21 pickups on 1 guitar. Part 1

Hi,
I've made some videos comparing various guitar pickups from different manufacturers.
Here is the link to youtube playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/w...VL7Wu3pAcrNPb_qisfT6vJ

Thanks Jeff! Stay tuned for part 2. :)

Are you actually changing the PU'S or are these just through SIM's? That's a lot of bloody work! 
I listened to the Bridge Crunch and It's seems the level never changes and the tone is very subtle  in difference. 
I would expect a bigger difference in output and tones.
 
I just yesterday re pupped my 2 main guitars as I was not happy. 
My G&L I put the original Single coils back after trying some Humbuckers ( they are soap bar type) It now sounds like a proper Tele again. The neck Pup is better for Blues again, smooth. The Humbuckers were from GFI and I guess I shouldn't have expected much at that price. It was too harsh and only good sound was using both together. I added the coil tap and that was even worse. 
 
And my Strat I removed a Dimarzio Tone Zone DP189  and put the Fender Custom Shop bridge PU back. So now all the PU match again and it sounds like a good strat should. The Dimarzio was OK on it's own but you couldn't use it with the middle at all. Lost the classic Quack. So I learned my lesson with both guitars, If I want a humbucker, buy a guitar that is made for them and with matching sets.   

Cactus Music
Are you actually changing the PU'S or are these just through SIM's? That's a lot of bloody work! 
I listened to the Bridge Crunch and It's seems the level never changes and the tone is very subtle  in difference. 
I would expect a bigger difference in output and tones.

Yes, I swapped pickguards with different pickup sets. All recorded on the same guitar with the same set of strings, same pick, etc.
Now be cause all pickups cannot be adjusted to the same level for obvious reasons and since we tend to think that louder is better,
1. I normalized all clips to the same pick value. What's left is different RMS values and frequency spectrum.
2. I reamped my recordings using the best all-tube preamp by Yerasov corporation.
3. The preamp's cab sim out is panned hard left, while DI with The Metal Factory Orange PPC412 IR is panned hard right.
Yes, the difference in sound is not huge, but all pickups certainly did feel differently.
However this test is meant to show what to expect from pickup upgrade. Output level differences are compensated by proper gain adjustment.  Then it's down to pickups harmonic content and dynamics.
In other words, for this test:
a) brighter pickups have more harmonics, and vice versa;
b) louder pickups have less dynamics, and vice versa.

fret_man
I recommend adjusting gain so the RMS values are the same, not the peaks. Otherwise we'll be hearing something similar to comparing compressed and non-compressed recordings in the sense that they both have the same peaks but one will sound louder then the other. Keeping the RMS values the same will result in the two having the similar loudness.

Thank you for your input, Paul. I disagree. Pickups are not plugins. Listener needs to know dynamic range of pickups in relation to each other. More compressed pickups are generally easier to play, but too compressed tend to sound dull, flat, and usually get lost in the mix.

Thanks, Michael!

batsbrew
pickups
 
it's like VOODOO
 
LOL
 
that's quite the task there, Alisa,
you are brave! or have a lot of time to kill.
 
this is the kind of A/B i think is very valuable for those on the tone quest.
 
i wasnt' familiar with any of the Trakhmann stuff,
so that was interesting in itself...
 
you could hear the 'quack' quality pretty well on most of them..
 
i'd think that this test would be more true if the test had been run through a nice neutral tube amp set clean,
just becaue i know how sims can 'homogenize' sounds somehow,
whereas a tube amp don't lie.

Thanks batsbrew!
As I mentioned earlier, no sims are used hear. Just a top quality all-tube preamp. No real mics/cabs/rooms, though, as such things introduce more coloration and some saturation too, and I wanted to keep the signal flow as clean and neutral as possible.
It took me quite a while to complete this project. There is a part 2 almost ready to be published. Same pickups, same setup, different style.
FWIW, Trakhmann makes some incredible pickups and tube gear.
 

bluzdog
Awesome!! Thanks for taking the time to do this and share it with us.
 
Rocky

You are welcome!

dcumpian
Don't forget Lindy Fralins!
 
http://www.fralinpickups.com/
 
I have a matched set on my strat and I love the tone...
 
Dan

If Lindy Fralin will provide his pickups for this test, I'll be happy to make a new set of videos, including his pickups.

i'd love to hear some Bill Lawrence Wilde L-280's, micro coils and L-45's in the mix.
 
the best bang for the buck (IMHO) in the entire pickup industry.

@SoundWise,

You have done something awesome. Thank you for doing it and for sharing it.

batsbrew
i'd love to hear some Bill Lawrence Wilde L-280's, micro coils and L-45's in the mix.
 
the best bang for the buck (IMHO) in the entire pickup industry.

I demoed only pickups available at the time. Had I have Bill Lawrence, Lindy Fralin, you name it, I'd surely include these in the test.

I just saw this and want to thank you for doing it, and for including the EMG SV which I've had in one of my Strats for more than 20 years. I have Fralin Split Blades in my other Strat and have been wondering what to swap for the EMGs and even if I "ought to". Areas are the most likely, though I don't know which I'd prefer and then there are the MojoTone Quiet Coils....
   I've got an Epi LP Std Plus top (that I really enjoy) that I want to re-pup for series/parallel and don't really have a good idea, for a "4 conductor with chrome covers". My Epi Swingster is on consignment and I really liked the parallel/series thing, but it's got to "turn into cash". 
So, your post was quite interesting and I look forward to Part 2.
Michael 

Thanks. I'd had Lace Golds in it before the SV set, which I got for $75 or something (which made that experiment easy to dive into!)and it was quite a jolt! LOL    So, I've always "kind of not liked them", but find them very useful tracking DI at my desk. I still think it would be nice to have something with Laces on it......
   My FSR ash Tele std is stock and about to get an Oak Grigsby 4 way (it adds series), so I'm checking into that side, too. I've got real Filter Trons on an Epi WildKat, but think I ought to re-harness that one (the LP too). Though I didn't particularly "love" the Swingster, the series/parallel blends were really cool and hours of fun.
   I've thought the Area P would do nicely in my Blacktop Jazz (2 P pups), too, so this all kind of adds to my "leanings". I hope to try some out, first!
 
Michael
 

Thanks   I've done a bunch over the past 5 + decades, but haven't done any for 12 years. So, I am going to take you up on that! LOL
Thanks for offering.
Michael