Pickup question

[m0b1liz3]

Ultimately I want an ES 335 style guitar but I want the sound to be not muddy. I envision a guitar with the upper 3-4 strings sounding like a humbucker on a 335 and the bottom 2-3 strings sounding like that of a stratocaster.

Is there any pickup out there that can achieve this?

 

[marcusnieman]

I'd concentrate on your amp settings. A 335 sounds like a 335 not just because of the pickups - it's a semi hollow body which gives it a totally different tonality than a solid body with single coils.

 

[AlanN]

The only way you'll get anything remotely approaching that is with a Variax/Variax workbench. And the strat models on those are frankly pish, so you may have to wait for the next incarnation!

 

[m0b1liz3]

Yeah, I don't want a guitar to sound like one or the other like the variax. I want one that has qualities of both.

Actually I just want a hollowbody with articulate sounding lower strings instead of mud.

 

[Anonymous]

Try a fralin unbucker. It's got a brighter and more open sound than most humbuckers and can be split in a vary different way to give you PRS-like strat tones.

 

[marcusnieman]

Yeah, I don't want a guitar to sound like one or the other like the variax. I want one that has qualities of both.

Actually I just want a hollowbody with articulate sounding lower strings instead of mud.

I have half a dozen hollow bodies and I have yet to come up with mud on the low strings unless I adust my tone that way - especially on the bridge pickup or in the middle position with the bridge tone rolled up. Are you talking about in the neck pickup?

If so, try lowering the pickup height, tweak the pole piece height and certainly dial in you sound with your amp and guitar tone controls.