Gibson 498T humbucker = what seymour duncan?

[uOpt]

Re: Gibson 498T humbucker = what seymour duncan?

??? Are you guys for real??

Compression is the result of the wind. How can a CC be so totally compressed and tubby, and putting an A5 just clear it right up?

Because the compression is a function of magnetic saturation, not of the coils.

It's the saturation of the passively magnetic polepices, not the magnet itself. The "fight" over what state the passive polepieces are in between the strings and the magnet is what makes the PAF and P90 sound, and what differentiates them from Fender style pickups.

The most compression you get with ceramic, the least with A5, A2 is in between. That is why both '59 and C5 are very non-compressing and can take your ear off when playing hard and why a Duncan Custom starts out colder than an Alnico pickup.

But as you play harder and harder the ceramic pickup compresses more and more until a person like Michael Schenker, who arguably has one of the roundest sounds in hard rock, can get his "warm" sound out of the "cold" ceramic.

In the end it's all a question of rig. Playing a C5 into a non-compressing rig will get you sued by the audience except you won't find a band to play with in the first place. If you have a compressing rig you can use it. People who like non-compressing rig (like Schenker) end up picking compressing pickups.

 

[The Usual]

Re: Gibson 498T humbucker = what seymour duncan?

Amen. EQ and compression are way different things. Most people confuse them. In my opinion most of the compression comes from the wind, and output. Maybe an A8 can add compression due to sheer output. I don't like them all that much, and that may be why. I still don't think mags have as much to do with it, except possible mask it with EQ. In the end, who cares if it sounds like you want it to, but for me, I hear it, and it bugs me.

If you are hearing an A2 as more compressed than an A5, you are confusing EQ with compression.

 

[The Usual]

Re: Gibson 498T humbucker = what seymour duncan?

Maybe I should stop pretending to be a pickup designer and say, that I simply don't hear non compressed pickups sounding compressed when I swap magnets, and I don't hear compressed pickups sounding uncompressed when I swap magnets.

CC, C5, C8 are all compressed, to my ears.

 

[RockStarNick]

Re: Gibson 498T humbucker = what seymour duncan?

Very interesting points above.

I'd also like to add that when I'm testing out a pickup, and listening for said "compression", I'm usually doing so into a fairly clean channel, if not dead clean.

The JB and 498T will sound springy, squishy, and compressed, even into a dead clean channel, compared to a 59, which sounds super stiff.

 

[The Usual]

Re: Gibson 498T humbucker = what seymour duncan?

I'd agree with what you are hearing. I personally find the 498 slightly less compressed than the C5, and JB, but I find it more grainy and clangy. This is a Gibson thing, that I can't figure out. Their stuff seems to do this more than SD.

Except the BB3. That sounded like a CC, but way worse. Really dull and compressed at the same time.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Gibson 498T humbucker = what seymour duncan?

Maybe I should stop pretending to be a pickup designer and say, that I simply don't hear non compressed pickups sounding compressed when I swap magnets, and I don't hear compressed pickups sounding uncompressed when I swap magnets.

CC, C5, C8 are all compressed, to my ears.

More or less so than the DC?

 

[The Usual]

Re: Gibson 498T humbucker = what seymour duncan?

Can you reword the question. Not sure what you're asking.

 

[uOpt]

Re: Gibson 498T humbucker = what seymour duncan?

Can you reword the question. Not sure what you're asking.

Would you say the Duncan Custom (ceramic magnet) compresses more or less than the CC/C5/C8 bunch?

 

[The Usual]

Re: Gibson 498T humbucker = what seymour duncan?

You know, I honestly don't remember too well about it in the custom wind. I have never been a fan of ceramic mags, and I know it didn't stay in there for long. I just seem to hate them. Scooped but non-harmonic to my ears, if I remember correctly. But that's just a preference thing. My friend loves them for some stuff.
They sound hard

 

[uOpt]

Re: Gibson 498T humbucker = what seymour duncan?

You know, I honestly don't remember too well about it in the custom wind. I have never been a fan of ceramic mags, and I know it didn't stay in there for long. I just seem to hate them. Scooped but non-harmonic to my ears, if I remember correctly. But that's just a preference thing. My friend loves them for some stuff.
They sound hard

But that's the thing.

To my ears, the DC (compared to Alnicos in the same coils) starts out sounding colder.

But as you play harder it changes sound drastically, where the Alnicos, A5 and A8 in particular only gets louder.

That sound change in the ceramics is what I call "compression" in a pickup.

 

[The Usual]

Re: Gibson 498T humbucker = what seymour duncan?

Cool. I'll have to keep an ear out for that the next time I am playing a ceramic. It's an interesting observation for sure. As I said, I just don't seem to get along with them, but I think I get what you are saying. Sounds like you only hear this with Ceramics, but not with any Alnico?

 

[Burk]

Re: Gibson 498T humbucker = what seymour duncan?

What do you guys know about Alnico 4 magnets?
I read on the Bare Knuckles website that they were the most organic of all the magnets.
These are considered medium output?
My friend has a set of BK Mules (A4) in his PRS, and they sound very raw and overall good....through his 50 watt Marshall JMP combo, they sound downright nasty!

 

[blueman335]

Re: Gibson 498T humbucker = what seymour duncan?

What do you guys know about Alnico 4 magnets?
I read on the Bare Knuckles website that they were the most organic of all the magnets.
These are considered medium output?
My friend has a set of BK Mules (A4) in his PRS, and they sound very raw and overall good....through his 50 watt Marshall JMP combo, they sound downright nasty!

A4's have a balanced EQ, so they don't push highs & lows like an A5, or mids like an A2. They're more subtle, and you get some of everything. If you want more of the PU's & wood's inherent tones to come thru, and A4 will help by not coloring the tone as much. Some players, who are used to part of the EQ being accentuated by a magnet, find A4's bland.

I like A4's a lot and think they offer a viable option when a bridge A5 is too bright or boomy, or when a neck A2 is too loose or lacking treble. A4's fill that middle gound. I also like them in P-90's and HB-sized P-90's, as one of the two magnets in the PU (neck and bridge both).

 

[uOpt]

Re: Gibson 498T humbucker = what seymour duncan?

What do you guys know about Alnico 4 magnets?
I read on the Bare Knuckles website that they were the most organic of all the magnets.
These are considered medium output?
My friend has a set of BK Mules (A4) in his PRS, and they sound very raw and overall good....through his 50 watt Marshall JMP combo, they sound downright nasty!

I find that A4 (and A8) lacks what I describe as "musical overtones" compared to A2 and A5.