Any Fans of The SLUG?

[Chistopher]

Very rarely do you hear people rave about The SLUG. It probably has to do with a combination of custom shop prices, little promotion, the fact that it's a niche product, and 48k probably scares people into thinking that's it just going to be a muddy mess. But I think it's a fairly nice pickup, and that's coming from a guy who never plays anything heavier than Guns and Roses.

I think it's pretty nice, because if I drop into C standard I can play a little bit of pseudo-bass lines in the background and then roll the volume back up and level houses in a kicking solo. This is the only pickup I have that can do this, so I'm wondering why are people so unimpressed with it? It's not muddy, even though it has a whole 48k of resistance.

I just want to hear y'alls thoughts on it.

 

[dave74]

Re: Any Fans of The SLUG?

I'd say it's the $160 that's the main reason more haven't tried it,,,,,,,,,,yet.
Also the custom-shop wait probably steers people towards something that's ready to ship.

btw,,
Sweetwater is a good in-stock source for SD-custom-shop models.

 

[Riley]

Re: Any Fans of The SLUG?

I was pleasantly surprised when I first tried the SLUG. It's not a bright pickup by any means, but the clarity is actually quite good. For me it excels at slower heavy styles of course, as well as big chords. It doesn't surprise me at all that you would like it for rock.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Any Fans of The SLUG?

I was pleasantly surprised when I first tried the SLUG. It's not a bright pickup by any means, but the clarity is actually quite good. For me it excels at slower heavy styles of course, as well as big chords. It doesn't surprise me at all that you would like it for rock.

That's the first thing I noticed when I played it. I haven't tried it split, but it might sound quite nice. I doubt I'd get any single coil tones from it given it has twice the resistance as a Custom, even when split.

But this pickup is excellent for debunking two major myths: DC equals output, and DC equals heat. You'd think a pickup like this would be to loud and without anything over 100hz, but it's not. It can be quite respectable with the right settings.

 

[Riley]

Re: Any Fans of The SLUG?

That's the first thing I noticed when I played it. I haven't tried it split, but it might sound quite nice. I doubt I'd get any single coil tones from it given it has twice the resistance as a Custom, even when split.

But this pickup is excellent for debunking two major myths: DC equals output, and DC equals heat. You'd think a pickup like this would be to loud and without anything over 100hz, but it's not. It can be quite respectable with the right settings.

You should definitely give it a try split, its a unique tone. Very robust for a single coil, with some similarities to a Tele bridge pickup.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Any Fans of The SLUG?

You should definitely give it a try split, its a unique tone. Very robust for a single coil, with some similarities to a Tele bridge pickup.

I might consider it, have you tried it in parallel?

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Any Fans of The SLUG?

1 meg volume and no (load) tone?

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Any Fans of The SLUG?

I've been doing 1 meg volume and tone. I tried a tone bypass switch, but with 1 meg it doesn't make much of a difference.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Any Fans of The SLUG?

Well, when you think about it, $160 isn't bad for a custom pickup...but to your question, I have listened to others use it, playing doomy Sabbath-y stuff, and it is great for that. If you use Tony Iommi's formula- very light strings (.008) and picking lightly-, it is more dynamic than you'd think.

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Any Fans of The SLUG?

I wonder what the wire gauge is -- 58?

 

[Riley]

Re: Any Fans of The SLUG?

It's been a long time since I've played it in parallel, I'll have to check that out again.

Edit: So after spending some time with it split and parallel I would say that when it's split its a little more mid-rangey with a slightly rolled off top-end, while in parallel it's a little more scooped and snappy. Both sound cool to me.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Any Fans of The SLUG?

They certainly seem worthwhile. I'll give it a try next time I bust out my soldering iron.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Any Fans of The SLUG?

I'm a fan. There are some cool demos up on youtube. The ultra compression makes it take on a dark wicked tone. People are getting different sounds out of it tho. Black, standard Iommi doom, guys are even getting bright hard rock tones out of the beast. I'm wit it.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: Any Fans of The SLUG?

It's a whole lot less of a one trick pony than people think. Even without going through coil cut or parallel you can get a whole lot of decent tones out of it. IMO it's the most under rated pickup SD makes, except maybe the Fugglybucker.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Any Fans of The SLUG?

Well, I just think not many have tried it yet. If more people hear about it, it will become more popular, I am sure.