Alternative 8 - Am I doing it wrong?

vera_gemini

vera_gemini

New member
As the title says, is it me or..?

I recently bought a SH-15 as a replacement for the stock pickups in my Jackson JS32.
Since I had another Jackson with a JB (which I love!) in the bridge, I wanted something similar, but "different".
Based on the fantastic reviews and feedback on the interwebs I felt confident that the Alt8 would be an excellent choice.

However, so far I'm less than impressed!
I find that, if setup to "default" specs (around 3/32 or 2.4mm), the Alt8 is:
  • Insanely hot
  • Fizzy
  • Sterile
  • Extremely compressed
If lowered to around 4-5mm I can achieve reasonable dynamics but the overall tone is, well, unspectacular...

I'm running my guitar into BIAS FX2 through a MOTU m2 interface.
Using the same settings and amp modelling as with the JB I can get the Alt8 to sound "OK" at best...

So, did I get the wrong pickup or is it something else, like right pickup/wrong guitar?

//Vera
 
You may not be doing anything wrong. That is basically how I would describe every Alnico 8 based pickup I have tried. I never have understood why anyone likes them unless they are into the tones you described.
 
You seem to have gone from one extreme to the other when adjusting the height. Before you give up, try somewhere in the middle. The Alternative 8 is very sensitive to height adjustment.

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk
 
I like the Custom 8 much better than the Alt 8. The alt 8 is higher output with more high end fizz. I found the Custom 8 much smoother, more even, and more organic. Rolling down the volume and tone knobs with the Alt 8 does help though.
 
I am trying to get my head around how something can be extremely compressed and fizzy. I get it but I don't get it.
 
Securb said:
I am trying to get my head around how something can be extremely compressed and fizzy. I get it but I don't get it.
Click to expand...

Fizzy might not be the right word to describe it . (Non native english speaker...)
But it kind of reminds me of when I ran my Yamaha John Patitucci Signature bass(*) through distortion or an overdriven vintage amp.
Instead of the warm, slightly broken up sound I got from my P-bass all I got was Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

(*) Yes, I'm a bassist...


//Vera
 
I bought a new guitar recently and found the pickups were - as you describe - extremely hot and fizzy. And I could not dial the fizziness out despite adjusting pickup height. I did some research on the stock pickups and found that they featured Alnico 8 magnets. They were Schecter Apocalypse Series II pickups. Once I replaced them w Alnico 5 pups, the fizziness resolved.
 
You have several options. Could choose between A2,3,5,6 or uoa5.

I would recommend either A5 for a standard swap or A3 to drop the heat since it's the lowest power mag and maybe sweeten it up a tad.
 
Jack_TriPpEr said:
I bought a new guitar recently and found the pickups were - as you describe - extremely hot and fizzy. And I could not dial the fizziness out despite adjusting pickup height. I did some research on the stock pickups and found that they featured Alnico 8 magnets. They were Schecter Apocalypse Series II pickups. Once I replaced them w Alnico 5 pups, the fizziness resolved.
Click to expand...

Do the apocalypse pickups have alnico 5 mag and ceramic 8 flanker? Am I wrong?
 
The ceramic 8 is not an alnico 8. The ceramic mags have different grades like alnico mags but they are still ceramic. The apocalypse pickups are very different from the Alt 8 to my ear but I agree with you when you say that the former have that annoying fizziness. I found them too hot, compressed and dull. Don't like the Alt 8 as well, but not for the mags in it (the custom 8 is one of my favorite pickup of all the time). I find it too compressed for my tastes.
 
Yep, i missed that detail about "ceramic" 8 vs "alnico" 8. Sorry.

Interesting that the ceramic 8s in the Apocalypse pups I had, had the same "fizzy" characteristic that the OP was describing with the Alt 8 pup, which the SD product page says is Alnico 8.
 
The Alternative 8 has a very small sweet spot as far as distance from the strings go. It won't sound it's best if its either too close or too far. But I think that it sounds very good when its there. It just might take a bit of back and forth to get it there.

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk
 
Try adjusting the height by fretting each string at the highest fret. (22nd or 24th)
Pick each string lightly and raise the pickup until you get a slight warble in the notes, then very slowly lower each side of the pickup just barely enough to make the warbles go away and the notes ring clearly.
IMO it's much easier to hear any slight warbling when you have some gain going through the amp.
 
Thanks for all the help.
Will look into it when I get home.

What about a Mag Swap? What would Some thing like an A5 or an A4 sound like in a Sh-15?
Total noob. Never tried anything like a Mag Swap...

//Vera
 
vera_gemini said:
Thanks for all the help.
Will look into it when I get home.

What about a Mag Swap? What would Some thing like an A5 or an A4 sound like in a Sh-15?
Total noob. Never tried anything like a Mag Swap...

//Vera
Click to expand...

Swapping magnet is an easy job. On YouTube there are many videos with guys explaining all the step to successfully change a mag. Pay attention to the magnet orientation, that is the only recommendation. Don't know how an Alt 8 could sound with different magnet. It's hard to say. I think the wind of that pickup was developed with the A8 tone characteristics in mind. But if you try a different magnet in it, please let us know the results
 
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