Distortion with A4, A3, UOA5?

[toneseeker74]

Anybody ever swap an A3, A4 or UOA5 in a Distortion? How did it turn out?

[Aceman]

Re: Distortion with A4, A3, UOA5?

When in doubt - an APPROXIMATION would be whatever that mag does in a JB….

JB2 an JB (similar to UAO5, I'd think…) are pretty well documented

[audiocheck]

Re: Distortion with A4, A3, UOA5?

When in doubt - an APPROXIMATION would be whatever that mag does in a JB….

JB2 an JB (similar to UAO5, I'd think…) are pretty well documented

Aceman, so the Distortion is the same wind as the JB? What about the Distortion neck? Is that just less winds as a JB or a whole different beast?

[Aceman]

Re: Distortion with A4, A3, UOA5?

The Distortion is NOT the same, but it is pretty darn close. Close enough for my ears.

Don't know the super technicals on the Distortion neck wind

[audiocheck]

Re: Distortion with A4, A3, UOA5?

The Distortion is NOT the same, but it is pretty darn close. Close enough for my ears.

Don't know the super technicals on the Distortion neck wind

OK cool, thank you

[Aceman]

Re: Distortion with A4, A3, UOA5?

My official policy is that if you want a true JB neck model - just take a distortion neck and put an A5 in it.

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Distortion with A4, A3, UOA5?

The Dist with an UOA5 sounds pretty good...way better than the ceramic, imho. I've had an A2 in my Dist for several years and really, really liked it. Just changed back to an A8 but haven't had a chance to play it yet. The A8 was my first change to my Dist and I remember that I really liked it, but it wasn't specifically what I was after at the time, the A2 hit the spot. But now I'm after a bit more aggression and tighter sound so I'm going back to the A8.

I haven't tried an A3 or A4 but I'd guess they would sound pretty flat and lifeless in a Dist.

[LtKojak]

Re: Distortion with A4, A3, UOA5?

I haven't tried an A3 or A4 but I'd guess they would sound pretty flat and lifeless in a Dist.

Why exactly makes you think that?

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Distortion with A4, A3, UOA5?

That was, of course, a relative statement. The Dist is a fantastic pup, sounds great and is responsive, but with the ceramic the highs a piercing and brittle. The A8 in a Dist improves the highs, imo, by getting rid of the piercing/brittle quality and yet retains its beefiness. Moving to an A5 gives it a brighter sound by reducing some mids and gives it a different but still exciting quality. An A2 gives the Dist a very different character, smoother, softer, warmer, and very responsive. IMO, the Dist with an A2 is a very dynamic, toneful pup.

An A4 has a more flat/even EQ compared to the other mags mentioned. I think it would lose the excitement of an A5, the drive of an A8, or the dynamics of an A2. I used the term "lifeless" to describe that relative comparison. I really can't see what an A4 can do to improve any of the good qualities inherent in a Dist.

I have not ever had a very good result from using an A4 in any of the pups I've tried it in. To my ears and for my tonal desires, it just didn't do what I could get other magnets to accomplish. To me, they all just sounded blah with an A4...not bad, but not good either. I certainly can understand its usefulness and how it can help to get what some guys are after, but it just doesn't do anything for me.

I am also aware that it is one of your favorite magnets for a neck pup and I absolutely respect your opinion

[toneseeker74]

Re: Distortion with A4, A3, UOA5?

Thanks everyone. I never thought of using A2 in the Distortion, which is kinda silly given all the people that like the JB with an A2. I'll have to do some magnet swapping and report back.

[CTN]

Re: Distortion with A4, A3, UOA5?

I haven't done either with a Distortion, but I recently had a UOA5 in my JB.

It was interesting. I'm not normally a big fan of the UOA5. Something about the voicing it gives to pickups just annoys me.

What it did to the JB was that it made it a bit more mushy in the lows and low mids. Sorta like that A2/A3/A4 squishy/chewy/spongy character. Those parts of it, I liked. What I didn't like was what it did to the upper mids and treble. The upper mids had this sort of honky vocal "wah"-ish thing and got really scratchy sounding. It's hard to explain, but the JB's attack and articulation comes from that upper mid spike, and the UOA5 turns the attack into an almost pick-scrape kinda sound instead of the full sound of the string attack. The treble was a bit smoother/rounder/less articulate.

I've since changed it to a Roughcast full strength/oriented A5 like what the old JBs had. It's real good. More muscular than the UOA5 and more articulate, but retains the smooth highs and lows. Mids are way tighter and the attack in the upper mids sounds right again.

[toneseeker74]

Re: Distortion with A4, A3, UOA5?

I haven't done either with a Distortion, but I recently had a UOA5 in my JB.

It was interesting. I'm not normally a big fan of the UOA5. Something about the voicing it gives to pickups just annoys me.

What it did to the JB was that it made it a bit more mushy in the lows and low mids. Sorta like that A2/A3/A4 squishy/chewy/spongy character. Those parts of it, I liked. What I didn't like was what it did to the upper mids and treble. The upper mids had this sort of honky vocal "wah"-ish thing and got really scratchy sounding. It's hard to explain, but the JB's attack and articulation comes from that upper mid spike, and the UOA5 turns the attack into an almost pick-scrape kinda sound instead of the full sound of the string attack. The treble was a bit smoother/rounder/less articulate.

I've since changed it to a Roughcast full strength/oriented A5 like what the old JBs had. It's real good. More muscular than the UOA5 and more articulate, but retains the smooth highs and lows. Mids are way tighter and the attack in the upper mids sounds right again.

Awesome feedback! Thanks for the detailed info

[Masta' C]

Re: Distortion with A4, A3, UOA5?

Doesn't really compare the A3/A4/UOA5 in the JB or Distortion winds, but this may be helpful: LINK

[toneseeker74]

Re: Distortion with A4, A3, UOA5?

Sweet! I love that link. Haven't listened to that in about a year. It's the whole reason I decided to buy a Distortion again.