Sentient Neck!

[Techy Beccy]

I've just been reading about the Sentient neck pickup. I know a few of you have mentioned it before in posts. It sounds pretty cool! I don't like high output neck pickups generally.. I prefer PAF-ish tones and good cleans for the neck. I never considered this pickup; but sound like it could work!
What are other peoples experience with it and what did they pair it with?
Also how does it compare to the full Shred and Screamin' Demon?

 

[Bowtomecha]

Re: Sentient Neck!

It doesn’t really compare at all lol. It’s not nearly as bright or snappy as the full shred neck, it’s not as throaty as the demon in the neck. It’s warmer and thicker than a Jazz, but leaner, more articulate, and less squishy than a 59. Seems stereotypical given SDs description, but it’s fairly true to a degree. It’s a great clean pickup that doesn’t get too wooly under gain. I really like it in the middle selector position with my Pegasus. It’s definitely a pickup that people like to play lead on when in the neck position. It’s a solid choice if you have a somewhat aggressive or pronounced sounding bridge pickup for contrast, but is a stand out on its own. It can do most things pretty well in a well rounded one axe throughout the night kind of fashion. Sentient - it’s enough of everything. Lol.

 

[Shooweri]

Re: Sentient Neck!

I've had Sentient in my Ibby RGD 7-string for about 5 years now and it's very versatile pickup. I mainly use it for gainy lead tones and sparkling cleans when split with Pegasus bridge. It's full and balanced and has just right amount of snap in the high end. It also takes magnet swaps very well and I've found that I really dig it with ceramic magnet. It gives the pickup more mids and output, making it nicer under gain. I've paired it with A8 Pegasus.

 

[Ascension]

Re: Sentient Neck!

My favorite neck pickup right now. Fat and smooth with enough bite to stay clear clean, smooth and articulate with gain and very clear.
Have 2 in guitars, my mid 90's Carvin DC 400 with a Hybrid in the bridge and my 1993 Carvin DC 127 with a Alt 8.
Here is the Dc 127 running mostly just neck or neck middle here through my old Carvin X50B. Tones are a little shrill because of our Church sound man and how he has me eq'ed in the FOH.

 

[Ascension]

Re: Sentient Neck!

Same rig rolled off volume crunched running mostly the Alt and Sentient or Sentient alone Split.

 

[Ascension]

Re: Sentient Neck!

Best demo of the Sentient I have found.

 

[Bowtomecha]

Re: Sentient Neck!

I've had Sentient in my Ibby RGD 7-string for about 5 years now and it's very versatile pickup. I mainly use it for gainy lead tones and sparkling cleans when split with Pegasus bridge. It's full and balanced and has just right amount of snap in the high end. It also takes magnet swaps very well and I've found that I really dig it with ceramic magnet. It gives the pickup more mids and output, making it nicer under gain. I've paired it with A8 Pegasus.

How are you feeling about the A8 Pegasus now? I remember you were still a bit on the fence about it overall. Does it balance well enough with the A5 Sentient outputwise?

 

[Shooweri]

Re: Sentient Neck!

How are you feeling about the A8 Pegasus now? I remember you were still a bit on the fence about it overall. Does it balance well enough with the A5 Sentient outputwise?

A8 Pegasus is closest thing I've found being perfect bridge pickup for this guitar. I might try 7-string Custom at some point but currently I've more important things to take care of. With A8 it has more mid/high mids, less high end and bit less bass. It has aggresive midrange roar when playing cords and great sustain for leads. A8 doesn't seem to effect the output that much and it still balances well with stock Sentient.

I've tried many different magnets to my Pegasus/Sentient set and I highly recommend to give it a try. Magnet swapping is great tool for making pickups work better with the natural tone of your instrument.