IT comes down to this! buying one of these this week

[surface54]

IT comes down to this! buying one of these this week
im done with the JB, want a heavy sound without the mid spike, so these are the pickups im looking at. i like to play leads and heavy rythmns, what would serve me better a C8 or Alternative 8?
i had the Alt8 before with a different amp and it was great for low end rythmns, i remember it had a kind of low pass going on, but if you dialed back the bass the lead tone does start to shine out.
ive never had the Custom series, but im willing to give it a go, i have a A8 mag so i can just throw it in whatever custom i get it as. do you think the C8 will give me that heavy edge like the Atl8 had and not be too piercing in the highend dept like the JB?

need to know soon, ive already got my JB up to sell now.

btw: im playing a DSL100 head with V30s, i really want to tame the bright articulate high end of this amp, will the C8 give me just right amount of highs thats not overkill? cause i know the JB just destroyed the high end out of my setup, wayy to piercing, my ears hurt within 20 mins of playing. ive had the DSL for 2 months and i havent even been able to really play it and enjoy it, i really want to slam power chords and shredz but it hurts my ears! argh.

let me know bros!!

schecter blackhawk, decent guitar but not in the middle which would be like a grand correct?!!!
like $300

will any of the regular Custom pickups be able to convert it to the A8 mag? i see a bunch on ebay, i know which ones are the correct ones, just wondering if all customs are ok to get.

out of all the positive reviews on this forums for the C8 i really cant go wrong??? im thinkingz.

 

[Gingrel]

Re: IT comes down to this! buying one of these this week

will any of the regular Custom pickups be able to convert it to the A8 mag? i see a bunch on ebay, i know which ones are the correct ones, just wondering if all customs are ok to get.

The Custom range all have the same wind etc, they only differ in the magnets they have.

Custom is ceramic
Custom 5 is Alnico 5
Custom Custom is Alnico 2

If you're putting an A8 in, it makes absolutely no difference which you buy, unless you want one of the magnets listed above for another purpose.

 

[surface54]

Re: IT comes down to this! buying one of these this week

The Custom range all have the same wind etc, they only differ in the magnets they have.

Custom is ceramic
Custom 5 is Alnico 5
Custom Custom is Alnico 2

If you're putting an A8 in, it makes absolutely no difference which you buy, unless you want one of the magnets listed above for another purpose.

sweet thanks

 

[dominus]

Re: IT comes down to this! buying one of these this week

I'd try to get the regular custom if you can, the ceramic magnet would sound good in that Schecter as well. (You can also convert the JB into a Distortion with the ceramic magnet.)

 

[surface54]

Re: IT comes down to this! buying one of these this week

ive tried saving the JB its not going to happen, tried all magnets, im done with it, on to either of these two.

anyone think the C8 is great for metal? thats what i play mostly.

 

[dominus]

Re: IT comes down to this! buying one of these this week

C8 is great for metal. So is the Alt 8.

 

[ACH91332]

Re: IT comes down to this! buying one of these this week

I heard the DMZ Norton is like a JB without the spike. I'm trying one when I get the money I hate what I have in my Mockingbird right now.

 

[surface54]

Re: IT comes down to this! buying one of these this week

C8 is great for metal. So is the Alt 8.

yeah thats what i wanted to hear! yeah the Alt8 is great for metal, im assuming the C8 is just as good but a tad less low mids and more highs than the Alt8. so it should sing better then the Alt8, which isnt really a lead pickup.

 

[Sanford]

Re: IT comes down to this! buying one of these this week

Not too many people mention the Crazy 8 when talking A8 magnets. Anyone know how it compares to the Alt8 & C8?

 

[ACH91332]

Re: IT comes down to this! buying one of these this week

Not too many people mention the Crazy 8 when talking A8 magnets. Anyone know how it compares to the Alt8 & C8?

I heard its very hifi sounding so for like rock and stuff there's probably better options. I can't really give any personal information I've never used it but that's what I've heard. Very modern sounding.

 

[nimrod217]

Re: IT comes down to this! buying one of these this week

Dude...lemme tell you, I had a TSL 100 and a jB and I know what you went through, at least for heavier music. The JB just has this one frequency that pierces the ears. I just went to an Alt 8 Pickup, and while it was fat sounding....it wasn't quite right for me. The SD website describes their PU's perfectly, that's why I love em. In my humble opinion, the SD Distortion has never let me down once. It is such a good pickup for so many styles, but for my punk/metal fusion band, it soars. Great highs without being too piercing, mids aren't scooped to the point of no breakthrough, and the low end seems to capture that "chug chug" we all love. I hope this helps, I really love the DD. Best of luck.

