Alnico II Pro bridge alternative?

[The Pink Elephants]

Hi! Long time since I posted here, but I'd like to get Duncan advice.

I currently have an Alnico II bridge on this guitar

It's a Warmoth, mahogany body, wenge neck, ebony board. No tone cicrcuit, 500K volume pot. I've had the pickup for a couple years, and I like the basic tone, but when compared to other guitars it's quite thin, and loose (it's gorgeous on cleans and when rolling down the volume, though). I've recently bought a '78 Yamaha SG with the original GII p'ups (supoossed to be hotter), and they brought a full body sound to my rig that I seem to lack with the Warmoth.:scratchch

I know every guitar is different, but what would you put in mine if you were looking for a tighter, fuller, more mids and more output? I play rock-punk and I like a heavy fat distorted tone, cleans are not really a priority. Thanks!!

BTW, not playing with the Stiletto anymore. Traded it for a custom amp, sorta like a Marshall with KT88's, if you need the info!

 

[Jessie's ghost]

Re: Alnico II Pro bridge alternative?

I love the AIIP, but yeah, it's kind of like what you're describing and not like what you say you want. Have you considered the Duncan Custom?

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Alnico II Pro bridge alternative?

yeah, id start with a custom.. The AIIp is a great pickup, but alittle sweet sounding for punk and such..

 

[Maynardo]

Re: Alnico II Pro bridge alternative?

I think it's fairly obvious now for many people here in this forum, unless you're looking for something super hot or something super vintage, the receipe for the brigde it's simple... buy any of the custom family and several magnets, there's a very big chance you'll find what you were looking for.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Alnico II Pro bridge alternative?

You know...I have a problem with this post.

I'm looking at a Mesa Stilletto, and hear about a KT88 Marshall type amp, see a bad Monkey on the floor.

There is something not right here. Is there anything about Slash that sounds 'thin' ???

I gotta ask how you are setting the knobs dude. I'd think you should be able to get thick grindy baddness with all that.

 

[Laughing Kookaburra]

Re: Alnico II Pro bridge alternative?

Like that Warmoth!

 

[Maynardo]

Re: Alnico II Pro bridge alternative?

Like that Warmoth!

Mee too!, the only thing I didn't like was position of the knob, I like them closer to bridge pup, but the rest looks killer.

 

[Eric Dahlberg]

Re: Alnico II Pro bridge alternative?

The Custom 5 is perfect in my mahogany body Les Paul but a Dimarzio AT-1 would give you a tighter version of that tone. Sweet guitar, btw.

 

[LtKojak]

Re: Alnico II Pro bridge alternative?

Hi! Long time since I posted here, but I'd like to get Duncan advice.

I currently have an Alnico II bridge on this guitar

It's a Warmoth, mahogany body, wenge neck, ebony board. No tone cicrcuit, 500K volume pot. I've had the pickup for a couple years, and I like the basic tone, but when compared to other guitars it's quite thin, and loose (it's gorgeous on cleans and when rolling down the volume, though). I've recently bought a '78 Yamaha SG with the original GII p'ups (supoossed to be hotter), and they brought a full body sound to my rig that I seem to lack with the Warmoth.:scratchch

I know every guitar is different, but what would you put in mine if you were looking for a tighter, fuller, more mids and more output? I play rock-punk and I like a heavy fat distorted tone, cleans are not really a priority. Thanks!!

BTW, not playing with the Stiletto anymore. Traded it for a custom amp, sorta like a Marshall with KT88's, if you need the info!

Try with an Alnico 8 magnet in that p'up... it might be just what the doctor ordered...

HTH,

 

[The Pink Elephants]

Re: Alnico II Pro bridge alternative?

Thanks for the answers guys! I'll probably try something in the Custom line. My fear, looking at the duncan tone chart, is that the SH-5 might be too bright in my guitar (it's a naturally very bright instrument for a mahogany guitar, between the ebony, the wenge, the thin body and I guess not having the tone circuitry also helps with the brightness), so I'll need a pickup with tamed highs and a lot of mids...:scratchch

I'm looking too at some of the hotter SD's, like the Invader, Distortion and JB, anybody care to chime in how would they sound in my guitar (for a heavey fat rock tone with a lot of mids and bass, not really a metal tone)

You know...I have a problem with this post.

I'm looking at a Mesa Stilletto, and hear about a KT88 Marshall type amp, see a bad Monkey on the floor.

There is something not right here. Is there anything about Slash that sounds 'thin' ???

I gotta ask how you are setting the knobs dude. I'd think you should be able to get thick grindy baddness with all that.

You're right, it's not a thin tone per se, nothing you would point out immediatly after hearing my guitar. It's only when I compare it to other instruments, like the Yamaha SG, and SG or LP with a JB that suddenly the rig has a fuller, tone with a million more balls.

I think I need something with more output. When designing the guitar, seeing that it was only gonna have 1 puckup, I didn't wanna put a very hot one, to make it a little more versatile. And in fact, the cleans with the Alnico Pro II are gorgeous, but I don't think it's the right dirty tone for me. It's kinda loose and, no matter how much you crank the gain, it always sounds a little sweet, doesn't really get aggressive.

BTW I know my way around an amp , I generally give it a generous amount of volume, keep gain past half (think JCM800 levels of gain, that I boost for solos), keep bass and treble around half and crank the mids. That's the general rule, but it changes depending on the axe.

