A Question For Metaltastic

[Nebulous]

This page may help you get started in your search:
http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/audio-samples/humbuckers_and/

I believe Dimarzio have a slightly lesser version of that on their website, but you have to click on each pickup page to hear the different sounds.

Personally, I'm a fan of the JB in the bridge, the Custom is ok as is the Dimarzio D sonic.
I don't really know if I can offer you advice on this question specific to your needs though, as listening to the clips on the SD website and taking into account that you have a Mahogany bodied guitar, I don't know how the Dimebicker isn't giving you enough lowend. Maybe all you need is a cleaner lowend than that so you can turn the bass knob up on your amp?

IIRC you have a Pod, yeah? Maybe a better monitoring system (speakers or headphones) will be better for you? Take that with a grain of salt though, as I don't know what you're currently using to monitor.

 

[lilhermiejobo]

Thanks Guys!!! I've just been browsing online and I've put together a list based on the descriptions given to see what you guys think of them.

DiMarzio DP159 Evolution Bridge Pickup
DiMarzio Tone Zone Guitar Pickup
DiMarzio DP152 Super 3 Guitar Pickup
DiMarzio DP215 Evo 2 Bridge Pickup
DiMarzio DP207 D Sonic Pickup
Seymour Duncan Hot Rodded Humbucker
Seymour Duncan Distortion Mayhem SH-6 Humbucker
Seymour Duncan SH-8 Invader Pickup
Lace Drop and Gain Humbucker Pickup (The description said it works well in Baritone guitars and I play heavy strings with low tunings)

@Nebulous: You're right about playing through a pod. My signal chain is Schecter [Omen 6 or C-1 Plus] > Podxt Pro > EMU 0404 1/4" L/R > Alesis M1 Active Monitors. I'm not running through an external poweramp or cab at the moment because, frankly I dont have any use for them since I'm not currently playing live. I was under the impression that playing directly through studio monitors would deliver a more accurate sound since that is their purpose. Do you reckon this is backfiring because my room is small and not sound-treated?

 

[Nebulous]

Yeah, I noticed after that post, that in another thread you mentioned you have the M1 Active MK1's. I don't know how they sound, though I myself have the M1 Active MK2's. At least you're not listening on PC speakers, so from the point of view, I'd say you're doing ok there.

That particular comment was based on a friend of mine who had a POD who originally used really crappy bud headphones. He was alot happier when I took him to Factory sound and he picked up a decent set of headphones.

Honestly, I think I'll be standing by my comment here for the moment:

Maybe all you need is a cleaner lowend than that so you can turn the bass knob up on your amp/ POD?

as I;ve gone through stages where I was looking at every pickup on the market to find the right one. For me that was the JB, which I still haven't even purchased

 

[lilhermiejobo]

As we both know, nothing sounds like Genelecs aside from Genelecs but based on my experience with different speaker setups the M1s deliver the cleanest response out of any speakers I've used for monitoring so far (which is heaps of cheap generic stuff up to powered Mackie 15" p.a. mains). The only coloration that I would notice using the M1s comes from the room I'm in and not the speakers themselves. I'm going to agree with you that I'm definitely finding out that I'm after a cleaner low-end so I can crank some balls out of my guitar's sound. I had a listen to the clips on that seymour duncan site you posted and the JB's do sound nice. Even of those clips the Dimebucker didn't suit what I'm after and they claim their tone tests were unbiased with identical settings and guitar and amp setup. Do you reckon the Evolution or Evo 2 would have a cleaner low-end? I'm especially curious about Lace pups. I haven't heard of or seen them before and the reviews and descriptions on a few are pretty tempting for me.

 

[Rex Rocker]

I would not recommend the Invader. To me, is very loose and somewhat muddy-sounding. I used to like it a lot in the past too because it's got a BIG, fat character to it, but then I realized that a pickup that sounds big doesn't necessarily have to sacrifice clarity.

I'm personally not a fan of the JB either, to be honest. To me, it sounds honky, and I find the high-end is a bit harsh. Of course, that's just my opinion. It's a very popular pickup, so most people with disagree with me.

The Tone Zone is also somewhat loose-sounding, but I like this one better. It's got a nice clarity to it on higher tunings, but I personally think it doesn't get along with super heavy strings or super low tunings very well. Neither does the Super Distortion, in my experience. I just tried 13-59's in Drop A# in my Ibby with the Super D in it. Mud city. It sounds awesome in Drop C with 11-52's, tho.

I've heard the Super 3 does better at this. It's darker, but the low-end is also tighter. Haven't tried one, personally, tho.

 

[lilhermiejobo]

Yeah, after reading about the Invader and listening to the sound samples on Duncan's site, I'm with you on that. I just thought it looked cool with those bigass bolts sticking out of the top. Very metal imo. I can see what you mean about the JB but if the high end is a big issue, I've read, its easily solved by adding a 250k pot to tame them. I'm liking the dimarzio evolution or evo 2's based on my non-stop research the last couple days/nights. I'm not a huge fanboy of uniform design but I really would like to be able to put the same pickup in bridge AND neck pos for a uniform sound and look, as well. After listening to the Tone Zone and Super Distortion, I'm comfortable in ruling them out for what I'm going after tone-wise being that I haven't used a standard tuning since I started playing guitar. I'm going to check out the Super 2 and Super 3 next to see what they're like. I'm not so much worried about guitar tone being darker because that can be slightly compensated for with eq (correct me if I'm ignorant about that).

