Changing pick ups.

[Mark-NL]

Hey all,

I see a lot of guys here that change the PUps on their Balls.

Personally, I would never consider doing that. I like my guitars to be as original as possible. (The only exception: I changed the plastic knobs on my ASS for metal ones, and I use straplocks)

I understand that changing the PUPS might provide a tone that might be more appealing, but I just can't see myself doing it to any of my Balls. Perhaps it's like a dog with only 3 legs: it might not be perfect, but you love it anyway, just the way it is ....??

Am I weird this way, or do you guys feel the same?

[DrKev]

If you go to an expensive restaurant, do you reach for the salt and pepper or do you enjoy the food as the chef intended?

Personally, I'm not much into switching pickups. It's just so much hassle finding the right ones. Huge choice and no easy way of comparing them. Fortunately, I love the stock pickups in the Silo Special. Took me a while to get used to the HSS after 12 years of SSS strat but once I finally dialed in the pickup heights to my liking, I'm in heaven!

BTW, Mark, Are you comparing your guitars to dogs with three legs? And for someone who "loves it just the way it is", don't you have your true gold SS for sale?

[Mark-NL]

Hehe

I was struggling to find an analogy. I might not have picked the best one

As for the Silo...it's not for sale, it's for trade I like it a lot, but not as much as my ASS and Luke. I would not mind keeping it at all, however GAS has struck (for a Morse), and I don't allow myself to spend anything on guitars at this moment (just booked a fantastic holiday (ARUBA here I come again)) , so a trade is the 'only option'.

[jzeijen]

I only changed pickups on a couple of non EBMM guitars I had/have. Never changed pickups on my Music Man guitars. Although it took a little time to appreciate the Petrucci pickups, for the time being I am content with them. The pickups on my AL's and the Reflex are very excellent, I will never swap those!

[Roubster]

I've changed pickups almost in all my guitars. I'm not sure what it is, but I just like to experiment. It has nothing to do with the pickups not being good or anything...it's just that I'm searching for my own tone and I guess I feel like I want to make it sound even better.

I'm actually in the process of replacing my humbuckers in my Morse Y2D just to see what I can get out of it with some Suhr pickups. I really love the stock pickups, but I just got curious and want to experiment some more hehe.

[beej]

And I think that's it- mostly it's curiosity. Esp. for the people that like to tinker.

I've probably replaced everything at one time or another, but mostly I'm back to stock (with a few exceptions). The pickups are generally very well matched in the MMs.

[ScreaminFloyd]

If you go to an expensive restaurant, do you reach for the salt and pepper or do you enjoy the food as the chef intended?

No salt & pepper....I go straight for the Ketchup ! I do not mess with the P/U in my Music Man guitars either.

[HTSMetal]

Every guitar I own has aftermarket pickups, except my EBMM Axis Super Sport. I haven't played, nor heard an EBMM guitar that didn't have stellar stock pickups in it. Like Roubster said, it really is about finding your own tone and experimenting.

[matty76]

whatever floats your boat, personally, I have changed pickups in every guitar I've owned probably several times (unless it's a collectors piece), If I like the guitar/neck playability but it doesn't have the sound I'm looking for, which is pretty much always, I'll swap it out, if I don't dig the feel (for guitars I've bought online and not had a chance to play) It usually finds a new home pretty quickly...this happens often. Some people enjoy fine dining, some would 'settle' for McDonalds...I'm a fine dining kind of guy.

[Warg Master]

I'll change them if I think the guitar needs a little more or less of something that the new pickup will offer. I never changed the Pickups in my JPX (when I had it) nor in my JP BFR. They didn't need anything different. My sub guitars needed something different and I found the perfect fits for them. Plus, I usually don't intend to sell my guitars when I change the pickups.

[paranoid70]

I haven't done it yet, but am seriously thinking about changing them out of my Silo Spec. I may want something a little more crunchy. But for the most part, I do like how it sounds now... how do I know if I would like the replacement any better?

[radrock]

Just don't put ketchup on Big Poppa's BBQ or he'll never invite us to the factory again.

[Warg Master]

I haven't done it yet, but am seriously thinking about changing them out of my Silo Spec. I may want something a little more crunchy. But for the most part, I do like how it sounds now... how do I know if I would like the replacement any better?

Try it, then put back the original if you didn't like it.

[Roubster]

I tend to do as much research as I can about certain pickups that might fit the criteria I am after. I try to read as much reviews and demos as I can to get an overall idea of what they are like. Usually if you get a knack for wanting to swap pickups, there is something auraly missing that will make you look for that missing link the pickups like more output, more mids or bass, etc. Of course listening to your favorite players and seeing what they are using tends to help.