Buyer's Remorse

[b2187101]

Bought a white MIM strat as my first "good" guitar. After a couple of years with it I decided to "Mod" it. Bought a set of D. Allen Voodoo 69 pups... and, if I could play, like lets see- Jimi Hendrix- I am sure I would be very happy with them. The problem is I am a chord pounder and these pups just don't sound right with how I play.

Probably going back to my tech (tail between my legs) and ask that he swap the D. Allens out for the stock pups. Then sell the D. Allens- at a loss.

I am not knocking D. Allen pups, in more skilled hands I am sure they would rock. Just not for my grunge/garage rock.

Someone here once posted "If it ain't broke... Mod it until it is" ha ha.

[Derek Kiernan]

Have you experimented with amp settings and pickups heights exhaustively? Setting pickups closer to the string will generally increase voltage output and emphasis on the lower harmonics, often useful up to the threshold of "stratitis". I would have no aversion to turning down the tone pot or treble at the amp down as far as you need, mids up all the way, bass to taste. Many people are displeased with new pickups because they don't "work the same way" with the amp, meaning that amp settings may need to be radically changed for optimal result and taste.

[hongaku]

Although I'm sure you have fooled around with them as Derek suggests below (which you should if you haven't), either way it happens to everyone at some time or another - sometimes it even takes years to realize it.
I once had a really nice sherwood green metallic strat that I ignored my instincts on and got anyway - I had convinced myself I liked it even though I had some nagging doubts. I never bonded with it, but held onto it for nigh on 10 years before finally parting with it in a trade for a telecaster and it was like a weight lifting from me. I had already learned to listen to my gut long before I parted with it, and it worked out in the since I got a great tele out of it, but I still took the lesson that if I feel my inner wisdom telling me "no" then I should pay attention, no matter how much I might be drawn to it for one reason or another.
Pickups are a much easier mistake to fix when regret sets in (in most cases). If you end up truly not getting want you want/need out of the D. Allens, just make sure you do A LOT more research next time if you want new ones again - look for sound clips, talk to other players that have pups you think you might be interested in, find out what kind of pups your influences use if they are getting a sound similar to what you want. These days I take months to research and toss it around in my head before I decide on things like pickups - thus far I've not been disappointed.

[BrenReg]

I have a set of DAllen Voodoo 69s in a white MIM strat too. One of my favorite guitars, and the pickups are amazing.

Try setting your pickups pretty low; my neck pup is barely above the pickguard. Also try playing with more gain than you think you need, and control the gain level with your volume knob. You should be able to find the sweet spot that works for your rhythm playing.

[b2187101]

I've done everything but adjust the pickup height. Will give that a shot. Should have just stuck with the ceramics. Listend to lots of sound clips... but great guitar players make them sound SO cool. I am admittedly not a good player... chord songs, power chord songs.

Had a Nashville Telecaster that I did not bond with (a used guitar I got cheap). Tried all sorts of Mods, but just never quite liked it. Traded it for a guitar that I use all the time and cannot reasonably Mod. 72 Thinkline WRHB.

[Mreilander]

I heard his pups like to be on the low side... Shoot Dave an email regarding pup heights, I'm sure he'll help you out.

[robt57]

Get or borrow a Seymour Pickup booster. If you are in PDX I could have you come by and try mine. Might get you there....

[hongaku]

Originally Posted by b2187101

I've done everything but adjust the pickup height. Will give that a shot. Should have just stuck with the ceramics. Listend to lots of sound clips... but great guitar players make them sound SO cool. I am admittedly not a good player... chord songs, power chord songs.

Had a Nashville Telecaster that I did not bond with (a used guitar I got cheap). Tried all sorts of Mods, but just never quite liked it. Traded it for a guitar that I use all the time and cannot reasonably Mod. 72 Thinkline WRHB.

Indeed, mess with the pup heights; you'll be surprised how much difference it can make. A pickup booster might be a good idea too; even just to have around for general use.
Incidentally, I modded the crap out of my 72 thinline reissue, including replacing the pups; given the results I got, I felt it was very, very reasonable. YMMV.

[JKjr]

Originally Posted by robt57

Get or borrow a Seymour Pickup booster. If you are in PDX I could have you come by and try mine. Might get you there....

Pickup height is EVERYTHING. And SD pickup boosters are perfect for strats, as is an EP booster. I wouldn't give up on the pickups, in my opinion they are much better than the stockers.

