Pickup mods: Magnet-Swaps and the "Half-Air" mod demystified

[ashstralia]

I have rotated a few pickups over the years experimentally... To these ears there's no discernable difference. You get far more of a tonal change by raising or lowering pole pieces imho.

[jhale667]

I can see you being potentially able to hear the difference in a Hybrid pickup's orientation, where it'd be a completely different coil sensing the string in that location if you flipped it, but matched coils? Wonder if even the cork-sniffers could tell the difference between a slug and a screw-coil in a blind test...

[Seshmeister]

Hey more questions.

Found a guitar today I'm toying with getting but it's almost impossible in a busy shop through a practice amp to tell what it sounds like.

It's got

Bridge Pickup: Seymour Duncan Custom Custom
Neck Pickup; Seymour '57 Pickups

Decent options?

It's got a coil tap and plays nice - 70% off the retail price, I'm thinking I'll get it tomorrow.

[jhale667]

If the price is reasonable, go for it.

Hey more questions.

Found a guitar today I'm toying with getting but it's almost impossible in a busy shop through a practice amp to tell what it sounds like.

It's got

Bridge Pickup: Seymour Duncan Custom Custom
Neck Pickup; Seymour '57 Pickups

Decent options?

It's got a coil tap and plays nice - 70% off the retail price, I'm thinking I'll get it tomorrow.

Uh, yeah...you like the way it plays, sure - or even if maybe there's other parts you can salvage off it and re-sell -hell the pickups are worth dropping minimal $ on the guitar to scavenge 'em...lol
I was using a Custom Custom in my Koa Strat one of my main (pre-"Bomber" at least) guitars until weekend before last when I slapped the JB in for the review. I loved it, still do. Great pickup, unless you're doing down-tuned metal stuff, the A2's low-end seems to be a little loose for serious palm-muting IMO. Great vintage rock sound though, and splits well, so a coil-tap is a bonus. And it's probably a '59 in the neck, also a great, classic pickup. What kind of guitar is it?


You wanna hear a Custom Custom do metal riffage and palm-muting, though? 'Cuz don't get me wrong, it still will... I was gonna post this in "Show Your Work" but whatevs...

http://soundcloud.com/jayhaleguitar/asphalt-goddess-main-riff

[Seshmeister]

It's a Schecter V-1 Classic

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/schecter-guitar-research-v-1-classic-electric-guitar

I don't have anything like it and thought it would be a nice thing to have around.

No trem, not convinced by the color and I find V's a bit awkward sitting down but apart from that...

As you say I think the hardware is worth more than they are asking for it.

[Seshmeister]

You wanna hear a Custom Custom do metal riffage and palm-muting, though? 'Cuz don't get me wrong, it still will... I was gonna post this in "Show Your Work" but whatevs...

http://soundcloud.com/jayhaleguitar/...dess-main-riff

Sounds good to me!

I think it will be a good contrast with the DiMarzios on my other guitars when I'm doing this album thing next month.

[jhale667]

Pretty cool. As for playing a V sitting down, imagine it's a young lady, reverse-cowgirl-style straddling whichever knee is best suited for right - or - lefty feeling up.

[ashstralia]

I can see you being potentially able to hear the difference in a Hybrid pickup's orientation, where it'd be a completely different coil sensing the string in that location if you flipped it, but matched coils? Wonder if even the cork-sniffers could tell the difference between a slug and a screw-coil in a blind test...

I agree Jay. It's completely possible to place the harmonically 'sweeter' coil right there at the node. But it's ultimately the persons hands you're hearing. How cool is that bro?

[Seshmeister]

Pretty cool. As for playing a V sitting down, imagine it's a young lady, reverse-cowgirl-style straddling whichever knee is best suited for right - or - lefty feeling up.

Funnily enough it took me a couple of minutes of fumbling around trying to find where you stick the cable in...

[jhale667]

Just like being a kid again...

[Seshmeister]

Well I bought it this afternoon and it sounds great.

The finish looks much nicer in real life too.

[jhale667]

Glad you like it! If you do find the bass lacking, get a A8 magnet from addiction-FX on Ebay...5 bucks (or whatever after the conversion rate - specify a "charged" one) and you've got a whole new pickup (the C8) that absolutely kills.

[jhale667]

I agree Jay. It's completely possible to place the harmonically 'sweeter' coil right there at the node. But it's ultimately the persons hands you're hearing. How cool is that bro?

As they say, "80% of your sound is in your hands..."

[jhale667]

Here's the official 59/Custom Hybrid & STK-S7 review...

http://www.seymourduncan.com/blogdev/tips-and-tricks/building-the-perfect-sh-beast-59custom-hybrid-stk-s7-review/

and the JB/STK-S6 set...

http://www.seymourduncan.com/blog/tips-and-tricks/more-sh-superstrat-pickup-combo-adventures-the-jbstk-s6-set/

Next up, on my Sunburst 3-pickup, vintage trem Strat... a full set of Stack Plus pickups... STK-S9 in the bridge, the STK-S4 Classic Stack Plus in the middle, and (again) the STK-S6 in the neck. I love the STK-S6 in the neck of my Koa Strat, but I want to see how well it works in a circuit w/ a tone control since it sounds that good on "10".

[Seshmeister]

In the studio this week finally recording the album thing and I'm working between this new Schecter and my old Ibanez that I stuck a DiMarzio Tone Zone in and I have to say at this late time in my life I've discovered I was completely wrong about 2 things.

1) I've always thought DiMarzio pickups are better, the SD Custom Custom is owning it.

2) I didn't think it made that much difference which pickup you used compared to the amp and your fingers as long as they were good quality.

I was an idiot hole.

I had also forgotten about how difficult proper studio recording is compared to playing live or fucking around with home studios...