Which Pu' for Heavy Sound with LP Swamp Ash + Triaxis

[chris.goth]

Hi. I have a Gibson Les Paul Studio Swamp Ash guitar. I originaly replaced the stock pickups with a Phat Cats set, but I need those pickups placed in a semi-hollow for a Beatles tribute project. I had a EMG-ZW set lying around, and after trying it I really don't like it in this guitar. There is an annoying treble frequecy that sounds like single coil attack in addition to the fizziness of EMGs'.

The Triaxis is very mid-heavy and a little dark sounding. I would like to get a hard-rock saturated tone ala rectifier, and I do't know which pickup would be a good choice with this guitar/amp combo. The swamp ash makes this guitar sound totally unique and I don't know if I could get a good modern sound out of it. I have a Custom 5 somewhere, but I remember it being too bright in this guitar. Maybe it is destined for vintage Phat Cats sounds lol but I'd still like to give it a try for the modern thing.

Thanks

 

[Sanford]

Re: Which Pu' for Heavy Sound with LP Swamp Ash + Triaxis

Have you considered a P-Rails set?

 

[supernosher]

Re: Which Pu' for Heavy Sound with LP Swamp Ash + Triaxis

Invaders!

 

[TattooedCarrot]

Re: Which Pu' for Heavy Sound with LP Swamp Ash + Triaxis

Swap the 85 to the bridge and the 81 to the neck before you dismiss those EMG's. With that ash wood, I think you'll be surprised how good they sound like that.

 

[chris.goth]

Re: Which Pu' for Heavy Sound with LP Swamp Ash + Triaxis

Ok. I reinstalled EMG's and tried them in my setup. The 81 on LD2 Red gives me that saturated tone I was after, but after some experimentation... it's the only thing it does well. I find there's a little bit too much sizzle, it's too compressed (as for picking dynamics... I mean if your hand touches the strings it makes a noise as loud as what you're playing!).

What I like:
High output, firm and tight bass, great chug chug palm mutes, good treble presence and articulation, huge notes.

What I don't like:
Plenty of mids... but misses "healthy mids", those mids that makes notes fat and notes fade into harmonics... Too high voiced treble freq. Too much sizzle. Not versatile, ugly crunch sound in other gain settings. Clean is ok. And above all: there is no magic happening when I play... the guitar sounds agressive, yes, but it feels dead, lifeless since there is that something missing that is always there in good passive p'ups.

What I'd like for suggestions:
- Still that tight bass and attack (might have a little more bass)
- Same hugeness
- Still high gain, hot-rodded super agressive sound
- More mids less super high treble. I like bright sounds, but not shrill ones.
- Still able to sound great for all-saturated tone but able to do other styles.
- Basically the same but passive and with a tiny vintage touch to be just a little less hi-fi

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Which Pu' for Heavy Sound with LP Swamp Ash + Triaxis

Did you try them like Tattooed Carrot suggested, with the 85 in the bridge and 81 in the neck?

I really like a pair of 81s, but lots of guys dig the 85 for the bridge, and the 81 is great if you use the neck for solos.

 

[JohnnyGuitarCA]

Re: Which Pu' for Heavy Sound with LP Swamp Ash + Triaxis

swap the 85 to the bridge and the 81 to the neck before you dismiss those emg's. With that ash wood, i think you'll be surprised how good they sound like that.

+1

 

[chris.goth]

Re: Which Pu' for Heavy Sound with LP Swamp Ash + Triaxis

Ok guys. I swapped the 85 and the 81. Made sense since the 85 is a more vintage sounding. Tried it for a while on various settings. Now I'm 80% there. It's almost it for the bridge sound. Under high gain it behaves well, looser than the 81, but sweeter highs and more low-mids sweetness.

