learn me sumfin'

[SCOTT502]

Forgive a remedial question that I should know the answer to but ...

In comparing my two guitars I notice a big difference in the sound of the low E string during fast muted picking. The JB loaded Jackson sounds "tight", by this I mean there is a clear distinction between the picked notes. My Steve's Special loaded RG seems fuzzy in comparison. It's hard to explain....I've heard others say that the S.S has a tight bottom end so I don't know what it is I'm hearing.

Is this a difference in output between the two? What is it that causes this?
In my search for replacement p/u's I want to steer clear of the "fuzzyness" in the lower registers so I need to identify what causes this...

Any info you can give me would be a great help as I am trying to become more educated as far as what makes pickups sound different to eachother.

Thanks Guys.
Thanks for the help Guys.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: learn me sumfin'

Since your comparing two different guitars how can you assume that the difference is caused by the pickups or their output?

The only way you could properly (scientifically) compare the effects of the pickups and their respective outputs would be to try them in the same guitar back to back.

In my experiance woods and hardware cause as much and usually more of difference than pickups do. Moreover, if you go and try out ten identical Fender strats in terms of specs and woods they will all sound slightly different.

 

[SCOTT502]

Re: learn me sumfin'

Yea, I thought about that, but would the charactoristics of the guitar cause it to be fuzzy? Like I said it's hard to explain.

Maybe a better question would be what charactoristics (in a pickup...all things being equal) create a cleaner sound...lower output?...can you have a high output pickup be articulate and clean under distortion?...if so..how?

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: learn me sumfin'

Generally woods may cause the low end to be fuzzy or not. On the other hand, if the fuzziness is being caused by the pickup overdriving the amp too much then output would be related. The JB and SS are both high output pickups though, so it's probably not output related.

Sometimes an amp and/or speaker is less likely to handle increased lows as clearly ,so if the SS has more lows it may be overdriving the amp more, but I'm really just speculating at this point.

The Bill Lawrence L500 (Duncan's version of the same is the Dimebag) is a very high output pickup that helps retain tightness and articulation under distortion, so yes, high output and articulation are possible at the same time.

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: learn me sumfin'

The Dimebucker is not a Lawrence copy. they just look the same.

Lots of factors can be contributing to what you're hearing. Anything from the vfalue of the pots in one guitar, to the wood, the wood quality, weight and materials that the trems are made of, etc..

Usually, for a tighter sound in the lows, you'd want to go with a lower output (than the JB) pickup with say, a ceramic mag. I'm not sure what Dimarzio offers in that range, but the Duncan Custom would sure fit the bill.

 

[SCOTT502]

Re: learn me sumfin'

:beerchug: Thanks for the help!