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5 pickups IN THE MIX comparison

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  • 5 pickups IN THE MIX comparison

    Hello everyone!

    First of all, this is probably my first message and first thread on this forum, but I would like to say in my defense, I was reading and lurking this forum for few years! And found a lot of useful information (like mag swapping, magnetic field interaction, JB pickup revisions an etc)

    Aaaand I think it’s a good opportunity finally to start communicating by sharing with you guys my latest awkward creation I have been working on for few weeks. I hope it may be useful or at least interesting,

    Prehistory: I found I have a guitar I have not been playing for a long time because I did not dig the pups, and few pickups I would like to test in this guitar. So I decided “to shoot two rabbits by one shot”, record this guitar with different pickups and see how it will sit in the same mix.
    I realize this is a Seymour Duncan forum, so be sure some of them are Seymour’s and some not.
    I decided this will be a “blindfold” test for a while so your opinions will not to be biased.

    BUT before you go by the link
    or start do download the archive I should warn you that the mixing quality may be way low then your expectations, and I apologize for that. This is just one of my first mixing experienes, criticism, swearing, cursing or humiliation (all except the physical violence) are welcome!

    One guitar, 5 different humbuckers, One mix. Here is a my attempt to compare five different pickups (all different manufacturers) caught up in my possession and find out (first of all for myself), a


    OR

    Download Archive with tracks: https://yadi.sk/d/ozte5ItC3Dtaii

    GEAR: 1997 Explorer DI’s were double tracked and reamped through Tube Screamer + Mesa Tripple Recto + Recto 4*12 cabinet + SM57 - > straight into my low cost Thunderbolt Zoom TAC-2 interface (last one is not so bad btw)

    P.S.: I'm sorry if I write with mistakes, English is not native to me, hope you could understand most of all

    George
    Last edited by KaKa83; 02-11-2017, 03:37 PM.

  • #2
    Re: 5 pickups IN THE MIX comparison

    Hey, sounds pretty good to me. I think I liked the 4th one the best. Sounded like a ceramic based rail type pickup. Maybe an emg. I loved the lead tone from that one too. I'd imagine if you threw a tubescreamer out front, you'd have a screaming metal track. Nice job and welcome to the forum bud.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

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    • #3
      Re: 5 pickups IN THE MIX comparison

      Originally posted by KaKa83 View Post
      JB pickup revisions


      Thumbs up

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      • #4
        Re: 5 pickups IN THE MIX comparison

        Originally posted by InbredJunk View Post
        Hey, sounds pretty good to me. I think I liked the 4th one the best. Sounded like a ceramic based rail type pickup.
        Hi, InbredJunk! You are right about ceramic character, in this situation I like this a little sizzle on the top.

        Originally posted by InbredJunk View Post
        Nice job and welcome to the forum bud.
        Thank you! )
        Last edited by KaKa83; 02-11-2017, 02:29 PM.

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        • #5
          Re: 5 pickups IN THE MIX comparison

          Seymour duncan blackouts ahb-1 active pickups




          Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

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          • #6
            Re: 5 pickups IN THE MIX comparison

            Interesting. Subtle but noticeable differences. I don't care for #3, but I think #2, #4 and #5 may be my favorites. 4 and 5 have a bit more bottom? Very curious to learn what all 5 pickups are.
            Thanks for doing this.

            p.s. Your English is fine and the recordings are fine.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: 5 pickups IN THE MIX comparison

              I listened again and #4 and #5 are for sure my favorites. VERY curious to know what they are!

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: 5 pickups IN THE MIX comparison

                Originally posted by Dave Locher View Post
                VERY curious to know what they are!

                Hi Dave! Isn't 4 and 5 have similar charracter, but slightly different?

                I think i will keep the answer till the end of the week, just in case somebody else would be interested in the blind test )

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: 5 pickups IN THE MIX comparison

                  I guess you could say "similar but different." Both have some quality that I like but I'm not sure I could define what it is.
                  I shall wait patiently for the end of the week.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: 5 pickups IN THE MIX comparison

                    So the pickup models are:

                    1. Seymour Duncan El Diablo
                    2. Dimarzio Super Distortion (old one, but factory waxed, so, not sure about the year)
                    3. EMG 81 running at 18 volts
                    4. Seymour Duncan Custom (with Big Ceramic magnet)
                    5. Seymour Duncan Custom (same one but with Alnico 8 magnet - pickup height has not been changed)


                    Probably I will tell more about the difference in the FEEL of every pickup, because the sound differences in the mix are noticeble, but what actually significant is how every pickup feels while you are plaing.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: 5 pickups IN THE MIX comparison

                      Yes, please do! I am anxious to hear your thoughts on feel, especially between #4 and 5.
                      I am very surprised that I like the Custom better than the Super Distortion. I guess I will have to try one out.
                      Thank you for doing this, KaKa83. I would never have given the Duncan Custom a second glance if it weren't for your recordings. I'm still anxious to hear about your "feel" impressions. I seem to like ceramic magnets - another listen confirms that #4 is my first choice with #3 and #5 second choice.
                      Last edited by Dave Locher; 02-20-2017, 11:08 AM.

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                      • #12
                        Re: 5 pickups IN THE MIX comparison

                        Come on, KaKa, I can't take the suspense!! How does the Seymour Duncan Custom (ceramic) feel compared to the DiMarzio Super Distortion??
                        I am very familiar with the DiMarzio SD, old and new, so that's my basis for comparison.

                        I'm going to buy a new humbucker soon and this is holding up my decision.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: 5 pickups IN THE MIX comparison

                          Originally posted by Dave Locher View Post
                          Come on, KaKa, I can't take the suspense!!

