Re: Stag Mag Humbucking tone?
I was just jammin' on my Stag Mag equipped guitar, so that I could answer that better for you. I think I've come to a conclusion, but don't take this as gospel just yet.
The Stag Mag is really just two Alnico II Pro's mounted side by side. Or, to put it another way, its the neck and middle Strat pups mounted together on one base. As I'm pickin' on here, I think I liked this better in the neck position, than in the bridge position. The SM is definitely bright and jangly. When I had two of them mounted in the neck and bridge positions, I liked the neck position better, with a little bridge added in. I didn't use the bridge by itself. Since the SM was designed as a bridge pup, when it came time to change it out, I replaced the neck SM with a 59. Now that I'm playing it, and trying to pay attention to the sound, I realize that the SM only serves to augment the 59 in the neck. I don't really like it on its own - however, I remember that when I had it in the neck position, that I
did like it on its own there.
So, what I'm saying is, the SM is bright on its own. If you put it in the bridge position, you're compounding the brightness aspect of it, making it not ideal. Whereas, if you put it in the neck position, the natural "jangliness" of it compliments the neck "mellowness" to form a nice, rounded sound. Its a rich, defined sound in that position that works well on its own. Sorta like having the neck and middle p'ups of a Strat on at the same time . . . a "natural" selection.
So . . . I'm going to move this Stag Mag up to the neck position, and see what I can mate it with in the bridge, and go from there. I can just move the 59n to the bridge, but I don't think that would be a good choice. I also have a C5 that I can put in there. That might work out well. And, I have a Custom and a Distortion on the way from another transaction.
Its a tough p'up to nail down. At least for me . . . so far. Judging by the lack of responses in the "review" section, for the Stag Mag, perhaps for others too.
I realize that I've probably just confused you more than helped you . . . but thats the nature of this p'up. At least in my view. Maybe Evan will pop in here and tell me what I'm doing wrong. It's his fault that I bought them. :laugh2:
Edit: I'm just thinking about what I said there. I'm beginning to wonder if SD might do better to market the Stag Mag as a "neck" p'up rather than a "bridge" p'up. I'm going to play around with this in the neck position a bit more, and then expand on that idea at that time. Stay tuna-ed! :laugh2: