AS 50 pickups are too "hot"

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Author Message Saintawesome Username: Saintawesome Registered: 10-2005 Posted on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 - 1:52 pm:    I have a problem with my AS50. I can't turn the volume up on the pickups past 3 or I get massive muddy distortion. These are the orignal P59s or whatever. What can I do? Are the pickups shot? Are they too close to the strings? Should I lower them? Any suggestions? I want a clean thick warm tone. Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 - 3:05 pm:    Are they covered or uncovered? If they are uncovered, they are probably V2s, which were used in the later AS50s. Very hot and midrangey pickup. Not for everybody. Are you playing with clean tones or distortion? You could consider switching to a mellower pickup, like Ibanez Super 58, DiMarzio PAF Classic, Seymour Duncan Seth Lover, etc. -Sven Acetan Username: Acetan Registered: 09-2003 Posted on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 - 5:37 pm:    Are they covered or uncovered? If they are uncovered, they are probably V2s, which were used in the later AS50s. You meant "earlier AS50s", didn't you? Ace Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Wednesday, October 26, 2005 - 12:27 pm:    Yeah, that's what I meant Ace, your the expert on AS50s. What are your thoughts? -Sven Acetan Username: Acetan Registered: 09-2003 Posted on Wednesday, October 26, 2005 - 3:57 pm:    I like AS50s but don't know anything about electronics. Assuming the pickups are stock, then my wild guess is that maybe the volume pot is shot or there's something wrong with the selector switch. This would be something for my luthier for sure. Ace Saintawesome Username: Saintawesome Registered: 10-2005 Posted on Thursday, October 27, 2005 - 4:02 pm:    Thanks all. These pickups are un-covered. I have some Seymour Duncan Alnico II pickups I could have installed. What do you all think those would do to the tone? I'll definately have the pots checked. As far as the other questions. I don't use much distortions. I like cleaner tones and use heavy distortion once in a while. Acetan Username: Acetan Registered: 09-2003 Posted on Thursday, October 27, 2005 - 4:33 pm:    The top one is a late model AS50 with Super58's which have warmer tone. The second one is an earlier model with V2s that are hotter. Ace Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Thursday, October 27, 2005 - 5:02 pm:    I think the Alnico IIs should be right up your alley if you want clean, warm tones. I say try them out, and let us know the result. -Sven Saintawesome Username: Saintawesome Registered: 10-2005 Posted on Thursday, October 27, 2005 - 5:31 pm:    I definately have the V2s Mjark Username: Mjark Registered: 11-2005 Posted on Tuesday, November 15, 2005 - 11:44 am:    What amp? What EQ? I have one and use it though vintage Fenders. The bass has to cut way back and treble up. I use the volume control in just that manner. Back for clean and up for grit. No pedals. Writersf4011 Username: Writersf4011 Registered: 08-2005 Posted on Tuesday, November 29, 2005 - 10:36 pm:    Mjark, That's what I'm finding with the DiMarzio PAFs I put on my my AS-73. It's now a wonderful lead axe at any volume, but chords and rhythm stuff start to sound like I have a drive channel or distortion pedal on my 66 Princeton Reverb. It seems like excessive break-up and I'm beginning to wonder about the pots. What's your set-up? Mjark Username: Mjark Registered: 11-2005 Posted on Friday, December 02, 2005 - 8:47 am:    I use either a 66 Bandmaster or a 70s Deluxe Reverb. Volume about 4 to 6 depending on the size of band. The bass on the amp has to be turned down to about 2 and the treble 10. I just turn my guitars volume pot down until I get the amount of clean I need. I do this with all my Humbucker guitars with good results. With single coil guitars I leave a TS-9 on all the time and do the same thing with different amp EQ's of course. It's the simplest way to go in my opinion. Plus you can get really smooth transitions from clean to progressively more gainy tones. Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Friday, December 02, 2005 - 11:20 am:    Writers, Old amps are great but you have no control over gain, so there is no way to match the preamp to the guitar. What happens if you back off on the volume of the guitar? One thing you could do is get an outboard preamp or buffer to drive the amp with. You could adjust the volume going into the amp to where you have enough clean headroom. You could even mark the positions used for your different guitars so that you could easily match gain when switching guitars. Michaelkaufman Username: Michaelkaufman Registered: 11-2002 Posted on Wednesday, May 10, 2006 - 8:57 am:    Ace: Do you still have the AS50 w/ Super 58's? What year(s) did the AS50 come with Super 58's? How much feedback do you get feedback w/ this AS50? Thanks, mk

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