Will you really notice a change when...

ArlenBucy · February 14th, 2009, 01:10 PM

you change pups when using a solid state amp? I plan to get a blues jr. in a couple of months but I also want to get some pups. If I wont really appreciate the change until I'm pushin tubes I'll wait til I get the amp. Thoughts?

thaus · February 14th, 2009, 01:14 PM

In my experience, yes. My 62 Strat sounds awesome even through a SS amp after I put a set of DeTemple pups in............yes, it sounds even better through a tube amp but sounds much better with the new pups.

joeybsyc · February 14th, 2009, 01:16 PM

Sure you'll notice a difference... regardless of what kinda amp you have. The difference will be dependent more on how much different they are than your current ones, maybe more so than the amp, although a good amp will just make them sound all the better. In fact, depending on what kind of amp you have now, a good amp may be all you need to make your existing ones sound like you want... so you may want to just wait til you get your new amp before ditching the pickups you have...

It always seems to me that many folks are quick to change their pickups, when alot of times its just that they need a decent amp. I think other times its sort of a "change for changes sake" thing...I've heard bone stock pickups in a 99.00 Squier that sounded as nice as some 300.00 "upgraded" pickups. Of course I'm not claiming thats the case for you, just suggesting you may wish to wait til you get the amp and see what you think of your current ones. You can never go wrong with getting a better amp, but sometimes a pickup change can actually make your guitar sound worse than it did before... JMO of course, and I don't claim to be any type of expert.

I DO hear that if you get some REALLY good pickups your guitar will even sound better when it's unplugged. haha..j/k

ArlenBucy · February 14th, 2009, 01:26 PM

I know about the amp making a big difference thats why I am going to get a tube amp soon. I probably will wait to get pups til after but I have wondered if it would be worth it with SS.

Jimi Hendrix · February 14th, 2009, 03:27 PM

From my own experience, yes you will notice a difference when you change pickups whilst using a solid state amp.

Jefro · February 14th, 2009, 04:38 PM

Personally I find pickups can make a world of difference when using a Solid State Amp.

For years I only used a SS amp and I unfortunately only had one guitar at the same "bone stock mim standard" and as I improved with my playing I started to wonder if it was the damn amp or the ceramic pickups so I decided to get some Vintage Noiseless Pickups first since it would be a cheaper route and it made a night and day difference so I just kept playing a solid state for a few more years.

CandyAppleHead · February 14th, 2009, 04:56 PM

I don't know what amp you have at the moment but IMHO the difference you'll notice in upgrading the pickups will be nothing compared to the difference when moving to a better amp.

Offshore Angler · February 14th, 2009, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CandyAppleHead

I don't know what amp you have at the moment but IMHO the difference you'll notice in upgrading the pickups will be nothing compared to the difference when moving to a better amp.

We have a winner!

TIMB · February 14th, 2009, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Offshore Angler

We have a winner!

+3

Amps have alot more to do with tone and the sound your looking for,as opposed to what guitar you play.I can get a piece of junk guitar to sound great though a great amp,but can't get a great guitar to sound good through a junk amp,....and no I'm not saying ss amps are junk,just speaking in general terms.I know of some tube amps that are junk and some ss amps that are great.

Diamond Jim · February 14th, 2009, 08:38 PM

Anything you change on your guitar-pickups, picks, using fingers instead of picks, etc.-will give you a different tone.

07 road house · February 14th, 2009, 10:30 PM

I have told you guys before that I have upgraded to a Twin Reverb. I now find that all my guitars sound better. I dont think I will change pups. The twin just makes all guitars sound good. I also find that people may not like a dano phaser on a ss amp but in front of my twin it sounds great. I have started to believe cheap pedals and cheap pups with a good amp makes it all good