Sound clips for pickups...don't...just don't

dxlxntxxlxr

New member
Bit of a rant. I used to base all of my opinions on potential pickups for me to get and it is the most idiotic thing you can do when shopping for a new pickup. I realized this after playing 2 pickups, the duncan omega and the bkp juggernaut. In clips, the omega sounds very full, but very tight. Some love it, some hate it. It sounds great in mark's hands. Then i played it and hated it. It felt like there was nothing there in the lows and mids. The juggernaut i had the opposite experience with. In clips it sounds weak, thin, overly clinical and tight. Then i played it and its one of the best ive ever played. Ive also had experiences like that with amps, like basically every iteration of the 5150. Sounds great to me when other people play it on records, i played it and hated it. i see so many guys on forums basing their opinions on sound clips and specs and it drives me mad because it doesn't work. You HAVE to play it. Don't dismiss products based on sound clips and spec because more than likely it won't be what you expect it to be.
End of rant
 
Re: Sound clips for pickups...don't...just don't

Same could be said for reading reviews that use objectively meaningless terms like organic, warm, open, round and clinical. Even the definition of tight changes from player to player.

If you know the character of your guitar and how it works with your gear of choice, intelligent decisions can be made by combining clips with information you get from people with similar gear that speak the same language. Understanding how pickups change based on magnets and inductance will serve you that much more.

Have you put an A2 in your HB-103B yet? Try it in basswood, maple-capped basswood, alder or ash if possible.
 
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Re: Sound clips for pickups...don't...just don't

DCR MEANS NOTHING WHEN IT COMES TO TONE OR OUTPUT!!

SEYMOUR DUNCAN EQ AND OUTPUT CHARTS AREN'T 100% ACCURATE!!

Sorry, the above wasn't strictly relevant, but given how these types of threads have ended up recently, I thought I'd get it out of the way early and save someone else the trouble.
 
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Re: Sound clips for pickups...don't...just don't

We can know something about the relative output between pickups that are otherwise the same, but in an absolute sense definitely not. Assuming there will be tangible differences between same model pickup that differs by only 200 ohms is another story. Then there's the whole JB vs Distortion thing. ;)
 
Re: Sound clips for pickups...don't...just don't

The only difference I see when it comes to JBJ and normal JBs is that my JBJ doesn't have nearly as much pain packed into the upper mids as any other JB I've heard.
 
Re: Sound clips for pickups...don't...just don't

When I've been looking at pickups, my favourite sources are either those that compare the pickup to another in the same guitar, or those that use them in a setup similar to mine. But even then, and after checking opinions online, I'm still not 100% convinced.
 
Re: Sound clips for pickups...don't...just don't

Same could be said for reading reviews that use objectively meaningless terms like organic, warm, open, round and clinical. Even the definition of tight changes from player to player.

If you know the character of your guitar and how it works with your gear of choice, intelligent decisions can be made by combining clips with information you get from people with similar gear that speak the same language. Understanding how pickups change based on magnets and inductance will serve you that much more.

Have you put an A2 in your HB-103B yet? Try it in basswood, maple-capped basswood, alder or ash if possible.

havent done that yet ive been super busy. i dont wanna mess with my strat cause i like what it has goin on right now and i dont want that to go away accidentally lol. I have an old 89 squier bullet that ive been trying to mod but ive been having wiring issues. I have no clue what its made of.
 
Re: Sound clips for pickups...don't...just don't

Probably less finicky than a JB, but I'd have reservations about putting it in a dark guitar.
 
Re: Sound clips for pickups...don't...just don't

I just thought I'd let the man know what I thought about Maricelia's pickups, is there anything wrong with that?
There are two others active right now and thought it was either a mistake or just redundant, but that will likely change as time passes.

Regardless of how or why, if the JBJ gets your mojo flowing then by all means! I should sell mine or trade it for a cheap SH-4 and a cheap TB-4 or TB-6 just to canibalize them.
 
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Re: Sound clips for pickups...don't...just don't

Well, sound clips are just another way for someone to make a decision. I would assume no one plays like me, through my rig using my guitars. So I think clips are about as good as pictures, descriptions, charts, graphs, and personal recommendations. In any case, none of it matters until I hear what it sounds like in my rig. I gotta take a chance (or use the exchange or return policy).
 
Re: Sound clips for pickups...don't...just don't

DCR MEANS NOTHING WHEN IT COMES TO TONE OR OUTPUT!!

SEYMOUR DUNCAN EQ AND OUTPUT CHARTS AREN'T 100% ACCURATE!!

Sorry, the above wasn't strictly relevant, but given how these types of threads have ended up recently, I thought I'd get it out of the way early and save someone else the trouble.

YAAS DCR MEANS NOTHING I HAVE A 3K LIPSTICK THATS 3X HOTTER THAN MY 48K SLUG BECAUSE OF THE WIND PATTERN.
 
Re: Sound clips for pickups...don't...just don't

YAAS DCR MEANS NOTHING I HAVE A 3K LIPSTICK THATS 3X HOTTER THAN MY 48K SLUG BECAUSE OF THE WIND PATTERN.

3K LIPSTICKS WITH AN A6 MAGNET WILL SOUND HOTTER THAN A 48K SLUG WITH NO MAGNET!! ITS ABOUT CONSTRUCTION!! GET LEARNED BEFORE POSTING ABOUT THINGS!!
 
Re: Sound clips for pickups...don't...just don't

The best method is to load your guitar with a few well known pickups, then seek opinions for what has more/less bass or treble, more/less output, etc.
 
Re: Sound clips for pickups...don't...just don't

Still only 9k, clearly not even nearly as hot as a YJM Fury.
And the YJM neck model is hotter than the invader.

The Little 59 Neck is hotter than the SH-1B, especially since it has a ceramic magnet.
 
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