Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
Is it the Pearly Gates Neck? Seth? A2P?
Which is the brightest and/or least bassy Duncan A2 neck humbucker?
- Thread starter Rex_Rocker
- Start date
gregory
New member
Re: Which is the brightest and/or least bassy Duncan A2 neck humbucker?
PGn vs. APHn; judge for yourself:
PGn:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur1L9dDkRjA
APHn:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcv_fc_lqpQ
PGn vs. APHn; judge for yourself:
PGn:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur1L9dDkRjA
APHn:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcv_fc_lqpQ
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
Re: Which is the brightest and/or least bassy Duncan A2 neck humbucker?
Definitely digging the PG better in there. I wonder how it compares to the Seth neck.
Interesting. Seems like the AP2 has more chime and a slightly drier tone (I guess that's where it shows its Jazz lineage), but the Pearly Gates sounds more raunchy/grindy.
Definitely digging the PG better in there. I wonder how it compares to the Seth neck.
Last edited:
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Re: Which is the brightest and/or least bassy Duncan A2 neck humbucker?
I'd say Skinnerburst by far, but that's both Custom Shop and A3. Of the ones you've listed? I'd say Pearly Gates most definitely.
I'd say Skinnerburst by far, but that's both Custom Shop and A3. Of the ones you've listed? I'd say Pearly Gates most definitely.
gregory
New member
Re: Which is the brightest and/or least bassy Duncan A2 neck humbucker?
I can't imagine the Ant is brightest, assuming it has extra wire, but the difference is probably negligible.
If the level was compensated you'll likely find the A5 offerings with the magnet's lower metal content to be brighter despite the groupthink that A5 provides a scooped response. With that in mind it will be the pickup with the least inductance overall.
EDIT:
Christopher got in there while I was drafting this. Yes, I believe the A3 will have less effect on the inductance than A5; ceramic less than than A3. The rest depends on the inductance of the coils with their pole pieces in place.
I'll leave it to PicoRiveraTele to dispell the prevalent myths about pickups and bass response.
I can't imagine the Ant is brightest, assuming it has extra wire, but the difference is probably negligible.
If the level was compensated you'll likely find the A5 offerings with the magnet's lower metal content to be brighter despite the groupthink that A5 provides a scooped response. With that in mind it will be the pickup with the least inductance overall.
EDIT:
Christopher got in there while I was drafting this. Yes, I believe the A3 will have less effect on the inductance than A5; ceramic less than than A3. The rest depends on the inductance of the coils with their pole pieces in place.
I'll leave it to PicoRiveraTele to dispell the prevalent myths about pickups and bass response.
Last edited:
Chickenwings
Alnico 6/8
Re: Which is the brightest and/or least bassy Duncan A2 neck humbucker?
I love the pg neck. I would not say it has a lean low end though. It is a lot different from its bridge counterpart.
Great pickup tho. Really great.
Why dont you chuck one in and simply adjust the heights?
I love the pg neck. I would not say it has a lean low end though. It is a lot different from its bridge counterpart.
Great pickup tho. Really great.
Why dont you chuck one in and simply adjust the heights?
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Re: Which is the brightest and/or least bassy Duncan A2 neck humbucker?
If so, the A2P rocks for that purpose. Just ask Slash.
If so, the A2P rocks for that purpose. Just ask Slash.
Rex_Rocker
Well-known member
Re: Which is the brightest and/or least bassy Duncan A2 neck humbucker?
Thanks for te replies, dudes! Seems like the PG is wining.
I watched the whole neck pickup shootout you posted the A2P and PG clips from, and I definitely was digging the PG over the rest of the pups. The Jazz was OK, but in person, I was never a big fan of it when I had it.
Thanks for te replies, dudes! Seems like the PG is wining.
I don't mind a touch of sag. I have a Phat Cat in the neck right now, and I don't find it overly saggy at all. I just want to try something new that does not hum. In my limited experience, I feel A2 has nice low-mid warmth rather than extreme low-end boom like A5, but I still want the pickup to be bright enough to balance with an A5 bridge pickup.
I watched the whole neck pickup shootout you posted the A2P and PG clips from, and I definitely was digging the PG over the rest of the pups. The Jazz was OK, but in person, I was never a big fan of it when I had it.
Last edited:
gregory
New member
Re: Which is the brightest and/or least bassy Duncan A2 neck humbucker?
1. Slash does not do metal, let alone play with that much gain.
2. Boomy low end is a function of pickup height and amp settings. It has nothing to do with the magnet, other than strength which affects all frequencies equally up to the resonant frequency.
1. Slash does not do metal, let alone play with that much gain.
2. Boomy low end is a function of pickup height and amp settings. It has nothing to do with the magnet, other than strength which affects all frequencies equally up to the resonant frequency.
Last edited:
gregory
New member
Re: Which is the brightest and/or least bassy Duncan A2 neck humbucker?
Sounds nice but not particularly bright.
I'm betting Rex has never tried a Full Shred Neck. Far far brighter than any A2 offering (PG, APH, Seth Lover, Antiquity) and I've never once had any issues with "boominess" even with face-melting amounts of gain in drop C tuning. This includes power chords at the 12th fret on the 6th, 5th and 4th strings.
A completely overlooked pickup that will shatter any preconceptions about A5.
Simply no contest.
