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The mini bar (off topic & misc) / Re: Who are the SDUGF members on here?

« on: October 17, 2023, 07:43:58 AM »

DiMarzio seems to have more neck models that work for my goals.

I'd be interested in hearing your opinions on the Fast Track 2.

I'm just the opposite as really like a few Dimarzio bridge pickups but have yet to find a neck pickup I really like. Guess it comes down to what your looking for tone wise. I'm mostly Duncan and Carvin / Kiesel on pickups as of now. On the Kiesel stuff I hate the high gain ceramic stuff they push hard in a burn with fire way but have a couple sets of the more traditional Aknico mag pickups that are fantastic. Several pickups from Kiesel that I really like are also not even listed on their builder you have to know to ask for them.  My thing with Dimarzios is I just can't seem to find a good neck bridge blend I like. 

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The mini bar (off topic & misc) / Re: Who are the SDUGF members on here?

« on: October 16, 2023, 10:34:08 PM »

Ascension here.

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The Pickup Place / Re: Evolution Neck and Gravity Storm Bridge?

« on: December 20, 2020, 08:37:01 PM »

Would likely be a nice combo. The Gravity Storm Bridge is one of my favorite Dimarzios but am not fond of Ceramic mag pickups in the neck. Would think a Breed neck GS bridge combo would be really nice don't know about the EVO. The GS bridge is a huge sounding very touch sensitive  pickup. Big Hot PAF tone with real attitude.

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The Pickup Place / Re: Bridge Humbucker for Modern Metal (DiMarzio Satchur8, Imperium, Illuminator)

« on: May 02, 2019, 01:16:31 AM »

BIG A8 fan here but have not tried the Satur8 yet.
 Have a Duncan Alt 8 in my old 93 solid KOA Carvin DC 127 and it RIPS!
 Also have Duncan Custom 8 in my 92 Washburn USA MG 104 and had a Duncan Crazy8 in a USA Washy MG 100.
 If you go A8 with the field strength they need to be a little father from the strings than normal or will kill sustain and pull weird overtones.

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The Pickup Place / Re: Need a chunkier pickup than the Paf Pro

« on: May 02, 2019, 01:10:39 AM »

Maybe a Liquifier in the bridge? Had a couple sets of the breeds and the Liquifier is bigger and a little darker. Have one in the neck on a Carvin ST 300 now with a Gravity Storm in the bridge. It's a little hot and dark for my taste in the neck but will bet it would kill in the bridge at around 300mv and 10K A5!

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The Pickup Place / Re: PETITION TO DIMARZIO: PLEASE BRING BACK THE VIRTUAL PAF SET!

« on: March 21, 2019, 10:41:19 AM »

Decline. 36th Annv.  supercedes it IMHO.
Hopefully it can be orderd, but i don;lt see any real reason for the company to go in retrograde  for the whim of 6 or 8 people.

I can assure there are a LOT more folks who are fans of the Virtual Hot PAF in particular than just 6 to 8. I am almost exclusively a Duncan user and love the VHPAF. It has been a  topic on the Duncan forum as to what Duncan offered that was closest. A NOS VHPAF will bring a premium on ebay so that particular pickup has a fan base and a market. 

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The Pickup Place / Re: Duncan Custom 5 but with more mids?

« on: March 21, 2019, 10:12:22 AM »

I like a Custom 5 in the right guitar and amp combo. However in the wrong one the mid scoop is an issue. I have thought about swapping the 59 Custom Hybrid in my Modern Player Tele with a Custom 5 because with the Pine body and maple neck it's so heavy on the upper mids and bright.  Same thing you see with the JB, they can be magic in the right guitar and an absolute trainwreck in the wrong.  The combo is important with any set up but is more so with some pickups than others.  Because of what I do in a real world setting in a band situation I most of the time fight with the lack of mids with the Custom 5. The pickup that gives me a big open brown sound in the bridge yet still cuts well enough for solos is the Dimarzio Gravity Storm I have in my Carvin ST 300 BTW.

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The Pickup Place / Re: Duncan Custom 5 but with more mids?

« on: March 21, 2019, 01:10:33 AM »

Have the same issue with the Custom 5. It's a huge sounding chewie pickup for rhythm but flat gets lost in the mix for melodic stuff and solos due to the scooped mids.  The Gravity Storm bridge has that same type big overall organic tone but also cuts well and the mids are a lot more present.
 On the mag swaps the A2 Custom Custom is nice and has a singing mid , the Ceramic Custom has real heat and is aggressive but my favorite mag in a Custom is the A8.  Tight and aggressive but still has a nice smooth singing tone.   My absolute favorite Custom Variant though is the 59/ Custom Hybrid. Feels a LOT hotter than the specs show it should harmonics are down right explosive and talking about super versatile. Have 3 and running in my old KOA Carvin DC 127 with a sentient neck I have gone from solid Country Solo tone to metal without missing a beat in a set. 
 The Hybrid came from us Frankensteiners over at the Duncan forum.  Couple guys tried putting one coil from a 59 together with one coil from the Custom and then running an A5 mag.  It became popular enough on the forum that folk started ordering them from the Custom shop and the rest is history.
This is pretty dead on the hybrid in my real world experience with it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oK9IVy43dqY

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The Pickup Place / Re: Help with a neck pickup.

