian, You will be remembered!

User avatar
Ralle
Senior Member
Posts: 1565
Joined: Fri Feb 23, 2007 5:23 am

Re: EVH Tone - Pickup Roundup

Post by Ralle » Fri Dec 16, 2011 9:07 pm

I got a black pu from Nick Phillips... it says Mighty Mite MFG on the back, and it messaures 8.6k... it sounds great... thinner than the DSD... but in a way closer to the demo sound... could this be a MM1400?
It sounds great with my EP-3 build...

Marshall SL12301
Senior Member
Posts: 1362
Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2011 4:34 pm
Just the numbers in order: 7

Re: EVH Tone - Pickup Roundup

Post by Marshall SL12301 » Fri Dec 16, 2011 11:30 pm

Ralle wrote:I got a black pu from Nick Phillips... it says Mighty Mite MFG on the back, and it messaures 8.6k... it sounds great... thinner than the DSD... but in a way closer to the demo sound... could this be a MM1400?
It sounds great with my EP-3 build...
yeah and it is essentially the same pup as this,

http://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/humbuck ... er/super-2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It is a DSD with less bass and output
R.I.P Mark Abrahamian, You will be remembered!

Post Reply