What I like:
- Good bass response, deep and thick
- Sweet singing highs
- Notes sound huge on every string
- Low and mid gain settings are better

What I don't like:
- Still a little shrill super high treble freq that's there that makes it sound a bit like a single coil but not in a good way. Low gfain and mid gain sound thin even if bass and mids are there.
- Too compressed... again almost no dynamics and a lot of unwanted noise. I have a very clean technique but still I have to rest my palm somewhere!
- Sounds almost like a neck pickup becaused it's missing bite and is dark.
- Still has a kinda hi-fi sound, and even if it's a lot more alive than the 81 it's still kinda dead. I want something that sounds still cold enough to do the high gain saturated tone thing but that I can use for soloing that will pick picking nuances and sing a little.

I'm definatly looking for a passive design, agressive but alive and subtle. The ash wood makes it hard to find a pickup that will cut and sting without being shrill, and keep definition because the low notes have a tendency to be muddy.

 

[Robert S.]

Re: Which Pu' for Heavy Sound with LP Swamp Ash + Triaxis

I'd go with a Duncan Distortion set.

If you are having problems with top end shrillness you might try bridging the output jack with a .001 mf cap. This will pass a little of the top end to ground, getting rid of the harshness. Play with the cap values until you get it right.

 

[chris.goth]

Re: Which Pu' for Heavy Sound with LP Swamp Ash + Triaxis

I had a Custom 5 lying around so I did put it in my LP. What I found is that it exagerates the bite I have in the guitar. The ash already has plenty of the highs voiced in the C5 so now it really is too harsh. The are almost no mids and the bass ain't really tight. Basiccaly the C5 is voiced like the ash, so I guess it would sound incredible and balanced in warm guitars but it really ain't for this one. I already have boomy lows, airy mids and a little harsh treble, and good "pop" to the sound, already hi-fi.

I really don't know for now. I ordered a JB just to try it since I like it a lot in another guitar and I can sell it to a friend who's looking for one JB anyways. I think it might not sound well with this wood combinaiton

Would a distortion set have too much drive to do low-mid gain stuff as well?
Would a custom custom be able to do high gain saturated stuff or would it sound too vintage all the time?

I was reading about the Crazy 8 and the Alternative 8 and they sound like good tight pickups that don't have sizzle and not too harsh... how would they sound compared to a JB or C5 (they're my 2 points of comparison).

Right now my options look like:
Custom, Custom Custom, Distortion, Alt 8, Crazy 8, JB.

 

[chris.goth]

Re: Which Pu' for Heavy Sound with LP Swamp Ash + Triaxis

I mean my Epiphone Sheraton II handles high gain sounds better than my LP for now with stock ****buckers...

 

[SFW]

Re: Which Pu' for Heavy Sound with LP Swamp Ash + Triaxis

When I had a Triaxis, it loved the Screamin Demon.

 

[chris.goth]

Re: Which Pu' for Heavy Sound with LP Swamp Ash + Triaxis

Would a Custom Custom fit well with the Triaxis which is already mid-supathick, since the guitar has a hi-fi sound and needs a good push in the mids region?

 

[D-EJ915]

Re: Which Pu' for Heavy Sound with LP Swamp Ash + Triaxis

If you aren't scared of it, the AHB-2 Blackouts Metal would probably sound killer in there.

 

[frankfalbo]

Re: Which Pu' for Heavy Sound with LP Swamp Ash + Triaxis

Based on everything you've said, I would have to recommend the Alternative 8. We tested it into a few different Mesa amps and pres, mainly Mark series and a Triple Rec. It should be everything you're asking for. And yes the Distortion could possibly be too crisp for you. The Distortion is fantastic with Mesa gear, but based on everything you've said, the Alternative 8 could be the one, and compliment the Ash better.

 

[Iron Horse]

Re: Which Pu' for Heavy Sound with LP Swamp Ash + Triaxis

Based on everything you've said, I would have to recommend the Alternative 8. We tested it into a few different Mesa amps and pres, mainly Mark series and a Triple Rec. It should be everything you're asking for. And yes the Distortion could possibly be too crisp for you. The Distortion is fantastic with Mesa gear, but based on everything you've said, the Alternative 8 could be the one, and compliment the Ash better.