 

[surface54]

Re: IT comes down to this! buying one of these this week

Dude...lemme tell you, I had a TSL 100 and a jB and I know what you went through, at least for heavier music. The JB just has this one frequency that pierces the ears. I just went to an Alt 8 Pickup, and while it was fat sounding....it wasn't quite right for me. The SD website describes their PU's perfectly, that's why I love em. In my humble opinion, the SD Distortion has never let me down once. It is such a good pickup for so many styles, but for my punk/metal fusion band, it soars. Great highs without being too piercing, mids aren't scooped to the point of no breakthrough, and the low end seems to capture that "chug chug" we all love. I hope this helps, I really love the DD. Best of luck.

wow so that DD with a ceramic pickup really can chug. so the Alt 8 didnt do it for you with the TSL, i was hoping it would even out the high end of the amp.

hmmmmmmm............

 

[nimrod217]

Re: IT comes down to this! buying one of these this week

Well, I have a mahogany guitar, which some say "darkens" the tone a lil of the DD, but I love the way it sounds. Another thing to consider. Check on "youtube" for some audio samples.

 

[surface54]

Re: IT comes down to this! buying one of these this week

yeah ill really only know how it sounds once its in my guitar into my amp. youtube compression and videos just dont do it for me, cause i know in person the sonic difference is way different.
ill take a risk buying it first. C8 it is i think. if the C8 is still toO harsh then ill know the Alt8 is the only thing that will let me play metal on the DSL100 without sounding hissy bright. if the C8 isnt anywhere near as shill as the JB then im putting my money on success!

 

[Despair]

Re: IT comes down to this! buying one of these this week

Different people hear things differently. And are aiming for different tones. Different people mean different things by metal, too...

The Crazy 8 is supposed to be terrific for hair metal. On the bright side, but delivers for that task.

For a woolier take on the Distortion, check out the PATB-2 Parallel Axis Distortion. That might be a little too thick with a fixed bridge, but check out daemon barbeque's clips, he's using it in a fixed bridge guitar there. It's a bit darker, considerably hotter, and has more sustain and harmonics.

I suspect the standard Distortion will not work for you, but without trying it you can't know for sure. It's basically a JB with a thick ceramic magnet (Yeah, slightly hotter wound coils, but same wire guage and wind pattern).

If you aren't sure if ceramic is for you or not, you might try the Custom (TB-5, given the Blackhawk is 25.5" scale from what I can find). If it's too bright/harsh, swap in the A8. That's a bit less brutal a pickup, but it's known for sounding great in a lot of different guitars, once you find the right magnet choice for you & that guitar.

The Alternative 8 is another huge hot pickup, described as somewhere between a JB, a Custom and a Distortion. None of the weak points of any of them, but not all of the strengths, either. Strong for lead, riffs or thrash rhythm.

It may be that the real solution is to switch speakers. The Vintage 30 has the same issue the JB does: massive upper mid spike.

 

[RobSoundtrack]

Re: IT comes down to this! buying one of these this week

DANG despair beat me to it.

V30's are the real reason...<---despair is my new hero.
Great great for leads, but on this setup, your mid-spike is going to be very pronounced.

I have 4- g12t75's and hear that doing 2 of each (these and v30's) is very popular to do; gives best of both worlds. Especially when mic'd. Tell me if you wanna swap 2!!! lol

Anyhow, you said youve tried all magnets.....
Alnico 8 didn't help?

 

[surface54]

Re: IT comes down to this! buying one of these this week

the Jb8 is my personal fav but its so powerful it becomes unclear with sizzle. the high strings are just too much mid spike. the stock JB was better on the high strings but suffered on low end. so im just getting away from it, so many people complain about the JBs ice pick as well that i cant ignore that stated fact and want to try something else. its up for sale now.

 

[Other1152]

Re: IT comes down to this! buying one of these this week

the C8 is great for metal.

to me, its like a more musical, easier to tame beast of a pickup like the (alt8). and it'll clean up if you need it to for something other then metal.

but i use it mostly for metal!

 

[surface54]

Re: IT comes down to this! buying one of these this week

the C8 is great for metal.

to me, its like a more musical, easier to tame beast of a pickup like the (alt8). and it'll clean up if you need it to for something other then metal.

but i use it mostly for metal!

for metal you think it will be better than the Alt8?, thats where im getting caught up thinking to much about it.

 

[hamerfan]

Re: IT comes down to this! buying one of these this week

btw: im playing a DSL100 head with V30s, i really want to tame the bright articulate high end of this amp, .

I phased out the V30 in my combo and put in a G12H. With the V30 everything sounded harsh, bright and unmusical.
Try any other cab with your Marshall and you will see it was the speaker!