Fat, thick, bridge pickups ?

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: Fat, thick, bridge pickups ?

Trust me, I havent been quick to judge Line 6. Been using it since the company started up.

 

[Marshall_Abuser]

Re: Fat, thick, bridge pickups ?

I know, but I like the "feel" of high-output pickups when playing shreddy lines. I like some compression from the pickup and I like the feel of the pickup slammin the front end of the amp. It's more of a "feel thing" than a "tone thing".

I noticed something interesting in your first post. Most of the players you list dont use super hot pickups...a couple do at times but in your list only Vai and Lukather use super hot pickups most of the time.

 

[hanumanlangur]

Re: Fat, thick, bridge pickups ?

You might really like the Custom 8. It's similar to a higher output JB, but it has more mids, more body, and it's tighter as well (without being super tight like a Full Shred). It has a fairly organic and rich tone, but while still having high output and aggression. It's an outstanding pickup if you want something similar to a hotter, tighter JB with more mids, IMO.

 

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: Fat, thick, bridge pickups ?

Nope. Reb Beach used this pickup extensively with Dokken and I didn't like his tone at all.

You arent using Reb's gear.

I dont want to be a dick here but your issue seems to be more than just pickups.....you appear to be madly swinging at random pickups looking for tones from radically different players. You have gone through a LOT of pickups, can't think of anyone I have ever enountered that has gone through more. Not finding your sound after covering pretty much every tone curve on that huge list? Perhaps your answer lies elsewhere....

From what you are describing an A8 pickup could be your ticket. But I feel you still may not be satisfied.

 

[Marshall_Abuser]

Re: Fat, thick, bridge pickups ?

Well, I have used many of these pickups through many amps I've owned over the years (tube Marshall amps, Mesas, ADA racks, Mesa and Marshall tube preamps, etc) and some of my friends gear which include some boutique amps (Bogner, CAE) and I have found good tone with nearly every setup by tweaking, but the "feel" of the bridge pickup is never quite there. I'm looking for a certain feel when playing the bridge pickup. A feel that's really fat and thick.

The EMG-85 is the closest there is to the "feel" I'm looking for, but the tone is obviously not quite there and that's why I'm looking for something that has the harmonics of a JB, the tightness and smoothness of a FS with the feel of an 85.

I think the Crazy 8 might fit the bill. I will check with my dealer if I can order a custom shop Duncan pickup without problems. Here in Canada we have to go through the distributor and it's a pain...if not, I know they have an Alt 8 trembucker in stock right now, I might just try it.

As a side note, I have tried even more bridge pickups than those I listed, but I didn't care to include them to this already long list.

About the comment that I don't use Reb's gear, obviously not, but I think anyone with a medium good ear can hear the difference between Reb's tone with the EMG-85 and Reb's tone with the Norton. He pretty much always used the same amps for recording (check out his website).

You arent using Reb's gear.

I dont want to be a dick here but your issue seems to be more than just pickups.....you appear to be madly swinging at random pickups looking for tones from radically different players. You have gone through a LOT of pickups, can't think of anyone I have ever enountered that has gone through more. Not finding your sound after covering pretty much every tone curve on that huge list? Perhaps your answer lies elsewhere....

From what you are describing an A8 pickup could be your ticket. But I feel you still may not be satisfied.

 

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: Fat, thick, bridge pickups ?

Reb's tone with DSH pickups is his best ever. He doesnt use his Marshalls anymore....switched to John's CAE amps a few years ago.

IMO John Suhr makes the coolest pickups on the market right now if you are looking for progressive tones. I used to use JB's and Custom Customs....have replaced them with DSH and ALdrich bridge pickups and SSV neck pickups on most of my guitars that are 'rock guitars.' For vintage tones WCR and Fralins are my favs.

The Alt 8 is a really cool pickup.

 

[Fusion1]

Re: Fat, thick, bridge pickups ?

If you still have a JB, Custom and Full Shred, I would suggest buying a $7 A8 magnet from Wymoreguitars.com (he's a Seymour Duncan dealer here on this forum). A JB8 may be what you want, if you want a thicker JB with more tightness. A Custom8 will have more sizzle than the Custom and a thicker sound as well. A FullShred 8 will be more aggressive than the standard Full Shred with the Alnico 5. Should even be more articulate and tight lows than standard. The Alternative 8 may be your cup of tea as well but it may not be tight enough if you prefer a FS. I would think with an A8 magnet, you might find your holy grail and you may already own the pickup already, just a 5 minute magnet swap and boom, your long lost holy grail pickup!

 

[A-Ro]

Re: Fat, thick, bridge pickups ?

If you like the "feel" of active pickups but the tone just doesn't quite cut it you should consder a Dimarzio D Activator.

