Low-Impedance Pick-ups for a standard guitar

[Rick_Palo_Alto]

Hello,

I have a standard guitar with three, double humbucker pickups. See photo below.

I wish to change these three pickups to the Low Impedance type, like the Alembic type.

What are my options?

1)  Are Low Impedance pickups (and wiring/control set) only available from Alembic?

2)  Are there other vendors?

3)  Can I buy three double size, Low-Impedance pick ups (and wiring/control set)?

Do tell!

-Rick Powers

[jazzyvee]

Hi Rick, if  you haven't looked into the on-line shop I'd suggest having a look there at the options for pickups. It has options and prices. I will post a link once I've saved this post. http://www.alembic.com/prod/prices.html
Look for the activator section.

You could buy 6 single coil sized humcancelling pickups to replace the ones you have there plus either a filter based or bass & treble electronics package. A cheaper option would be to use an alembic  blaster system. https://alembic.stores.yahoo.net/blaster.html

In case you are not aware, the alembic humbucker sized alembic pickup generally has a single coil sized pickup inside, that said, they are a custom shop and may be able to make you specials with two pickups inside.
Alembic have just moved shop and pricing up some odds and sods collected over time so  you may be able to get a stack of pickups that are perfect soundwise except the casings may be a bit wildly coloured, scuffed or discoloured. I got some a few years back and they are in a couple of strats and were a saving on the new price. On one set I had wooden tops fitted to match the body of my guitar.

All the best with the project

[gtrguy]

I used to own a 70's Les Paul Recording with low impedance pickups. It looked pretty but didn't sound very good.

[lbpesq]

Not too many others produce low impedance pickups of which I’m aware.  I’ve been experimenting a bit with winding my own, trying 1500-2000 winds and a blaster circuit.   Still a work in progress.  As for other sources, Q-Tuner makes passive low impedance pickups employing neodymium magnets.  Also, Cycfi Research makes individual pickup capsules, also with neo magnets, that I believe are low impedance.  I’m not sure if they are a real company or just an unusual website, but the site is definitely interesting.

Bill, tgo

[edwin]

I like low impedance pickups for bass, but a lot of people don't like them for guitar. What sound are you going for?

[jazzyvee]

Hi Edwin, what you say makes sense to me and I would be interested in Bill's view also on guitars with low impedance pickups as he has been through a lot of guitars.
I have an alembic orion guitar that I used along with my strat ultra for touring back in 2006 - 2008. In my own experience the only aspect that I found less pleasing with the low impedance setup was when using distortion/overdrive effects pedals especially digital multi-effects pedals.
I stopped using the digital stuff after being shocked at how much of my natural guitar tone they sucked away.  Analogue transistor based pedals especially the pro-co rat I found much better but not ideal. To me, the low impedance guitars sound was raspy, tizzy compared to my strat. I prefer a warm mellow, (think mid late 70's Santana), tone.   

After a lot of experimenting, i discovered the best overdrive tone using my alembic guitar was from my fender Twin Amp (evil Twin) and started specifying that in my backline spec. Since i've stopped touring I have used a Radial Trimode and Classic for getting my overdrive/distortion at much lower volumes and whilst they sound "acceptable" with the low impedance alembic pickups I prefer the distortion/overdrive sound much better with my fender strat.

[lbpesq]

I play mostly rhythm in a Bob Weir manner.  Lots of different voicings, inversions, arpeggios, embellishments, etc.   I prefer a very clean tone for most of the material I play.  My Alembics and my own builds with Alembic PUs/electronics are perfect for my purpose.  And, just like Alembic basses, the PUs/electronics in Alembic guitars inspire/require you to improve technique as sloppy playing is more apparent.   As for harder rock, metal, shred, or other styles that call for various amounts of distortion, I agree with Jazzy.  Alembic PUs/electronics would not be my choice.  I’ve been through a lot of pedals and amps in my search for lead tone.  Also like Jazzy, I lean toward the Santana saturation end of the spectrum.  I’m still looking.  These days I’m playing around with the second channel of a Quilter Micro Pro 200, and a Pigtronix Micro Disnortion placed in the effects loop.  The Pigtronix even has a “Carlos” setting.

Bill, tgo

[xlrogue6]

Here's Al Green's guitar player with a Les Paul Personal, with low-Z pickups.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9-GJ-P-TqY

[gtrguy]

With the Les Paul played through a Sunn Coliseum lead, or something like it, which I also used to own at the same time I had my Les Paul Recording. I have to say I don't like the tone.

[edwin]

Bear in mind that low impedance can refer to several scenarios. Very rarely are the pickups actually low impedance. The Les Paul Recording guitars have them (Les really liked the super clean sound) and perhaps some Alembics, although most are medium impedance. I had a set of Series caramel pickups that were super low (about 800 ohms of resistance) and I loved the way they sounded in my bass. Sadly, one broke, so I'm hoping they can be resurrected.

Another scenario is having standard (or medium) impedance pickups, but the output impedance dropped by a buffer. Think EMG and Alembic. Any pickup can be converted to low impedance this way (such as Jerry Garcia's guitars that were equipped with Dimarzios.).

The difference is that true low impedance pickups tend to sound cleaner and are perceived as thinner because the resonant peak of the circuit is up out of the range of the fundamentals of the notes. Buffered standard pickups tend to retain more of the character of a standard pickup with some added clarity as well as the ability to run through various circuitry and long cables without losing treble.

[jazzyvee]

Edwin you described the impedance much better than my discarded attempts.