Alnico II humbuckers? Anyone?

[Diocletian]

I don't think I've ever seen anyone on here recommend an Alnico II for the bridge position. It's always Custom, Custom 5 or Custom Custom, occasionally Distortion, JB or '59.

Apparently Alnico II's are no good for high gain.

So, listen to Slash's Snakepit's "Ain't Life Grand" album.

How come Slash uses these pups, gets an incredible tone with them, everyone loves him and his tone, but no one recommends his pickups?

I don't get it! :15:

 

[martin6string]

Re: Alnico II humbuckers? Anyone?

The APH-1 set in a Les Paul is excellent. I sell alot of them and recommend the set quite a bit.

 

[Kosh Naranek]

Re: Alnico II humbuckers? Anyone?

I had one in the neck position of one of my guitars. It was a mahogany with maple arched top, but double curtaway.
It sounded like the tone at the intro to "Sweet Child O' Mine". I just thought that sound is a little bass-heavy so it wasn't really for me.

I would expect the Alnico 2 Pro would be a cool bridge pickup in a LP style guitar.

 

[Artie]

Re: Alnico II humbuckers? Anyone?

I have a pair in my Jetking. Its not the guitar I pick up the most, but when I want "that" sound, there's no substitute.

Jetking

Edit: Pic changed to link.

 

[AniML]

Re: Alnico II humbuckers? Anyone?

I swapped the Alnico 5 magnet in my 498 bridge for the alnico 2 magnet in my 490 neck.

Both pickups improved dramatically -

neck: less mud more clarity
bridge - tamed the shrills

 

[_Guitarzan_]

Re: Alnico II humbuckers? Anyone?

I have a matched set in my ES-135 Gothic! They are great p/u's They work fine with my Mesa's and their high gain!

 

[Dills]

Re: Alnico II humbuckers? Anyone?

I have one in the neck slot of my PRS what i like about it so much is it's quite snappy and articulate when comparing to other neck pickups, notes have more separation and clarity but still remain thick.

I love it and have been using it for a while now.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Alnico II humbuckers? Anyone?

I don't think I've ever seen anyone on here recommend an Alnico II for the bridge position. It's always Custom, Custom 5 or Custom Custom, occasionally Distortion, JB or '59.

Apparently Alnico II's are no good for high gain.

So, listen to Slash's Snakepit's "Ain't Life Grand" album.

How come Slash uses these pups, gets an incredible tone with them, everyone loves him and his tone, but no one recommends his pickups?

I don't get it! :15:

You're right. They're great. But most guys are looking for a hotter bridge pickup.

Slash, to my thinking, gets a cleanish tone out of his Les Paul. Some of his cleanish rhythm tones are nice and jangley.

That's not what a lot of guys are looking for...they want that distorted, super overdriven, super saturated bagful of angry bumble bees tone! :lmao:

The AII Pros are a great set of humbuckers...but I think more mature players (not necessarily older: mature...) like 'em more than the "kids".

lew

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Alnico II humbuckers? Anyone?

You're right. They're great. But most guys are looking for a hotter bridge pickup.

Slash, to my thinking, gets a cleanish tone out of his Les Paul. Some of his cleanish rhythm tones are nice and jangley.

That's not what a lot of guys are looking for...they want that distorted, super overdriven, super saturated bagful of angry bumble bees tone! :lmao:

The AII Pros are a great set of humbuckers...but I think more mature players (not necessarily older: mature...) like 'em more than the "kids".

lew

Jangly? Slash? I always assumed those jangly tones were from whoever was playing rythm be it Izzy or whoever. If you put on GNR and listen to each speaker the different tones are obvious. I always assume the really, really dirty one is Slash and his A2Ps. Super overdriven yet tight is how I think of Slash's rythm tone.

As I say, the "Aint Life Grand" album is the ideal showcase for a super overdriven tone. It's not metal, but it's not far off. And it's awesome. That album (and the previous one) is way better than either of those crappy Velvet Revolver things.

 

[andybowers]

Re: Alnico II humbuckers? Anyone?

they work for me and get heavy tones in my les paul.

Good enough for slash too!

Super Hot pickups dont do it for me. I had a gibson 500t in the les paul bridge stock, the natural tone of the guitar was robbed with that p.o.s pickup, totally ott, ripped it out through it.

 

[andybowers]

Re: Alnico II humbuckers? Anyone?

Jangly? Slash? I always assumed those jangly tones were from whoever was playing rythm be it Izzy or whoever. If you put on GNR and listen to each speaker the different tones are obvious. I always assume the really, really dirty one is Slash and his A2Ps. Super overdriven yet tight is how I think of Slash's rythm tone.

As I say, the "Aint Life Grand" album is the ideal showcase for a super overdriven tone. It's not metal, but it's not far off. And it's awesome. That album (and the previous one) is way better than either of those crappy Velvet Revolver things.

