I recently bought a Squier bullet mustang with a Dimarzio Super Distortion in the bridge. I really like the bridge pickup, but the stock neck pickup leaves a lot to be desired. I almost never play on the neck pickup, but my band does have one song that fell flat on its face live because the neck pickup sounded too dull and lifeless. It was almost like I was playing with dead strings. Does anyone have any good recommendations for a brighter sounding pickup that would preferably fit in the humbucker cavity? Right now I'm leaning towards the Seymour Duncan Jazz humbucker.
Re: Good pickups for Squier Mustang Neck?
Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2023 5:02 pm
by numberthirty
wolf wrote: Mon Sep 04, 2023 3:57 pm
I recently bought a Squier bullet mustang with a Dimarzio Super Distortion in the bridge. I really like the bridge pickup, but the stock neck pickup leaves a lot to be desired. I almost never play on the neck pickup, but my band does have one song that fell flat on its face live because the neck pickup sounded too dull and lifeless. It was almost like I was playing with dead strings. Does anyone have any good recommendations for a brighter sounding pickup that would preferably fit in the humbucker cavity? Right now I'm leaning towards the Seymour Duncan Jazz humbucker.
Without knowing what is there now, it did hit me that the pickup set in the Guild S-300d was Super Distortion/bridge and PAF Pro/neck.
Having actually played that guitar, I have always though that was a solid set.
If it is "Bright..." to the degree that someone wants to wind up at?
Tougher question.
Re: Good pickups for Squier Mustang Neck?
Posted: Mon Sep 04, 2023 10:54 pm
by MoreSpaceEcho
numberthirty wrote:
I have always though that was a solid set.
Yep, I've got a guitar with a Super Distortion/PAF Pro combo and they work well together.
The three I posted earlier are all brighter/less bassy than the PAF Pro but it's a nice sounding neck pickup. Well balanced, sounds good split.
Re: Good pickups for Squier Mustang Neck?
Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2023 1:27 am
by Nico Adie
The Artec Hb-size P90 pickups are excellent in the neck position, plenty of bite. Also, a Wilde L-500R. Chime and bite for days.
Re: Good pickups for Squier Mustang Neck?
Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 8:36 am
by mdc
gold foil gold foil gold foil
Re: Good pickups for Squier Mustang Neck?
Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 10:42 am
by llllllllllllllllllll
I know its not what you’re asking, but I was a humbucker bridge guy for a long time, and with the way I had my amp set for that sound, you couldn’t flip to the neck pickup and expect anything but muddy woof. It was an AC30 with Blues, too. My “neck” sound was the middle position with the neck pickup rolled off on a Gibson style control setup, which I guess your guitar doesn’t have.
It took a while to feel out a more balanced sound that allowed me to flip the switch around with better results. Just an idea for when you find a pickup.
Re: Good pickups for Squier Mustang Neck?
Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 3:17 pm
by dfglv
the air norton or the humbucker from hell (stupid name, but R Poss of Band of Susans speaks highly of it) are great neck pickups. i particularly like the air norton in parallel
Re: Good pickups for Squier Mustang Neck?
Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2023 4:55 pm
by MoreSpaceEcho
I hate to sound like Annoying Contrarian Guy, sorry! But I have a humbucker from hell in the neck of one guitar and I'm pretty meh on it. I just did a quick comparison between that, the PAF Pro, and the Fralin Sunbucker. HfH was my least favorite of the three, as I expected. It's ok, doesn't sound bad, I just don't find it that exciting. PAF Pro was brighter, Fralin was brighter still (really it just has less low end than the other two).