FamousForSustain
New member
I have a DD in a poplar\maple superstrat copy along with two SSL5's; always liked the character of it but the highs really were too much unless I rolled the tone knob back to around 4 and the gain saturation was a little over the top even for my tastes. So, I grabbed an A8 off of Wymore (who I recommend) and slapped it in. And here are the results!
Starting with the low end, the A8 seemed perhaps a hair spongier than the stock ceramic but only a hair; it still had the stiff, tight quality that one would associate with a ceramic. As for palm mute chunks, (which I use a lot even though I'm not a nu-metaller) one thing I was afraid of was that the A8 would take away the DD's ability to get a good chug even out of a floating bridge strat. The chunk is still there, although there's about 20-30% less of it. It might matter less in a LP or some other type of axe in which you'd be likely to find a DD. It still chugs far better than a strat should be able to, but I don't think I'll get quite as many "How the hell are you making a strat do that?!" remarks after shows. Also, I found the A8 version to be less boomy in the low end.
The midrange exhibits a bit less of the DD's "squawking" sound in the 1-2k area. I find it to be a good change as I always liked this characteristic in the DD but thought it was overbearing with the ceramic. Really, across all frequencies, the A8 tames the harsher, in-your face qualities of the DD without neutering the pickup, and nowhere is it more prevalent than in the highs. The A8 makes the DD's highs sound outstanding! Really turns a weak point of the pickup into maybe it's greatest asset. It soars like the stock DD, but now I can max out the tone knob without a trace of icepickiness. I hesitate to say it since I just did the mod last night, but it might have the best highs of any pickup I have ever used- including A2 PAFs. There's a mix of chiminess and edge to it that I haven't heard in anything else. Also, the "fizziness" that a lot of people gripe about is cured by the A8 mod (I didnt like or dislike the fizz, nor was I happy or sad to see it go, but I did notice it's absence).
I've heard a couple forumites say that most people who swap mags on the DD just go back to the stock oversized ceramic, but I really think the vast majority of players would be better served by the A8 version, even though I can't say how the mod might sound in something like an LP. At the very least, it's worth the 8$ + shipping if you have a DD and are disappointed or on the fence about it. As for the A8 itself, I've heard the term "wonder magnet" tossed around in regards to it and after this first experience I don't entirely disagree.
Please excuse my usual long-windedness
Starting with the low end, the A8 seemed perhaps a hair spongier than the stock ceramic but only a hair; it still had the stiff, tight quality that one would associate with a ceramic. As for palm mute chunks, (which I use a lot even though I'm not a nu-metaller) one thing I was afraid of was that the A8 would take away the DD's ability to get a good chug even out of a floating bridge strat. The chunk is still there, although there's about 20-30% less of it. It might matter less in a LP or some other type of axe in which you'd be likely to find a DD. It still chugs far better than a strat should be able to, but I don't think I'll get quite as many "How the hell are you making a strat do that?!" remarks after shows. Also, I found the A8 version to be less boomy in the low end.
The midrange exhibits a bit less of the DD's "squawking" sound in the 1-2k area. I find it to be a good change as I always liked this characteristic in the DD but thought it was overbearing with the ceramic. Really, across all frequencies, the A8 tames the harsher, in-your face qualities of the DD without neutering the pickup, and nowhere is it more prevalent than in the highs. The A8 makes the DD's highs sound outstanding! Really turns a weak point of the pickup into maybe it's greatest asset. It soars like the stock DD, but now I can max out the tone knob without a trace of icepickiness. I hesitate to say it since I just did the mod last night, but it might have the best highs of any pickup I have ever used- including A2 PAFs. There's a mix of chiminess and edge to it that I haven't heard in anything else. Also, the "fizziness" that a lot of people gripe about is cured by the A8 mod (I didnt like or dislike the fizz, nor was I happy or sad to see it go, but I did notice it's absence).
I've heard a couple forumites say that most people who swap mags on the DD just go back to the stock oversized ceramic, but I really think the vast majority of players would be better served by the A8 version, even though I can't say how the mod might sound in something like an LP. At the very least, it's worth the 8$ + shipping if you have a DD and are disappointed or on the fence about it. As for the A8 itself, I've heard the term "wonder magnet" tossed around in regards to it and after this first experience I don't entirely disagree.
Please excuse my usual long-windedness
