The Electra Forums

Pickup recommendations? I want to replace the pickups in my 310 mpc I actually like the sound but the pickups are too hot espectally the bridge. It is as low as it will go in the ring and is as loud as the bridge which is flush with the top of ring. Both pickups are somewhat distorted at any setting on my amps. Maybe this is normal. I dont know the ohms on these but they must be high.

Try to lower the magnet pole pieces about 3 turns. Distorted at any setting should not be the case. You could try 250k pots as well. That would probably solve the issue BUT - If you're getting a distorted sound at any settings I'd be inclined to think it's not a pickup issue at all. Does it clean up at all? Set your amp volume at a comfortable level, set all your guitar tones and volumes to 10 and back them off slowly. At some point - maybe around 7 - there should be a very noticeable difference and the sound should clean up.

Sorry if you already know this - just trying to help.

It had 250k when I got it I changed to 500k just because they seamed a little dark. The distortion is musical hot humbucker distortion that sounds different with each pick up and when you back off the volume they clean up. Both pick ups Sound good but when the amp is at normal clean volume for a strat or a tele i'm getting mild distortion at same amp volume.

I'm thinking of trying some eric Johnson hb

Measured the ohms on these and I think the neck is 8.4 and the bridge is 8.1. Not that hot but still to loud with the poles adjusted.

That is normal for PAF humbuckers - they will have a bit more distortion/output than a typical strat or tele pickup. That is normal if I am understanding what you are describing.

The Dimarzio Eric Johnson pickups are a really good choice, as they are lower output humbuckers than even vintage PAFs. That was a very good suggestion.

Another good one are the Westone UBCs, as they are about 6.5K humbuckers that are bright and clear. I have a set of those if you are interested, you can PM me. Dimarzio makes a PAF Classic and Humbucker from Hell as well, closer to PAF output, but clearer. The humbucker from hell is not what the name implies, it is a mismatched humbucker so it sounds more single-coilish.

For something completely different, the Prails will give you a PAFish tone, a really high output tone, a stratty single coil tone, and a P90 tone - all in one pickup. It does a remarkable job. You can wire a pair to work that way in an MPC, by replacing the first two pots with push/pulls. Combinations of push pulls give you those tones. I had a Cort Pagelli (the original high quality version) rewired with that setup, and it kicked major tail. It looks funky. But I liked it.

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Thorny

Dimarzio makes a PAF Classic and Humbucker from Hell as well, closer to PAF output, but clearer.

This is was my choice for a neck pickup and the Johnson at the bridge.

I got a possible deal on a set of SD antiquities I think Ill try.

I just paid tonight for a used set of Seymour Duncan Antiquity's with a set of mounting rings and hardware. So I won't Have to fool with assembly and disassembly Yeah