Hey all

[ADYAPOOP]

hey everybody,

Would it be possible to put a dual blade humbucker in a legacy HB's neck position?.. is G&L's dual blade pickup the same size as the single coil pup size?..Also, would there be any issues with the output level, because I read that the dual blade pups have higher output, so im wondering if playing on the neck position, and then switch to just the middle, would it become quieter?

thank you in advance and thanks for reading it.

[louis cyfer]

why do you want a dual blade humbucker in the neck?

[Craig]

hey everybody,

Would it be possible to put a dual blade humbucker in a legacy HB's neck position?.. is G&L's dual blade pickup the same size as the single coil pup size?..Also, would there be any issues with the output level, because I read that the dual blade pups have higher output, so im wondering if playing on the neck position, and then switch to just the middle, would it become quieter?

thank you in advance and thanks for reading it.

The G&L Dual-Blade pickup is the same size as the existing Legacy single coil pickups. See List of pickups used in G&L guitars for some
additional information on this pickup along with the other pickups used in G&L guitars. You might consider the pickup combination
used in the Invader, which you would get by replacing the neck and middle pickups with G&L Dual-Blade pickups.

Like louis asked, why do you want a dual-blade humbucker in the neck?

[blargfromouterspace]

why do you want a dual blade humbucker in the neck?

Probably for the same reasons that you change the pickups in all your guitars.

[louis cyfer]

why do you want a dual blade humbucker in the neck?

Probably for the same reasons that you change the pickups in all your guitars.

i am wondering what sound he is looking for.

[ADYAPOOP]

yeah, I would like to have a warmer and fuller sound for jazz and some progressive rock... but who knows... so if I did end up putting a dual blade in the neck would the output level be equal in respect to the other pickups? like when I switch from the alnico to the dual blade would one be way louder than the other?

[Boogie Bill]

A humbucker in the neck of a Legacy is a good idea...like a humbucker in the neck of the ASAT Bluesboy. I'm suprised more strat players don't use this mod, but there have been some very good players who've done this or gone the 2HB route.

You could put a full size paf in there, but the strat buckers are quick and easy and require no mods...and therefore are reversible. Several companies make these....Duncan offers several versions with both pole pieces and blades, with various output levels.

The problem is going to be, as you suspected, matching output levels. I can't give any specific advice, but my gut says that it will be difficult to find a match. You could see if the Duncan Custom Shop can make something for you.

And you really should try a Legacy Special. The Gotoh pickups do get a thicker paf-ish tone and the PTB controls allow for great variation. Great guitar.

Bill

[ADYAPOOP]

the legacy hb I ordered is still being made, and after doing more research I found out that the legacy special would have suited more of my preferences. Anyways, if I put the Gotoh dual blade in the neck AND middle would the output levels be different, because now I have all 3 humbuckers (bridge, middle, neck)..

[Craig]

the legacy hb I ordered is still being made, and after doing more research I found out that the legacy special would have suited more of my preferences. Anyways, if I put the Gotoh dual blade in the neck AND middle would the output levels be different, because now I have all 3 humbuckers (bridge, middle, neck)..

As I mentioned in my previous post, that would be the pickup configuration of the Invader. You might call your local G&L dealer and see if they have an Invader
in stock for you to try out. Have you contacted the dealer you ordered the Legacy HB from, to see if you could change your order to a Legacy Special?

[ADYAPOOP]

yup i did, it was too late to make any changes

[louis cyfer]

yup i did, it was too late to make any changes

they should be able to change that to almost the date of completion. it is only a change in pup configuration. i would check again and be a little more forceful.

[Craig]

yup i did, it was too late to make any changes

they should be able to change that to almost the date of completion. it is only a change in pup configuration. i would check again and be a little more forceful.

This is simply not true. You have no idea at what stage it is in production. If the body and neck have reached the paint department,
where the headstock decal is applied, the instrument is locked in to it's build sheet configuration and a change at that point would be quite disruptive to
the production of this instrument, ie. the body would sit around waiting for a new neck to be cut, sanded, and prepped before it could leave the paint department and
move to the next stage.