                          I'm going to buy a new humbucker soon and this is holding up my decision.
                          Dear Dave, now I feel so sorry I made you to wait
                          I left country for a week (had a business trip to Vienn, nice place BTW!)
                          Hope you are feeling good and now I would like to share my promised observations.

                          Long story short...

                          1) First one ... El Diablo... Is A BEAST. This is one of the most technically interesting pickup from Seymour range (at least for me). Because I love my JBJ with Alnico 2 SO MUCH and decided to try double A2 blademagnet supercharged monster. First impressin: wow, cool midrage! It feels compressed a little, not so much as EMG81 on 9V, in a special different way. Warm sounding pickups. It's really borne to play metal, some people say it sounds cool on clean channel, but for me it is too warm for this purpose, but if you like warm bluesy cleans.. maybe.
                          The bottom: is tight (really), like a heavyweight boxer punch, the tightest pickup i eve tried. The "feel" of this pickup is amazing, that why i will leave it in this guitar.
                          Mids: rich, rounchy, soucy (call it)
                          Highs: the highs are rounded as you can expect from A2 pickup. its not dark at all, the highs are here, but I could understand why some people advices to use it with 1Mohm pot instead of 500kOhm (what I am going to do), a little more open highs would be really welcome here.

                          2) super distortion - CLASSIC. the interesting thing is that it is quite modern sounding. Personally I think, SuperDist is better suitable for a warm sounding guitars with reach mid range. Really distinctive ROAR (I think KimThayil Soundgarden is noticeable for this sound).
                          The bottom: this is strange, it has a lot of bottom and it is biased low, I just can not rid of this flubbiness feel playing with this pickup. I was all the time trying to control the bottom by muting, changing pick angle and position, etc. Could be nice for standard tuning, but not as good for low tuning.
                          Mids: i think it is a little bit hollow here, maybe because I am a JB2 player also, which has amazing harmonics in the middle =)
                          Highs: the highs are CLEAR but not piercing. I think It is a strong pint of this pickup, it is sounds clear and has wonderful cleans.

                          3) EMG 81 18 volts... sooo I have been playing this for a long time, this one was in the guitar and this one I have wanted to change. Why? because EMGs give you very consistent output, which is good for certain sound (fast riffing, Killswitch Engaged type of sound), but sometimes you just find it a little... boring to play? IDK
                          Really easy to fit in the MIX - it is clear, a lot of upper mid-range, bottom-cut. Some audio engineers says it is much easier to track and mix EMG81 - It could be
                          The bottom: it does have a cut under 100hz , so it is tight because there is nothing below. Great in the MIX and band situation. Maybe not so much to play in bedroom or studio ))
                          Mids: a lot of well defined upper mids, chainsaw audio rush (incredible harmonics and pinch-harmonics, ZAKK loves it!)
                          Highs: Opened, sometimes harsh and even fizzy (the last is what i really did not like)
                          The feel is - very liquid sounding pickup, fluid, singing on solo, but it is too compressed for me (when you need mo make accent you just can't)

                          4) Seymour Duncan Custom (with Big Ceramic magnet) - Wow that is a surprise! Originally i had an CCL mark on it, so it was Custom Custom before I moved Alnico 2 magnet into my JBJ on superstrat, which become an incredible combo BTW (thank you, Pickup Lounge for this advise!). So I had a big ceramic magnet around (can not remember exactly, probably from the local master copy of duncan Distrotion...) and.. just revolved it in and... that feels great! Very balanced, nor even harsh on the top as most ceramic pickups, sound just RIGHT, aggressive, tight open. I can say it is very versatile. If not El Diablo (really crazy and unique thing) - i define telly will leave this in guitar.
                          Not sure about how the big ceramic magnet influence, probably the regular Custom would be as good.
                          The bottom: just tight (not as crazy-tight as Diablo, but very good and balanced)
                          Mids: not even close as reach as JB, but balanced and clear
                          Highs: definitely has a nice upper-mids bite which is good for metal.
                          The feel is just right for a hot pickup, it is the most versatile of all of tested. I think it will be well suited for different guitars. I cant say more. An ultimate "island" pickup, If there would be an armaggedon and I would be allowed to keep only one pickup on the planet ... well, you guessed it

                          5) Seymour Duncan Custom8. Really strange situation... first impression is "Sh//t I am big mechanical dinosaur, crushing and burning the city with my napalm breath and pneumatic Tail-crusher... " This feels like you beating the railroad rail by the steel hummer like some retarded fool (Indescribable sensations!)
                          The Custom 8 has such a strange "steel" taste of the tight, it is cool for some time, but it is so special that I can not understand it.
                          The bottom: deeper than custom ceramic but also very tight (and even more compressed)
                          Mids: it is strange, but I feel it lacks this pleasant upper-mids qualities of regular custom that I like (this upped-mid sizzle of ceramic)
                          Highs: opened (could probably be better for cleans - IDK)


                          FINALLY WE HAVE A BROBLEM... they are all good

                          Again.. sorry for my English, If you could not understand me - please ask additionally, I will do my best)
                          Last edited by KaKa83; 03-07-2017, 07:35 AM.

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                          • #14
                            Re: 5 pickups IN THE MIX comparison

                            Thank you! No need to apologize - I am just an impatient person.
                            Listening again to your recordings, it sounds like the Custom is thicker and darker than the Super Distortion? Is that correct? Because I like my pickups really full and warm and I am really thinking I may need to try out a Custom.

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                            • #15
                              Re: 5 pickups IN THE MIX comparison

                              I really like the EMG 81 and the Diablo! Cool comparison, man. Thanks for sharing.

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