Hearing Damage - Looking for the right pickup that won't kill my ears

[noisy humbucker]

I've had tinnitus for several years now and for the most part I just deal. The one thing that drives me crazy as a guitarist is my sensitivity to a specific range of upper-mid frequencies.

Looking for a trembucker to put in a black korina Jazzmaster tuned to C# drop B. Like most everyone else I want clarity and attack (recovering active user) but I have to watch out for EQ spikes that three numbers on a page won't help me with.

Here are the two SD bridge pickups that I have the most experience with and my thoughts on them:
Duncan Distortion: I really liked it almost across the board. Maybe just a bit too hot and it had a touch of the upper-mid spike I can't handle.

Hot Rails: Again I like almost everything about it - loved the attack I got with the blades. No "spikey" problems with this one, just a touch too hot and maybe a little boomy (low mids). Tried the Cool Rails bridge and while I still got great attack it was almost too neutral/flat.


I was considering the Duncan Custom TB-5 but seems like it may be my worst nightmare as far as piercing upper mids (never tried it though so no idea). Second thought was the Omega, but I definitely don't want to be stuck with a perma-djent tone.

Thanks for the help all! I've played lots of various pickups so I can bring other comparisons in if it won't muddy up the picture.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Hearing Damage - Looking for the right pickup that won't kill my ears

I want to say the Alt8. It has a mid spike, but it's lower. Or maybe a 59b.

Sent from my MotoE2(4G-LTE) using Tapatalk

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Hearing Damage - Looking for the right pickup that won't kill my ears

Black Winters maybe

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Hearing Damage - Looking for the right pickup that won't kill my ears

Alt 8 is a good idea. It's fat and warm but still detailed. Sorry about your tinnitus. What note is it?

 

[chadd]

Re: Hearing Damage - Looking for the right pickup that won't kill my ears

Have you tried using an EQ to notch out the specific frequencies that give you problems? It seems like that would be a lot easier than a guessing game with pickups.

 

[noisy humbucker]

Re: Hearing Damage - Looking for the right pickup that won't kill my ears

Alt 8 is a good idea. It's fat and warm but still detailed. Sorry about your tinnitus. What note is it?

Do you know I've never checked until just now - it's in C! Listening to the clips (didn't realize how much they've streamlined things) I can say the Alt 8 isn't for me - I don't care for the open vowel sound (listened elsewhere as well).

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Hearing Damage - Looking for the right pickup that won't kill my ears

it's in C!

Haha nice!

If you like a pickup but it's slightly too abrasive for you, you can change the magnet to an 8, 4, or 2, in order from crispest to mellowest. I'd recommend 8 or 4 for you since you said you want clarity and attack but they're more rounded. Ceramic and 5 are the most ear killing.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Hearing Damage - Looking for the right pickup that won't kill my ears

I'd second an eq that is adjustable. Remember that the amp and speaker will do their bit almost despite the pickup. So it might be a more global solution to have some form of adjustable eq for both pitch and Q (as well as amount of cut of course) to work on the specific area further down the signal chain.

 

[noisy humbucker]

Re: Hearing Damage - Looking for the right pickup that won't kill my ears

Inline EQ may be my final solution, but I'm still hunting for pickups for at least three of my guitars. They're not giving me the "ice pick in the ear" sensation but they're also not "doing it" for me.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Hearing Damage - Looking for the right pickup that won't kill my ears

If by not doing it you mean underpowered, then find a hot pup you like and change the magnet.

 

[gregory]

Re: Hearing Damage - Looking for the right pickup that won't kill my ears

JB, Screamin' Demon or Full Shred.


...Kidding!

Look into the Pegasus.

 

[noisy humbucker]

Re: Hearing Damage - Looking for the right pickup that won't kill my ears

Forgot to mention that I tried the Pegasus, too "tubby" for my taste. I really like all the clips I've heard of the Custom but for fear of the ice-pick effect I'm looking into the Omega as perhaps it's less harsh.

I know I'm not whining about anything new here, but I've tried and enjoyed enough pickups that I believe there's something out there for me. Tried the new Fishman Modern and Classic sets and I like them (keeping the set in my 8-string) but don't love them (selling everything else).

As far as Alnico in the bridge, they actually make for my favorite EMG's (89XR and 707TWXR) - the smooth warmth of the Alnico, attack of the blades and drive of the preamp make for a nice combination-ultimately not "transparent" enough for complex chording.

Ceramic gives bite in the bridge but it's tricky to find one that has my preferred balance.

 

[Van Noord]

Re: Hearing Damage - Looking for the right pickup that won't kill my ears

EMG 85 or Tone Zone...

 

[noisy humbucker]

Re: Hearing Damage - Looking for the right pickup that won't kill my ears

I'm actually getting rid of my EMG 89 so the 85 is a no-go there, and the only DiMarzio I've like in recent memory with no real gripes is the Ionizer which is a whole different animal from the much darker Tone Zone. Thank you for the input though!