Really cool pickup shootout

Joined: 17 Dec 2004 Posts: 9601 Location: Portsmouth, VA

As some of you may know, there are some mag swap-crazy folks over on the Duncan forum. One of them did a FANTASTIC back-to-back-to-back comparison on several higher output production pickups and some of the effects magnet changes have on them. It just goes to show that what you think about "DC resistance and *this* magnet will get me this tone" is not necessarily a hard and fast kinda rule.

The bridge pups are gainy, Megadeth-ish style rhythm playing, imho, and the necks are clean and airy. Some of the differences are pretty shocking and some, not so much. I really dug it.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/forum/showthread.php?t=249024

I figured it's ok to link here as it's not for a competitor, per se, but many different makers and if it's cool to post Duncan competitors on the Duncan forum, it'd be alright to link to another forum, here.

Joined: 04 Apr 2005 Posts: 2431 Location: Midwest, Sweden

feels like tinkering just for the sake of tinkering.

Spend less time chasing tone and more time just playing music.

Joined: 10 Feb 2006 Posts: 1368 Location: Lutz, Fl.

Great post. I love A/B ing different pickups. Although I wish my computer had better speakers. It can be difficult for me to hear the difference of pickups sound on these speakers.

So thanks again for posting this. I appreciate it.

Posted: Thu Nov 15, 2012 11:53 pm

I M Evil wrote:

feels like tinkering just for the sake of tinkering.

Spend less time chasing tone and more time just playing music.

Yeah.., heaven forbid that Jim Marshall, Leo Fender, or Les Paul ever tinkered with sumthin Rolling Eyes

Joined: 17 Dec 2004 Posts: 9601 Location: Portsmouth, VA

I M Evil wrote:

feels like tinkering just for the sake of tinkering.

Spend less time chasing tone and more time just playing music.

Well, you're an icehole. It IS tinkering for the sake of tinkering. God forbid anybody ever turn knobs, get refrets, make new pickups, etc. How do you think the chud in your avatar got that Floyd Rose or those cool active pickups? Way to quote your sig quote, btw, ego McEgoson.

Rolling Eyes

Joined: 23 Nov 2005 Posts: 8254 Location: Ontario, Canada

I'm considering a JB A2 for my quilt top explorer build.

Joined: 17 Dec 2004 Posts: 9601 Location: Portsmouth, VA

'87 sherwood wrote:

I'm considering a JB A2 for my quilt top explorer build.

Never tried it but I ain't skeered. I just don't have a JB to mess with. The only one I've got is gold covered and in the Hamer and I just don't like pulling covers.

I dug the L90 clips, however. I think I might just end up a fanatical Lawrence guy.

Joined: 30 Nov 2003 Posts: 10587 Location: Canada

I love it when people actually Do stuff, then just guess and make claims. There's way too much of that in audio and guitar forums.

Joined: 05 Mar 2012 Posts: 77 Location: Evanston, IL

All those bridge pickup samples sound the same to me.

Joined: 09 Nov 2005 Posts: 818 Location: Canada

Thanks for posting.

I think I want to replace my EMG 81 with a blackout or a Livewire.

That EMG 81 clip just sounds hella week compared to the Seymour Duncan actives.

SRH wrote:

All those bridge pickup samples sound the same to me.

Get a new sound card and high end headphones.

Joined: 04 Apr 2005 Posts: 2431 Location: Midwest, Sweden

formula73 wrote:

I M Evil wrote:

feels like tinkering just for the sake of tinkering.

Spend less time chasing tone and more time just playing music.

Well, you're an icehole. It IS tinkering for the sake of tinkering. God forbid anybody ever turn knobs, get refrets, make new pickups, etc. How do you think the chud in your avatar got that Floyd Rose or those cool active pickups? Way to quote your sig quote, btw, ego McEgoson.

Rolling Eyes

well, maybe I am?! Cool

and for the smart Zakk comment Wink

the difference is
that you don't see him going "oh, I got to change the magnet in that" or "maybe I should make a hybrid of this and that"...why is that?

oh yeah, it's because Zakk spends more time playing music than chasing tone Wink

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2012 3:03 pm

I M Evil wrote:

the smart Zakk comment Wink

the difference is
that you don't see him going "oh, I got to change the magnet in that" or "maybe I should make a hybrid of this and that"...why is that?

How do you know?!!?

He has his own sig set of EMG pick ups.

Were you privy to the conversations when they were developed?

Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2012 3:09 pm

Thar be a shitstorm a brewin'. Time to batten down the hatches

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 2129

I M Evil wrote:

formula73 wrote:

I M Evil wrote:

feels like tinkering just for the sake of tinkering.

Spend less time chasing tone and more time just playing music.

Well, you're an icehole. It IS tinkering for the sake of tinkering. God forbid anybody ever turn knobs, get refrets, make new pickups, etc. How do you think the chud in your avatar got that Floyd Rose or those cool active pickups? Way to quote your sig quote, btw, ego McEgoson.

Rolling Eyes

well, maybe I am?! Cool

and for the smart Zakk comment Wink

the difference is
that you don't see him going "oh, I got to change the magnet in that" or "maybe I should make a hybrid of this and that"...why is that?

Because his guitar tech does it for him. Laughing

Joined: 17 Dec 2004 Posts: 9601 Location: Portsmouth, VA

I M Evil wrote:

formula73 wrote:

I M Evil wrote:

feels like tinkering just for the sake of tinkering.

Spend less time chasing tone and more time just playing music.

Well, you're an icehole. It IS tinkering for the sake of tinkering. God forbid anybody ever turn knobs, get refrets, make new pickups, etc. How do you think the chud in your avatar got that Floyd Rose or those cool active pickups? Way to quote your sig quote, btw, ego McEgoson.

Rolling Eyes

well, maybe I am?! Cool

and for the smart Zakk comment Wink

the difference is
that you don't see him going "oh, I got to change the magnet in that" or "maybe I should make a hybrid of this and that"...why is that?

oh yeah, it's because Zakk spends more time playing music than chasing tone Wink

Oh burn.

Joined: 04 Apr 2005 Posts: 2431 Location: Midwest, Sweden

bassmantim71 wrote:

He has his own sig set of EMG pick ups.

oh he does? Shocked

would you please enlighten me, who is obviously less informed, on how they differ from the normal 81/85? Very Happy

...and maybe what changes he has done to his pickups over the years?

Joined: 17 Dec 2004 Posts: 9601 Location: Portsmouth, VA

Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2012 3:26 am

I M Evil wrote:

bassmantim71 wrote:

He has his own sig set of EMG pick ups.

oh he does? Shocked

would you please enlighten me, who is obviously less informed, on how they differ from the normal 81/85? Very Happy

...and maybe what changes he has done to his pickups over the years?

I don't play active pick ups.., but he musta done sumthin'! Razz

Joined: 04 Apr 2005 Posts: 2431 Location: Midwest, Sweden

bassmantim71 wrote:

but he musta done sumthin'! Razz

he done nuthin' Wink