Dropped tuning pickup.

[bagouser]

Re: Dropped tuning pickup.

I've been playing C G C F A D for 11 years now and even though my "metal" guitar has a Custom 5, The best HB for dropped tunings is probably the Distortion or Screamin Demon. I hear the Invader is a noisy, hissy piece of cr*p, and I didnt like the Dimebucker much....too shrill......
For strings, Ernie Ball Skinny Tops/Heavy Bottoms or Beefy Slinky are perfect for going down and still staying tight.

 

[Aden]

Re: Dropped tuning pickup.

I've been playing C G C F A D for 11 years now and even though my "metal" guitar has a Custom 5, The best HB for dropped tunings is probably the Distortion or Screamin Demon. I hear the Invader is a noisy, hissy piece of cr*p, and I didnt like the Dimebucker much....too shrill......
For strings, Ernie Ball Skinny Tops/Heavy Bottoms or Beefy Slinky are perfect for going down and still staying tight.

the invader is a hissy, noisy, over bassy, muddy piece, high end less of crap IF you aren't using boost before your amp. With a tube screamer type pedal pre-pre-amp it tightens right up and a lot of the noise issues go away too. It can sound pretty powerful then

 

[tc]

Re: Dropped tuning pickup.

mine doesnt hiss, noise or muddy up. Ok it muddies up a little bit haha, but really its not noisy at all. +1 on the pedal thing. but one thing you should know. your amp has an EQ....OMG i know!!! what a discovery!!! just lower your bass and mids and boost your highs...too many people bash good gear...and even though there are better pups than the invader no pickup gets that huge sound it provides. And no i dont like it for anything lower than drop d

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: Dropped tuning pickup.

The one thing you need to address is figure out which tuning you're going to use. I'm going to assume that your soloist has a recessed Floyd on it. If that's the case you're not going to be able to jump around on tunings unless you either block it, or make it a dive only. You will need to do a full setup. Truss rod, intonation, springs on the floyd etc... If you're going all the way down to B. I'd suggest at least a 56 for the low string. Anything past that and you may run into troubles w/ the size of the string and the lock blocks on the Floyd. The heavier gauge of the string, the easier it is to crack blocks and saddles on Floyds.

As for pickups. I've yet to find a PAF derivitave that retains any kind of clarity going thath low on a Fender scale guitar. You will definately want something w/ blades. The only pickups I've used personally for something like this is the Custom Shop Iommi which is now the Diablo and the Bill Lawrence L500XL. Both will give you articulation, note seperation and retain warmth w/out getting muddy going down that low.

 

[SCOTT502]

Re: Dropped tuning pickup.

The one thing you need to address is figure out which tuning you're going to use. I'm going to assume that your soloist has a recessed Floyd on it. If that's the case you're not going to be able to jump around on tunings unless you either block it, or make it a dive only. You will need to do a full setup. Truss rod, intonation, springs on the floyd etc... If you're going all the way down to B. I'd suggest at least a 56 for the low string. Anything past that and you may run into troubles w/ the size of the string and the lock blocks on the Floyd. The heavier gauge of the string, the easier it is to crack blocks and saddles on Floyds.

As for pickups. I've yet to find a PAF derivitave that retains any kind of clarity going thath low on a Fender scale guitar. You will definately want something w/ blades. The only pickups I've used personally for something like this is the Custom Shop Iommi which is now the Diablo and the Bill Lawrence L500XL. Both will give you articulation, note seperation and retain warmth w/out getting muddy going down that low.

Hey 9finger,

Thanks for the advise. Actually it's a non-recessed Floyd (1986 model) and I intend to block it to alleviate any more set up issues than I'll already have. I figured on paying someone to do a full set up as I've never messed with intonation before and I figure this probably isn't the time to try. As far as the string size/saddle block issue, I had wondered about that. So you think no larger that .56 huh? I had come accross a set of D'Addario baritone strings with a .62...I guess ill just have to see.