+1 to this one.

 

[Jeff5]

Re: Which Pu' for Heavy Sound with LP Swamp Ash + Triaxis

Chris,

I have a tri-axis as well, and some of the same tastes as you. (although a different axe, Hamer Monaco Elite which is all Mahogany) I had a CC for awhile in my Hamer, and while I think tonally it's an excellent pick up, I didn't care for the loose bottom end on it. I wanted some "umph" to my palm mutes and a little more bite to the high end. C5 didn't do it for me either, so I went with a Custom and I still enjoy the tones I get out of it. (I also tried the distortion and dimebucker) The only thing I may try in the future are some Blackouts.

That being said, I find Lead 2 red a bit looser and fuzzier than other channels. It is still one of my favorite channels (if not favorite), for heavy stuff, but if you want a more focused high gain sound try lead 2 yellow. Great tones, seems to have the mids you like, but not as loose as the red channel.

 

[chris.goth]

Re: Which Pu' for Heavy Sound with LP Swamp Ash + Triaxis

Thanks for the replies. Right now I'm waiting for the JB to arrive, and I'll buy alnico 2 and 8 magnets to try to morph my C5 into a CC and Custom 8 since it looks like it has the balls I want while being tight not bright (ash will take care of that) and still retain warmth for vintage stuff. I might prefer the CC for it will balance better with the Ash.

I found those magnets on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/AlNiCo8-Bar-Magnet-for-Humbucker-Pickup-Brand-New_W0QQitemZ290267088100QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item290267088100&_trkparms=72%3A1240|39%3A1|66%3A2|65%3A12|240%3A1318&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14

Are they too expensive? If yes where could I find other ones, ceramic also?

More important even is Do I need one or two magnets per pickup?
If the JB is too shrill (I'm almost sure it will be but I'm giving it a try since I love it's balance grunt presence versatility and singing highs) I'll try a JB2 and JB8 also.

Then I'll see if I like alnico 8 and find a C8 is not crisp and snarling enough, and if even a JB8 ain't enough I'll go get the Alternative 8, morph the C5 into a Custom or go into Distortion and crazy 8 territory, but I doubt it.

My main problem is finding a good balance of bone-crushing chug and saturation, mids for lead playing, enough highs to saturate but not voiced to be shrill for vintage stuff... with an ash LP that tends to muddy on the lows 'cause of the short scale mahog neck. Quite a challenge!

I absolutly need the versatility since I'm not a metalhead and get hired for pop stuff and can't always carry too many guitars... and anyways can't switch guitars for riffin and lead playing. I need a mature, articulate tone to do fusion blues and classic rock as well.

 

[chris.goth]

Re: Which Pu' for Heavy Sound with LP Swamp Ash + Triaxis

Dis as you said and tried the hell out of my C5 and triaxis. Changed settings a lot, played through another amp. What I found when A/B'ing with a Schecter C-1 Classic JB/JZ is that the ash LP sounds much more agressive, in your face and tight on the low-end. I lowered the C5 far far from the strings and it really rips for riffing and rock. It's got guts.

The only thing that really bothers me is a kind or ugly spike in the high-end that makes lead playing really sounding bad. No setting gets rid of that. Kind of single coil but really wrongly voiced. Since I play lots of lead I'll have to continue on my search, but I'm happy to find the Custom 5 is a good starting point. If the C8 has sweeter top-end and even more guts and a little mids it might be the one.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Which Pu' for Heavy Sound with LP Swamp Ash + Triaxis

Since I play lots of lead I'll have to continue on my search, but I'm happy to find the Custom 5 is a good starting point. If the C8 has sweeter top-end and even more guts and a little mids it might be the one.

You'll like the C8 better; maybe that'll be the "one."