Just put in an AIR NORTON

[OlinMusic]

I just decided to try an AIR NORTON with a CUSTOM CUSTOM. Hmmm wow they work amazingly well. They blend.

The AIR NORTON is a great match for high output pickups. Everyone says it sounds "modern". I think it sounds that way in the bridge. In the NECK it is fat, classic and vintage sounding with great richness for everything form jazz runs to classic Allman tones. I THINK THIS PICKUP IS MEANT FOR THINNER NON-LP GUITARS. Esp Ibanez or the like. It can fatten anything up.

I am now tempted to replace my CC (BLASPHEMY!) with a BREED OR AIR ZONE. I DO LOVE THE RUDENESS OF THE CC. Doesn't clean up as I would like, and its a tad spongy (please do NOT suggest the C5 to me...lol)

Any thoughts?

 

[taphappy]

Re: Just put in an AIR NORTON

Very unique sounding pickup, ultra smooth. Playing fast under lots of gain produces a petrucci blurry sound. But I dont think I needed to tell you that.

 

[pinto79]

Re: Just put in an AIR NORTON

Try a Breed or a MegaDrive, smooth and powerfull with the right amount of bite...

 

[WITH FULL DISTORTION]

Re: Just put in an AIR NORTON

well.. i have the CC in the bridge too.. WELL, i had. i just sold it yesterday.
all that you can try is a Full Shred bridge. or, go custom shop and order a CC with the same caracteristics, BUT with the ****ing TIGHT BASS!
Q
Í was looking for aN Air Norton too, but i think ill replace the guitar it was supposed to be installed in .. so, i´ll wait more time.
Q

in which guitar did you install the AirNorton ?!

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Just put in an AIR NORTON

Olin, I've played your PRS as you know, and I don't think the Breed or the Air Norton are what you're looking for. Your guitar naturally has plenty of Les Paul beef in the lows and mids so you need something with maybe a little less output than the CC you have in there, but definitely more bite.

If you're going DiMarzio, the FRED might do the trick. I've never tried one so take it with a grain of salt, but just looking at the specs and descriptions on their site and remembering what your guitar sounds like, it sounds like a good match.

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: Just put in an AIR NORTON

I put it in my PRS.

I am looking for an Ibanez Jem as well.

I think the guitar has beef but it has a brightness in the neck given it is 24 fret. Ibanez are also in the same situation.

I just gigged the Knitting Factory with the Air Norton, and I thought it was KILLER! I had an Air Zone before and found it a TAD too smooth and modern, but hey I said the same thing about the Air Norton. I now would say it has a great classic jazz tone that can sound fat and articulate under HIGH gain. I thin that's the key - to have a pickup that does gain and clean as well. I play with some LOUD drummers and need to keep a rude rock tone. This is why I like the CC, though I hate certin things about it, it is very rock n f---in roll.

I am still very curious about Rio Grandes. I have played a NORDSTRAND recently and have found it to be amazingly articulate and large sounding. The HOT model is 9.75k.

Let me add this as an FAQ :

I fear this forum suffers a bit of brand loyalty (which is NOT a bad thing) AND people who play in their bedrooms or have outlandish beliefs that "vintage" sounding amps and "vintage" tones are all that matter. For ROCK, high output pickups and tube amps (sorry I AM NOT SOLD ON DIGITAL completely) with rude mids are still the way to go for me. I have no problem with Dimarzios, fake Bill Lawrence's, brands such as Ibanez, Washburn - or anything that gives me a good sound.

If you want to talk ethics and integrity (ie fake Bill Lawrences v "real" ones, or how awesome SD is for making the Seth model for Seth and his wife) that's another story altogether!

I say this to stop the "why Dimarzio?" and not a $300 boutique questions.

As far as my rig - yes, I use a classic Les Paul and a vintage Marshall - if you knew how little I paid for them it would be a different story!

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Just put in an AIR NORTON

I have played a NORDSTRAND recently and have found it to be amazingly articulate and large sounding. The HOT model is 9.75k.

That might be your winner right there.

Hope you don't think I was putting your PRS down because it's actually very cool. And to me a beefier sounding guitar is easier to get a good killer rude rock bridge tone out of it because you have a wider range of pickups to choose from -- you're not limited to 14k and above. A 9 or 10k pickup can often do the trick.

On the other hand, a bright sounding guitar I think is a little harder to get right. It was really hard to find a neck pickup that was sweet fat and clear enough for my 355.

(I'm not sold on digital amps either. So far I flat-out hate them.)

 

[Dave Z]

Re: Just put in an AIR NORTON

"And to me a beefier sounding guitar is easier to get a good killer rude rock bridge tone out of it because you have a wider range of pickups to choose from -- you're not limited to 14k and above. A 9 or 10k pickup can often do the trick."

that's for sure...my old Epi SG is dark (against all known expectations) and a 10K pickup in that is great. A 59 does well there too.

 

[Rev Donzo]

Re: Just put in an AIR NORTON

air nortons never sounded killer here -- just pasay

 

[walt]

Re: Just put in an AIR NORTON

I had an Air Norton and a Air Zone in my Wolfie before I but the Virtual Vintage PAF/ Virtual Vintage Hot Paf in. The only reason I swapped the AN / AZ combo out was it was too hot (maybe too fat) for my taste. In the right guitar the AN can sound very good and FAT like the AZ which is also a very fat sounding pup and matches very well with the AN.

 

[PRG]

Re: Just put in an AIR NORTON

For ROCK, high output pickups and tube amps (sorry I AM NOT SOLD ON DIGITAL completely) with rude mids are still the way to go for me.

Sounds like a regular 'ol Duncan SH-5 Custom to me, it's pretty barky, snotty, and aggressive sounding.

 

[ErikH]

Re: Just put in an AIR NORTON

"And to me a beefier sounding guitar is easier to get a good killer rude rock bridge tone out of it because you have a wider range of pickups to choose from -- you're not limited to 14k and above. A 9 or 10k pickup can often do the trick."

that's for sure...my old Epi SG is dark (against all known expectations) and a 10K pickup in that is great. A 59 does well there too.

Agreed. I have an ~8K DiMarzio PAF in my frankenstrat now and it just kills.

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: Just put in an AIR NORTON

OK Well I am heavily considering going for a RIO BBQ set or a NORTDSTRAND set
Zhang I appreciate your remarks as well as your opinions - ALWAYS!

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Just put in an AIR NORTON

How did the gig go Saturday?

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: Just put in an AIR NORTON

The show was great, the sound was loud and in your face, almost too much so...lol. The CC you rigged me sounded F____IN' AMAZING! THAAAAAANK YOU! My Marshall sounded like it always does, and Jimmy is... well let's say he is thunder. He never ceases to amaze me or challenge me. It's always like going to school.

Knitting Factory parking and security are a b*tch...lol
The load in is a mile long tunnel - I felt like Nigel in Spinal Tap!

 

[Zhangliqun]

Re: Just put in an AIR NORTON

I take it you like the Alnico 2 in there a lot better than 5 or 8? Oh yeah, I tweaked the poles a little bit too as I recall for a little more bite and shimmer.

 

[OlinMusic]

Re: Just put in an AIR NORTON

I still want to know - WHAT ABOUT THE CUSTOM 3????? Will it have the AL2 SPONGE I LOVE SO MUCH?