Marshall_Abuser
New member
Hey everyone!
I'm really picky when it comes to bridge pickups. I have tried many of them over the last many years, but I haven't found "THE" bridge pickup yet.
Basically, what I'm looking for is a smooth bridge pickup that's really thick and sings like a neck pickup, but with lots of output and harmonics that jump off the fretboard. I play guitar instrumental music (think Vai, Timmons, Sfogli, Gilbert, Govan, etc.) as well as 80's shred music (think Lynch, DeMartini, Slamer, Schon, etc.). I also like good session players like Landau, Lukather and Pierce. I'm playing lead guitar 95% of the time when I'm at home and don't really care for rhythm tones or what not. I want a thick lead tone with lots of cut and some personality.
Here is a list of the bridge pickups I've used over the years, with some comments :
EMG-85 : I really like this pickup, but the mids are a bit too honky. Sounds just like Reb Beach, no matter what guitar or amp I use.
EMG-81 : Too much pick attack, clanky sounding. Otherwise, pretty nice EQ, really thick, not too much high-end or "grit" and tight in the bass. To my ears, the 81 is a really smooth pickup with rolled off high-end.
Dimarzio Super Distortion : Bland, no personality, "grainy" and felt weak
Dimarzio Tone-Zone : Used to be my fave, but really ugly in the highs, too much "grind" going on in the highs, sounds a bit like the Duncan Distortion in the highs. Not smooth enough.
Duncan Distortion : Too grindy in the highs to be useable for me. Sound incredible for rhythm though, but definitely not my cup of tea for smooth leads.
Duncan JB : Very nice tone, but it seems to lack a lot of mids. Has a lot of treble energy, hence the pick attack sounds louder than the notes behind it. Not what I want. Harmonics are #1 and just incredible. Notes sing, which is what I like! But it lacks mids and it's output is the BARE minimum acceptable for my needs.
Duncan Full Shred : My current favorite, but lacks some output. A really nice pickup. Smooth, middy, responsive, tight in the bass department. But not enough harmonics and personality (lacks some of that AW- half cocked wah tone the PAF-Pro has).
Dimarzio PAF-Pro : Weak, but OK tone and EQ. I like the FS much better.
Duncan Custom : Hated this pickup. Scooped in the mids, sounded really thin and trebly. Best descriptive to me would be "hollow". I don't like PAF tones that much me thinks ! Also, output was a bit too low, or at least, the pickup didn't feel hot at all.
Dimarzio X2N : Nice ! Powerful, even EQ'd, really fat with just enough grind. But a little more harmonics would be welcome. Also, magnetic pull becomes a problem, as I like my bridge pickups really close to the strings. Sounds a bit "weird" and phasey sometimes. Overall I like it.
Dimarzio Evolution bridge : Hated it... much too tight, with artifiicial high-end. I really hated this pickup. Has some presence brightness that I cannot stand. I like smooth !
Dimarzio Steve's Special : I like mids...and the Steve's hasn't got any. It sounded really "hi-fi" and hollow sounding, without much power.
Ibanez V8 : One of the best bridge pickups I've used. Harmonics galore, very middy and lots of output. It just lacks quality in the tone and some fatness.
I'm thinking about the Duncan Alternative 8 (currently my #1 choice), Duncan Invader, Duncan Custom Custom, Dimarzio Breed bridge, Dimarzio Super 3 and Dimarzio D-Sonic.
I have played the Invader before and recall that I liked it A LOT ! It's thick ! But I'm not sure it's as tight as I like it on the lower strings. The FS is tight as I want on the bottom strings. I play 11-49 gauge strings tuned to Eb.
Guitar sensation Marco Sfogli uses a D-Sonic and he honestly gets one of the best lead tones I've heard on the song "Sunset Lights". Very fat, tight, middy and vowel-like. However, I'm no fanboy and I'm not gonna jump on a D-Sonic. I would much prefer a Duncan for various reasons.
Guitars I have are superstrats made of alder with fixed bridges (or blocked trems) and rosewood fretboards. Alder is my fave body wood, it's tight and has good cut without being to shrill. I don't like mahogany that much, as it sounds too dark and mellow for my tastes. I have a basswood axe and I really dislike the tone of basswood.
Ohh yeah, and I mostly play/record thru a POD (Mesa Mark models) these days. I don't use the internal cabinet modelling though. I much prefer impulse responses or micing an external cab.
Thanks for any advice !
EDIT : Add the Duncan RTM to my list of interests ! I don't mind paying custom shop 160$ if it gets me the tone I want.
