Metropoulos Forum

I'm not talking about what Eddie actually used. I'm talking about current pickup makers that have designed something going for that sound.

Off the top of my head, here's what I can think of. Please add with links if I'm missing anything.

Of course I'm not listing the EVH branded ones because... Well, duh. LOL

• Seymour Duncan Custom Shop '78 - http://customshop.seymourduncan.com/78-model/
• Seymour Duncan Custom Shop IM1 - http://customshop.seymourduncan.com/im1/
• Sin Pickups EV 79 - http://www.sinpickups.com/#!humbuckers/c1jo3
• Arcane Brownbucker - http://www.arcaneinc.com/#/brownbucker/4014936
• Zhangbucker Brownbucker - http://www.zhangbucker.com/humbuckers.html
• Bare Knuckle VH II - https://bareknucklepickups.co.uk/main/p ... ckup=vh_ii
• GFS VEH - http://www.guitarfetish.com/VEH-Vintage ... p_786.html

I imagine I've missed some that you guys may know about.

Duncan Custom
Duncan Custom Custom
Duncan '59 can get you there in the right circumstances.

MM 1300 and 1400
Dimarzio Super Distortion

The key though is the amp. None of these pickups or any pickup alone will get you there.

By the way, there is a pickup thread just like this...

http://forum.metroamp.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=29584

rgorke wrote:Duncan Custom
Duncan Custom Custom
Duncan '59 can get you there in the right circumstances.

MM 1300 and 1400
Dimarzio Super Distortion

The key though is the amp. None of these pickups or any pickup alone will get you there.

By the way, there is a pickup thread just like this...

http://forum.metroamp.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=29584

I did see that thread, actually, but I haven't seen a thread highlighting the pickups specifically made and advertised as producing "The Brown Sound". All the ones you listed are pickups that Ed actually used, but not a product like what I listed as being designed for that sound but not something Ed has actually used. Ya know what I mean?

The '78, according to the Duncan folks, was a Pickup based on the PAF that Seymour rewound for Ed back in '77, just prior to the recording of the 1st album (photo's show a double black hb'er in Franky in a June'77 photo). VH1 was released in February 1978, thus, the name "78". Obviously there is alot of speculation going on about this, but Ed clearly stated back in a 1978 interview that he liked the sound of his customized/rewound Paf's, saying he likes 'THAT' tone , "Like on the album", refering to his use of the rewound paf, by a "Guy in Santa Barbara".

So the '78 is essentially a pickup that Ed USED and was DESIGNED for him, both

Tone Slinger wrote:The '78, according to the Duncan folks, was a Pickup based on the PAF that Seymour rewound for Ed back in '77, just prior to the recording of the 1st album (photo's show a double black hb'er in Franky in a June'77 photo). VH1 was released in February 1978, thus, the name "78". Obviously there is alot of speculation going on about this, but Ed clearly stated back in a 1978 interview that he liked the sound of his customized/rewound Paf's, saying he likes 'THAT' tone , "Like on the album", refering to his use of the rewound paf, by a "Guy in Santa Barbara".

So the '78 is essentially a pickup that Ed USED and was DESIGNED for him, both

I guess, in a roundabout way, yeah, but I imagine he never used an actual production model. :p

Any other pickups that I've missed or did I really hit them all? Nobody else tossing in some cheeky "brown" terminology into their product description?

You cant make a production run of old pafs anymore, so NO, I dont imaginine Ed has used a Duncan '78 So the '78 is like a Clone/copy of it, available in different widths and colors.

Other than that,it 'appears', via photo's, that Ed had a Mighty Mite right up to that PAF (I'd guess a 1300). His tone on the 3/77 Golden West Ballroom gig was alreadymost likely being pushed with a eq box,but even then, it was gainier/harier than what was on VH1 or the following gigs (Oct-Dec '77). By VH1, his tone was refined and brighter and articulate ('78 'spec' hb'er).

Tone Slinger wrote:You cant make a production run of old pafs anymore, so NO, I dont imaginine Ed has used a Duncan '78

Other than that,it 'appears', via photo's, that Ed had a Mighty Mite right up to that PAF (I'd guess a 1300). His tone on the 3/77 Golden West Ballroom gig was OBVIOUSLY being pushed with a eq box,but even then, it was gainier/harier than what was on VH1 or the following gigs (Oct-Dec '77). By VH1, his tone was refined and brighter.

Well, yes, that's what Ed used, but that's not what I meant this thread to be about. I'm wondering what pickups are out there that somebody else designed to sound like Ed, like the ones I listed. I imagine Ed's never even seen a BK VHII or a Sin EV79. Any other pickups like that which I might have missed? Even if for nothing more than information purposes.

And about the GFS VEH... I have one in my Les Paul which sounds fantastic. However, I had one in my orange Strat, which is alder, which didn't sound that great, so I replaced it with something else (not necessarily going for EVH in that guitar). Those of you who have tried it, do you find them to be picky with the guitar they go in or did I get a weird dud?

Tone Slinger wrote:The '78, according to the Duncan folks, was a Pickup based on the PAF that Seymour rewound for Ed back in '77, just prior to the recording of the 1st album (photo's show a double black hb'er in Franky in a June'77 photo). VH1 was released in February 1978, thus, the name "78". Obviously there is alot of speculation going on about this, but Ed clearly stated back in a 1978 interview that he liked the sound of his customized/rewound Paf's, saying he likes 'THAT' tone , "Like on the album", refering to his use of the rewound paf, by a "Guy in Santa Barbara".

So the '78 is essentially a pickup that Ed USED and was DESIGNED for him, both

I know that is the story behind the '78 and the evenly voiced harmonics pickup. But it doesn't fit with history too well. That pickup didn't surface til the late '80s or even later (trying to find exact date). The pickup originally labeled at the "Van Halen" pickup was the Duncan Custom. Ed told Seymour to stop using his name in 1979 AND later when the EVH ('78) pickup came out.

