dimarzio hss - recommend me a middle

dimarzio hss - recommend me a middle

  • virtual vintage heavy blues 2

    Votes: 1 100.0%

  • virtual solo

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • injector bridge

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    1
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hwiho2002

New member
I'm currently running a pair of virtual vintage 54 pros, and a 36th bridge in a strat, and I'm having trouble with the 54 pro in the middle. I have to raise it pretty high for it to match volume-wise with the neck, which ends up getting in the way of my picking, and I find it a bit thin sounding.

Considering something that's not too different from the 54 pro in the neck, maybe a bit fatter, and loud enough that I can lower it but match in volume with the neck.

Looking at the virtual vintage heavy blues 2, injector bridge, and virtual solo (maybe too hot?). Anyone have experience with all three? Other suggestions? (duncan stack suggestions welcome)
 
I've never played an injector, but the Solo is pretty different from the '54. The Heavy Blues, maybe?
 
Benjy_26 said:
I've never played an injector, but the Solo is pretty different from the '54. The Heavy Blues, maybe?
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I think I'm so torn between the injector and the heavy blues 2 because they're very similar in spec. both alnico 2, very similar eq (injector has a bass rating of 6.5, and the blues has a 6. all else the same), and similar mv output level.
 
hwiho2002 said:
I think I'm so torn between the injector and the heavy blues 2 because they're very similar in spec. both alnico 2, very similar eq (injector has a bass rating of 6.5, and the blues has a 6. all else the same), and similar mv output level.
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Does DMZ have a return policy?
 
The 54 pro pickups are not thin sounding pickups at all. To me they are thick and have some compression, but still very usable. Would you consider changing your amp profile or using a pedal to get a fatter sounding overdrive tone? The 54 Pro is pretty well regarded as a fat single coil for the middle position. Its possible to use a fatter tone in the neck, but go for something slightly fatter such as "heavy blues 2", or "injector neck". Those high output bridge pickups are something different.
 
Teleplayer said:
The 54 pro pickups are not thin sounding pickups at all. To me they are thick and have some compression, but still very usable. Would you consider changing your amp profile or using a pedal to get a fatter sounding overdrive tone? The 54 Pro is pretty well regarded as a fat single coil for the middle position. Its possible to use a fatter tone in the neck, but go for something slightly fatter such as "heavy blues 2", or "injector neck". Those high output bridge pickups are something different.
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i don't think 54 pro is thin, just when switching from the 54 pro in the neck to the one in the middle it's thin IN COMPARISON. also, I have to set it pretty close to the string to match it with the neck, and I'm constantly hitting it with my pick.

In short: love the 54 pro in the neck, just need something slightly hotter and beefier for the middle.
 
Benjy_26 said:
Does DMZ have a return policy?
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yea, but it's such a pain to remove all the strings to remove the pickguard, unsolder, solder, etc. also, it has to be a special order with non-staggered poles, which are what's in my strat now. Got them because the strat has a 16" fretboard radius.
 
Heavy blues 2 seems the most realistic option. You can definitely use it in the middle, but I would also consider trying it in the neck position at a lower height, while keeping the 54 Pro in the middle. The middle pickup is supposed to be bright, because the nature of the middle position has a natural mid boost. Using a hotter middle pickup will further accentuate the mids and quickly turn to mud. The hotter middle pickup will make the notch position tones a bit ordinary, so you loose a lot of clarity in position 2 and 4.
 
Teleplayer said:
Heavy blues 2 seems the most realistic option. You can definitely use it in the middle, but I would also consider trying it in the neck position at a lower height, while keeping the 54 Pro in the middle. The middle pickup is supposed to be bright, because the nature of the middle position has a natural mid boost. Using a hotter middle pickup will further accentuate the mids and quickly turn to mud. The hotter middle pickup will make the notch position tones a bit ordinary, so you loose a lot of clarity in position 2 and 4.
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I have read others using the heavy blues 2 in the neck and 54 pro in the middle, but that doesn't seem to make sense to me to be honest. The further away from the bridge you move, the louder and bassier it gets, so wouldn't you want a louder, thicker pickup in the middle vs a brighter and lower output pickup in the neck position?
 
hwiho2002 said:
I have read others using the heavy blues 2 in the neck and 54 pro in the middle, but that doesn't seem to make sense to me to be honest. The further away from the bridge you move, the louder and bassier it gets, so wouldn't you want a louder, thicker pickup in the middle vs a brighter and lower output pickup in the neck position?
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What you say about the difference in harmonic sensing moving away from the bridge, is true for bridge and middle positions. However the neck postion is a bit more complex situation, because the neck pickup is typically sensing around the middle of the string. Most of the difference between neck and middle is the amount of the fundamental tone, not necessarily as much difference in sensing the higher harmonics. I think that often when people say the middle pickup is bright and thin, it is not caused to too much top-end brightness. IMO, they are hearing the loss of bass relative to the neck position. It is more about the balance of mids relative to bass. That is why some strat players actually prefer to use the middle pickup in a live scenario as its more cutting due to the natural EQ.

I agree that if you try a heavy blues 2 in the middle, you can drop the pickup a bit lower so it won't interfere with your picking. That will help with one aspect.
 
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TBH, I normally use quieter middle pickups to accentuate the notch tones and hardly ever use tbe middle on its own. The only set where I do use the middle alone is with the EMG Dave Gilmour pickguard. There's some interesting tones to be found there.
 
Benjy_26 said:
TBH, I normally use quieter middle pickups to accentuate the notch tones and hardly ever use tbe middle on its own. The only set where I do use the middle alone is with the EMG Dave Gilmour pickguard. There's some interesting tones to be found there.
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I guess I'm the opposite as I'm not too picky about the notch tones. In fact I have the switching wired so I get bridge+neck rather than bridge+middle.
 
hwiho2002 said:
I guess I'm the opposite as I'm not too picky about the notch tones. In fact I have the switching wired so I get bridge+neck rather than bridge+middle.
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I have 7 way switching on my strats to do the same, but some songs just need that quack...
 
hwiho2002 said:
7? 7??????
SEVEN?????????
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Yeah, man. Add a push/pull to a normal strat and you get all 7 sounds. Standard 5 strat sounds, all 3 on, and neck and bridge. I usually set mine to turn on the bridge pickup regardless of what position the 5 way is in. You can set it to do that with the neck if you prefer.
 
jeremy said:
heavy blues 2 in the middle seems like a good option. little fatter, little more output so you should be able to run it lower and match the volume of the neck pup without much trouble
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I am definitely leaning towards heavy blues 2 at the moment, partly due to it being a lil cheaper than the injector lol. Higher prices for signature pickups are just ridiculous imo.
 
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