What humbucker do I need?

[CTN]

So I'm kinda unhappy with the PG+ in my Fender Showmaster.

It sounded too bright and thin with the stock A5, and although it sounds a bit better/warmer with an A8, it's still quite bright. I like my bridge humbuckers to be thick and middy.

The other thing is that when I'm using an overdriven sound on my amp, I like to be able to play with the volume knob as well as using picking dynamics to alter the amount of gain. When I dig in hard, even with the volume maxed, the PG+ isn't able to give me a nice thick drive sound. It's overdriven, yes, but not really driving hard. I'm used to higher output 'buckers where getting that thick, warm drive sound is effortless.

My last option with the PG+ is to try a roughcast A5. If that still doesn't float my boat, then I'm gonna need a new bridge pickup. So what I'm looking for is something that has a sorta PAF-ish articulation, especially with regards to the note attack, but maybe a bit higher output, that sounds thick and middy in the bridge position.

Suggestions?

[youngthrasher9]

New or used? I suggest trying the Black Winter bridge if the guitar is a bit on the warmer side. My Torero is warmer sounding and the Black Winter is amazing in this guitar. It's not as bright and viscous as the Duncan page would have you assume.

[CTN]

either new or used, don't really matter all that much.

I'd rather not stray into the distortion-class pickups though. Bit too much output for what I'd need it for.

something a bit lower than the output of a Custom is about as high as I would think of going.

[Agileguy]

Perhaps a 59/C Hybrid with an A2?

[CTN]

A2 is for pussies, women and children with learning disabilities.

.....says the guy with an A2 in the neck pickup of the very guitar he asked a question about.

I did some research on the '59/C though, and it looks promising. Have you ever taken it up to gargantuan levels of gain, Jordan?

[LesStrat]

You need Zhangbuckers. Trust me.

[Agileguy]

I've run it through my Egnater on the 800 channel with the gain pegged and the volume way up. I think it sounds excellent - tight enough for metal rhythms, articulate enough for soloing, and it cleans up fantastically. I still have an A5 in mine, though I've been interested in mag swapping before. It just sounds so good as is though that I can't bring myself to fix what's not broken.

[CTN]

You need Zhangbuckers. Trust me.

Any model in particular?

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I've run it through my Egnater on the 800 channel with the gain pegged and the volume way up. I think it sounds excellent - tight enough for metal rhythms, articulate enough for soloing, and it cleans up fantastically. I still have an A5 in mine, though I've been interested in mag swapping before. It just sounds so good as is though that I can't bring myself to fix what's not broken.

Nice. It's ticking the right boxes so far. And I like that with my 59 in the neck it will likely sound good together as well.

[youngthrasher9]

The '59/custom hybrid is actually what I was going suggest in reply. It's an amazing pickup as well. The A8 makes it an absolute firebreather if you ever feel like a little more output could help.

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Oh, and it pairs insanely well with the '59n as you would expect. I rocked that pair with A4n/A8b for a good while.

[kinnikuman]

A Korean guitar with shit pickups? NO fucking way!