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Best clean pickups on the cheap

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pickups
2K views 6 replies 7 participants last post by  bang_jalil 
#1 ·
I want to put a spring in my ageing RG370's pickup step, and would welcome suggestions. The main factors are

  1. I play CLEAN all the time. I find is hard to describe exactly what I'm after, but I'm kinda aiming for a piano tone, IYSWIM.
  2. I can't afford anything superduper, so probably need to aim for GFS/Artec level or hope for luck in the used market.
  3. I once played a PRS SE with soapbar pickups and remember it sounding ace, so am keeping humbucker-sized P90s in the running.

Yup, I've read the sticky: so in order...

Music:
Yes/Mike Oldfield/King Crimson/Dave Matthews/Tortoise/Radiohead/Uncle Moe

Kit:
Electra (2004ish, discontinued) 30W 12" with valve preamp. No effects.

Git:
As per the list = trem; rosewood board; 24 frets; vol/tone/pickup selector; solid basswood body, I imagine; stock HSH pickups. But you knew all that anyway.

Grumbles:
Just currently all sounds rather "unbalanced", lacking "presence" (tho that might be amp), tinny bridge, need more chord clarity in neck, want a jazzy roundness across the board.

Ta,
Andrew.
 
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#2 ·
My experience is cheaper pickups tend to be mid forward and are actually nice for heavy distortion but suck-y on cleans. If it were single coil you'd had more chance...

I'd say go for the used market. You'll probably find good deals on something like seymour duncan jb without waiting too much.
 
#4 ·
A JB won't be any good for cleans, it's a bit too dirty.

But yes, look at the used pickups market. Something like a pair of used PAF Pros may be perfect. The other option from the Seymour Duncan camp are 59s. You'll be able to find these used for reasonable prices.

How much do you have to spend?
 
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