Listen to the illusion dvd's/vhs he is running a marshall clean and paradise city is jangly

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Alnico II humbuckers? Anyone?

Listen to the illusion dvd's/vhs he is running a marshall clean and paradise city is jangly

Clean? Yeah, that'd be jangly......? I don't think his normal rythm tone is jangly.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Alnico II humbuckers? Anyone?

Blueman -don't even chime in here or I'll get fugly!

PG? A2P CC - they all rock the bridge to me!

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Alnico II humbuckers? Anyone?

Jangly? Slash? I always assumed those jangly tones were from whoever was playing rythm be it Izzy or whoever. If you put on GNR and listen to each speaker the different tones are obvious. I always assume the really, really dirty one is Slash and his A2Ps. Super overdriven yet tight is how I think of Slash's rythm tone.

As I say, the "Aint Life Grand" album is the ideal showcase for a super overdriven tone. It's not metal, but it's not far off. And it's awesome. That album (and the previous one) is way better than either of those crappy Velvet Revolver things.

Huh...maybe. It's not like I'm a fan or anything! I'm thinking of that tune Sweet Child of Mine. Isn't that kinda jangley sounding when he does the intro? Or am I full of it? :lmao: Like I said, I'm not a fan.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Alnico II humbuckers? Anyone?

Blueman -don't even chime in here or I'll get fugly!

PG? A2P CC - they all rock the bridge to me!

After all the nice things I've said about you lately...

Like you said, the PG, CC, & A2P are all good bridge PU's. Lots of fans & no shortage of posts on the forum praising them. Don't know how anyone could miss them. I use 250K's to warm my bridges, other guys use A2's...we're probably ending up in the same place, just taking different roads. Whatever works.

My beef with A2's is in the neck which, at least in some guitars, are dark, lifeless, & loose. I think an A3 is superior there due to the addition of a little treble. And that in most cases, an A4 or A5 would be even better and give the most useful neck tones for both chords & solos.

An A5 neck and an A2 bridge. That's a good pairing.

 

[Diocletian]

Re: Alnico II humbuckers? Anyone?

Huh...maybe. It's not like I'm a fan or anything! I'm thinking of that tune Sweet Child of Mine. Isn't that kinda jangley sounding when he does the intro? Or am I full of it? :lmao: Like I said, I'm not a fan.

The intro isn't jangly, it's classic rock neck tone! Unless you mean the chords over the verses? But like I say, that's always been more Izzy to me, that tone.

Who isn't a fan of Slash fer god's sake!! :1:

 

[andybowers]

Re: Alnico II humbuckers? Anyone?

The intro isn't jangly, it's classic rock neck tone! Unless you mean the chords over the verses? But like I say, that's always been more Izzy to me, that tone.

Who isn't a fan of Slash fer god's sake!! :1:

what about on gnr lies? last 4 songs the electric tones are different there again


Izzy was the lesser gain/overdriven guitar on appetite, Slash played a hell of a lot on Illusions loads of different amp and guitars, i just remembered that i liked the clean bluesy solos with the wah on the live vhs/dvd's i may have to watch it again now lol.

Illusions are great records for guitar sounds, but i have always disliked the drum sounds and production on those cd's, all the effects and synths weighed it down a bit too, i hear there are mixes prior to all the overdubs, that would cool to hear.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Alnico II humbuckers? Anyone?

what about on gnr lies? last 4 songs the electric tones are different there again


Izzy was the lesser gain/overdriven guitar on appetite, Slash played a hell of a lot on Illusions loads of different amp and guitars, i just remembered that i liked the clean bluesy solos with the wah on the live vhs/dvd's i may have to watch it again now lol.

Illusions are great records for guitar sounds, but i have always disliked the drum sounds and production on those cd's, all the effects and synths weighed it down a bit too, i hear there are mixes prior to all the overdubs, that would cool to hear.

Thanks! I thought maybe I was hearing things. I've never thought Slash played with a super saturated tone. Always struck me as being overdriven but clearish.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Alnico II humbuckers? Anyone?

Lew - I get the Jangly thing. Not like strat jangle...but for an HB loaded LP...I get it.

 

[andybowers]

Re: Alnico II humbuckers? Anyone?

Thanks! I thought maybe I was hearing things. I've never thought Slash played with a super saturated tone. Always struck me as being overdriven but clearish.

there is video of gnr at the roxy that was shown on mtv in the late 80's no super saturation there at all.

He did use an eq pedal at some point in time with mids accented rather than scooped to drive the amps harder possibly to make them cook a bit more on certain songs, but most of the time he's got that joe perry/angus young/jimmy page lead tone thing going on, sometimes i'm hearing hendrix and evh on the faster runs.

I recommend the alnico's but some players may be surprised/uncomfortable by the lower output type.