1

The Pickup Place / Re: neck and middle singles to match with Air Norton S in bridge position

« on: May 18, 2020, 12:11:50 PM »

Chopper in the neck is indeed dark. 

Do you want the guitar to sound like an hss strat or a 3 humbucker guitar?  If the latter, try fast track 1 neck middle, or ft1 neck chopper middle. 

If the former, I use ANS bridge with 61 middle 67 neck.

I appreciate the help.
I used it in the bridge with an HS-3 in the neck. Sounds pretty good.

2

The Pickup Place / Re: neck and middle singles to match with Air Norton S in bridge position

« on: May 15, 2020, 01:49:03 PM »

Hello . I just saw your post.

I recently pulled the AIR Norton S from the neck position of a strat because I got the same result.
Lots of mud.

I am putting it in the bridge of a Duo Sonic this weekend.
How would you characterize the Norton in the bridge?

I've heard mixed reviews.

Why do you like the Norton in the bridge?
Is the mud "gone" when you play it clean?

3

The Pickup Place / Re: Dimarzio Virtual Solo

« on: May 15, 2020, 12:57:48 PM »

Solo neck very dark.  Are you looking for very dark?  Hb2 middle might be dark depending on the guitar.  What pots and caps are you using? 

Solo bridge fine. I prefer injector bridge but that's personal taste and the way It reacts to tone controls and way it sounds in series with mid or neck ,(yes I said series and that's what I meant)

I agree. In the neck position it is really dark. I have the Paul Gilbert set (area 67 in middle) in a maple body (custom made) , hard tail with a maple neck guitar. That guitar is really bright, so the Injectors sound great. They sound ok clean and kinda stratty. They really sound much better dirty. Really mid rangy and articulate. They aren't very forgiving if you are sloppy.

I have used the Heavy blues 2 and Virtual solo. They are very modern sounding. Don't have much chime and quack. Which is what you are looking for.

4

The Pickup Place / Re: AIR NORTON S muddy clean

« on: May 15, 2020, 11:26:01 AM »

I think your comment is interesting.

I feel that the Norton seems to have a really wide range of perceptions.

The Tone Zone seems to be universally agreed upon, lots of mids and toward the hot side.
Of course, some people may not like it, but at least people seem to agree on the character.

This make me think I should really try to film a video with the Norton in the bridge of this guitar.

Not many maple body guitars out there either.

5

The Pickup Place / Re: AIR NORTON S muddy clean

« on: May 15, 2020, 10:24:45 AM »

Hello
That is helpful.
I try to not swap out pickups I'm in love with, but I seem to have "pickup-itis" and can't let the pickups live in a guitar forever; with few exceptions.

I am really curious about the Norton, so I am trying it out in various places.
I agree, I can always go back.

I am just surprised people love it as a neck pickup, when it is so muddy.
Although it sounds great and articulate with overdrive/ distortion.
I don't think it sound anything like a Tone Zone or a PAF Pro, which I have used in various guitars over the years.

I appreciate all the thoughts and opinions.

6

The Pickup Place / Re: AIR NORTON S muddy clean

« on: May 14, 2020, 03:08:56 PM »

I agree too fat in the neck.

I have swapped both 250 k and 500 k pots and it hasn't improved the neck mud much.
I was using it with a rw/rp Duncan Alnico 2 single coil and it sound incredible in the notch position together.

I took it out and put a Fast Track in the neck and it is much better.
Still has a nice single coil chime and more of what I was looking for.

I'm planning to put a Pro Track in the bridge of the Duo Sonic  if the Norton doesn't work out. 

I think what I may do is to wire the Air Norton S in permanent parallel in the neck position of my Duo Sonic.
Take some of the mud out.
That's plan C.

I'm determined to experiment with the Norton as much as possible.

I have a few guitars with the Tone Zone & Air Zone.
LOVE the Air Zone. It is hands down my favorite pickup.
 I wanted to try some different stuff.

7

The Pickup Place / AIR NORTON S muddy clean

« on: May 14, 2020, 01:13:44 PM »

Hello everyone

I bought an Air Norton S for my start with Rosewood neck.
I noticed that with lots of gain the pickup was really articulate for shredding.
Split with the middle pickup it was really nice.
BUT clean it sounds like a blanket was thrown over my speakers.
Not a bad sounding pickup but doesn't seem that versatile.
Has anyone else experienced this?

I have a custom made MAPLE body DUO-SONIC that is very bright.
I currently have a Duncan lil 59 in the bridge and it sounds really good.
Any thoughts on using the Norton S in the bridge to warm things up.


UPDATE:
I installed the Air Norton S in the bridge of my Maple body Duo-Sonic. I decided to put an HS-3 in the neck.
Really good results.
I did find the ANS to be very sensitive to height adjustment.
I read somewhere that this is a "polite" pickup. I agree. Not hairy or rude, very smooth.
I thought the output was good but not incredibly hot. It was warm but not muddy. There was 0 of the ice pick sound some complained about.
The HS-3 is warm in my opinion and has a nice chime.
I wasn't looking for balance per se.
I like a weaker neck pickup so I can clean it up using the pickup.