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Everything you wanted to know about .... / Re: The Bluesbucker

« Last post by mmmguitar on April 14, 2026, 02:01:59 AM »

Bumping to report that I've spent some time with a modified neck position Bluesbucker which has had its ceramic screw coil magnets replaced with AlNiCo Vs. As one would expect, the magnet swap mellows the pickup's defining, aggressive character. Though its unbalanced coil design prevents it from having the throaty midrange of a proper PAF-style pickup, the appeal of its coil split and performance in 24 fret guitars remains.

I'll eventually audition the mod in a bridge position Bluesbucker, and report those findings.

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The Pickup Place / Re: My Air Zone Review

« Last post by nienturi on April 13, 2026, 09:22:40 AM »

The PAF Joe neck pairs great with the Air Zone as well. The note bloom and sustain is one thing I love about the Air Zone. The old Atomic Humbuckers that Fender put in the HSS Highway One Strats were similar to the Air Zone, but with a bit more presence. I've always thought those two were very well balanced pickups. The Air Zone fattens up a thinner sounding guitar very well.

Fender Atomics have that kindo tone? Gosh, i had a chance to try them and i refused

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The Pickup Place / Re: Telecaster Tone in a Humbucker

« Last post by gregr on April 11, 2026, 01:52:21 PM »

The Lollar Novel T completely slipped my mind before. It isn’t cheap but it’s a better solution than the others I mentioned previously.

Edit:
It looks like there are other manufacturers which I’ve never heard of that make the same thing.

https://magnetodesignlab.com/store/tsc-h

https://revelcustompickups.com/revel-guitar-pickups/revel-telecaster-pickups/the-six-t/

https://www.lollarguitars.com/lollar-other-single-coil-pickups/novel-t

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The Pickup Place / Re: Neck pickup options for HS superstrat

« Last post by greenlion on April 10, 2026, 08:15:36 PM »

Yeah, the Cruiser Bridge is great in the neck, but the Air Norton S might balance the outputs better.

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The Pickup Place / Re: My Air Zone Review

« Last post by greenlion on April 10, 2026, 08:11:45 PM »

The PAF Joe neck pairs great with the Air Zone as well. The note bloom and sustain is one thing I love about the Air Zone. The old Atomic Humbuckers that Fender put in the HSS Highway One Strats were similar to the Air Zone, but with a bit more presence. I've always thought those two were very well balanced pickups. The Air Zone fattens up a thinner sounding guitar very well.

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The Pickup Place / Re: My Air Zone Review

« Last post by nienturi on April 10, 2026, 09:34:07 AM »

Nice review, I like the technical depth and the details in specs! Well done and thanks for sharing.

Thank you so very much for your time and care

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The Pickup Place / Re: My Air Zone Review

« Last post by Mr. Lime on April 10, 2026, 09:32:30 AM »

Nice review, I like the technical depth and the details in specs! Well done and thanks for sharing.

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The Pickup Place / My Air Zone Review

« Last post by nienturi on April 10, 2026, 01:32:29 AM »

Hi,

I've published my take on Air Zone. I've been playing for a month maybe. I liked it very much indeed. Hope you, too, like my review and find helpful

https://www.tonejourney.com/post/dimarzio-air-zone-dp192-review

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The Pickup Place / Re: Telecaster Tone in a Humbucker

« Last post by gregr on April 08, 2026, 01:01:18 PM »

You may still like the sound of the Bluesbucker. I think it sounds much more like a single coil than a PAF, as it has more of a pure bell-like tone all the way through the midrange, where humbuckers tend to sound scooped due to frequency cancellations because the string is being sensed at two different locations.

If you want the sound of a P90 look at the Fantom P90, Seymour Duncan Phat Cat, Phat Cat Silencer or P-Rails. The Phat Cat Silencer and P-Rails offer vintage and hot versions. Another option could be a Lace Sensor Purple/Emerald Dually giving you both Texas Strat and P90 tonality (I wouldn’t bother with series or parallel wiring where both pickups are combined, though I would experiment with the orientation).

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The Pickup Place / Re: Telecaster Tone in a Humbucker

« Last post by Butch Snyder on April 08, 2026, 12:30:42 PM »

Not really what I wanted to hear, but I appreciate your replies anyway.  The only other option I was thinking was to find a replacement pickguard that is an SSS configuration.  Schecter won't sell them and they say nothing really fits.  My thought is a Warmoth or even Fender pickguard would probably fit but the screw holes may not line up.  That's usually the issue.