I'm really picky when it comes to bridge pickups. I have tried many of them over the last many years, but I haven't found "THE" bridge pickup yet.
Basically, what I'm looking for is a smooth bridge pickup that's really thick and sings like a neck pickup, but with lots of output and harmonics that jump off the fretboard. I play guitar instrumental music (think Vai, Timmons, Sfogli, Gilbert, Govan, etc.) as well as 80's shred music (think Lynch, DeMartini, Slamer, Schon, etc.). I also like good session players like Landau, Lukather and Pierce. I'm playing lead guitar 95% of the time when I'm at home and don't really care for rhythm tones or what not. I want a thick lead tone with lots of cut and some personality.
Here is a list of the bridge pickups I've used over the years, with some comments :
EMG-85 : I really like this pickup, but the mids are a bit too honky. Sounds just like Reb Beach, no matter what guitar or amp I use.
EMG-81 : Too much pick attack, clanky sounding. Otherwise, pretty nice EQ, really thick, not too much high-end or "grit" and tight in the bass. To my ears, the 81 is a really smooth pickup with rolled off high-end.
Dimarzio Super Distortion : Bland, no personality, "grainy" and felt weak
Dimarzio Tone-Zone : Used to be my fave, but really ugly in the highs, too much "grind" going on in the highs, sounds a bit like the Duncan Distortion in the highs. Not smooth enough.
Duncan Distortion : Too grindy in the highs to be useable for me. Sound incredible for rhythm though, but definitely not my cup of tea for smooth leads.
Duncan JB : Very nice tone, but it seems to lack a lot of mids. Has a lot of treble energy, hence the pick attack sounds louder than the notes behind it. Not what I want. Harmonics are #1 and just incredible. Notes sing, which is what I like! But it lacks mids and it's output is the BARE minimum acceptable for my needs.
Duncan Full Shred : My current favorite, but lacks some output. A really nice pickup. Smooth, middy, responsive, tight in the bass department. But not enough harmonics and personality (lacks some of that AW- half cocked wah tone the PAF-Pro has).
Dimarzio PAF-Pro : Weak, but OK tone and EQ. I like the FS much better.
Duncan Custom : Hated this pickup. Scooped in the mids, sounded really thin and trebly. Best descriptive to me would be "hollow". I don't like PAF tones that much me thinks ! Also, output was a bit too low, or at least, the pickup didn't feel hot at all.
Dimarzio X2N : Nice ! Powerful, even EQ'd, really fat with just enough grind. But a little more harmonics would be welcome. Also, magnetic pull becomes a problem, as I like my bridge pickups really close to the strings. Sounds a bit "weird" and phasey sometimes. Overall I like it.
Dimarzio Evolution bridge : Hated it... much too tight, with artifiicial high-end. I really hated this pickup. Has some presence brightness that I cannot stand. I like smooth !
Dimarzio Steve's Special : I like mids...and the Steve's hasn't got any. It sounded really "hi-fi" and hollow sounding, without much power.
Ibanez V8 : One of the best bridge pickups I've used. Harmonics galore, very middy and lots of output. It just lacks quality in the tone and some fatness.
I'm thinking about the Duncan Alternative 8 (currently my #1 choice), Duncan Invader, Duncan Custom Custom, Dimarzio Breed bridge, Dimarzio Super 3 and Dimarzio D-Sonic.
I have played the Invader before and recall that I liked it A LOT ! It's thick ! But I'm not sure it's as tight as I like it on the lower strings. The FS is tight as I want on the bottom strings. I play 11-49 gauge strings tuned to Eb.
Guitar sensation Marco Sfogli uses a D-Sonic and he honestly gets one of the best lead tones I've heard on the song "Sunset Lights". Very fat, tight, middy and vowel-like. However, I'm no fanboy and I'm not gonna jump on a D-Sonic. I would much prefer a Duncan for various reasons.
Guitars I have are superstrats made of alder with fixed bridges (or blocked trems) and rosewood fretboards. Alder is my fave body wood, it's tight and has good cut without being to shrill. I don't like mahogany that much, as it sounds too dark and mellow for my tastes. I have a basswood axe and I really dislike the tone of basswood.
Ohh yeah, and I mostly play/record thru a POD (Mesa Mark models) these days. I don't use the internal cabinet modelling though. I much prefer impulse responses or micing an external cab.
Thanks for any advice !
EDIT : Add the Duncan RTM to my list of interests ! I don't mind paying custom shop 160$ if it gets me the tone I want.
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) by various pots and caps....but mostly by meaty palm/palm moves across the bridge!
