ASAT Super Bridge Pickups are awesome

[mikemjr12]

I recently installed an ASAT super bridge pickup into my 2016 SC-2. Upfront Guitars started carrying them so I figured why not give it a try. They’re very affordable and the sound vs the stock pickup is a major improvement in my opinion. Unfortunately posting photos is a bit cumbersome, otherwise I’d share the visual differences. Highly recommend this pickup to transform your ASAT or SC-2 into more of a rock machine. I also liked the effect on the middle pickup position.

[tomanche]

I second that emotion! I installed one in my ASAT Jr. around 2016, and liked the extra girth and the relative "darkening" of the middle position. Sounded great on my band's CD. (My Jr. is the one with a replaced neck, so I worried less about modding it.)

I scored a minty ASAT Super about 2 years ago, which is a great guitar. But the overlap is pushing me to sell one of them. Just can't decide which....

[sam]

Amen to that Mike! Love them in my Super and picked up one from Upfront a while back for a project guitar with my son.

Those pups are amazing!

[neutralomen]

Yeah IMO in general, MFDs need a bit of an overhaul. the general principle is really cool. A strong magnet and wide pole pieces making a big magnetic field the strings can kind of "bathe" in, and a low wind/high inductance, so they're loud and have a wide frequency response.

That said, I find they are just too much transient. they clip the crap out of preamps when you dig into them. you have to take them down such that your spikes don't clip, but then your quiets are too quiet. MFDs sound REALLY good with compression for this reason.

I wish they changed the recipe a bit with more DCR/winds to attenuate the high frequency transients a bit, and lower the magnet strength slightly.

Just my two cents. When you actually tame MFDs, they are great. I wish they had a better "out of the box" sound wide open.

[mikemjr12]

I think the Doheny pickups took a lot of the criticisms of MFDs into account, and the result was a smoother pickup. I do not like the sound of MFDs through a bright amp. But they do sound really good through my Orange amp.

[glvourot]

I was not aware that they discontinued the hotter bridge pick up on the SC-2 re-issues. Mine is a 2010 or 11 and definitely has the "Super" bridge pick up. Its nice to have the contrast but my Asat gets a great rock sound as well. I'll have to do a closer comparison.

[mutts]

I would love to check them out but would not replace anything in my Asat. Sounds like a cool concept though. Guess that means buying another guitar.

[john o]

I recently installed an ASAT super bridge pickup into my 2016 SC-2. Upfront Guitars started carrying them so I figured why not give it a try. They’re very affordable and the sound vs the stock pickup is a major improvement in my opinion. Unfortunately posting photos is a bit cumbersome, otherwise I’d share the visual differences. Highly recommend this pickup to transform your ASAT or SC-2 into more of a rock machine. I also liked the effect on the middle pickup position.

Thx for the tip, I ordered one of these for my '07 ASAT

[NickHorne]

GREAT pickup.
BUT BUT BUT please don't try to take the cover off to look inside!!
The bobbin of the Super - type pickup is VERY full of windings, and the pickups are waxed (potted) with their covers on.
Removing (or even just moving) the cover can tear the windings on the outer edges of the coil, resulting in dead pickup, since the wax can basically glue the incredibly fragile wire to the inside of the cover.
Handle it very carefully, and promptly just screw it into the guitar, where it's safe, and enjoy.
P.S. I hadn't realised it was discontinued, either. I just looked at the G&L online store, and there it wasn't. What a pity! And I had been wanting another one for a lap steel I've promised to make for my father-in-law, would have been great...
But Upfront have some! I must ask whether they can ship to UK, asap! Great news.

[john o]

I installed this p’up in my ‘07 asat special today and so far I am pleased with the result. It brings the beef more substantially than the original pup. Nice clear tones, noticeably better output, drives the preamp well with a little more snarl. It kind of matches the personality of the gtr which is 8lb 15oz, has a #1 classic C neck and standard tele thickness body. Lead tones are buttery with great sustain. I’ll report more about tones after I use it in some different settings.