• From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Topic: SWITCHING PICK-UPS = BRIDGE IN NECK and NECK in BRIDGE.

Let's say that I have a guitar with 2 EMG pick-ups, a 85 & 81 (Zakk Wylde 's combination).
Will there be a difference in sound if the bridge pick-up is replaced by the neck pick-up, and vice versa?
Is it possible to change a humbucker by 2 single coils, or are they causing "sound" problems because they are too close?

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

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  • dft889
  • Junior Member
  • Offline
  • From: Auburn, Maine
  • Registered: 2008-07-05
  • Posts: 6

Re: SWITCHING PICK-UPS = BRIDGE IN NECK and NECK in BRIDGE.

HI,Phil I would say that it would be a matter of Ohm-age,and what each pick up is putting out, like a 498 and a 490 there really isnt that much of a difference, you could on some guitars actually have a hotter p/u in the neck than in the bridge but because of its placement it sounds hotter, as far as the  2 single coils snugged up against on another I never thought of doing that but if there shielded I suppose it would work , it wouldn't magically become a humbucker  I have some old 60's jap axs and the ones with four p/u's are set pretty close to one another I'm sure that there is little to no shielding on those , try it let me know what happens...John

  • From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Re: SWITCHING PICK-UPS = BRIDGE IN NECK and NECK in BRIDGE.

Thanks, I know that people making pick-ups, can be a big brand, but probably some of the "luthiers" still make their own pick-ups.
I don't know much of pick-ups, only that they use special tools to measure the output.
News about changing pick-ups? I have an 1968 original Gibson Les Paul custom. The serialnumber is from 1967. I had already a Gibson Les Paul 1978, so I changed the pick-ups on my 1968.
I replaced the humbuckers by single coils. The problem is that a black "P-90" doesn't fit in the cavity and the technicians of the music store, (who is now the importer of Gibson) used P94 pick-ups. Single coils in a humbucker shape. The purpose was to have the configuration of the first P90 Gibson LP Customs Like 1954, 1955, 1956. In 1957 the sinle coils were replaced by PAF's. It's a great guitar with a great sound. The original pick-ups are strange. There is 1 PAF and the second pick-up is an old DiMarzio. Probably the first owner changed the other PAF by that DiMarzio.
Do you know where I can find another PAF? Some people tell to buy a t-top pick-up is this correct pick-up.
I don't know. About the serialnumber it says made end 1967, but they only came back on the market in 1968. They told me that even with the combination PAF/DiMarzio it's still almost priceless.
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ABNORMAL PRICES? Is Gruhn driving up prices? or publishers of vintage books? A GIBSON LP STANDARD 1959 can go up to 300.000-400.000$ This can't be normal

[color=blue]- GITAARDOCPHIL SAIS: TO CONQUER DEAD, YOU HAVE TO DIE[/color]   AND [color=blue] we are born to die[/color]
- MY GUITAR PLAYS EVERY STYLE = BLUES, ROCK, METAL, so I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IT.
[color=blue]Civilization began the first time an angry person cast a word instead of a rock.[/color]

gitaardocphil's Website