And thanks for the comments on the guitar guys! It sure turned out great :approve:

 

[formula73]

Re: Alnico II Pro bridge alternative?

The DD and JB don't sound like what you want. The Invader might, but what you're asking for is exactly Dimarzio Super D territory.

 

[Varg]

Re: Alnico II Pro bridge alternative?

You know...I have a problem with this post.

I'm looking at a Mesa Stilletto, and hear about a KT88 Marshall type amp, see a bad Monkey on the floor.

There is something not right here. Is there anything about Slash that sounds 'thin' ???

I gotta ask how you are setting the knobs dude. I'd think you should be able to get thick grindy baddness with all that.

Could just be a thin sounding guitar. Besides, yes, I DO hear Slashs rythm tone as thin. Not in a bad way, especially when he had Izzy to thicken it up, but yes, to me the Alnico 2 Pro IS a thin sounding pickup. I happen to like it a lot in the guitar I have it in though.

I would recommend a JB or the Custom.

 

[Maynardo]

Re: Alnico II Pro bridge alternative?

Thanks for the answers guys! I'll probably try something in the Custom line. My fear, looking at the duncan tone chart, is that the SH-5 might be too bright in my guitar (it's a naturally very bright instrument for a mahogany guitar, between the ebony, the wenge, the thin body and I guess not having the tone circuitry also helps with the brightness), so I'll need a pickup with tamed highs and a lot of mids...:scratchch

get an alnico 8 magnet

 

[The Pink Elephants]

Re: Alnico II Pro bridge alternative?

Well, right now I'm leaning toward de Invader, the Custom and the Dimarzio SuperD, I'll research them a bit, seeing that I'm not very familar with them.

About the Alnico 8, no SD comes stock with it, right? Even if it makes the APH1 better and fuller, I proably still miss more output, so definetley I'm gonna get another pickup altogheter.

 

[Varg]

Re: Alnico II Pro bridge alternative?

If youre going Dimarzio and dont want to go too high gain Id get a PAF.

 

[bigred]

Re: Alnico II Pro bridge alternative?

with all that gear, you should be able to make any pickup sound good. anyway,the custom 5 is what your looking for. maybe something else w/an a5 magnet

 

[lazyfinger]

Re: Alnico II Pro bridge alternative?

A5 w/mids = JB

 

[Eric Dahlberg]

Re: Alnico II Pro bridge alternative?

Thanks for the answers guys! I'll probably try something in the Custom line. My fear, looking at the duncan tone chart, is that the SH-5 might be too bright in my guitar

Get the Custom 5, aka the SH-14. It's exactly the tone you're describing.

(it's a naturally very bright instrument for a mahogany guitar, between the ebony, the wenge, the thin body and I guess not having the tone circuitry also helps with the brightness)

I think it's got to be the ebony. Try out a G&L Jerry Cantrell Rampage, it's got an ebony board and a JB so that'll give you some idea of what the JB will sound in yours (though probably thicker sounding thanks to your mahogany body, wenge neck, and hardtail). FWIW, I made my 500K tone pot a no-load pot and really can't tell much difference.

I'm looking too at some of the hotter SD's, like the Invader, Distortion and JB, anybody care to chime in how would they sound in my guitar (for a heavey fat rock tone with a lot of mids and bass, not really a metal tone)

I recommend the Custom 5 over all of those, or just go for an all-out mids and bass wall of sound with a Dimarzio Tone Zone. The Tone Zone in my mahogany body Ibanez is just brutal.

BTW I know my way around an amp , I generally give it a generous amount of volume, keep gain past half (think JCM800 levels of gain, that I boost for solos), keep bass and treble around half and crank the mids. That's the general rule, but it changes depending on the axe.

Isn't the Stiletto specifically designed for sharper, thinner tones? Not that it matters much since you like other guitars through it, it just struck me as something worth pointing out. Also, I agree that Slash's sound, though awesome, is thin and edgy.

 

[The Pink Elephants]

Re: Alnico II Pro bridge alternative?

I recommend the Custom 5 over all of those, or just go for an all-out mids and bass wall of sound with a Dimarzio Tone Zone. The Tone Zone in my mahogany body Ibanez is just brutal.

Isn't the Stiletto specifically designed for sharper, thinner tones? Not that it matters much since you like other guitars through it, it just struck me as something worth pointing out. Also, I agree that Slash's sound, though awesome, is thin and edgy.

Yes, the Stiletto is thin and brittle sounding, design to mix well with a Recto, though it's not my main amp anymore. I traded it for this one (web only in Spanish): http://www.georgetubeamps.com/index.php?lang=0&aptd=2&id=176

I posted an ad on a guitar forum for trading the APH-1, and someone from my city offered me a trade for the Invader. I'm gonna take it! If it turns not to be not what I'm looking for I'll put that one on trade, but it looks promising (accentuated bass and mids and high output) Thanks everyone for the sugestions, I'll keep you posted!

 

[The Pink Elephants]

Re: Alnico II Pro bridge alternative?

Alright, first rehearsal with the Invader! My thoughts: this is definetley closer to the sound I'm looking for! It did what I expected it to do: give my guitar a fuller, tighter sound. It actually sounds similar, it's not worlds apart, but it's way better! And not as uberhot as I expected, it cleans up nicely and doesn't break up my clean channel at all, that was a surprise!

I still have to find a sweet spot on the amp, and decide the pickup height (I think I prefer it on the low side, kinda more natural sound) but, for now, I think it's staying!