I can't imagine Ed giving Seymour just one pickup and the rest is history....He probably gave him several and Seymour wound different resistance and even different magnets. So, there is a 13k/ceramic, 13k/A2 and a 9k/A2 all of which were potentially given to Ed. SD will even wind a IM1 pickup which is the EVH Frankenstein with the Duncan stickers (Duncan makes the Frankenstein pickups....)

We keep arguing about THE pickup and there is no THE pickup. Just look at the range of pickups that appear in the Franky over time.

The pickup on VH1....we have good ideas and ones that work but the actual pickup is unknowable.

rgorke wrote:

Tone Slinger wrote:The '78, according to the Duncan folks, was a Pickup based on the PAF that Seymour rewound for Ed back in '77, just prior to the recording of the 1st album (photo's show a double black hb'er in Franky in a June'77 photo). VH1 was released in February 1978, thus, the name "78". Obviously there is alot of speculation going on about this, but Ed clearly stated back in a 1978 interview that he liked the sound of his customized/rewound Paf's, saying he likes 'THAT' tone , "Like on the album", refering to his use of the rewound paf, by a "Guy in Santa Barbara".

So the '78 is essentially a pickup that Ed USED and was DESIGNED for him, both

I know that is the story behind the '78 and the evenly voiced harmonics pickup. But it doesn't fit with history too well. That pickup didn't surface til the late '80s or even later (trying to find exact date). The pickup originally labeled at the "Van Halen" pickup was the Duncan Custom. Ed told Seymour to stop using his name in 1979 AND later when the EVH ('78) pickup came out.

I can't imagine Ed giving Seymour just one pickup and the rest is history....He probably gave him several and Seymour wound different resistance and even different magnets. So, there is a 13k/ceramic, 13k/A2 and a 9k/A2 all of which were potentially given to Ed. SD will even wind a IM1 pickup which is the EVH Frankenstein with the Duncan stickers (Duncan makes the Frankenstein pickups....)

We keep arguing about THE pickup and there is no THE pickup. Just look at the range of pickups that appear in the Franky over time.

The pickup on VH1....we have good ideas and ones that work but the actual pickup is unknowable.

Right, but I didn't intend this to be a history thread about what Ed actually used, but rather what people/companies are making now with a specific aim to get that sound, like the pickups I listed.

I was curious if there any that I missed and what experiences you guys have actually had with them.

I know the Sin EV79 seems to be popular amongst us Edheads.

The GFS VEH seems to be a popular pickup in general, but most people that use them don't seem to be looking for The Brown Sound. Any of you guys using a VEH?

Anybody use any of the others I've listed?

It all depends on the amp. Swapping pickups seems to be a psychological exercise more than anything, it also keeps the pickup manufacturers in business. My consistently favorite pickup for VH has been a wax potted Super 70 with nickel cover in a Destroyer. It's up for grabs with a strat, right now my favorite is an old Virtual PAF.

I wish someone would make a ceramic/alnico hybrid pickup. Ceramic for the the G, B, and high E strings. Alnico for the low E, A, and D strings. That would be the bombdiggity.

I heard of the Tony Iommi gibson pickup (ceramic/alnico), but I'm thinking that would be to far removed from the EVH sound. It would be awesome to mix up magnet types in a single pickup. I should have got that engineering degree....

GilmourD wrote:"...going for that sound..."

Your definition please.

JimiJames wrote:

GilmourD wrote:"...going for that sound..."

Your definition please.

The early Van Halen tone. Yes, I know Ed used different equipment at different points, but there was something about the core of his tone from VHI to Diver Down.

But again, that's getting into Ed's actual history. I'm talking about pickups where the ad copy basically goes "OMG!!! THIS IS THE BROWN SOUND!!! COME AND GET IT!!!" and I'm wondering what everybody's experience with those pickups has been, if you have experience.

Not to sound like a knob, but can we please try not to turn this into another history thread? There's a bunch of those already, and I was trying to start a conversation that doesn't already exist here.

Well, not sure the Ad copy is the best place to get information. They can say whatever they want but it may not be true.

Most on this forum have spent time, money, and emotional capital (dealing with wifes, etc) in getting beyond what is purported in a pickup makers ad.

I think your list is pretty full. There isn't a pickup out there that someone on this forum hasn't tried for the Dutch treat.

Then again, as we've talked about, the pickup is only a small piece of a very large puzzle.

rgorke wrote:Well, not sure the Ad copy is the best place to get information. They can say whatever they want but it may not be true.

Most on this forum have spent time, money, and emotional capital (dealing with wifes, etc) in getting beyond what is purported in a pickup makers ad.

I think your list is pretty full. There isn't a pickup out there that someone on this forum hasn't tried for the Dutch treat.

Then again, as we've talked about, the pickup is only a small piece of a very large puzzle.

Well, I was hoping somebody had some real-world experience with these purported Brown Sound pickups to weigh in on whether they're legit or a load of trash.

I've been poking about the forum, and I'll see one post here about a pickup, another post there, etc. I figured I'd start a thread to gather all the ideas on these pickups in one place.

And I do understand that the pickup is one piece of a very large puzzle, but does that make it something less worth talking about? I figure there've been multiple threads about the Fender 9-40 strings Ed used, non-Marshall amps to get his tone, favorite Floyd Rose variants, which pedals to use, and which speakers that aren't Ed's Greenbacks but sound like Ed's greenbacks, so why not one about pickups that aren't what Ed used but sound like what Ed used?

I figure giving some reviews on these pickups might help others not spend so much emotional capital (dealing with their wives). LOL