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I've been slowing buying parts for a Musicmaster and I've almost got everything I need, so now I need to decide on a pickup for it. I was thinking about a Lace Sensor Silver with 500k pots. I may eventually make it into a Duo Sonic, but for now I want to keep it simple with one pickup. Is this a good choice or does anyone have any other suggestions on what might be the most versatile pickup?

Depends on what sondz you want. I don't mind a thin one pickup guitar but I am freak.

Just a thought but the MIJ Jaguar pickups are much loved in the neck position (including by me). Since the MM is a 24" scale guitar and the pickup is in the neck position, I think a MIJ Jag pickup could be had for cheap, and sound fantastic.
I actually have a spare MIJ Jag pickup from the bridge position (replaced with an AVRI), although I think the bridge and neck pickups are the same.
I also have a 1978 MM - I could do a comparison between the Jag and the MM, although there are many other differences beside the pickup of course.

I would opt for an alnico 3 SC, about 6k. Just cos my CV50s strat has the best neck tones ever. Enough cut and clarity to handle riffs.

MatthewK wrote:Just a thought but the MIJ Jaguar pickups are much loved in the neck position (including by me). Since the MM is a 24" scale guitar and the pickup is in the neck position, I think a MIJ Jag pickup could be had for cheap, and sound fantastic.
I actually have a spare MIJ Jag pickup from the bridge position (replaced with an AVRI), although I think the bridge and neck pickups are the same.
I also have a 1978 MM - I could do a comparison between the Jag and the MM, although there are many other differences beside the pickup of course.

That's also because of the 1 meg pots and plinky plonk bridge. Lovely sound though.

Call me crazy, but I like the Musicmaster pickup in my Musicmaster.

MatthewK wrote:Just a thought but the MIJ Jaguar pickups are much loved in the neck position (including by me). Since the MM is a 24" scale guitar and the pickup is in the neck position, I think a MIJ Jag pickup could be had for cheap, and sound fantastic.
I actually have a spare MIJ Jag pickup from the bridge position (replaced with an AVRI), although I think the bridge and neck pickups are the same.
I also have a 1978 MM - I could do a comparison between the Jag and the MM, although there are many other differences beside the pickup of course.

I already have a Jaguar, and was kind of wanting something a little different, but not too different. Kind of something between a Jaguar and a Mustang neck pickup, which is why I was planning on using 500k pots. I'd probably be playing mostly with distortion/fuzz, so something that would go well with dirt pedals. If it sounds good clean, too, then great.

George wrote:I would opt for an alnico 3 SC, about 6k. Just cos my CV50s strat has the best neck tones ever. Enough cut and clarity to handle riffs.

What's the 3 SC stand for (sorry)?

HNB wrote:Call me crazy, but I like the Musicmaster pickup in my Musicmaster.

Any idea what the specs are? I guess I could try to find one on ebay, but they might be kind of expensive. Not sure.

I would think it would be cheap. I got a whole Musicmaster for $450. People buy them a lot of the time for parts. I would think it would be cheap.

The cheapest one I saw was 82.99 obo. Maybe I'll just get a SD Antiquity Mustang pickup. Still curious about the Lace silver though.

dren68 wrote:

George wrote:I would opt for an alnico 3 SC, about 6k. Just cos my CV50s strat has the best neck tones ever. Enough cut and clarity to handle riffs.

What's the 3 SC stand for (sorry)?

Alnico 3 magnets, as opposed to the usual alnico 5. SC means single coil. So really I meant a single coil that uses alnico 3 magnets.

George wrote:

dren68 wrote:

George wrote:I would opt for an alnico 3 SC, about 6k. Just cos my CV50s strat has the best neck tones ever. Enough cut and clarity to handle riffs.

What's the 3 SC stand for (sorry)?

Alnico 3 magnets, as opposed to the usual alnico 5. SC means single coil. So really I meant a single coil that uses alnico 3 magnets.

Ahh, yes. Not sure why I couldn't figure that out.

I definitely want a single coil, but how does the number of magnets affect the sound of a pickup?

No it's a different mix of metals - the Al Ni Co means iron plus aluminium, nickel and cobalt, the exact proportions depend on the particular formula. So there is alnico 1, alnico 2, alnico 3, etc, each of which has different magnetic properties (and hence tone etc).

Yeah. It's the metallurgy or something. Alnico 3 is supposed to give less string pull because of the weaker magnet so longer natural string vibrations. I can't verify that but my CV50s Strat (alnico 3) DESTROYS my CV60s Strat (alnico 5) on sustain.

I think alnico 3 gives a brighter sound, softer "spongier" attack, good string separation/clarity, pleasing compressed tone/sustain

I think Alnico 5 has more bottom end, more spike and percussiveness and more of the opposite of the above.

In a way you might say alnico 3 is vintage voiced, alnico 5 is modern voiced. That said the 60s pickups are wound a tiny bit hotter overall.

MatthewK wrote:No it's a different mix of metals - the Al Ni Co means iron plus aluminium, nickel and cobalt, the exact proportions depend on the particular formula. So there is alnico 1, alnico 2, alnico 3, etc, each of which has different magnetic properties (and hence tone etc).

George wrote:Yeah. It's the metallurgy or something. Alnico 3 is supposed to give less string pull because of the weaker magnet so longer natural string vibrations. I can't verify that but my CV50s Strat (alnico 3) DESTROYS my CV60s Strat (alnico 5) on sustain.

I think alnico 3 gives a brighter sound, softer "spongier" attack, good string separation/clarity, pleasing compressed tone/sustain

I think Alnico 5 has more bottom end, more spike and percussiveness and more of the opposite of the above.

In a way you might say alnico 3 is vintage voiced, alnico 5 is modern voiced. That said the 60s pickups are wound a tiny bit hotter overall.

Okay, that makes sense now. Thanks for the little lesson on what Alnico stands for. I never knew that. Pretty cool stuff.

Wait until you get into CuNiFe! WRHB nerds unite.

You might check here. Matt is shortscale member toez10.
I just got a a set of Mustang pickups and a Bronco pickup from him.
I haven't tried them out yet but I've heard nothing but good things about his pickups.

http://www.bullockguitarpickups.com

Thanks. I was actually checking out some of his pickups on ebay over the weekend, so I might get in touch with him.

Lace Sensors are good as well if you want a more modern sound.