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So, I think the SD Sentient is *almost* the perfect neck PU for me...

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  • So, I think the SD Sentient is *almost* the perfect neck PU for me...

    What I love: rich harmonic/overtones. So touch-responsive. For me, it is the absolute sweet-spot between vintage "openness" and modern "thickness." It sounds so liquid and lush through my Mesa Studio Preamp/Mark IIb/Mark III. Every change of pick attack/vibrato produces arrays of different beautiful colors.

    Only one thing- there is a bit of a mids-y-ness that I find at times a bit unattractive. Like the pickup needs to blow its nose. Like the tone knob has been dialed back and can't be dialed back in. It only appears for certain notes, and can sometime be dialed out (i.e. covered up) in the amp/EQ by increasing treble/highs.

    Now, I haven't play a lot of PAF-style pickups, but what I may be describing may be a characteristic of those types of pickups. It may also be a sound some people love.

    FWIW, My style uses a pretty saturated high-gain lead sound, and the only thing that matters for me is the tone of single-note lead sounds.

    I'm perfectly happy sticking with the PU, unless someone knows of a pickup that has an almost identical response/color, but without that mids-y thing.

  • #2
    Re: So, I think the SD Sentient is *almost* the perfect neck PU for me...

    Where on the fretboard are you having this problem? The best I can suggest is running your neck with no tone.
    "I have the ultimate respect for Whitesox fans. They were as miserable as the Cubs and Redsox fans ever were but always had the good decency to keep it to themselves. And when they finally won the World Series, they celebrated without annoying every other fan in the country."--Jim Caple, ESPN (Jan. 12, 2011)

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    • #3
      Re: So, I think the SD Sentient is *almost* the perfect neck PU for me...

      Originally posted by TheViewFromVenus View Post
      Where on the fretboard are you having this problem? The best I can suggest is running your neck with no tone.
      Seems to be just certain random notes, usually above the 12th fret.

      Running the neck PU w/o a tone knob is really intriguing... I hadn't even considered it. Thanks!

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: So, I think the SD Sentient is *almost* the perfect neck PU for me...

        The Jazz is essentially the same with less mids, so there is that to try.
        Administrator of the SDUGF

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        • #5
          Re: So, I think the SD Sentient is *almost* the perfect neck PU for me...

          Originally posted by Mincer View Post
          The Jazz is essentially the same with less mids, so there is that to try.
          Are they a mag swap apart from each other or is there more to the formula?

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          • #6
            Re: So, I think the SD Sentient is *almost* the perfect neck PU for me...

            Originally posted by Gtrjunior View Post
            Are they a mag swap apart from each other or is there more to the formula?
            Well since you brought that up, you might try it. I wasn't sold on the Sentient at first, but personally I like it better now with an A2 magnet. Just a thought.
            Schecter Banshee Elite-6 (Natural Gloss), Custom/59-A4
            Schecter Banshee Elite-6 (Cat's Eye Pearl), Black Winter/Sentient-A2
            Schecter Blackjack SLS, Full Shred/Jazz
            Marshall DSL-40CR

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            • #7
              Re: So, I think the SD Sentient is *almost* the perfect neck PU for me...

              Originally posted by Mincer View Post
              The Jazz is essentially the same with less mids, so there is that to try.
              I was curious about that. I actually have a Jazz 7 on the way for another guitar. Hopefully the 6 & 7 are pretty similar so I can get an idea and compare.

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              • #8
                Re: So, I think the SD Sentient is *almost* the perfect neck PU for me...

                By the way, Jazz and Sentient both use A5 mags.
                Schecter Banshee Elite-6 (Natural Gloss), Custom/59-A4
                Schecter Banshee Elite-6 (Cat's Eye Pearl), Black Winter/Sentient-A2
                Schecter Blackjack SLS, Full Shred/Jazz
                Marshall DSL-40CR

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                • #9
                  Re: So, I think the SD Sentient is *almost* the perfect neck PU for me...

