In praise of the Alt 8.

[Ascension]

Haven't run one in quite a while but a couple days ago dropped one into my 1992 Carvin DC 127 in solid KOA. I thought hard on this one about dropping a Perpetual Burn in it like I have in my 2017 Kiesel but thought what the heck have this Alt on hand and would have to order a Perpet so might as well give it a try.
Glad I did as it to me is a JB on steroids with a far far better bigger fatter tighter and smoother rhythm tone but with a similar singing solo voice. Was really surprised how big round and smooth it is in this guitar!! Trick to this pickup is finding the sweet spot in distance to the strings + making sure it is as flat to the strings as possible. If it's too close it will kill sustain and throw off really weird overtones if it is not flat to the strings will sound thin and weak. Seriously these are super sensitive on this stuff much more so than other pickups and absolutely MUST be set farther from the strings than normal!! Seems to be a trait of the Alnico 8 mag as saw the same thing with a Custom 8 and with a JB 8. Get it wrong and it's a hot mess but when you get it right these are just MAGIC!!
Responds to touch very very well cleans up and opens up with a volume roll back very well + splits very well. Big round and sweet very open brown sound tones galore and was a real home run in this particular guitar.
Glad I rediscovered this one as it is not what I remebered it to be!!

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: In praise of the Alt 8.

I've always been a fan of the Alt8. It really is a great sounding and very versatile pup.

 

[ExplorersRock]

Re: In praise of the Alt 8.

I must agree. Great pickup! Really great tone.

 

[Ben1962]

Re: In praise of the Alt 8.

Love mine, and the Demon I have in the neck with it

 

[Ascension]

Re: In praise of the Alt 8.

Really like the Alt for heavy tones but am wondering if it's to much for what I'm doing right now in this particular guitar. Struggled with it this morning through my Boogie at Church.
Clip it was a little to bright and crunchy compared to the neck M22. Jury is still out but will ether drop a Jazz in the neck or grab a Perpetual Burn for this one don't yet know which. Although I am REALLY digging the tones with both of these together as full humbuckers.

 

[ExplorersRock]

Re: In praise of the Alt 8.

I paired my Alt 8 with a Jazz. Good combo

 

[Ascension]

Re: In praise of the Alt 8.

I paired my Alt 8 with a Jazz. Good combo

What I was fighting his morning was the M22 was so much darker in the neck it was hard to EQ the guitar. To woolie and fat if i got the Alt right when running the M22 but the Alt was to bright when i was running the right eq for the M22. Outputs worked well but the tones were to different. I like the Alt with the right settings through the right amp a lot so may just spring for a Jazz to go in the neck. That M22 is a little more compressed than I like anyway. This one with the Alt should make a good on stage pair with my Strat both Teles or PRS Custom 24 tonally once I get it dialed in. I have a couple other guitars that are fatter and sweeter that work well together so different is not a bad thing.

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: In praise of the Alt 8.

I had one on hand and dumped it into my Kramer. Was very surprised how much I like it. Definitely a beefed up JB vibe

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: In praise of the Alt 8.

Love mine, and the Demon I have in the neck with it

That's a super combination.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: In praise of the Alt 8.

What guitar do you have it in? Is there only one master tone? If so, I would just wire the Alt8 to the tone pot and leave the neck M22 straight through to the switch without being wired to the tone pot. Then if the Alt8 sounds too bright after balancing the M22 with your amp, just use the tone pot to soften the Alt8.

 

[Ascension]

Re: In praise of the Alt 8.

What guitar do you have it in? Is there only one master tone? If so, I would just wire the Alt8 to the tone pot and leave the neck M22 straight through to the switch without being wired to the tone pot. Then if the Alt8 sounds too bright after balancing the M22 with your amp, just use the tone pot to soften the Alt8.

It's in a 93 Carvin DC 127 and yes it does have a single tone. However I'm not really wild about the M22 in the neck so will swap in something. Been looking and listening to on line clips and keep coming back to the Sentenal neck. Anybody used the sentenal in the neck yet.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: In praise of the Alt 8.

I assume you are referring to the Sentient?

 

[Ascension]

Re: In praise of the Alt 8.

I assume you are referring to the Sentient?

Yep had the neme wrong. Tones i hear from every clip so far are intriguing. Like the violin like fluidity in the solo voice + the sweet harmonics in the cleans in every single clip I hear with that pickup. Very articulate and open but also sweet and round will grab one in a little while for the neck on this one.

 

[Demanic]

Re: In praise of the Alt 8.

I just listened back to one of my recordings that I did with my guitar that has the Alternative 8 in the bridge. It sounds like the younger, more focused, yet enraged cousin of the JB and the Distortion.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

 

[Ben1962]

Re: In praise of the Alt 8.

I just listened back to one of my recordings that I did with my guitar that has the Alternative 8 in the bridge. It sounds like the younger, more focused, yet enraged cousin of the JB and the Distortion.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

It has power, but it isnt harsh. The Nazgul can be harsh, the Alt-8 sounds like a more powerful Pegasus to me

 

[Demanic]

Re: In praise of the Alt 8.

Makes me wonder what an A8 version of the Slug would sound like.

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

 

[Masta' C]

Re: In praise of the Alt 8.

Makes me wonder what an A8 version of the Slug would sound like.

Like an overdrive pedal you can never turn off

 

[Ascension]

Re: In praise of the Alt 8.

Got a chance to realy work with the Alt today + A/B it with a number of other pickups. Was very impressed with it after i in particular did a head to head between the 127 and my 17 Keisel DC 135 with a Perpet through the same amp. The Alt was fatter smother and bigger sounding + seemed to open up more when you rolled the volume back. Surprised me that they were as close as they were tone wise but the Alt just had more of everything!!