Alternative 8 vs JB8 vs Suhr Aldrich

[Rex_Rocker]

How do these pickups compare? And are they powerful enough to keep up with a Black Winter I have in another guitar?

I'm looking for a pickup for the bridge position of my Ibanez RGA121. It's got shallow direct-mount routes, so a pickup built around an oversized magnet (such as the Black Winter or Distortion) won't fit. I've got a Black Winter in another guitar, and I want something different that compliments this particular guitar, yet that doesn't sound completely alien so that I don't have to radically re-tweak my settings when switching guitars.

The RGA121 is relatively balanced-sounding, very tight and controlled, and bit bright and snappy with a present attack. It's got a thin mahogany body, a thick maple top, a maple neck, and a rosewood board. It's got a fixed bridge. I used to have a regular A5 JB trembucker in it at some point that I really liked. I fear, however, that it won't be able to keep up with the BW. Thus, I want something a bit hotter, yet along the lines of the JB (and BW). Trying something different wouldn't hurt, though.

So which of these do you recommend? Or is there something else I should be looking at?

Thanks.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Alternative 8 vs JB8 vs Suhr Aldrich

I'd say the Alt8. It's like the JB's bigger nastier cousin.

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[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Alternative 8 vs JB8 vs Suhr Aldrich

Would you say the Alt8 is at least as hot as the DD?

 

[Mez Cal]

Re: Alternative 8 vs JB8 vs Suhr Aldrich

How do these pickups compare? And are they powerful enough to keep up with a Black Winter I have in another guitar?

I'm looking for a pickup for the bridge position of my Ibanez RGA121. It's got shallow direct-mount routes, so a pickup built around an oversized magnet (such as the Black Winter or Distortion) won't fit. I've got a Black Winter in another guitar, and I want something different that compliments this particular guitar, yet that doesn't sound completely alien so that I don't have to radically re-tweak my settings when switching guitars.

The RGA121 is relatively balanced-sounding, very tight and controlled, and bit bright and snappy with a present attack. It's got a thin mahogany body, a thick maple top, a maple neck, and a rosewood board. It's got a fixed bridge. I used to have a regular A5 JB trembucker in it at some point that I really liked. I fear, however, that it won't be able to keep up with the BW. Thus, I want something a bit hotter, yet along the lines of the JB (and BW). Trying something different wouldn't hurt, though.

So which of these do you recommend? Or is there something else I should be looking at?

Thanks.

Hey Rex, seems to me that the standard JB could easily keep up with the Black Winter in output if not saturation...easily remedied by your OD pedal...bump up the gain a bit if you are using it to boost/eq your amp or ADD an OD or Boost with gain to your signal chain...my guess is that you already use a pedal to boost your amp...hope im not too far off...I love the JB for Metal, I love the Nazgul more.
Have a real cool day

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Alternative 8 vs JB8 vs Suhr Aldrich

Yeah, Mez Cal, I boost my amps with a TS808. What you suggest is actually what I'm doing right now whenever I plug my RGA in (it used to have a JB, but now it has a '59B). I just bump up the drive on the TS808 from min to like 9:30-10:00. I thought about just going standard A5 JB again, but I also kinda want to try something different, lol.

 

[Nacho8807]

Re: Alternative 8 vs JB8 vs Suhr Aldrich

Would you say the Alt8 is at least as hot as the DD?

I've used both in the same guitar. Two guitars actually. I dont know if the Alt8 is as "hot" per se, but its voiced pretty differently; its not as in-your-face as the DD is. The Alt 8 has less cutting highs, more chunkiness and a fuller bass. The DD is very tight and focused where the Alt8 is super chug friendly and feels more like a "fat" pickup. But both are plenty hot. I feel like I've said the same thing over and over here, lol.

I would say the DD feels a little hotter than the Alt 8, because of the way its voiced. I think both are plenty heavy to do whatever you want though.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Alternative 8 vs JB8 vs Suhr Aldrich

Interesting. Now I really want to try the Alternative 8, lol.

 

[Mez Cal]

Re: Alternative 8 vs JB8 vs Suhr Aldrich

Any love for the Nazgul?

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Alternative 8 vs JB8 vs Suhr Aldrich

Any love for the Nazgul?

Oh, man, belive me, I'd love to try a Nazgul. I'm a huge LOTR fan, lol, so it's mainly that, but it does seem lime something I'd like considering I'm a huge fan of the Black Winter and the Distortion. It's just that a Nazgul won't fit this guitar because of the oversized magnet.

 

[Ascension]

Re: Alternative 8 vs JB8 vs Suhr Aldrich

Would you say the Alt8 is at least as hot as the DD?

Pretty close but bigger/ fatter sounding and less harsh/ ice picky on the top.
LOVE the Alt but do be aware that the mag pull of the A-8 demands it be set a little lower or you will kill sustain and get some weird harmonics.
Have one with a Sentient in the neck of my 93 Carvin DC 127 is sold KOA and it is a BEAST of a set up!!
Think a JB Jazz set up on a BIG dose of steroids! Sweet and full when you roll the gain down or lighten your touch but will rip your head off when you dig in or pump the gain.
The set up through my little 1/10 Boogie Subway live no effects other than a delay and verb in the loop. VERY dynamic set of pickups and really shine at high gain!

 

[Ascension]

Re: Alternative 8 vs JB8 vs Suhr Aldrich

I'd say the Alt8. It's like the JB's bigger nastier cousin.

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Agree here plus you get a MUCH tighter bottom end CHUG with the Alt over a JB!

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Alternative 8 vs JB8 vs Suhr Aldrich

Thanks!

Is the string pull on A8 greater than the one from the triple ceramic magnet in the Black Winter? Cause if its around the same, I can live with that, lol.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Alternative 8 vs JB8 vs Suhr Aldrich

I wouldn't imagine that it would be stronger than triple ceramics.

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[SrDeMaFp]

Re: Alternative 8 vs JB8 vs Suhr Aldrich

Thanks!

Is the string pull on A8 greater than the one from the triple ceramic magnet in the Black Winter? Cause if its around the same, I can live with that, lol.

Should be about the same. I’d also recommend the Alt8. Sounds like that’s exactly what you’re looking for. Otherwise, I’d have recommended the Aldrich but, that’s not gonna keep up with a BW. My vote goes to Alt8.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Re: Alternative 8 vs JB8 vs Suhr Aldrich

So you think the Alt8 is hotter than the Aldrich? How about the JB8? Is the Alt8 very different from a JB8?

 

[Demanic]

Re: Alternative 8 vs JB8 vs Suhr Aldrich

I didn't like the JB8. It didn't have the same harmonics as a regular JB. The Alternative 8 seems to be wound specifically for the A8 magnet, and to my ear the harmonics are much more pleasing.

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[Ascension]

Re: Alternative 8 vs JB8 vs Suhr Aldrich

I didn't like the JB8. It didn't have the same harmonics as a regular JB. The Alternative 8 seems to be wound specifically for the A8 magnet, and to my ear the harmonics are much more pleasing.

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Same here on the JB 8. The Alt is fatter smoother and tighter than the JB but still keeps that singing solo tone .

 

[Mez Cal]

Re: Alternative 8 vs JB8 vs Suhr Aldrich

Dang! This thread has got me wanting to try out the Alt 8 in my JB equipped guitar. ...so many pick ups to try out, in the end it is 100% worth the effort