 

[Fusion1]

Re: Fat, thick, bridge pickups ?

D'Activator still seemed a bit thin to me. I haven't tried the D'Activator X yet even though I have one new in box waiting for a guitar.

 

[Dills]

Re: Fat, thick, bridge pickups ?

The breed, and The Rio Grande BBQ come to mind with what you have mentioned although i would look at changing your amp,since your only playing through a POD most of the time.

 

[vejiita]

Re: Fat, thick, bridge pickups ?

The suhr Aldrich is an awesome pickup! i had a thin/trebly cheap guitar that
had every pickup in it you can think of. Dimarzio/Barenuckles/Duncan's
and then i tried the Suhr Aldrich and it just made this guitar huge/fat/thick and meaty!!! go for it.. you won't regret it.

 

[alex1fly]

Re: Fat, thick, bridge pickups ?

+1 to above. I think Breed or an A8 magnet in one of the pups you have.

I bet some pre-POD EQ would do the trick too. Get the mids you want, the output you want, all that. Use the pickup you like best and tweak it with EQ... like the JB, reduce the treble for less pick attack and bump the mids. Or maybe a 250k pot on your bridge pickup would be a good move.

In my experience, its just too hard to get a desirable EQ curve, output level, feel, and harmonic content from one pickup. Nowdays I just try and get close, then tweak pots/magnets/polepieces/EQ pedal if I need to. But mostly I've learned to love a good sound, rather than jones for a perfect sound.

 

[jimijames]

Re: Fat, thick, bridge pickups ?

If I were you I'd get an A8 magnet and throw it into the full shred - the bass will stay the same, there will be a bump in the mids, and the highs will smooth out. Above all, it'll feel hotter than hell (it made the 59/custom in my les paul sound, and more importantly feel, about 35% hotter.) and respond great. Harmonics are fantastic too, I don't know if it has anything to do with the raunchy midrange, but there's definitely a noticeable difference.

 

[theodie]

Re: Fat, thick, bridge pickups ?

Try a Custom Custom and roll back the tone a bit.

 

[JohnnyGuitarCA]

Re: Fat, thick, bridge pickups ?

DiMarzio BREED or AIR ZONE

 

[crguti]

Re: Fat, thick, bridge pickups ?

what a freaky tone guy... :11:
Take a ordinary credit card and wind some wires on it. Put that instead of your regular pickups. Perhaps you'll like the tone.

 

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: Fat, thick, bridge pickups ?

People that constantly flip because they cant find the perfect tone are often searching for a material answer to something that has nothing to do with gear. I dont think the solution to this guys issue lies in his pickups.

 

[Karmadog777]

Re: Fat, thick, bridge pickups ?

buy an amplifier




then a Scott Ian EL Diablo ....smooth ,fat ,powerful and dynamic

 

[Marshall_Abuser]

Re: Fat, thick, bridge pickups ?

As I said before, I have an amplifier.

Still, I find it funny that I ask a question about pickups and get nearly more replies about my playing and my amp situation than actual pickup suggestions. I see nothing wrong in using whatever amp I want to use (POD, tube, SS, anything!) and I don't see any need to include the amp in a pickup discussion. Every element in the signal chain influences tone and my thread obviously focuses on pickups, which are an essential part as well. I'd even go as far as saying that string brand and pick type go a further way in increasing thickness of the tone than a change of amp. I have tried nearly ALL brands of strings in my quest and found some were much more toneful than others. Same goes for picks. I want the thickness of my tone to come from the guitar itself, not from the amp. I suppose you know how pre-gain EQ shapes tone compared to post and middle-gain EQs ? I want a fat pre-eq without resorting to any kind of pedal whatsoever.

Having that said, thanx for your suggestion of the El Diablo. I have a few questions about it. Could you compare its output to a JB, Custom or Distortion ? Is it suitable for shred lead playing ? Most reviews I've read about the El Diablo specify it sounds like **** for leads.

I have a fondness for blade pickups, so the Ian might be the ticket.

buy an amplifier

then a Scott Ian EL Diablo ....smooth ,fat ,powerful and dynamic

 

[Archer_of_Fish]

Re: Fat, thick, bridge pickups ?

Actually amps and pickups interact just as much as guitars do with pickups or strings do with guitars and pickups and amps....or picks do with strings and pickups and amps etc. Having others inquire about your entire chain to get a clear picture of what you are doing is a good thing.

There are a lot of guys here that, obviously by reading the thread, have quite a lot more experience than you do. You should be taking advantage of any advice we have given you and thanking us. It sounds to me like you are getting in a huff because we are taking time and TRULY trying to help you. Nobody here HAS to take the time to help you out...but a lot of us have and you find our help funny? That is really uncool of you.