Re: Parallel Axis sound clips?
Thanks for the replies, guys. I'm looking mainly for sound clips, but barring that, maybe you could give me a "yes/no/sort of" type vote on the following:
I'm looking for a pickup that is something like halfway between a Custom 5 and JB.
1) In your opinion, is the PATB-1 such a pickup?
2) In your opinion, is the Crazy 8 such a pickup?
3) In your opinion, is the Perpetual Burn such a pickup?
4) What other pickup belongs on this list?
There used to be some clips of PATB into Splawn on youtube, that were pretty representative of that combo. Both PATB-3 and PATB-1b, IIRC. Also hunt around soundclick, fair number of samples.
I have an Ibanez RG570 that sounded really flubby in low end with a JB, and replaced it with a PATB-1b. It's a lot like a smoother Custom 5. It has extended high end presence, but it's smooth, not harsh. Harmonics just ring out, and it's got crazy sustain. And it's output is a bit higher than the JB, but without the mid-spike.
It can do everything I liked about the JB, and so much more. It's punchier on low end, better for cleans and rhythm. It is very sensitive to pick attack, I can make it go from smooth almost Custom Custom-like tones (particularly with tone rolled back a bit) to a more snarly bite. It has both more low end, and tighter low end, than the JB had in my guitar. Doesn't have the nasal honk or same sort of screaming harmonics, but it does have singing harmonics.
No personal experience with Crazy 8, it's not going to have much Custom 5 in it, as it is fairly underwound with thin wire but with a strong magnet. Bright without being piercing (doesn't have the presence ceramic tends to in many pickups). It gets raves in some quarters for hair metal, but then so do lots of other pickups that have escaped the taint of spandex and excess hairspray.
Comparisons with Crazy 8 that I heard, I liked the Custom 8 better, but the Custom 8 does this sort of vintage metal that never was sort of thing. But the Custom 8 has more mids than either the Custom 5 or JB (though it lacks the crazy upper mid spike of the JB that is what gives it the overamped screaming harmonics thing). Not really a pickup in your Custom 5 to JB range, more of a slightly less punchy ceramic Custom with less bite, though not quite as smooth as a Custom Custom's high end.
Perpetual Burn is an underwound JB, IIRC. Less of the exaggerated honk, tighter low end, lower output & more even EQ compared to JB. May well do what you want, also.
If you want a pickup that sings, but is more flexible than the JB, PATB-1b fits the bill nicely.
I put an A3 magnet in the JB and used it as a neck pickup in the same guitar (with stud coil towards neck, 0.75" hex screw poles under wound strings, pickup screwed in on bass side but the hex poles raised to even volume) but hardly use it because the PATB-1b can get so close to how it sounds if I pick closer to neck and lay off the pick attack.
As far as what other, there's plenty of possibilities. Pegasus is another underwound somewhat JBish pickup. For myself, I'd pick the PATB-1b every time, though.