                  Yes, Jazz & Sentient both use A5. They are different winds. The Jazz has a little less mids, less bass, and slightly more treble.
                  Administrator of the SDUGF

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                  • #10
                    Re: So, I think the SD Sentient is *almost* the perfect neck PU for me...

                    I would really, really suggest trying these things in order since you are nearly where you want it. No sense buying a NEW pickup only to find something new that isn't ideal for you.

                    1) pickup height / polepiece height. Lower those polepieces!
                    2) capacitor change (or removal) - is it .022 right now? If it isn't, put in a .022. If it is, try removing it and seeing if it fixes your problem.
                    3) No-load tone pot.
                    4) Magnet swap
                    Last edited by Nagisa; 07-05-2020, 12:24 AM.

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                    • #11
                      Re: So, I think the SD Sentient is *almost* the perfect neck PU for me...

                      ... and experimenting with cable capacitance, to come back to my hobby horse...

                      This advertising vid might give an idea of what I mean: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VY-0k1zPehQ

                      Note that I'm not an Atlantic Audio fan. I've not even any of their products here (and I find some of their online explanations pretty close-minded). It's just that the video above shows in a few seconds how the sound of a passive pickup changes according to cable capacitance. :-)
                      Duncan user since the 80's...

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                      • #12
                        Re: So, I think the SD Sentient is *almost* the perfect neck PU for me...

                        Originally posted by Nagisa View Post
                        I would really, really suggest trying these things in order since you are nearly where you want it.
                        2) capacitor change (or removal) - is it .022 right now? If it isn't, put in a .022. If it is, try removing it and seeing if it fixes your problem.

                        Scrolled through the thread earlier and kept thinking about it and I came back to propose the cap change, but you beat me to it!
                        Last edited by nexion218; 07-05-2020, 01:33 AM.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: So, I think the SD Sentient is *almost* the perfect neck PU for me...

                          Originally posted by ericcomposer72 View Post
                          Seems to be just certain random notes, usually above the 12th fret.

                          Running the neck PU w/o a tone knob is really intriguing... I hadn't even considered it. Thanks!
                          I need a tone control for my bridge pickup. I never use it on my neck pickup so I disconnected it. Now the neck pickup sounds clearer. For me, it was the right thing to do.
                          “Practice cures most tone issues” - John Suhr

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: So, I think the SD Sentient is *almost* the perfect neck PU for me...

                            Originally posted by Lewguitar View Post
                            I need a tone control for my bridge pickup. I never use it on my neck pickup so I disconnected it. Now the neck pickup sounds clearer. For me, it was the right thing to do.
                            Never thought to only wire one pickup to the tone....hmmmm

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: So, I think the SD Sentient is *almost* the perfect neck PU for me...

                              Originally posted by ericcomposer72 View Post
                              What I love: rich harmonic/overtones. So touch-responsive. For me, it is the absolute sweet-spot between vintage "openness" and modern "thickness." It sounds so liquid and lush through my Mesa Studio Preamp/Mark IIb/Mark III. Every change of pick attack/vibrato produces arrays of different beautiful colors.

                              Only one thing- there is a bit of a mids-y-ness that I find at times a bit unattractive. Like the pickup needs to blow its nose. Like the tone knob has been dialed back and can't be dialed back in. It only appears for certain notes, and can sometime be dialed out (i.e. covered up) in the amp/EQ by increasing treble/highs.

                              Now, I haven't play a lot of PAF-style pickups, but what I may be describing may be a characteristic of those types of pickups. It may also be a sound some people love.

                              FWIW, My style uses a pretty saturated high-gain lead sound, and the only thing that matters for me is the tone of single-note lead sounds.

                              I'm perfectly happy sticking with the PU, unless someone knows of a pickup that has an almost identical response/color, but without that mids-y thing.
                              I solved this exact problem with a Ceramic magnet in my Sentient.

                              Comment

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