Giving advise such as this is ill advised. This is not the first time you have commented like this, so my advice to you, is to leave it to the dealer and factory to make
the determination of what they can or can not do once an order has been submitted to the factory.

[louis cyfer]

yup i did, it was too late to make any changes

they should be able to change that to almost the date of completion. it is only a change in pup configuration. i would check again and be a little more forceful.

This is simply not true. You have no idea at what stage it is in production. If the body and neck have reached the paint department,
where the headstock decal is applied, the instrument is locked in to it's build sheet configuration and a change at that point would be quite disruptive to
the production of this instrument, ie. the body would sit around waiting for a new neck to be cut, sanded, and prepped before it could leave the paint department and
move to the next stage.

Giving advise such as this is ill advised. This is not the first time you have commented like this, so my advice to you, is to leave it to the dealer and factory to make
the determination of what they can or can not do once an order has been submitted to the factory.

it can't possibly be that difficult to change pup configuration. i give the advice, because that's what i would do, and i do get my way. i don't take no and can't as an answer as easily as others.

[Craig]

it can't possibly be that difficult to change pup configuration. i give the advice, because that's what i would do, and i do get my way. i don't take no and can't as an answer as easily as others.

I guess you failed to read my post completely.

Regardless of whether or not it is difficult to change pup configuration, the factory will not build a guitar
with the wrong model decal on the headstock. So, it would be doubtful that you would get your way in this case.
And no one asked your advise on this specific detail ... next time try

I will remind you of our rules here, with a partial copy, as it applies here:

We have rules which are simple and will be enforced to maintain a positive atmosphere. Participants
are expected to treat others with respect, kindness, and consideration, including G&L and other
manufacturers....Subsequent posting to the G&LDP regarding a private warning
from the Admin will likely result in suspension or revocation of posting privileges.[/quote]

[Craig]

it can't possibly be that difficult to change pup configuration. i give the advice, because that's what i would do, and i do get my way. i don't take no and can't as an answer as easily as others.

I guess you failed to read my post completely.

Regardless of whether or not it is difficult to change pup configuration, the factory will not build a guitar
with the wrong model decal on the headstock. So, it would be doubtful that you would get your way in this case.
And no one asked your advise on this specific detail ... next time try

I will remind you of our rules here, with a partial copy, as it applies here:

We have rules which are simple and will be enforced to maintain a positive atmosphere. Participants
are expected to treat others with respect, kindness, and consideration, including G&L and other
manufacturers....Subsequent posting to the G&LDP regarding a private warning
from the Admin will likely result in suspension or revocation of posting privileges.[/quote]

[louis cyfer]

it can't possibly be that difficult to change pup configuration. i give the advice, because that's what i would do, and i do get my way. i don't take no and can't as an answer as easily as others.

I guess you failed to read my post completely.

Regardless of whether or not it is difficult to change pup configuration, the factory will not build a guitar
with the wrong model decal on the headstock. So, it would be doubtful that you would get your way in this case.
And no one asked your advise on this specific detail ... next time try

I will remind you of our rules here, with a partial copy, as it applies here:

We have rules which are simple and will be enforced to maintain a positive atmosphere. Participants
are expected to treat others with respect, kindness, and consideration, including G&L and other
manufacturers....Subsequent posting to the G&LDP regarding a private warning
from the Admin will likely result in suspension or revocation of posting privileges.[/quote]

where did i treat anyone above without respect, kindness etc? including g&l? putting 2 blades in with the hb on the legacy hb would not require changing of the decal, nor could it possibly be that difficult. personally, i don't like the idea of a double coil in the neck position, i think the position itself gives the rounded jazzier tone, along with higher output that matches a humbucker well, trying to do it with the pup as well is overkill, but that is what the op wants.

[ADYAPOOP]

what do you guys think about just having the gotoh dual blade just in the middle?

[Boogie Bill]

what do you guys think about just having the gotoh dual blade just in the middle?

That would not be my choice for a middle pickup when combined with vintage single coils. I don't think it would match up well.

Bill

[Boogie Bill]

I've thought some more about this.

