(Metal) PU recommendation for nato body maple/RW neck through RR Jackson

[BleedingFingertips]

Hello fellow guitarreros,

I wondered what pickup would seymourize my Jackson properly. It should be versatile enough for everything from punk to In Flames kinda stuff, should have tight low end but with enough punch for power chords and palm-mutes in D tuning. It should also be able to do some lead work because it's a 1 hum guitar.

The guitar is an X Series Signature Christian Andreu Rhoads RRXT. It features nato body and maple/rosewood neck through body. I heard that nato is similar to mahogany in its tonal qualities. But what about this neck-through construction? Basically, the body is a piece of maple in the middle with two outer nato/mahogany wings. Would this construction differ in terms of sound compared to all-mahogany body or mahogany with a maple cap?

It has Duncan Designed 102 installed in it. For a stock pickup, it is very good. On the downside, it has too much bite and is rather thin sounding.

Alternative 8 got my interest. SD even recommends it for warmer guitars (https://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/the-tone-garage/pickups-for-drop-tuning)

What about moderate output? Custom 5?

Any ideas?

 

[Clint 55]

Re: (Metal) PU recommendation for nato body maple/RW neck through RR Jackson

That's the ticket! Those are good choices.

 

[BleedingFingertips]

Re: (Metal) PU recommendation for nato body maple/RW neck through RR Jackson

That's the ticket! Those are good choices.

Thanks. I assume you have tried both, haven't you? My only concern with Alt8, for example, is that it sounds poor on some demonstration videos (maybe because of the height issue). I hope that they don't do justice to this pickup. Cos verbal descriptions are very positive.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: (Metal) PU recommendation for nato body maple/RW neck through RR Jackson

I have the Custom 5 and it's very well rounded for rock. I don't have the Alt8 tho, I have the JB. The Alt8 is supposed to be a little hotter and smoother. Some other guys on here like it, they'll probably chime in.

 

[BleedingFingertips]

Re: (Metal) PU recommendation for nato body maple/RW neck through RR Jackson

Okay, thanks anyway!

 

[dave74]

Re: (Metal) PU recommendation for nato body maple/RW neck through RR Jackson

I'm betting you'd prefer the Distortion model in that guitar for those tones.

 

[BleedingFingertips]

Re: (Metal) PU recommendation for nato body maple/RW neck through RR Jackson

I'm betting you'd prefer the Distortion model in that guitar for those tones.

Well, I think, DD is sorta default metal pickup. But I heard it could be fizzy, too. And since I can also play a lead or two, Alt8 got my attention because it's good fot both rhythm and lead tones. For a 1H guitar a big win, no?

 

[dave74]

Re: (Metal) PU recommendation for nato body maple/RW neck through RR Jackson

Well, I think, DD is sorta default metal pickup. But I heard it could be fizzy, too. And since I can also play a lead or two, Alt8 got my attention because it's good fot both rhythm and lead tones. For a 1H guitar a big win, no?

Maybe, but since you said the stock is rather thin (based of jb (alnico5)) I'd be inclined to think alt-8 won't be quite enough thicker-toned, but I'm only speculating, which is worth far less than your own speculation in this case lol.

btw, I also want an alt-8 to try!

 

[Mincer]

Re: (Metal) PU recommendation for nato body maple/RW neck through RR Jackson

Hmm, I wonder if the guitar is warm sounding if the pickups in there are already too bright.

 

[BleedingFingertips]

Re: (Metal) PU recommendation for nato body maple/RW neck through RR Jackson

Hmm, I wonder if the guitar is warm sounding if the pickups in there are already too bright.

Well, it's not really warm. Seems to be closer to balanced. Definitely brighter than an all-mahagony I asked a PU recommendation for a while ago. Seems that the maple neck-through adds some brightness.

Does it make sense to do a magnet swap for this Duncan Designed, A5 to A8, and see what happens? Could perhaps give me an idea whether Alt8 is worth buying. And if I f**k up this simple procedure, it's not a big deal.

 

[Mincer]

Re: (Metal) PU recommendation for nato body maple/RW neck through RR Jackson

I'd say it is worth the swap now, since it is cheap and simple.

 

[BleedingFingertips]

Re: (Metal) PU recommendation for nato body maple/RW neck through RR Jackson

I'd say it is worth the swap now, since it is cheap and simple.

OK, let's see if I find a dealer in Europe.