My Opinion On Alternative 8 with Alnico 5

[gvis]

Re: My Opinion On Alternative 8 with Alnico 5

King Izzo - I saw in old detonator vs invader thread that you had said your fav invader setup is no side mags and a center combo of A8 on top and stock ceramic on bottom. Did I read that right and, if so, do you still believe it? Of course I can try it, it'd be nice if I can avoid wasting time testing needlessly.

 

[King IzzO)))]

Re: My Opinion On Alternative 8 with Alnico 5

Nope, I like it without the ceramic, A8 only. That's what I did with my Deto, that's what I did with my Invader. I prefer the single ceramic Deto to the 3 mag Invader too.

 

[gvis]

Re: My Opinion On Alternative 8 with Alnico 5

Ok, so I gutted the 3 hmbucker parker monster and started over. Went back to 250k volume and tone and just bridge and neck, with, given the 5 way switch, the bridge jumped to the middle so that I can combine the bridge and neck. No toggles for splits nor separate tone thingamagigies for each pup. This alone solved my upper neck flutter issue.

So, right now I've got the ceramic main mag from the neck invader in the alt 8. Never played a JB, not am I certain of its tone, but from how its described and how it now sounds like an 80's hair metal tone, I'd say it's pretty close....and very not my sound...lol. But it sounds great mechanically, as in no strange EQ vs mag issues, etc. And I'm sure someone who likes the JB will really like this. And I am much happier with a balanced bass, vs the overly thick invader and stock alt8. I'm running two extra large 1x15 cabs with swamp thangs, so I don't bass is an issue for me...lol.

I removed the side mags from the neck invader and left the UOA5 from ther last swap. Big improvement, but still just too much treble and a similar coked wah sound as the JB alt 8. SD ain't kidding when they say on their site that the neck version has increased treble. To date is always been in a very bad way for me. This after going to 250k all around.

So the search continues. Tonight I'm move the alt 8 to the neck and see it is there with the ceramic, then swicth to the UOA5, and the polsihed A5 and A2 coming in the mail today.

The fred will go in the bridge. I haven't played it in a year, on not with my new amp/speaker setup, but I have feeling it will be closer to the sound I want in the bridge.

The neck will liekly be my dilema. If the alt 8 doesn't work out, I hate to say it, but it's bye bye SD for a bit while I try the liquifire.

I hear the SD's are brighter and a little more old school, and that may be the simple answer.

 

[metalmachine]

Re: My Opinion On Alternative 8 with Alnico 5

So you have a ceramic in the alt 8 now? Could you go a little more in depth about the sound

 

[gvis]

Re: My Opinion On Alternative 8 with Alnico 5

It defintely has the cocked wah, upper mid range spike i hear a lot aboUut here. But the bass is tighter than what hear the jb described as. Once i readjusted the bass on my amp from prior alt 8 and invader settings, i can still chug, its just not quite as thick, but a bit clearer in a good way. But its not a modern sound to me. Classic 80s rock and hair metal.

Maybe it will thicken up and the neck and allow cool leads. Its just not the sound i want for the bridge.

Fairly dynamic and not too harsh. Easy squeelies and fairly big sounding. I am. Finding mag swaps either work or dont. This one works

 

[gvis]

Re: My Opinion On Alternative 8 with Alnico 5

I tried the fred that came with the guitar stock, in the bridge, and it's perfect...lol...so the ride for this guitar, at least for the bridge, is over.

I tried the alt 8 in the neck with the UOA5. Had to run parallel to get output to match the fred, but, despite how it lost the extra bass in the bridge, it was still too bassy in the the neck, and it still has the UOA% wierdness. So I've given up the SD pups I currently have and have ordered a dimarzio liquifier. We'll see. I think it's medium output is a better match for the fred and the guitar.

At least I have some higher output options for the next guitar, which will be a warmoth solist. Maybe it will get the alt 8 with the ceramic or polished A5 in the bridge, for JB type sound. Maybe I need that in my arsenal, as another recording option.

Learned a lot, and it was worth it.

 

[metalmachine]

Re: My Opinion On Alternative 8 with Alnico 5

I am resurrecting this thread because I just put a alnico 5 in my alt 8. I can confirm that the op is 100% on with his description. I also tried it with a double thick ceramic. Same thing basicly but the low end was so incredibly tight it on came thru in super fast palm muted stuff. No good for chugging. Had q good lead tone though. Also the mids and highs were a bit more with the 2x ceramic