help with pick up choice...

S

SCOTT502

New member
Hey Everyone, Installed an Alt 8 in the bridge of my Ibanez RGA121 (mahogany with maple cap...rosewood fretboard) a couple weeks ago.

PGn in the neck position which is fine.

It's a very good pick up but it just lacks...something...for me. It has good note definition and It sings beautifully when soloing but I'm missing a little "scream" which I like to hear from a bridge p/u. It's also a little too hot for me.

note.........I have a broken C5 that I can salvage the magnet from.

I need some advise from you guys,

1) Keep the Alt 8 and swap the A8 for the A5...but this will forfeit my ability to exchange it.

2) Exchange for a PG bridge ( which will allow me to swap the A2 with the A5 if I want to try something different)

3) Exchange for another mid output hum like a Jazz bridge, 59, or Demon

Pros and cons???

I want an articulate p/u with a good tight low end with definition and a good "thunk" , good note separation for chords and the ability to split well and clean up when the volume is lowered. A good lead tone is very important...I want it to sing but need some scream in there as well....rich harmonics etc.

....****, I don't want much do I ? Anyway Pierre recommended the Jazz bridge a few days ago, anyone else able to help?

thanks.
 
Re: help with pick up choice...

Don't change the magnet. The coils aren't close to other SD pickups and it probably just sounds wired.

What you want is somewhere between Duncan Custom, Full Shred and Distortion.
 
Re: help with pick up choice...

I'm thinking demon as well. Maybe try changing to hex poles in your alt 8?


Edit: Also where do you have your alt 8's height set? I have mine a lot lower than most pickups due to the a8's string pull.
 
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Re: help with pick up choice...

I've kind of been eyeballing the Demon as well but the tone chart and posts here have kind of scared me off. It's worth a shot though. I guess people either love it or hate it...either it's perfect or terrible. There's only one way to find out!

Rowan I have the Alt 8 pretty low as well to compensate for the strong string pull.
 
Re: help with pick up choice...

Mahogony really boosts the low-end on the Full Shred...giving it a much fuller and more musical sound. Its the first thing I thought of when you mentioned "scream". I've tried out the Demon, Full Shred, and Distortion (as well as the Alt8), and the Full Shred is still in my guitar.

My $.02
 
Re: help with pick up choice...

I think I'm going to go for the Demon and see what happens.

Thanks for the help guys.
 
Re: help with pick up choice...

Make a hybrid -- swap a screw coil from a vintage output pu in for the existing screw coil.
 
Re: help with pick up choice...

Zhangliqun said:
Make a hybrid -- swap a screw coil from a vintage output pu in for the existing screw coil.
Click to expand...

If the Demon doesn't work out I may resort to this, all I have at the house is a standard space JB, a broken C5 a pair of Ibanez V8 / V7 and an old Jackson pickup...a J80 or something. Anything in there sound interesting?
 
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