output amp; clarity

Hey Everybody, generally speaking does a lower output bridge humbucker = better clarity under medium to heavy distortion? Thanks for the help.

i guess it doesn't. Emgs have seriously high output and have clarity as hell even under ultra heavy distortion.

I don't think clarity is the issue. Even 2 pickups with the same output may sound different depending on the wire/wind used, etc etc.

A hotter output will hit the preamp of your amp harder, tho, causing it to distort quicker.


Originally Posted by Loserchiefi guess it doesn't. Emgs have seriously high output and have clarity as hell even under ultra heavy distortion.

The picjups themselves are low output. The EMG system gets its output strength from the 9V preamp. The pickups themselves run around 10k if I'm not mistaken.

I guess I should elaborate, if the low E and A strings are a little TOO distorted (i.e. a little inarticulate) when doing single note riffs in the lower registers but the higher registers / strings are just right...then what am I looking for to tighten up the low end?
I don't want to loose the girth in the low end just clean it up....any suggestions?

It would help if you precise what is the p-u your talking about , but if you have muddy bass for exemple with a 59 neck then try a Jazz , or try to clean up some of the bass before the preamp with an EQ or an overdrive pedal .

Lower the pup.

That depends heavily on what you mean by clarity, but generally speaking, yes, I think lower output pickups are better in this regard because they do not have the compressed sound that you get with higher output pickups. I've always felt that less compression gives you a clearer, more articulate tone. That doesn't mean that pickups like the JB and Distortion don't have clarity, they most definitely do. They'll cut through a mix without sounding muddy, but in terms of thickness and note separation under distortion, I think lower output pickups do a better job of that.

Ryan

Ill lower it tonight per Twilight's advise and see if that helps...if not, it's an excuse to buy another pick up!