Heavier "Midrange" Pickup for Neck Position...???

[Rex_Rocker]

I like the Evo Neck as well. A lot. It's clear, not overly plinky, and not as hot as the ceramic magnet and DCR might suggest. I think it would balance well with a JB no issues.

[Top-L]

I like the Evo Neck as well. A lot. It's clear, not overly plinky, and not as hot as the ceramic magnet and DCR might suggest. I think it would balance well with a JB no issues.

I just like ceramic neck pickups. There are some Ibanez INF and Quantum ceramic necks I like too. Its weird that the majority of "neck pickups" I've tried with A5 have too much top end jank.

Actually, besides the Evo neck, what other branded ceramic necks are there?

[Rex_Rocker]

I just like ceramic neck pickups. There are some Ibanez INF and Quantum ceramic necks I like too. Its weird that the majority of "neck pickups" I've tried with A5 have too much top end jank.

Actually, besides the Evo neck, what other branded ceramic necks are there?

Ceramic actually has more top-end since it has less iron content and jacks the inductance up less, it's just that it's usually used in hotter winds which are darker/smoother by nature. But ceramic neck pickups are also usually better designed to go along with hot bridge pickups, and the JB is pretty hot for being A5, so I think it might work.

I really like the Black Winter Neck, but that one is REALLY hot to go along with the blisteringly hot BW-B.

The Distortion Neck I used to really like, but I've kinda grown past it. It's a cool neck pickup, just kinda bland. It's not as smooth as the Evo, nor as hot as the BW-N. It's not bad, but it kinda sits in between a place that I don't love.

The DiMarzio Super 2 is kinda like you took the 496R and just gave it more of everything. It's super hot, but it's also kinda harsh and scooped. To me, it just hast an over-the-top kinda cheap pickup vibe. Not my thing.

And well, you got the EMG's. The 60 is pretty cool. The 81 also makes for a good neck pickup for leads.

[Top-L]

I like the Super Distortion as neck with a really hot bridge like X2n.

I disagree that ceramic has more highs. Two pickups I used to play alot, the Evolution and the Full Shred. They are similar pickups, but the Full Shred is A5. The FS just doesn't have the same focus as the Evo, imo. The A5 magnet gives it some air and more "hi fi", but its just not as focused for soloing. I still really like the FS. Most of these pickups work for me. I just have gnerally been disappointed with alot of the medium output A5 pickups I've tried in the neck. I'm like, I'll just keep the stock ibanez in there..

[Rex_Rocker]

I like the Super Distortion as neck with a really hot bridge like X2n.

I disagree that ceramic has more highs. Two pickups I used to play alot, the Evolution and the Full Shred. They are similar pickups, but the Full Shred is A5. The FS just doesn't have the same focus as the Evo, imo. The A5 magnet gives it some air and more "hi fi", but its just not as focused for soloing. I still really like the FS. Most of these pickups work for me. I just have gnerally been disappointed with alot of the medium output A5 pickups I've tried in the neck. I'm like, I'll just keep the stock ibanez in there..

Never tried the Super Distortion as a neck pickup. I have an X2N lying around, but I hate that pickup. So dark and bassy. I did pair it with an Evo Neck, and the Evo Neck was the star of the pair. I also really liked the BW/Evo combo.

The thing about comparing the Evo (either bridge or neck) to the FS is they're more different pickups than what the looks might suggest. The Evo has a brass baseplate (higher inductance), the allen polepieces are different, it has asymmetrical coils woud to who knows what geometry or DCR each, etc. Not apples to apples. But I can bet you if you put a Ceramic magnet on something A5 that's already bright like a Jazz N, it would just become even more harsh and unberable.

Take the Custom and Custom 5 as an example. Those are more apples to apples comparison. The Custom 5 is not dark, but the Custom is definitely brighter.

[Top-L]

Never tried the Super Distortion as a neck pickup. I have an X2N lying around, but I hate that pickup. So dark and bassy. I did pair it with an Evo Neck, and the Evo Neck was the star of the pair. I also really liked the BW/Evo combo.