« on: March 21, 2019, 12:52:38 AM »

Took a hard look at the wiring on the guitar today. When I got her it had an aftermarket superswitch installed and in listening and then looking at how it's set up wonder how it is splitting these pickups. I'm getting buzz in 2,3 and 4 and then full humbucking in 1 and 5.  Ordered a stock 3 way from Kiesel today and am going to install it to evaluate where it is tone wise then work from there. Dropped the Liquifire today and that helped balance the output  and also open it up and get some of the the wooliness out of the bottom. Thinking of going to the 3 way lever then adding a push pull tone pot as a master split and then working from there. Wondering seriously if the split tones being anemic are some what related to how that super switch is set up.  This gives me a fresh start and a known base to work from. Really like the Gravity Storm in the bridge so let's see what i can do with the Liquifire after getting this part sorted out. Thanks for the input guys.

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The Pickup Place / Re: Help with a neck pickup.

« on: March 20, 2019, 10:10:04 AM »

Stephan thanks for the input. Looks like you are about as well versed on Dimarzios as i am Duncans so helps a lot. The Bluesbucker is one i'm looking at hard seems close to some thing like say a PG neck Duncan.  What i wish i could find is the pickup that came stock in the Yamaha Pacifica 1421. Unique to those guitars and there were less than 200 built. Had one in the Pawn Shop I was working for and I LOVED the tones out of that guitar but could never cross it over to any production Dimarzio.   
 Was one just like this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWwrF61J4SQ

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The Pickup Place / Re: Help with a neck pickup.

« on: March 20, 2019, 12:46:21 AM »

Seriously considered it. The Gravity Storm Neck is a Ceramic mag  pickup and I have never really cared for the response of ceramic in the neck. I'm looking for a big open tone that still holds up well under gain and sings + splits well in this particular guitar. I'm a working player doing mostly modern worship stuff and have to be able to pull off anything from metal to country on the fly. I will run this one with a couple other Carvin Kiesels. My 17 Keisel with a Duncan Perpetual Burn Bridge and the stock  AP11's and a 1993  solid KOA  DC 127 running a Duncan 59/Custom Hybrid and a Sentient. Like the big chewie Gravity Storm bridge but don't know that the ceramic Gravity Storm neck will respond like I need clean and to touch.  Will go back and listen to some more on line tones with the GS neck. My issue is I know what I can grab and drop in from Duncan that will get me close but just want to do some thing different here if I can.

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The Pickup Place / Help with a neck pickup.

« on: March 19, 2019, 11:47:32 PM »

Over the years have run both Duncans and Dimarzios at times but for the last few years have been almost exclusively Duncan. Last year i bought a 2015 Carvin ST 300 with a set of Dimarzios ( crunch lab / Liquifire set). Thought I could make the Liquifier work but hated the Crunch lab as just could not get anything I could use other than full on crunch tones. Pickup for me would not clean up open up with touch like I needed it to so swapped it for a Gravity Storm Bridge. Pleased with the big organic open tones of the gravity storm but in the end the Liquifire is just to hot dark muddy and really does not split well. What I need is a big sounding pickup that holds up well under gain that is articulate and not muddy + will split well.
 I can just drop a Duncan Sentient in and be done with it and have a Duncan set in Zebra of a Becker Perpetual Burn and a floor custom Zebra Sentient on hand but want to see if there is a Dimarzio that will get me where I need to go for the neck. Suggestions guys??

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The Pickup Place / Re: Best humbucker for both cleans and dirt?

« on: March 18, 2019, 09:42:05 PM »

For me means i am here because I am asking the same questions. Mostly use Duncans and spend time on that forum. The Duncan 59/Custom Hybrid and a Sentient will get you there easily looking into Dimarzio. Bought a REALLY nice Carvin ST 300 with Crunch Lab/ Liquifier set in it  a while back. HATED the Crunch lab for anything but full on heavy stuff just would not clean up and open up with touch like I wanted it it so swapped it for a Gravity Storm. Like the Gravity Storm but just can't get the Liquifire  to work for me. To dark and muddy full on and is really lifeless split. So I am also looking for a neck pickup this time.
The Gravity Storm bridge would get you close have no clue on a Dimarzio neck though.
Have 2 with the 59/Custom Sentient Duncan sets and can cover anything from modern metal to really shockingly good country run togtether with a 3 way and a pair of taps.
 What I need is a clear articulate big but not muddy neck pickup that splits well to go with the big open warm A5 Gravity Storm Bridge in the ST 300 to do the same.

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The Pickup Place / Re: Looking for fat neck humbucker for 24 fret super strat

« on: September 08, 2018, 08:46:21 PM »

Got your pickup the Seymour Duncan Sentient. Have a Perpetual Burn in my 2017 Kiesel DC 135 so know that pickup well and have a Sentient in the neck with a Alt 8 in the bridge in my 1993 KOA hardtail Carvin DC 127. I also have a 2015 Carvin DC 600 with a Liqufire in the neck so know that pickup as well. The Sentient is fat smooth and sweet with a great singing solo voice when at gain but also has a really cool bell like tone clean. It's slightly lower in output more open and less compressed than the Liquifire but still has a reall big fluid solo voice.
 I also have an Alnico II pro and a PG neck in play in other guitars so have experience with a few on your list.
Check this out!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2VvpWqgRiw

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The Pickup Place / Re: New guitar has a Crunch Lab in the bridge not working for me.

« on: September 07, 2018, 07:36:17 PM »

Check out the Illuminator set.

thanks and will do.