Best "VH1" Pickup?

[garbeaj]

I read this over at woodytone:

B&W FrankieFrom a guy who goes by the username “tubetramp” at the MetroAmp forum, and who knew Ed before Ed was famous – confirmed because it turns out tubetramp’s real name is Terry Kilgore (Google him).

“I remember it like [it was] yesterday. It was the final experiment. He first had an early ’60s Strat that he put a DiMarzio humbucker in, painted white then black.

[DSD alnico?]

[Ed] went out there and purchased some factory seconds, used black electrical tape to mask off [the body], sprayed [it] black and white, and hey, presto, there it was.

“Many modifications followed. He used a mid-’60s t-style [?] humbucker in it.

[PAF?]

check it out

http://www.woodytone.com/2009/06/29/evh ... p-tidbits/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm sure Terry was there, but I tend to disregard almost everything he says because he seems to have been drunk and high for the last 35 + years. I know Ed was/is too, but Terry's memory seems really iffy to me...just my opinion; I'm sure there are many others who will differ and defend him to the death...

[Tone Slinger]

It sounds like Ed (by listening to boots before and right after the recording of that first album) was using a zebra coil Mighty Mite pick up in his strat . Pics also kind of back this up. If this is the case, then that pu was similar to a DSD. The pole pieces (hex screws) and the magnet (ceramic) along with the hotter output.

Ed's amp tone was very bright. This type of pu would have been key. Only thing is, is WHY did he never RETURN to it ? It was a bit 'over the top' type of sound, very youthful. There is SOMETHING to the DSD and the SD 'Custom' that is just very VH1. Maybe it was just TOO Heavy Metal/one dimensional for Eddie.

[dirtycooter]

Not to sound like a dick, and I probably will lol! But there has to be a point where one can look back at things said, in the past, or eye witness accounts, yadda yadda..........BUT! One has to focus on the guys GETTING the TONE and postin clips. Thats where I try to focus. Listen to them closely and the things they have tried or are doing. Then go back and see if it fits with what was said
Dave, Rudy, this guy, that guy.......etc.
So now, I have to throw some possible turds out there

Some thoughts
What if the super d pole pieces were too.....obvious when seen? I mean he was gettin alot of attention and fame, time to start hidin tricks of the trade and secret weapons woulda been in that climb to the top in around 77/78.
Did Ed try to get seymour or whoever to build a super D with regular pole pieces that would look more run of the mill and blend into the jungle? You have to stop and think if he was out to keep it under wraps he would have been maybe lookin to do this very thing. And there weren't a whole lot of hex style pole piece p/u's back then at all. So maybe he knew he had to seek out dimarzio or seymour to make the same pickup with differen't pole pieces?
Just a thought that could very possibly be why and how he got in so close back then with the big dogs of p/u making.
I don't care what anyone says though, there was no more tone chase though or really never was one for him to get that vh1 tone, he alread HAD it. And we all know what kids, and even when we were kids, do with a new toy after the honeymoon of a new toy wears off. We get bored and drift away from it. I don't think vh1 was really Ed's end all tone in his mind. There for he kinda moved on little by little but still workin off what he did have already.

[rgorke]

I don't care what anyone says though, there was no more tone chase though or really never was one for him to get that vh1 tone, he alread HAD it. And we all know what kids, and even when we were kids, do with a new toy after the honeymoon of a new toy wears off. We get bored and drift away from it. I don't think vh1 was really Ed's end all tone in his mind. There for he kinda moved on little by little but still workin off what he did have already.

I think this is what reallly a happened. How many times have we all said, "I have found a great tone." Then start fiddling again to "make it better."

Ed says he is a tone chaser. Tone in an illusive ever changing state of mind. THAT is why his tone changed from album to album....and a whole lot of hearing loss.

[Staalhoofd]

So what do you guys think is the best VH1 pickup [only VH1]? I know this has been debated for years, but i'm sure you guys have had some more time to experiment and have new conclusions. So what is the VH1 pickup round-up for 2011?

there's that search button getting used again...

Somebody's not reading......

ZeroCool clearly asks where we are right now in 2011, so not 2010, not 2009....

I find it a valid question since for years people have been shouting SD '59, AII, A5 etc. Now it seems people are mostly saying DSD. So, things have changed.

