Bridge pickup to pair with the Stag Mag Neck (modern prog metal context)

L

Legion216

New member
Hey all.

I'm making a purchasing decision: I'm a HUGE fan of the classic strat neck tone. But I also play a tonne of modern metal that needs a rather bright humbucker in the neck. So it appeared quite obvious to me that I should stick a Stag Mag in the neck: until I realized it's a HOT pickup. Like "I'm-not-effing-around" kinda hot. I'm wondering what I should put in the bridge: I play a strange kind of modern metal (think Mastodon meets Karnivool?) in Drop D-Drop C# territory with a lot of gigantic chords with a lot of embellishments and colour tones. Every pickup that I have found to be able to do that with the chord clarity I need is nowhere near hot enough to compete with the stag mag, I find. At least on paper.

Am I looking at this wrong? Is it a bad idea to use the stag mag in the neck? What other options do I have?

Thanks folks.
 
Re: Bridge pickup to pair with the Stag Mag Neck (modern prog metal context)

gregory said:
I like what I've heard of the Stag Mag in the neck. Of the few videos on youtube with it in the neck, it's paired with a JB in the bridge, so I'd look at other bridge options in that ballpark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbRlcdNHYDM
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply, I was wondering about the output. Wouldn't the JB be overwhelmed by the Stag Mag's insane output?
 
Re: Bridge pickup to pair with the Stag Mag Neck (modern prog metal context)

What do you have paired with the Stag Mag in the neck right now?
 
Re: Bridge pickup to pair with the Stag Mag Neck (modern prog metal context)

The Stag Mag isn't that hot, the DC resistance numbers are misleading. In Mv I think it's one of the least-output humbuckers.
 
Re: Bridge pickup to pair with the Stag Mag Neck (modern prog metal context)

gregory said:
What do you have paired with the Stag Mag in the neck right now?
Click to expand...

A cheap Ibanez stock pickup. Perhaps I should have clarified: I'm hunting for pickups for my HH guitar, and the Stag Mag looks like the ABSOLUTE PERFECT neck pickup for my tastes.

Silence Kid said:
The Stag Mag isn't that hot, the DC resistance numbers are misleading. In Mv I think it's one of the least-output humbuckers.
Click to expand...

Oh really? Will it work with, say, a Pegasus in the bridge? or a Duncan Custom? Or a 59/Custom Hybrid (My absolute favourite bridge pickup literally ever)?
 
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Re: Bridge pickup to pair with the Stag Mag Neck (modern prog metal context)

Stag Mag with Custom 5 in the bridge

 
Re: Bridge pickup to pair with the Stag Mag Neck (modern prog metal context)

Well, I have a Stag Mag in the neck of a Carvin DC400, with a Custom Custom in the bridge (I opened a thread asking for advice regarding the bridge pickup for this guitar a few months ago).
I have to say that, in my guitar, the Custom Custom outpowers the Stag Magg quite a bit. I think I need to raise the Stag Magg a bit more to compensate this, but I am having some problems with either the pickup ring or the screws, I can not raise it passing one point that is not enough to match the output of the Custom Custom, and there is still plenty of room available between the pickup and the strings.
If your worries are about the Stag Magg outpowering your bridge pickup, I wouldn't worry about it too much. I am having exactly the opposite result.
Other than that, the strat sound is fantastic, really spot-on, the full humbucker sound is also quite usable, it retains clarity, is not a dark sounding humbucker at all in the neck of my guitar. The only issue, again, is that I need more power (loudness) to match the Custom Custom. But as I said, I think the problem is because I can not raise it high enough for some reason that has nothing to do with the pick up itself, but with the ring and the screws (which are quite old, the ones that came with the guitar when I got it 2nd hand).
 
Re: Bridge pickup to pair with the Stag Mag Neck (modern prog metal context)

Incredible!

Thanks a BUNCH for your input, guys! I'm doing a 59/C Hybrid and Stag Mag! Cheers!
 
Re: Bridge pickup to pair with the Stag Mag Neck (modern prog metal context)

I have a The Mag, non staggered predecessor of the Stag Mag. All is true what perry says, but i had the experience that you dont want the pup to near to the strings, because of the strong magnetic pull to wound strings. The effect is named stratitis and dampens the sustain of the lower strings.
Perry: i have the opposite problem, with the switch rings from Duncan the pup sits to high!
 
Re: Bridge pickup to pair with the Stag Mag Neck (modern prog metal context)

hamerfan said:
I have a The Mag, non staggered predecessor of the Stag Mag. All is true what perry says, but i had the experience that you dont want the pup to near to the strings, because of the strong magnetic pull to wound strings. The effect is named stratitis and dampens the sustain of the lower strings.
Perry: i have the opposite problem, with the switch rings from Duncan the pup sits to high!
Click to expand...
Oh, that's great info, thanks!!
I haven't though in the effect of the magnetic pull if I put it too close to the strings. Well, I guess I will need to find the sweet spot. Not too close, not too far away... I could have a fun weekend with the screwdriver :D
 
Re: Bridge pickup to pair with the Stag Mag Neck (modern prog metal context)

I have a special constructed Les Paul, on which i can remove the humbuckers from behind in a second. This makes the dampening effect obvious. Without the neck pup the bridge sounds free and fuller and sustains longer.
 
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