DiMarzio Forum

DimarzioForum.Com => The Pickup Place => Topic started by: Rabelais on August 19, 2017, 08:33:53 PM

Title: Neck pickup for a PAF pro bridge?
Post by: Rabelais on August 19, 2017, 08:33:53 PM: Hi. I recently bought a PAF pro to replace the bridge pickup in a Basswood body, Maple/Rosewood neck guitar, and I'm looking for a neck pup to match it. I'm looking for maximum clarity and definition under high gain settings so I'm considering another PAF pro, or a PAF Joe, or a PAF master neck, or a HB from hell, or an EJ Custom neck. I also plan to use the neck, or both pickups, for clean playing, so it has to be a very clean pickup as well. I would appreciate if you share your experiences with each pup in the neck position. Thanks.
Title: Re: Neck pickup for a PAF pro bridge?
Post by: greenlion on August 19, 2017, 09:15:01 PM: Humbucker from Hell. If you want clarity, another Paf Pro in the neck is not the way to go.
Title: Re: Neck pickup for a PAF pro bridge?
Post by: jazzfromhell on August 20, 2017, 05:34:18 AM: The EJ Custom would work too but it's a very special, stringy sound. Like a HFH but even more tweaked. There are a great video of it somewhere, check it out first.
Title: Re: Neck pickup for a PAF pro bridge?
Post by: DarthPhineas on August 20, 2017, 11:03:29 AM: Jazz makes a good suggestion.

PAF Pro is an excellent option and a combo used by Vai, Satch, Gilbert, and others. For cleans, wire it to a switch (or push pull) for parallel.

Your amp and your speaker can also help address any clarity issues.
Title: Re: Neck pickup for a PAF pro bridge?
Post by: darkbluemurder on August 21, 2017, 04:00:18 AM: It was long ago that I had a guitar with the exact same wood combination and a PAF Pro in the bridge. Great combination, wish I had not traded it. Since it was HSS it had two single coils which matched great with the PAF Pro in the bridge so I would support the recommendations for clear low output humbuckers for the neck spot.

Cheers Stephan
Title: Re: Neck pickup for a PAF pro bridge?
Post by: Rabelais on August 24, 2017, 09:06:13 AM: Quote from: jazzfromhell on August 20, 2017, 05:34:18 AM
The EJ Custom would work too but it's a very special, stringy sound. Like a HFH but even more tweaked. There are a great video of it somewhere, check it out first.

Thanks. I saw a video for both EJ Custom neck and HFH. My impression, at least from the video, is that the HFH might pair better with a regular bridge HB. The EJ is very clear, but very very bright.
Title: Re: Neck pickup for a PAF pro bridge?
Post by: Rabelais on August 24, 2017, 09:07:19 AM: Quote from: darkbluemurder on August 21, 2017, 04:00:18 AM
It was long ago that I had a guitar with the exact same wood combination and a PAF Pro in the bridge. Great combination, wish I had not traded it. Since it was HSS it had two single coils which matched great with the PAF Pro in the bridge so I would support the recommendations for clear low output humbuckers for the neck spot.

Cheers Stephan

Thanks. I might also consider a Seymour Duncan Full Shred neck.
Title: Re: Neck pickup for a PAF pro bridge?
Post by: darkbluemurder on August 25, 2017, 03:43:13 AM: The Duncan Full Shred neck would indeed be a good option. I have one in the neck spot of a dual humbucker tele and it really sounds sweet there. Never played the others mentioned so I cannot give a comparison unfortunately.

Cheers Stephan
Title: Re: Neck pickup for a PAF pro bridge?
Post by: greenlion on September 02, 2017, 05:29:11 PM: The Paf Pro is not the most powerful bridge pickup. A lot of neck pickups overpower it. I sill think the Humbucker from Hell would be your best bet.
Title: Re: Neck pickup for a PAF pro bridge?
Post by: eggman on September 04, 2017, 08:18:26 AM: Howdy,

Why not the Air Classic? Sounds great in my old 335; the most "musical" P/U I've ever had.
Title: Re: Neck pickup for a PAF pro bridge?
Post by: jule7625 on September 05, 2017, 05:40:10 PM: Plus, the Humbucker From Hell's poles will match the PAF Pro's.
Title: Re: Neck pickup for a PAF pro bridge?
Post by: greenlion on September 05, 2017, 08:09:01 PM: Air Classic would probably work as far as output, but they have a different personality than the Paf Pro. You might like that though.