The thing about comparing the Evo (either bridge or neck) to the FS is they're more different pickups than what the looks might suggest. The Evo has a brass baseplate (higher inductance), the allen polepieces are different, it has asymmetrical coils woud to who knows what geometry or DCR each, etc. Not apples to apples. But I can bet you if you put a Ceramic magnet on something A5 that's already bright like a Jazz N, it would just become even more harsh and unberable.

Take the Custom and Custom 5 as an example. Those are more apples to apples comparison. The Custom 5 is not dark, but the Custom is definitely brighter.

IMO, the custom 5 is brighter than the custom. I just did this comparison a couple years ago when I got a guitar with a custom 5. The custom is thicker with more mids. The C5 is scooped and more harsh on top.

[Rex_Rocker]

IMO, the custom 5 is brighter than the custom. I just did this comparison a couple years ago when I got a guitar with a custom 5. The custom is thicker with more mids. The C5 is scooped and more harsh on top.

Not my experience. I guess we might perceive things differently.

My experience agreed with this shootout. Neither had "thick" mids at all. The C5 was slightly spongier/looser. It wasn't dark, but not airy/twangy/PAF-like. The Custom was drier and more immediate, but the top end had more grind and scratchiness. In the end, I didn't like either because both had a more rumbly/loose low-end than I like. Then again, at that time, I was EMG 81 or die. I bet I'd like the Ceramic Custom nowadays.

[Top-L]

Agree to disagree. I hear presence and more open top end with a5. Brighter. Ceramics seem more focused.

[freefrog]

FWIW, I share below the spectrum of a bridge pickup that I've built on the basis of a Duncan Custom and mounted in a Superstrat (Alder body, maple neck, Floyd Rose trem).

Guitar played in chords direct to the board. Nothing changed except the magnet: orange line = ceramic, blue line = A5. Should give an idea of what objectively happens to EQing curves in such a case.

Now, a player might have a subjective perception at the opposite of this picture, if ever the sound of the guitar is heavely filtered by the sonic chain after it - effect(s), amp(s)... and of course these things with their own frequential peaks and dips, much more complex than guitar pickups when it comes to EQing, and that we name "loudspeakers" (including those paired to our computers). ;-)

[Top-L]

What is interesting is that the Custom and Custom 5 sound completely different, yet that graph would suggest that they only differ a small amount in EQ. And of course the ceramic is considerably hotter. Is the difference in the graphs because the ceramic has more output?

[Rex_Rocker]

What is interesting is that the Custom and Custom 5 sound completely different, yet that graph would suggest that they only differ a small amount in EQ. And of course the ceramic is considerably hotter. Is the difference in the graphs because the ceramic has more output?

I think it's because they do, LOL.

Some setups exaggerate the difference between pickups more. Most of them even them out, especially recorded.

But I didn't feel the Custom and the Custom 5 were radically different. Much like I don't think the JB and Distortion are radically different either, personally, even thought the later might be further apart from each other.

[RanchManSandy]

yo I'd say try a black winter neck. it's crazy how versatile it is and mine never sounds overly crisp.

[Juanhanglo]

OP should look towards dimarzio for a middy neck pickup.
I don't think they make any that aren't. Lol

Breed
Air norton
Liquifire
any petrucci neck pickup.

there are about 6 higher powered ones right there.

The 36th is a sweet sweet pickup for this purpose too.

[Rex_Rocker]

I agree. In general, I like DiMarzio neck pickups better than Duncan neck pickups for the most part. Yes, there are exceptions. I love the BW-N and hate the PAF Pro as a neck pickup, for example, but DiMarzio certainly has a bit more variety when it comes to smooth, middy, hot neck pickups than Duncan.

I like the PAF 36th Anni better than any low-output Duncan humbucker they offer. The only problem I have with that one is it's REALLY low output, IME. Barely even keeps up with the '59B IME.

[Top-L]

I was playing the Evo Neck last night and was reminded how cool it is. It is a dark pickup, but all the cool Evo harmonics are still there so you can coax alot of expressiveness out of it for solos. Alot of neck pickups, harmonics sound thin.