No idea where to go - need new Pickup!

[HALENisking]

Re: No idea where to go - need new Pickup!

I'm pretty much in between the tone zone and custom custom. I might like a little more output and bass than the sh-11, but maybe the tone zone is too much in that direction. Not sure, I'm leaning sh-11 but I need to hear more dimarzio clips. I've heard some real pretty clean clips of the tone zone, but I hear it's kinda crappy clean. The invader/alt8 are still in the running, but I think I'm in between those. Any advice picking?

The tone zone is superb for lead work like GuitarStv said, but does have plenty of output and lows. I think it's a very balanced sounding pup however. Honestly though it fits what you asked for in your original post. No ice pick to be found, cleans up okay, awesome lead stuff, crunchy/chainsaw thing going on but sort of like a well lubricated chainsaw if you will. still smooth as all hell. It will never sound vintage, but that's about it. You aught to cut well in the mix with it, but that depends on other factors too.

 

[iamthesuck]

Re: No idea where to go - need new Pickup!

If the biggest problem is where you sit in the mix I'd look at the JB or the Dimarzio Norton....You''ll notice an immediate difference with the JB and if you have issues with it there's plenty of great tweeks you can do to that pickup to remedy them, plus the JB is easy to find on the used market.... I really liked the JB8 for metal....

Where I sit in the mix is a small issue, but the ice pick mosquito tone from the bridge is another big problem. I think a TZ or SH-11 should do the job for me pretty well

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: No idea where to go - need new Pickup!

From what you've been saying, you really really need to consider the Alt8. An alnico 8 magnet is definitely what you want and this Alt8 will give you all the tones you're looking for as well as the increased output. For some of the gentler stuff that you do, I would run it in parallel (rather than split)...it softens up, gets clean and clear, and brightens/crispens up nicely. I don't like the empty weak sounding split sound. And all you need is a push/pull pot to change it from the normal series mode to parallel.

The Alt 8 has a more useful tone than the SH-11 which can sometimes sound muddy. Alt8 has a crisper sound but with some thump and stronger less mushy bass (due to the A8 instead of the A2 mag). And when the Alt8 is in parallel, the SH-11 (CC) can't come close to its clean articulate tone.

Don't get me wrong, I love A2 magnets and most of my guitars have pups with A2s in them, but I also love what an A8 does for a lead tone.

 

[iamthesuck]

Re: No idea where to go - need new Pickup!

I think the Alt8 is likely too hot and bright. I'm leaning tone zone but I'm still on the fence. I think i'm going to pick soon, going to listen to some clips!!

 

[Aceman]

Re: No idea where to go - need new Pickup!

I said SuperD, but a Tone ZOne or even better - an Air Zone.

Air Zone is my final answer.

 

[iamthesuck]

Re: No idea where to go - need new Pickup!

I decided to give the tone zone a try. Only reason I chose it over the air zone was I do really want some extra kick from the pickup. I read mixed reviews on it's clean tone but there seemed to be more people saying it has good clean. Also I had a gift card and I couldn't get a TB-11 from that locality, so the choice was pretty much made for me. So I'm gonna drop in an F-spaced Tone Zone some time next week. I'll come back and let you know how it works (and maybe even record a clip if I can find a good microphone)!

 

[iamthesuck]

Re: No idea where to go - need new Pickup!

Just wanted to throw in I have a new LTD M-10 I got as a gift. It's going to become my project guitar after I get my summer semester under way. At the risk of making a new thread I'll continue to solicit opinions here. I'm down for any individual pickup under 100$ new (I'm in college give me a break!).

About the guitar: It's extremely bass heavy acoustically, looks metal as hell, and plays very well for a free guitar. I was thinking a GFS mean 90 in the neck, but the bridge is wide open. Stock neck is dull and boomy with no midrange, stock bridge is twangy and weak. I don't necessarily want this to be a metal guitar because like I said, I mostly only do doomy/rawky riffs at the heaviest, and also the blasphemous idea of putting a HS-p90 in a "shreddy" guitar makes me smile.

 

[dominus]

Re: No idea where to go - need new Pickup!

GFS Crunchy PAT.

 

[lucaspaço]

Re: No idea where to go - need new Pickup!

Have a look at the SH-5. It's my favourite SD pup. It has a high output (not over high) and it can be very aggressive if u want. Also very good for drop tunings. Gary Holt (Exodus) for example used to be a TB-5 guy untill 2009 I think.

 

[iamthesuck]

Re: No idea where to go - need new Pickup!

Got the tone zone installed and I'm super happy with this tone in this guitar. It isn't vintage but it doesnt ring as "modern" to me either. kind of has a sweet, singing quality to me that I just can't get over. Tone is still the tiniest bit bright, but that's with new strings so we'll see how it is once they break in and dull down. If it's still bright in that position I'll wire up the pickups so the neck will have no tone control and I'll dial back the TZ a bit. Doubt I'd have to tho. Thinking about switching the neck pickup too...

 

[iamthesuck]

Re: No idea where to go - need new Pickup!

After a few days of playing in the pickup, the highs are smoothed out, the lows are not boomy, the mids give soloing and rhythm work a big deep crunch. Very very pleased. May add a Cannabis Rex speaker to tame a bit more of the piercing highs that still linger on the solo playing at high distortion

 

[iamthesuck]

Re: No idea where to go - need new Pickup!

Sorry for the triple post, I just wanted to say that the orientation of the Tone Zone has a pretty big effect on tone. The screws towards the bridge make the pickup muddier with more of a fullness verging on lack of clarity in the low mids. Screws away from the bridge seems to tighten everything up a bit more