Pickups. I've never felt 100% satisfied with any I've had in my guitars.

Philly_Q

Stevepage said:

I used to change pickups in any new guitar I had and would usually buy Bareknuckles. Nowadays I just use the stocks pickups and only change them if they really are bad.

Likewise, I used to be obsessed with changing pickups (and various other bits of hardware).  It seems strange thinking about it now, as I was never remotely likely to be gigging or even taking a guitar out of the house.  Just youthful enthusiasm I suppose.  And basically it was a hobby in itself.

If I "needed" to change a pickup now I'd be looking in much more simple terms - is it too weak, too hot, too bright, too dark - and I'd probably stick to the well known mainstream brands like DiMarzio and SD whose ranges I'm pretty familiar with and whose products aren't too expensive.  If I want an 8k, alnico PAF-type I'm not going to kid myself I can hear the subtle differences between dozens of near-identical boutique offerings.

Stevepage

Exactly @Philly_Q if I had a lot of spare cash then maybe I'd indulge in that kind of thing. As it stands it just seems like a good way to spend a lot of money on something that wouldn't offer something extra for the extra cash.

Stevepage

Voxman said:

Stevepage said:

I used to change pickups in any new guitar I had and would usually buy Bareknuckles. Nowadays I just use the stocks pickups and only change them if they really are bad. I found changing picks make a bigger difference a lot of the time.

Interesting.  So for example, if you wanted a slightly brighter more articulate tone from humbuckers, which type of pick would you use, and vice a versa?

Definitely a £40 Blue Chip pick. 

ben_wuh

I think this is a thread I personally needed to read today.

I've spent countless hours this week deep diving into the different boutique options available for a Japanese 52 tele I've acquired.

This has made me think, what exactly is it about the pickups I don't like?

And I've realised I actually like the sound. I was acting purely on stuff I've read on the internet about Japanese pickups being poor.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, as they say.

Cirrus

I go through phases. It's fun to try new stuff if you don't mind faffing around with soldering irons etc, but when I find something that works, I stick with it for a long time because when there's a pickup that pairs well with the guitar, it helps me rationalise what the guitar's for and then I can pick it up with purpose when I need that sound.

I've found in the past that first impressions often count for nothing, and it takes several hours of use before I learn what I actually think about them. Case in point; Burstbucker 3 - borrowed from a mate. Installed and wasn't sure about it, it wasn't 'til I'd spent a few hours tracking with it that it clicked and I started really liking it. That guitar's got a BB1 & 2 in now.

Case in point 2 - Pearly Gates Bridge. I know several people that really love them, and when I first installed it I thought it was cool how thick it was in the mids. But after about a week, I realised it wasn't working for me.

Bork

axisus said:

Thanks for chipping in Aaron

You're welcome Boris.

rossi

Sounds like you all need a good loud high quality amp with a 12 inch speaker  to project your various pick ups to their full potential .Good pickups  tend to be  designed to work at stage volumes I find .Bedroom levels tend to just dim down as they should do really .I tend to know what tones I roughly like and use any  useful practice low powered small speakered amp to get it .I know its not my ultimate tone .Thats for stage volumes  but it sounds good enough .my main pickups are Van Zandt Tele and Burstbuckers

Roland

I’ve change pickups on many of my guitars. It’s always been to get the range, the clarity, and the balance of sounds that I want. Yes, it can be a rabbit hole, and it can be expensive. However if you know the sound you want then it’s cheaper than buying and selling guitars. I play mainly clean, so it’s not something I can achieve with amps and pedals.

Cirrus said:

I've found in the past that first impressions often count for nothing, and it takes several hours of use before I learn what I actually think about them ...

Despite playing along with backing tracks I have to hear them in a band context before I know whether they’re right.

The things I’ve learned:
- stock pickups often have less clarity than pickups from small makers.
- it’s not just the pickups, but the way you wire them up which makes the difference.
- I like tapped pickups because they give a wider range of sounds, meaning fewer guitars at a gig. 

Cirrus said:

... when I find something that works, I stick with it for a long time because when there's a pickup that pairs well with the guitar, it helps me rationalise what the guitar's for and then I can pick it up with purpose when I need that sound .

That’s where I am now with an Oil City Californian neck and Wapping Wharf bridge, plus a 5-way switch, in a Telecaster. As with plectrums and strings I sometimes try something different, but so far have always returned to this combination.