Full Shred EQ, more power?

A

Ace Flibble

New member
Had a Les Paul Studio as my all-round guitar for a while, with Full Shreds in both positions and the tone knobs ripped out. Love the neck pickup, but the bridge has always felt a tiny bit lacking in terms of sheer output and it's time to sort that out. The tonal balance is spot-on, I just wish it was a bit louder. I'd give the neck FS a 10/10 and the bridge an 8.5/10. So close to perfection, just missing that final push.

I tried raising the pickup as high as physically possible, still not enough flat power and it lost some treble and gained some bass, which I didn't like. Don't want to change amp settings (everything's already great for my other guitars' purposes) or use a boost pedal just for the sake of one pickup position in one guitar (especially when my pedal board is already bloated as it is and I'm trying to downsize), and I don't want to take this guitar active as I like to have phase and split wiring, which is a pain in the arse to do with actives.

Ideas? Right now I'm looking at the Custom and Alternative 8 as apparently quite bright, more powerful options. I know the JB will inevitably be suggested, but I've had that in three guitars before (albeit not Les Pauls) and hated it every time; too much upper-mids, not enough real treble. I'd like to keep to Seymour Duncan, since they're what's cheap and easily available here; standard DiMarzios here cost more than a set of SD Custom Shop pickups, and the cost of boutique pickups is unspeakable.

For reference, I use .0105-.054 strings tuned to Eb Standard/Drop C#, and I hit the strings hard; pickups with too much bass or too loose bass can be a real issue. Strictly rhythm playing, lead stuff like "cutting through" is irrelevant to me.

Any input is much appreciated.
 
Re: Full Shred EQ, more power?

I can't remember who from the forum it was but a member posted a video of his full shred with the large ceramic and I really dug it, I think if you want a beefed up full shred take a look at the Dimarzio Crunchlab, that pickup reminds me alot of a full shred just with a bigger midrange,
 
Re: Full Shred EQ, more power?

I've been running a Dimarzio Breed Bridge with the Full Shred Neck in a 24 fret PRS, and I think they mesh pretty well. They are a fairly balanced set, but the Breed is a little clearer and brighter than the FSn.
 
Re: Full Shred EQ, more power?

Thanks for replying, but I'll reiterate that DiMarzios are prohibitively expensive and hard to get here and adding another boost pedal for the sake of one pickup position in one guitar isn't practical, let alone when I'm trying to make my pedal board smaller as it is. And I'm not talking about that much of a boost, either; I just mean the sort of output that something like the Distortion has (only the Distortion is the wrong kind of EQ...).
 
Re: Full Shred EQ, more power?

Could you lower the neck pickup to get the volumes to balance a little better?

You could also try just raising the pole pieces on the bridge FS. That will increase the volume without the bass boost you weren't fond of.
 
Re: Full Shred EQ, more power?

Might give it a shot, but I already raised the whole pickup to less than 1mm under the strings and the output still wasn't quite there. Don't want to mess with the neck pickup since it's just right as it is; balanced outputs in both positions isn't what I'm after.

edit: actually, my Full Shreds have gold covers on, so I only have access to one side of pole pieces. If I raised just that side, won't that make the coils unbalanced and lose output and bring in some hum? I remember really hating the P-Rails' humbucker modes with their hum from the unbalanced coils.
 
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Re: Full Shred EQ, more power?

The Custom Custom might work for what you are after. It has a great rhythm tone, does not have too much bass, and has fat warm highs that wouldn't seem too bright compared to the full shred neck. The FS neck will seem smoother, compared to a Custom Custom bridge. You might like the Custom, but I don't, so I'm avoiding recommending it. The highs on the Custom always seem very hard and sterile to me. It is strange that Dimarzios are MORE expensive where you are. They are usually a bit cheaper in the states.

Taking cover off humbuckers gives them a slightly more present/raw tone and increases the treble a bit. I don't think it would be enough in your situation though.
 
Re: Full Shred EQ, more power?

Wouldn't want to remove the covers anyway, it's the LP Custom look, all white and gold; no covers would spoil that.

Never considered the Custom Custom before, but I'll certainly give it a look. I know the guy from Halestorm uses it and I like his tone, though I've no idea if he actually used it on the albums or not.

I have no idea why DiMarzio are so expensive here. The price order goes Seymour Duncan, local custom winders, EMG, Seymour Duncan Custom Shop, DiMarzio, Bare Knuckle. The only explanation I've ever been given is that there is only one DiMarzio supplier here, so they can charge whatever they want and supply is low compared to demand, while SD and the others all have multiple suppliers.
 
Re: Full Shred EQ, more power?

put an A8 or ceramic magnet in the full shred, the full shred wind is based on the custom 5. The custom 5 is my least favorite variation. it won't be as easy with the covers on there though. a double thick ceramic will really wake it up. The regular custom and alt 8 are also good options. The custom custom is good in longer scale bright guitars but is sorted rounded off highs and lows, definitely less output than the others.
 
Re: Full Shred EQ, more power?

FWIW

I also had a set of Full Shreds in a Les Paul, my favorite LP, and while the neck was great the bridge always was unsatisfying. I have found satisfaction with the Demon, PG, 59 and now DD. I am not suggesting those to you since 3 out of those four may not have the output you are looking for, and the DD is nowhere near a balanced EQ. Just saying I feel your pain with the FS Bridge.
 
Re: Full Shred EQ, more power?

Guys guys guys. We are all way over thinking this. The OP simply needs to go to 11.

But seriously I would probably second the A8 fullshred.
 
Re: Full Shred EQ, more power?

You don't know how close I came to writing "... turn it to 11..." in the first post.

Sticking an A8 in there sounds good. Has anyone tried an A8 with hex poles before? I've read a lot about Custom 8s and JB8s, don't think I've seen someone suggest a FS8 (or ceramic, for that matter) before. Interesting idea, though, might have to give it a go, if nothing else than for curiosity's sake.
 
Re: Full Shred EQ, more power?

Ace Flibble said:
You don't know how close I came to writing "... turn it to 11..." in the first post.

Sticking an A8 in there sounds good. Has anyone tried an A8 with hex poles before? I've read a lot about Custom 8s and JB8s, don't think I've seen someone suggest a FS8 (or ceramic, for that matter) before. Interesting idea, though, might have to give it a go, if nothing else than for curiosity's sake.
Click to expand...

It's not too far from a custom 8, really focused and powerful tone.
 
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