What goes with an Alnico 8 Custom?

Re: What goes with an Alnico 8 Custom?

GuitarDoc said:
It doesn't really perform like a high output pup. One of the best NECK pups made.
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GuitarDoc said:
PS: You ARE pairing it with a C8.
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I might be wrong, but isn't the C8 a medium output pickup too? I will keep the Demon in mind.... It is definitely between that and the A4 '59. I have a DiMarzio OEM pickup that is similar to the PAF Pro that I recently put an A4 in. I plan on putting that in the neck of my guitar when I receive my C8; this might give me a good idea of what I want to do for the neck matching.

Thanks again Doc!

Cole
 
Re: What goes with an Alnico 8 Custom?

The C8 is more like a mid to high output pup...(14k - 14.5k resistance). Admittedly, that doesn't necessarily relate to output, however. A PAF can be 7.0 - 8.5k (the 59 is about 7.5k). The Demon is only 10k resistance...much closer in resistance to a PAF than a Custom.

Now here's the interesting thing...we know that resistance is not an accurate measure of output, but mV is.

The typical "high output" pups (Invader, Distortion, Full Shred, etc) have output of 800-950mV,
The Custom is 784mV,
the 59 is 593mV,
the Demon is only 500mV.

Generally, it is more beneficial to think of resistance as a measure of midrange. The Demon's higher resistance gives it more mids than a 59 and thus a higher "perceived" output than the 59. But you really need to consider both the voltage and the resistance when determining a pup's true output.

So if you want lower output, you are better off going with the Demon anyway.
 
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Re: What goes with an Alnico 8 Custom?

GuitarDoc said:
The C8 is more like a mid to high output pup...(14k - 14.5k resistance). Admittedly, that doesn't necessarily relate to output, however. A PAF can be 7.0 - 8.5k (the 59 is about 7.5k). The Demon is only 10k resistance...much closer in resistance to a PAF than a Custom.

Now here's the interesting thing...we know that resistance is not an accurate measure of output, but mV is.

The typical "high output" pups (Invader, Distortion, Full Shred, etc) have output of 800-950mV,
The Custom is 784mV,
the 59 is 593mV,
the Demon is only 500mV.

Generally, it is more beneficial to think of resistance as a measure of midrange. The Demon's higher resistance gives it more mids than a 59 and thus a higher "perceived" output than the 59. But you really need to consider both the voltage and the resistance when determining a pup's true output.

So if you want lower output, you are better off going with the Demon anyway.
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I appreciate that information, but it seems like those mV values are really high. DiMarzio's X2N has an output value of 510 mV, and it seems to me that the values posted for the Seymour Duncan stuff is quite a bit hotter. Did Seymour Duncan post those mV values somewhere???

Cole
 
Re: What goes with an Alnico 8 Custom?

ColeJustesen said:
Thanks! Those values seem interesting for sure!

Cole
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also keep in mind that although the mV ratings are a better way than DC Resistance to gauge the output of a pickup, the SD numbers should NOT be compared to mV readings for other manufacturers because the testing methodology is likely quite different.

But it can be used to compare SD pickups to other SD pickups.
 
Re: What goes with an Alnico 8 Custom?

CTN said:
also keep in mind that although the mV ratings are a better way than DC Resistance to gauge the output of a pickup, the SD numbers should NOT be compared to mV readings for other manufacturers because the testing methodology is likely quite different.

But it can be used to compare SD pickups to other SD pickups.
Click to expand...

Thanks!!!

Cole
 
Re: What goes with an Alnico 8 Custom?

I'll throw the SH-6n with an A4 into the hat. I found it to be too much with the double thick ceramic, but with the A4 (roughcast in my case) it just opened right up and became much more responsive. The flat eq of the A4 just lets all the frequencies found in the neck to sing out without making any of them overly prominent. Articulate even under gobs of gain.
 
Re: What goes with an Alnico 8 Custom?

Demanic said:
I'll throw the SH-6n with an A4 into the hat. I found it to be too much with the double thick ceramic, but with the A4 (roughcast in my case) it just opened right up and became much more responsive. The flat eq of the A4 just lets all the frequencies found in the neck to sing out without making any of them overly prominent. Articulate even under gobs of gain.
Click to expand...

Yeah, there's one that didn't come to mind at first. But the Dist. is really a great pup if you get rid of the ceramic.
 
Re: What goes with an Alnico 8 Custom?

I've recently modded a friend's Duncan Distortion set with an A3neck/A2bridge combo and it made an Epi Les Paul sound surprisingly "Jazzy".

Live and learn! ;)
 
Re: What goes with an Alnico 8 Custom?

GuitarDoc said:
Yeah, there's one that didn't come to mind at first. But the Dist. is really a great pup if you get rid of the ceramic.
Click to expand...

One of these days I want to try a UOA5 in one. In the bridge position.
 
Re: What goes with an Alnico 8 Custom?

So many options! I didn't realize they made a distortion neck model... I will look into that too. The Screamin Demon sounds cool in the neck with some gain and legato style lead in the one video I found. I wish he would have done some clean stuff too. That being said, it was really articulate. The video I heard of the '59 with alnico 4 sounded really good both clean and with gain. I don't think I would go wrong with either, but choosing one is difficult.

I will look into the distortion neck, thanks for the input.

Cole
 
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