Has anybody tried a David Barfuss Atomic '78?

Also, if Eds amp was really bright, wouldn't a DSD make it even brighter? I still use a AII pickup and it seems to work.

[Marshall SL12301]

I have a hard time believing that EVH used a stock dimarzio super distortion or a stock mighty mite. he probably had them rewound to his likes so when you see these pics of him with one in his guitar i really think it is a rewound pickup, he had real gibson paf's rewound so you are going to tell me he left a cheap mighty mite or dimarzio stock? even back then the paf was a respected and collected pickup
I dont have a clue to what he used exactly on van halen 1 but it is a 99% chance something that was not something that you could buy off the shelf. anyone agree with this?

[leadguy]

No not really.

Seymour Duncan wasn't advertising rewinds until around late 1977 I think, 1977/78.

Ed was using the Mighty Mites in early 1977 and quite possibly late 1976.

There weren't too many pickup rewinders around back then and Ed wasn't a big name either in 1977, just another customer.

Why couldn't Ed use a stock pickup, it's not like it would stop his style because it was stock.

The Seymour rewound PAF seems to be just wound to be the same as a regular early PAF as some earlier PAF's are 9k or even 10k.
Later PAF's were standardized around 7.5k or whatever because of new machinery installed at Gibson.

Another thing to think about is why Ed might have changed from the Mighty Mite to the PAF in say late 1977.

If anyone has changed the neck on a guitar and left the pickup the same, then they might have noticed some sort of tonal change which depends on how the pickup combines with the new neck.
Sometimes a neck change can throw the tone into a not so great area and sometimes it might be great or just so so.

Ed was playing a rosewood neck with the Mighty Mites and then changed to the maple neck in late 1977 around the time he also changed the pickup to a PAF, new neck new matching pickup, maybe.

[nitro]

Certain things Ed used were not stock,Come on now.......... Seymour Duncan was doing rewinds for Hendrix and Beck amongst others,regardless if he was advertising.

[leadguy]

Yes, the pickup and amp mods gave Ed his style

Hendrix and Beck were big names and Seymour only did them because he happened to be in England, well Beck anyway.
Back in the states he was doing OEM work just before advertising rewinds and then starting his own pickup line in 1978.

Ed was not a big name in late 1977.

I doubt if Seymour had even heard about Ed in late 1977.
Seymour tried to use Ed's business in 1978 though, I think around mid 1978 with the EVH pickup.

[nitro]

"Gave Ed his style"..

[Staalhoofd]

I can't seem to get is working with a DSD either. You loose the bouncy feel and openess that you have with a A2 magnet. Also, my amp is bright enough as it is. Eddie also had a pretty bright tone. With an A5 or ceramic it would get even nastier.

I did throw my own pickup together using 1 coil from a paf, 1 from a DSD and an A2 magnet. Sounds great but it's slightly too bassy. It's around 11K. Maybe a 9K would work better.

[garbeaj]

leadguy is correct.

[leadguy]

Wow, I think someone on the forum might have agreed with me

[nitro]

Seymour's First underground pickup was the Duncan JB,this was way before when Seymour started his company,when Seymour was rewinding pickups and guys were looking for more then just a PAF,seymour designed the JB.(the pickup didnt have a name back then) Seymour would give that pickup out to guitarist to check out,Jeff Beck was one of those players,plus the pickup was such a favorite to the players that he gave the pickup to.

[wjamflan]

I have a hard time believing that EVH used a stock dimarzio super distortion or a stock mighty mite. he probably had them rewound to his likes so when you see these pics of him with one in his guitar i really think it is a rewound pickup, he had real gibson paf's rewound so you are going to tell me he left a cheap mighty mite or dimarzio stock? even back then the paf was a respected and collected pickup
I dont have a clue to what he used exactly on van halen 1 but it is a 99% chance something that was not something that you could buy off the shelf. anyone agree with this?

He could have used a DSD with a PAF magnet as he is quoted as trying at some point. The best advice Ed has probably ever given is that your gear has to match up, such as certain pickups matching up with certain amps. Right now, the prevailing winds here are DSD driving a stock amp. A lot of that is speculation based around the dating of certain pictures and extrapolation. I'm not trying to cast doubts on the detective work, it is admirable, but I wouldn't say it's set in stone like some will have you believe.

My .02.