Sentient/Pegasus vs. Air Norton/Tone Zone

[B2D]

Hey folks. One of my friends picked up an Ibanez RG hardtail and put a Sentient in the Neck and a Pegasus in the bridge and was just raving about it... he compared it to an Air Norton/Tone Zone combo that he used to have (which coincidentally is what I'm running in my Music Man at the moment) and said it was similar but louder, smoother, and with more pick definition, especially the Sentient.

I haven't tried his guitar yet. Both of these sets of pickups use A5 magnets, which I generally prefer in humbuckers.

Would any of you who've had experience with the Duncan pair or both of these sets say that's accurate? There isn't a Pegasus neck model out, is there?

 

[Ptolemaeus]

Re: Sentient/Pegasus vs. Air Norton/Tone Zone

The Pegasus neck model is the Sentient. The Sentient was designed to be paired with the Pegasus. As for how they are, I love the set, personally. Tons of definition and pick attack in both positions. The Sentient has a bluesy feel that I really love and the Pegasus is really modern sounding, but I could get thrash metal and heavy blues with it easily. The only downside is that it isn't a very forgiving pickup. You hear your mistakes.

 

[B2D]

Re: Sentient/Pegasus vs. Air Norton/Tone Zone

The Pegasus neck model is the Sentient. The Sentient was designed to be paired with the Pegasus. As for how they are, I love the set, personally. Tons of definition and pick attack in both positions. The Sentient has a bluesy feel that I really love and the Pegasus is really modern sounding, but I could get thrash metal and heavy blues with it easily. The only downside is that it isn't a very forgiving pickup. You hear your mistakes.

Ok, that makes sense.

When I think of "unforgiving" for a piece of gear I think of something that's very stiff and unyielding that doesn't have very much smoothness or flow to it. That being said, most DiMarzios, I feel, are very forgiving pickups in that they'll reward proper technique but they will mask mistakes, in that your mistakes won't stick out as much but they'll kind of smear together at points. On the other hand tat means you have to work harder for definition and attack.

Duncans tend to be more "honest" to my ears but they will still give up the goods if you have the chops. Is that kind of what you're talking about?

When comparing bridge-to-bridge and neck-to-neck, what would you say the Duncan set's differences are? What should I expect from specific EQ curves, for instance?

 

[Ptolemaeus]

Re: Sentient/Pegasus vs. Air Norton/Tone Zone

You were correct. If you make a mistake with the Pegasus, you'll hear it. Sloppy legato? Messy alternate picking? Mess up a chord? The gain won't mask it.

As for the eq curve, I find the Pegasus to have a peculiar tone to the high mids. I like it, you may not. The Sentient has, to my ear, a more pleasing high end than the Air Norton. That being said, however, I liked the AN because it had this odd inflection about its tonality that I haven't heard in any other pickup I've tried.

 

[B2D]

Re: Sentient/Pegasus vs. Air Norton/Tone Zone

You were correct. If you make a mistake with the Pegasus, you'll hear it. Sloppy legato? Messy alternate picking? Mess up a chord? The gain won't mask it.

As for the eq curve, I find the Pegasus to have a peculiar tone to the high mids. I like it, you may not. The Sentient has, to my ear, a more pleasing high end than the Air Norton. That being said, however, I liked the AN because it had this odd inflection about its tonality that I haven't heard in any other pickup I've tried.

I know what you mean about the Air Norton - it's my favorite neck humbucker I've ever tried, or at least the one I've stick with the longest.