What's better than the Air Norton?

Re: What's better than the Air Norton?

Benjy_26 said:
In the neck?

I've got at least 6 ;) (in no particular order):

1. Pearly Gates

2. Seth Lover Model

3. Jazz

4. 59 with an alnico II magnet

5. Alnico II Pro Humbucker

6. Phat Cat (not really a humbucker, but hey, it fits in the slot :) ).

Make that an underwound Phat Cat (7.0k) and you're there! The 59 with Alnico 2 (or 3) magnet is definitely an interesting idea though...
 
Re: What's better than the Air Norton?

adrian said:
FretFire: Hm, that´s interesting. Why do you like it, where (bridge or neck), for what style and in what type of guitar (solid-. semi- or full hollow body) ?

I like it in the neck of a solid body instrument, I used to have one in a mahogany bodied Ibanez RG. I like it because it was very touch responsive, and had a GREAT lead tone IMO. Very round and tubular sounding when you started whirring around the neck, but would then get snarly and raunchy when you dug in. Stayed nice and full way up the neck too, didn't get brittle. Listen to the solo on "Scarred" by Dream Theater, on the album Awake, for a great example of this pickup at work.

I also have a clip of myself playing on it, though it's a more subdued Gary Moore style clip. I think it's a Moore backing track actually. There's not a lot of gain here, but you can hear how it reacts to picking pressure, etc. It's that mahogany RG, into a Visual Sound Route 66 pedal, direct to my PC.

http://www.ajmcquay.com/MooreFret.mp3

EDIT: Here's some times for that DT solo... 8:14 - 8:51
 
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Re: What's better than the Air Norton?

Oh yeah, it cleans up really nicely too. I actually somewhat prefer that pickup over the Jazz I currently have in the neck of my Schecter.
 
Re: What's better than the Air Norton?

TheGZeus said:
doesn't have the 'airbucker(spacer between poles and magnets) or the 'dual resonance'(different guage wires on each coil) stuff.
thank you!
I wanted to know what those two patents refered to for a while. what interesting patents does duncan have beside parrallel axis? does duncan have a special stacked SC design?
 
Re: What's better than the Air Norton?

Benjy_26 said:
In the neck?

I've got at least 6 ;) (in no particular order):

1. Pearly Gates

2. Seth Lover Model

3. Jazz

4. 59 with an alnico II magnet

5. Alnico II Pro Humbucker

6. Phat Cat (not really a humbucker, but hey, it fits in the slot :) ).

Sheesh...you just listed all five of my favorite neck humbuckers in one fell swoop! :laugh2:

Air Who? What was that other pickup again??? :smack: :laugh2:
 
Re: What's better than the Air Norton?

Thanks Fretfire for your answer and the clip. I´m looking for a cool "modern"-sounding pickup in the bridge of my semi-hollow Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion, and the sound you have in your clip is quite close to what I want.
 
Re: What's better than the Air Norton?

I also have a clip of myself playing on it, though it's a more subdued Gary Moore style clip. I think it's a Moore backing track actually. There's not a lot of gain here, but you can hear how it reacts to picking pressure, etc. It's that mahogany RG, into a Visual Sound Route 66 pedal, direct to my PC.
rl]http://www.ajmcquay.com/MooreFret.mp3[/url]
[u

I don't like this sound ; it is lacking pick attack and it is very narrowed in the mediums , not much highs , quite soft so it can be pleasant in some way , not disturbing .
The problem i find with dimarzio is this attack is not clear and they don't do for some models special neck version ; you need a different EQ for the neck :
try to put a dedicaced neck p-u in the bridge and you'll understand .
 
Re: What's better than the Air Norton?

fab.regnaut said:
I also have a clip of myself playing on it, though it's a more subdued Gary Moore style clip. I think it's a Moore backing track actually. There's not a lot of gain here, but you can hear how it reacts to picking pressure, etc. It's that mahogany RG, into a Visual Sound Route 66 pedal, direct to my PC.
rl]http://www.ajmcquay.com/MooreFret.mp3[/url]
[u

I don't like this sound ; it is lacking pick attack and it is very narrowed in the mediums , not much highs , quite soft so it can be pleasant in some way , not disturbing .
The problem i find with dimarzio is this attack is not clear and they don't do for some models special neck version ; you need a different EQ for the neck :
try to put a dedicaced neck p-u in the bridge and you'll understand .

I don't think it sounds it's best in subdued situations like that...
IMO the Air Norton is best in high gain lead situations.....
 
Re: What's better than the Air Norton?

Also remember that there is no amp in that clip, it's the guitar plugged into an OD pedal, direct to PC. I thought the Air Norton was a pretty versatile pickup personally, but opinions will vary :).
 
Re: What's better than the Air Norton?

fab.regnaut said:
The problem i find with dimarzio is ... and they don't do for some models special neck version ; you need a different EQ for the neck :
try to put a dedicaced neck p-u in the bridge and you'll understand .

True, but they do offer bridge and neck version of several of their pickups, and for the rest they recommend which position to use them in. So in reality it's no one's fault but the user if they stick a pickup designed for the bridge spot anywhere else.
 
Re: What's better than the Air Norton?

What's better than a Norton? Anything that sounds good to you!
 
Re: What's better than the Air Norton?

Aceman said:
What's better than a Norton? Anything that sounds good to you!

truth!
I think the EMG 60 or the duncan jazz lays the air norton to rest but that does not mean they are better? to me yeah but to others?
I think the AN is too dark for the neck spot
 
Re: What's better than the Air Norton?

I have used a norton in the neck of my Ibenez. not sure what the differences are between that and the air norton but i like the 59 better than i did the norton. I tend to think you might like the duncan distortion. Higher output but has an extended upper midrange. God bless.
 
Re: What's better than the Air Norton?

WICKED LESTER said:
truth!
I think the EMG 60 or the duncan jazz lays the air norton to rest but that does not mean they are better? to me yeah but to others?
I think the AN is too dark for the neck spot

My Air Norton is in a 24 fret guitar so the neck position is probably a little brighter...I've never played the AN in a 22 fret guitar....
 
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