I would order the Gotoh Blade pickup and try it. Simple as that. What works for some guys doesn't work for others. You can get internet advice until the cows come home, but on something like this, you won't really KNOW untill you've tried it.

You could also try ordering a second pickguard (Chandler, I think) and have it cut probably any way you want. I'm sure they could do H-S-H--as they say, all it takes is money and desire. Wire up the pickups. controls and switches and drop it in--without messing up your original guard. You could solder in a quick connect for the jack and make the switch in just slightly more time than it takes to change the strings.

If you are looking for humbucking tonality, you could also look at the Duncan line. They do the Cool and Vintage Rails, some stack types, and they have single coil-sized versions of some of their PAFs: Lil' Pearly Gates, Lil' '59 and the JB, Jr. They don't sound exactly like their big brothers, but they get close--real close. I have a JB, Jr. in the bridge of one of my guitars and it does exactly what it is supposed to do. You can also find humbuckers that try to keep the single coil tone, so you'll need to do your homework.

If you are looking for a warmer single-coil tone from the neck--still strat-ish, just warmer and softer, try the Seymour Duncan Antiquity Texas Hot neck pickup. I have a set of these in a Legacy and I love them. A lot of guys don't like the thinness of tone in the basic strat vintage single coil. I do--I love the quack of Clapton, Cray and Knopler, the motown funk, the depth of Hendrix and SRV. You can get a strat to sound almost like an acoustic on the neck pickup if you know what you're doing. So for the most part, I don't do pickup swaps on my Legacys. I also have the Legacy Special, S-500 and the Comanche models, so if I want a different tonality, I pickup another guitar.

The SDATH is a different flavor from those. Not as thin as the Legacy singles, not as "humbucking" as the Gotohs, not as aggressive as the S-500's singles, and fatter than the Z-coils on the Comanche (which can be made to get pretty fat!) Kind of in between all of those--just different enough to make things interesting. My Legacy has a RW/RP middle, and their Custom power bridge version, and I really like this set.

Maybe if a vintage strat pickup had a baby with a vintage P-90--the SDATH might be the result.

If you want the sound of a PAF humbucker, then you need to go either full-size PAF, or with one of the mini buckers or darker sounding blades. If you want single coil clarity and still want a warmer sounding pickup, the SDATH pickups are a good way to go. When I switch from one of my stock Legacys to this one, the words that come to mind are: fat, chewy, girthy. I will always come back to the stock pickups, because that is what I know and what I love--but sometimes, the thought creeps in that these are the best sounding strat pickups I've ever played. And I'm an old dog--I've played many vintage Fenders over the years, and owned a vintage 1960 Strat. That's my bona fides.

You can get 10,000 pickup recommendations from any internet forum within 3.2 seconds after your post goes up. You can spend anywhere from $20 to $200 on a single pickup. You don't really KNOW until you try which one works for you. You may have to go to a $$$$ boutique builder--or you could be estatic over a Duncan Performer Rails pickup made in Asia.

It's up to you to figure out what is going to work. Just remember to enjoy the journey.

Oh, and I probably should mention (or not, LOL!)...I HAVE seen a Legacy Special with two Blades and a PAF TB-4 in the bridge, ala an Invader. Sure looked factory to me, so this was probably done as a special special order. If it were a Gibson, they would probably call it the Legacy Special Deluxe Super Custom HB model. (That's an inside joke only you Gibson fans will get!) I was kinda meh about the guitar--I like the tone of the Power Blade in the Legacy Special, so it didn't offer much for me.

Anyway, take care and good luck.

Bill

P.S. You might want to look up some of my posts about the PTB system and how I set my controls. There's a lot of variation in them, and it's easy to go from twang to woman tone with just a few adjustments. So if you haven't tried your new guitar yet, hold off until you've really gotten used to it--you might not need a replacement pickup at all.

And you could also look into using a pedal, like a Boss GE-6 Graphic EQ, to fatten up your tone for jazz on your neck pickup.

There are lots of ways to get things done in this biz. I know what works for me--I can tell you how I do it, what I've learned over the last 45 years of guitaring--but I understand that it might not work for you, and I'm okay with that. I promise I won't be offended.

You have to follow your own path.

Bill