[robt57]

Originally Posted by JKjr

I wouldn't give up on the pickups, in my opinion they are much better than the stockers.

My impression / guess is that hotter PUPs where hitting the front end of his amp harder and also he was getting more compression than the PUPS with a more vintage voice he put in. Thus some sort of transparent OD or Boost / preamp [yadi yada] may well be his liberating and simple solution.

[Hiker]

Originally Posted by JKjr

Pickup height is EVERYTHING. And SD pickup boosters are perfect for strats, as is an EP booster. I wouldn't give up on the pickups, in my opinion they are much better than the stockers.

This! ^^^ Performing DIY setups without proper experience can fuel major disappointment.

[TheToneRanger]

Don't feel too bad - pickups are always a crap shoot.
Do experiment with the pickup height (I've actually worked with David on a few projects and know that he uses pretty high grade magnets, and that alot of people find they need to be back off the height a little more than on most other brands.)

Given the style of music that you're saying that you play I'm not entirely surprised that the Voodoo '69's didn't work for you. They are, after all, based off of stock, lower output late 60's pickups. For as heavy an image as Hendrix had, the sound of his pickups, especially his bridge, could sometimes be a little thin and hashy - downright piercing at times.

In hindsight the DAllen VoodooBlues set might have been a better fit - it's one of the sets I worked on with David. They have the neck and middle off the regular Voodoo set but a stronger bridge p'up - close to but not exactly like what is on his Austin Bues set. The result is a set that can get all those Hendrix-y neck and in-between sound, but when you go to the bridge it's full and warm without the icepick - great for distorted rock tones.

[robt57]

Originally Posted by Hiker

This! ^^^ Performing DIY setups without proper experience can fuel major disappointment.

Well, regarding PUP heights, if an initial prudence is exercised measuring so you could return to initial heights....

[Controller]

Really, pickup height can make a huge difference.

Even if the OP still decides to swap back it is worth the time to see how different these pickups can sound at different heights.

[warthog]

For what it's worth, when I first played my tele with DAllen pups in it, I was a bit concerned that the sound wasn't what I was looking for. Then I messed with all my amp and pedal settings and have now discovered that these pickups are amazing and truly make my guitar sing.

Change can be difficult.

[flyingbanana]

Those pickups are great. Not for grunge though. Like everyone else said....maybe you can adjust them. Have you checked to see how your tech wired them? Does the bridge have a tone control? What cap etc...these little nuances can make a difference by leaving the pickups sound harsh or to dark. Maybe he even used a cap across the volume pot. That can make the pups sound weak. These are things you ought to look at before ripping them out.

[D.Allen]

I just saw this thread here.
That's a pretty harsh title. You know I would happily refund your money or exchanged that set out for you. If you still have them the offer is open.
Each set has it's own tonal range or personality so that set just may not fit your style.
Let me know if I can help I am not hard to find.
It's much easier to just contact me and get things right.

[caferacer]

Originally Posted by D.Allen

I just saw this thread here.
That's a pretty harsh title. You know I would happily refund your money or exchanged that set out for you. If you still have them the offer is open.
Each set has it's own tonal range or personality so that set just may not fit your style.
Let me know if I can help I am not hard to find.
It's much easier to just contact me and get things right.

my faith in customer service has been restored!
now that is a company I would be happy to do business with in the future!

[D.Allen]

Try dropping the height very low as suggested in a post above. I do not look at string height I just Strat with the neck low E side 1-2 mm from PickGuard to top of cover and high e side 2-3 mm. Then play it and see how it sounds on that guitar. I will raise it half a turn at a time until it sound good. Then I go to the bridge and adjust it until the output is equal and sometime drop it down a half to a turn. I like the output between the neck and bridge to be fairly balanced. Then I go to the middle and start like I did on the neck.
My pups tend to sound best set lower then others.
Like I said if that set is still not delighting you lets change it out or refund you money.
Email me an we can figure it out.
Many thanks

[b2187101]

I am the OP. I received great service from D. Allen. The pickups were high quality and under different playing conditions would probably sound great... My style sort of changed and to tell you the truth I am not that great a player, I traded them for something a little more to my style and the guy who has them now seems to like them a lot.

I have received some great advice from people on this post. Thank you.

I would recommend D. Allen pickups for their price and quality. In the future, I might put together a 1960s style strat and I would go for Voodoo 69s again.

If anyone has any questions please PM me. I do not wish to disparage D. Allen service or their pickups.