Air Classic vs APH 1n Neck

[evh_slash]

I love the stratty response of the Dimarzio Air Classic Neck BUT it can be just a little too shrill / piercing... Especially when picking loudly through a cranked tube amp !!
I'm thinking of swapping it for an Alnico ii Pro neck HB but i'm not sure if it would still have the airy twangy response when digging into the strings .

Has anyone tried BOTH of these neck pickups ? Which one did you prefer ?

I'm looking to keep that airy open response but just a bit sweeter with less Ice-Pick.

Perhaps it would be worth keeping the Air Classic & trying a Roughcast A5 or Unoriented A5 mag first ?
Let me know your suggestions. The guitar is pretty damn bright ! Stainless Steel frets and a Maple fretboard / Ash Body + American Fender 2 post Steel Trem .

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Air Classic vs APH 1n Neck

What pot values are you using? Going for a lower pot values, such as a 300k as opposed to a 500k for the tone control can have a drastic effect on the highs while maintaining a similar character.

 

[FuseG4]

Re: Air Classic vs APH 1n Neck

I thought on first impressions, the air classic was darker and rounder sounding than AIIpro. The A2pro sounds similar, but maybe even more airy on top and slightly tame, slightly mushy bass, sounds more clear and articulate than Air classic.
It was a long time ago that I had these pickups in the same guitar but I'm pretty sure the A2p was recommended to me here when I asked about a less muddy air classic, my guitar was semi-hollow and needed no extra bass but I still wanted a warm clear sound.
I like the saturated sound of the A2pro with gain, it sounds very fluid, whereas the air classic maybe had some "grity" texture like a 59.

You might look at slightly higher output neck pickups if an air classic is bright for you. My guess is that most PAF types in that guitar will be kinda bright. The slash set is boosted output to help tame the high end of an a2pro neck which can be really really clear sounding in some guitars, like a duncan jazz almost.

 

[evh_slash]

Re: Air Classic vs APH 1n Neck

What pot values are you using? Going for a lower pot values, such as a 300k as opposed to a 500k for the tone control can have a drastic effect on the highs while maintaining a similar character.

500k Volume and a No Load Tone pot ! Very good point RE pot values but the problem is I need a 500k volume pot for my Bridge pickup as I play a lot of balls to the wall rock with it !

 

[evh_slash]

Re: Air Classic vs APH 1n Neck

Yeah the Air Classic definitely has a gritty feel, it is quite bassy/ muddy in the Lows but also has a very twangy spike in the highs which can really shrill up when picking hard on the b and high e strings up the neck !
If the A2 Pro really does have that airy almost strat-like response as well then I would be more than happy to try it !!

 

[FuseG4]

Re: Air Classic vs APH 1n Neck

What about swapping to an air classic bridge model in the neck spot, might take out the icepick by virtue of higher output, while maintaining what you like about the neck model
Had a 59 bridge I used as a neck pickup before, was almost dark and muddy compared to what I'm used to, so to you it may be the right balance. But yeah bridge model in the neck, back in the day those kind of pickups were all wound the same and in your two humbucker axe it was basically two bridge pickups. Underwinding the neck pickup for clearer treble is relatively modern and you definitely don't have to stick with neck pickups

Sent from my SM-J320V using Tapatalk

 

[FuseG4]

Re: Air Classic vs APH 1n Neck

At the very least, get from a Duncan dealer so you can use the exchange policy, if you don't like the a2pro tell them and they will let you exchange it for something similar! But the highs in the a2pro while bright are definitely in the single-coil-like clarity, and airy is a good way to describe it. You'll at least find it interesting, it's a cool pickup that everyone should try

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[Mincer]

Re: Air Classic vs APH 1n Neck

I don't ever see a situation where the Alnico II Pro would be considered shrill or piercing.

 

[Teleplayer]

Re: Air Classic vs APH 1n Neck

Maybe change to a regular 500k tone pot before you judge the pickup as being too shrill. A2P neck doesn't seem to have much inherent character, as its quite a balanced tone. It can be different depending on the particular guitar and mounting height.

The A2P will have more output than the Air classic. The difference in pickup height and changing the tone control pot will probably make as much difference as swapping the pickups themselves.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Air Classic vs APH 1n Neck

i had an air classic and didnt love it, wasnt bad but didnt suit me well. there was something in the upper mids that i couldnt dial out that always irked me. the aph is a very sweet but still bright pup, no harsh edges like the ac though.

 

[oilpit]

Re: Air Classic vs APH 1n Neck

I have no idea what it is but Dimarzio’s, specifically their humbuckers, all sound slightly thick and compressed. That’s not a bad thing I love Them but for vintage output stuff I will *always* go Duncan.

The aph neck is just so dynamic and juicy, I love playing fast runs on the low registers and you get an almost single coil airiness but slide up an octave on the high strings an octave up and it just thickens up like you wouldn’t believe, drop the tone control and you’re Slash, drop it more and you are Clapton, bring it back up and drop the volume and you can pick your level of dirt based on pick attack.

I just ****in love that pickup tbh

EDIT: autocorrect doesn't know music theory terms lol

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Air Classic vs APH 1n Neck

You could also add a 300 or 500k resistor in parallel to the neck pickup. That should tame the highs a bit.

 

[Ascension]

Re: Air Classic vs APH 1n Neck

I have no idea what it is but Dimarzio’s, specifically their humbuckers, all sound slightly thick and compressed. That’s not a bad thing I love Them but for vintage output stuff I will *always* go Duncan.

I agree for the most part. I have used the air classic a few times and found it a little muddy and compressed for my ear.
That you are saying in this guitar it's shrill is confusing as i had the opposite experience with the Air classic Neck.
I'm a big fan myself of the Duncan Sentient and sounds like that might be a good pickup to look hard at from what you are looking for tone wise.
LOVE the tone with the sentient in my KOA Carvin DC 127 it's sweet fat and smooth but really well defined also. Under gain it sings like crazy for solid solo tones and in particular split with the Hybrid I have in the bridge it sounds fantastic!!
Duncan is seriously miss marketing this pickup IMO as it is MUCH more than just a good pickup for modern rock and metal!!
This demo is what sold me and is pretty spot on the tones i'm getting in my Carvin.