HBs for jazz

[Sada Yairi]

I'm looking to have some major rebuilding done to my Dot. I'm using it more for jazz these days, and I'm thinking that both pickups will be coming out - what do you guys reckon would make for good quality, reasonably priced replacement humbucking pickups (both neck and bridge) for traditional jazz? Looking forward to your input, cheers.

[deeaa]

Honestly, pretty much any pickup should work well.

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[sunvalleylaw]

What is it about the Dot's pups that are not working for you?

The first thought for a replacement that comes to my mind is the Duncan '59 line. But that is based on reputation only. Reported to be warm and smooth. Or Duncan also makes a jazz model.

[piebaldpython]

Probably most anything with AlnicoII mags should be nice and smooth.

[kidsmoke]

easy to overthink this. Carlton plays his 335 with PAF's for jazz and also did the lead parts on Kid Charlemagne with the same axe.

A good harness (I know I sound like a broken record...it's my answer to everything) will go a LONG way toward allowing you tone shaping capabilities because both the volume and tone pots, if quality, provide dramatic sweeps in sound.

PAF's are typically in the high 7k low 8k range. Any quality humbucker would do I would think provided it's not too hot (high output)

I recently put a pair of Sheptone's Tributes (http://sheptone.com/landing.html) in my 535 (a 335 type guitar) and am absolutely thrilled with them. comparable to the Duncans in price.

Another very reasonably priced "boutique" pickup winder is JS Moore (http://www.tonefordays.com/html/j_s_moore_custom_guitar_pickup1.html)

As SVL said, Duncan 59's, or Seth Lovers, or Antiquities would cover that ground

Gibson 57's, or Burstbuckers

Lollar Imperials.

dozens more.....

All these pickups are targeting the same territory, and with a good harness, would give you plenty of range, IMHO.

[kidsmoke]

expounding on my prior comment...(especially since the guitar in question is a semi....)

If you were to purchase something like this.....a top quality harness with "pigtail" leads....

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l58/tiokimo/Heritage%20535/b08a70de.jpg

You can see what you're capable of before dropping another 200.00 on pickups. It's possible what's in there will work for you. If you still decide to go with new buckers, the pigtail leads (the extra wire coiled in the lower left) allow you solder the pickups from the pickup route, rather than at the pots, so you can leave the harness in place. A swap becomes a pretty simple thing to do. This is the route I took, and I still swapped the p'ups, but I had a 14K output bridge pickup, which I pretty much new I wasn't gonna keep.

[Sada Yairi]

Thanks for the great input everyone, much appreciated.

[Sada Yairi]

So I've narrowed the list down (based on cost and desired tone) to either Golden Age Parsons Street Alnico II HBs, or Tonerider Alnico II Classics. Both these sets seem to have the attributes I'm after (low-output classic tones, good for jazz primarily, as well as blues and classic rock), basically leaning towards p90-type tones. I've read lots of positive reviews of both these pickup lines and very little negative. Anyone here with any experience with these two lines of pickups in particular?

[Zip]

I've played with the Stewmac pups, and they're really good at doing the PAF tones. I'd suggest an Al.II in the bridge, and an Al.V in the neck. Wonderful range of tones, from creamy to bitey.

[Duffy]

Tried heavy flat wound strings?