 

[John_C]

Lasse was raving about the SH15, and he knows what he's talking about
Myself i'm GASSING for SH10s

 

[jrt12]

i just wanna put my two cents on the Omen 6, the one we use kicks fuckin ass. i'm very impressed with it, esp at the price point. of course, we got the pups changed out and setup by a pro, but even with that factored in ... awesome deal!

but another question for marcus... who'd look better in those black leather raincoats, rufus or paris hilton's bitch?

 

[lilhermiejobo]

If Seymour Duncan made a Christian Rock Pickup I'm thinking it would be the Holy SH17s
but, seriously... I'll look into the SH15 and SH10s

 

[MetallyGuitarded]

I'm planning on replacing the factory pickups in my Schecter Omen 6 (yuck, I know) with the EMGhz passive versions of 81/85

Dude, don't buy the HZs whatever you do. Back in the 90's EMG had some EMG select pickups that suck the sweat from a yaks scrotum. ( aka: They were awful. )

The HZs are the same, if not worse, than those EMG Selects from back in the day. My LTD MV-300 had the HZs in it and the humbucker sounded so bad I wouldn't even play the damn guitar. The single coil was just anemic. I put in an Evolution and a Air Norton S and now it sounds great. As a recent convert from all things EMG, after 10 years of using them, I can tell you that the HZs are without a doubt, NOTHING like real EMGs. I like DiMarzios more and real EMGs are great for certain situations but do not fall for that EMG logo on the HZs. It's a lie!

If you want my old HZ's, I'll give them to you. You can just pay the shipping. In typical retarded EMG fashion they are not marked as to which HZ's they are but I can tell you that they have the silver logo, not the gold. This tells you that they are Ceramic magnets, NOT an Alnico. They should be bright but the humbucker was pure mud. The single was brittle but also noisy as one would expect EMG to cure. If you want them, let me know, they'll be going in the trash when I move next month.

 

[Jaymz]

All I know is if there are screws on the front then they are HZ-1's my Jackson DXMGs without screws are HZ-4's.....not sure if that helps anybody

 

[lilhermiejobo]

Call me dumb but HELL YES I'll gladly pay shipping for your hz's. Even as bad as everyone says they are, I cant imagine them to be any worse than the "duncan designed" factory crap that came with my omen 6.
And dude.... that short story in the sig thread caused something awful in my midsection due to laughing my ass off!!!
I'm pretty sure the US Post Office offers a flat rate box for anything you can fit in it up to a certain weight. Let exchange some info on the msgr

 

[gabriel g.]

the DIMEBUCKER sounds awsome in thick guitars with mahagony bodies.
I put one in my Ibanez SZ and it totaly kicks as !!!!

I have an 81 in my ibanez signature (7). It has more punch but less opened high-end

 

[Jaymz]

the DIMEBUCKER sounds awsome in thick guitars with mahagony bodies.
I put one in my Ibanez SZ and it totaly kicks as !!!!

I have an 81 in my ibanez signature (7). It has more punch but less opened high-end

Interesting, ive heard stupid amounts of bad press about the Dimebucker....I guess the wood really does matter...however I think its mainly those Deans where they come as standard!

 

[dani]

i have EMG HZs in my jackson, and they are by far the most disgusting pickups ever.

DO NOT GET EMG HZs

i should get at least 1 81, but i have nooooooooooo money right now

thanks,

 

[Rex Rocker]

Call me dumb but HELL YES I'll gladly pay shipping for your hz's. Even as bad as everyone says they are, I cant imagine them to be any worse than the "duncan designed" factory crap that came with my omen 6.

They're on the same league as the Duncan Designed pups, IMO.

Did you change the pups on your Omen? Cause I don't think the Omens come stock with DD's...

 

[lilhermiejobo]

Nah, man. I didn't change them. I'm not exactly sure what they are because there are no distinguishing markings on them, just plain black double humbuckers. I only assumed they might be DDs because I read something online that mentioned the Omen 6 coming with DDs.

 

[nwright]

There are 4 EMG HZ pickups, H1, H2, H3 and H4...Within those some of them use alnico magnets, and are designated as H2A, H3A, etc.

The H1 and H2 havea single row of exposed polepieces, the H3 and H4 are the flat tops.

Just FYI. The EMG website outlines each model.

 

[lilhermiejobo]

What magnet type do you guys think would be better for rock and metal guitar playing? Ceramic or Alnico? And I've been seeing "adjustable pole"... I've never done anything like that and was under the impression not to mess too much with things like that, mainly out of ignorance and fear I'd break something I cant afford to replace. Would that make much of a difference for the exposed polepieces magnetic pull on the strings?

 

[Rex Rocker]

Nah, man. I didn't change them. I'm not exactly sure what they are because there are no distinguishing markings on them, just plain black double humbuckers. I only assumed they might be DDs because I read something online that mentioned the Omen 6 coming with DDs.

Nah, they're just stock Schecter pups.

About the magnet... really depends on what you like best...