Scoops....?

[midnite_man]

Okay, I'll bite. What the heck does "scoop" mean in the world of pickups? I read it all the time here, and have a few clues what it pertains to, but I don't think I have it nailed down yet.
Educate me, people!

-Bob

[proxy]

Re: Scoops....?

Usually it refers to a way people dial in there eq or probably the pickups natural eq.

Scooped means the mids are rolled way back and the high and lows are the prodominant sound. Common on lots of the newer harder rock. However I find this makes it hard to cut through the mix in a band situation. You sort of just become background noise in my opinion.

[59paul]

Re: Scoops....?

Hey Bob, If you're talking about scooping, as I know it, it refers to a reduction in mids. As in " scooping out" the mids in an amps EQ. Seems to be big among Metal enthusiasts. Anyway, that's my take on it.

[midnite_man]

Re: Scoops....?

Okay, that makes it easier to understand. I guess I don't "scoop" very much then as I usually play with the tone-pots rolled back just a small amount to remove just a little brittleness.

[midnite_man]

Re: Scoops....?

I'm just a rocker, and a roller, too, baby!

[midnite_man]

Re: Scoops....?

Usually it refers to a way people dial in there eq or probably the pickups natural eq.

Scooped means the mids are rolled way back and the high and lows are the prodominant sound. Common on lots of the newer harder rock. However I find this makes it hard to cut through the mix in a band situation. You sort of just become background noise in my opinion.

That also makes sense to me. thanks, proxy!

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Scoops....?

That also makes sense to me. thanks, proxy!

Bob...If you want to cut through in Rock N Roll it's all about the mids..You want mids and mids are our friend! Just not honky boxey sounding mids..

John

[midnite_man]

Re: Scoops....?

Bob...If you want to cut through in Rock N Roll it's all about the mids..You want mids and mids are our friend! Just not honky boxey sounding mids..

John

absolutely, bro!!

[\m/(00)\m/]

Re: Scoops....?

usually alot of newer guitarist who play metal scoop their mids.
but the "nu" metal bands out there definitely dont scoop their mids.

[McLaughysSN]

Re: Scoops....?

my mids are SLIGHTY scooped on my GE-7, while the mids are boosted on my amp EQ. it works out great for me.. it cuts through the mix

i agree, mids ARE your friend when used properly

[RG 2570]

Re: Scoops....?

"scooped" or "dipped" mids in a pup can cause it to sound thin/hollow and make the guitar lost in the mix.
on a amp it is a common practice in metal to keep the mids lower than the treb and bass ala metallica, and others in thrash metal

[some_dude]

Re: Scoops....?

In my opinion, scooped mids help tighten up your sound a bit, particularily when playing fast chord changes and using alot of palm mutes, and as such are are good for metal rhythm.

Personally, I like to leave them in. It gives me that sludgy, unclean, Sabbath like metal sound.

[RG 2570]

Re: Scoops....?

In my opinion, scooped mids help tighten up your sound a bit, particularily when playing fast chord changes and using alot of palm mutes, and as such are are good for metal rhythm.

Personally, I like to leave them in. It gives me that sludgy, unclean, Sabbath like metal sound.

i use a three channel amp,in which i have my rhythm tone with less mids than my lead tone so i need a very balanced pup to compensate this.
if a pup is too scooped,it will sound like S**T on my rhythm channel and if the pups has too much mids ala CC or other mid heavy pups,it sounds like S**T on my lead channel
right now the best i have come across is the peavey wolfgang pups for all three channels of my amp

[some_dude]

Re: Scoops....?

i use a three channel amp,in which i have my rhythm tone with less mids than my lead tone so i need a very balanced pup to compensate this.
if a pup is too scooped,it will sound like S**T on my rhythm channel and if the pups has too much mids ala CC or other mid heavy pups,it sounds like S**T on my lead channel
right now the best i have come across is the peavey wolfgang pups for all three channels of my amp

So far, I'm happiest with a DiMarzio Super Distortion. It does some wicked lead work, but also takes well to being scooped.

I have a JB that's also good for rhythm, although I find I have to lower the bass a bit to keep my amp from farting. I really like it's tone, but I still haven't found it's "Sweet Spot", so I still prefer my S Distortion. I find my S Distortion has more crunch, but that may be due to the fact that I haven't found that sweet spot I mentioned.

I prefer the JB to the S Distortion for cleans, but both pale in comparison to single coils.

In a couple of months time I plan on experimenting with some EMG 81, 85, SA, & SAVs.

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Scoops....?

Mids = crunchy distortion

How you can expect to get heads banging without crunchy distortion is waaay beyond me...

Back in the day, Kurt Cobain kept the mids on his Randall head up all the way, no matter what the setting...not that he's a tone genius or anything, i just think that's a cool tidbit.

-X