Sounds nice but not particularly bright.
I'm betting Rex has never tried a Full Shred Neck. Far far brighter than any A2 offering (PG, APH, Seth Lover, Antiquity) and I've never once had any issues with "boominess" even with face-melting amounts of gain in drop C tuning. This includes power chords at the 12th fret on the 6th, 5th and 4th strings.
A completely overlooked pickup that will shatter any preconceptions about A5.
Simply no contest.
Last edited:
Jeff_H
Dean Hardtail Fanologist
Re: Which is the brightest and/or least bassy Duncan A2 neck humbucker?
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Seth Lover. Maybe articulate and chime are better words than bright, but the Seth is very chimey in the neck position. I would suggest the Seth before the Antiquity and the APH II. The PG may be a bit brighter, but I find the Seth more pleasing tonally, IMHO of course.
I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Seth Lover. Maybe articulate and chime are better words than bright, but the Seth is very chimey in the neck position. I would suggest the Seth before the Antiquity and the APH II. The PG may be a bit brighter, but I find the Seth more pleasing tonally, IMHO of course.
Clint 55
OH THE DOUBLE THICK GLAZE!
Re: Which is the brightest and/or least bassy Duncan A2 neck humbucker?
It's a combination of low bass and bright like the op was asking for. The lows are cut up a bit by the middiness and so there's no boom like on most Duncan neck humbuckers.
It's a combination of low bass and bright like the op was asking for. The lows are cut up a bit by the middiness and so there's no boom like on most Duncan neck humbuckers.
gregory
New member
Re: Which is the brightest and/or least bassy Duncan A2 neck humbucker?
As for what the OP usually asks for:
But if the OP isn't accepting of the fact that any of the above will fit the requirement of being bright and don't have "extreme low-end boom" despite having an A5, there's little more I can do.
The real problem is using a vintage output pickup for high gain applications and expecting that a "calibrated" vintage output neck pickup will play nice. So you're left looking for the weakest winds with the weakest (standard SD production) magnet in the hopes it will magically be bright. But because of the metal content in the standard SD production magnet you end up with a dull top end (which I'm personally cool with) and squish. You have some options: with the A5 you can drop the pickup; with the A2 you can start pulling windings; or you can elect to use a single coil*. It makes more sense to me to let go of the idea that a vintage output pickup is somehow superior for high gain and go with something more sensible. Even a Screamin' Demon in the bridge will get you to the point where a vintage neck pickup with an A5 doesn't seem too powerful.
...so what will this "bright" non-"boomy" A2 neck pickup be paired with?
(*) Some examples of single coils that will work well with gain against a vintage output pickup in the bridge:
There are others that are weaker, but unless you dial out the very top end, the extra glass they provide isn't particularly pleasing with high gain (to me, at least). There's a reason Yngwie had Duncan design a neck pickup similar to the HS-3 that was custom built with staggered poles (hint: regarding the lack of glass, check the DCR for this and the STK-S10N; watch out though: these two use the dreaded boomy A5
).
Right. In addition to the Full Shred Neck, here are some more "low bass" and bright pickups (forget about the A2 vs A5 nonsense, except that A5 will have a higher resonant frequency, FTW), that are inarguable even by the most dyed-in-the-wool believers in the notion that "A5 is scooped" or "A5 boosts the lows and highs, but not the mids" who have played any of the following:
- Screamin' Demon
- The Humbucker From Hell
- EJ Custom Neck (and Bridge for that matter)
As for what the OP usually asks for:
But if the OP isn't accepting of the fact that any of the above will fit the requirement of being bright and don't have "extreme low-end boom" despite having an A5, there's little more I can do.
The real problem is using a vintage output pickup for high gain applications and expecting that a "calibrated" vintage output neck pickup will play nice. So you're left looking for the weakest winds with the weakest (standard SD production) magnet in the hopes it will magically be bright. But because of the metal content in the standard SD production magnet you end up with a dull top end (which I'm personally cool with) and squish. You have some options: with the A5 you can drop the pickup; with the A2 you can start pulling windings; or you can elect to use a single coil*. It makes more sense to me to let go of the idea that a vintage output pickup is somehow superior for high gain and go with something more sensible. Even a Screamin' Demon in the bridge will get you to the point where a vintage neck pickup with an A5 doesn't seem too powerful.
...so what will this "bright" non-"boomy" A2 neck pickup be paired with?
(*) Some examples of single coils that will work well with gain against a vintage output pickup in the bridge:
There are others that are weaker, but unless you dial out the very top end, the extra glass they provide isn't particularly pleasing with high gain (to me, at least). There's a reason Yngwie had Duncan design a neck pickup similar to the HS-3 that was custom built with staggered poles (hint: regarding the lack of glass, check the DCR for this and the STK-S10N; watch out though: these two use the dreaded boomy A5
).
Last edited:
Discharged
New member
Re: Which is the brightest and/or least bassy Duncan A2 neck humbucker?
The answer for the OP is an A3-modded Seth neck.
However, due to the extra articulation provided due to a sharper pick attack inherent to this particular wind, I'd choose an A3-modded APH1n.
/Peter
The answer for the OP is an A3-modded Seth neck.
However, due to the extra articulation provided due to a sharper pick attack inherent to this particular wind, I'd choose an A3-modded APH1n.
/Peter
