What are you guys pairing your X2N's with?

Nah, just get two and rock it like Buckethead did in his Jackson V back in the day, maybe wire the neck one in parallel to tame it a bit.
 
I wonder how the X2N would pair with the Norton. Or would the Air Norton be too weak with the X2N in the bridge?
 
I wonder how the X2N would pair with the Norton. Or would the Air Norton be too weak with the X2N in the bridge?

Never had an AN myself, but that combination was a favorite of James from Cradle Of Filth. He used to post on 7string a lot.(maybe still does?)
 
A 59b in the neck slot paired well with a Dimebucker. It should fare just as well with an X2N.

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk
 
Giving this thread a little bump to see what other suggestions you guys have. I have an Epi LP incoming that I'll be dropping an X2N in, and I want ideas on what to drop in the neck.

So far the Air Norton and regular Norton are wining!
 
I'll vote super2 if it's primarily for shredding with high-gain, otherwise Evo-n for a more balanced soloing under varying gain levels, or Liquifier for nicer cleans with the more fluid alnico tone.
The D'activatorXneck does not work well if the guitar already sounds beefy in the lows or has thick lower mids. Regular D'activator neck would be good also.
 
Yeah. I'm probably between the regular D'Ac or the Super 2. I definitely want as hot as possible. Thanks!
 
Last edited:
So, how does an X2N compare to a Dimebucker? They seem to have similar specs and construction.
 
I would think so. The Dimebucker has much less metal (less inductance?). The X2N also has a brass baseplate. At least I hope so, because I hated the Dimebucker when I had it, LOL.
 
I would think so. The Dimebucker has much less metal (less inductance?). The X2N also has a brass baseplate. At least I hope so, because I hated the Dimebucker when I had it, LOL.

That's how I see Dimebucker vs X2N too. The Dime is a kind of super focused clone of Bill Lawrence L500XL: it has less inductance (being somewhere between the theoretical 6H & 9H of a 500L or 500XL), a higher Q factor, but follows the Lawrence recipe otherwise, with its thin blades focusing the magnetic field and its absence of other metallic parts, implying virtually no eddy currents.

The X2N has these massive bars as magnetic poles and this brass baseplate that you mention: it's the recipe to obtain as much inductance and eddy currents as possible. The magnetic field is also most probably a lot less focused than with a Dime...

A X2N should sound hot and middy compared to a SH13 or a Bill Lawrence, without any possibility to obtain a clean sound from it (unless in split mode, in which case it can sound surprisingly Strat like).

At least it's how these things are archived in my mind. YMMV. :-)
 
After having tried the exact same Dimebucker in several guitars of varying construction and materials I found that it sounds the most full and balanced in a guitar that has a naturally relaxed (spongy) low-end and slightly rolled-off or "smeared" in the treble range. It makes sense because Dimebag was playing short-scale full neck and body mahogany guitars with rosewood boards, and his string tension was always very light.

The SD website always recommended it for full-hogs and basswood-body guitars for those reasons. Those type of guitars lend the Dimebucker (or vice-versa) that little bit of extra slack in the lows to compliment the Dimebucker's punchiness, and it's sharp clear treble is utilized in a guitar with naturally warmer highs.

X2N isn't near as host-specific IMO. I'd actually go so far as to say the X2N was what EMG used as the tonal inspiration for the 81. It is very close in EQ but obviously the active adds a more compressed nature to the attack-dynamics.
 
Thanks for that info guys. It sounds like a Dime might work well with my Kahler Flyer equipped Peavey Patriot. The Dime might put back what the Kahler takes out.
 
X2N is in! It looks like it's running on a single oversized ceramic magnet. I expected it to be triple ceramic like the Black Winter or Invader. Oh well, I guess we'll see how fierce it is compared to the 'Winter in my other guitar!
 

Attachments

  • WhatsApp Image 2022-06-20 at 11.04.03 AM.jpg
    WhatsApp Image 2022-06-20 at 11.04.03 AM.jpg
    36.4 KB · Views: 0
Just keep in mind that it needs to be close (usually not quite) to 1/4" away from the strings. I always suggest using a shorter "neck" ring to mount it at the bridge.
Like always I would set it as close as possible while still getting perfectly clear notes without any wavering when fretting the strings at the highest frets.
 
1/4? That far?!

Does it have more magnetic pull than the Black Winter? Cause I set my Black Winter up like half that distance from the strings, LOL.
 
I thought that the X2N has two thick ceramic magnets as the pole pieces. That's why the strong string pull.

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk
 
Back
Top