HB2 vs. Injector Neck

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Offline gregr

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HB2 vs. Injector Neck
« on: January 19, 2023, 06:08:51 PM »
I’m curious about the relative outputs and tonal character between the Injector Neck and HB2.

As I posted in separate thread I recently split the Injector Neck. The added top end was very nice. It filled out the pickup beautifully. I have it between a Chopper in the bridge and a Satch Track in the neck.

By itself, however, the Injector is still quite a bit thin between the two rails. This is to be expected, of course.

I’m wondering how an HB2 will work in the middle position. When I think of the middle position I think of the sound of a bull horn. This is the kind of voicing I’m hoppng to get against the rail pickups in the bridge and neck; at least to a reasonable degree taking into account that it’s relatively weak. The HB2 seems like it has that kind of vibe. I’m also curious about the tone when the dummy coil is bypassed since I don’t want the notch positions to suffer much more than how they are currently. Maybe I should just use a 3-way.

I’m sure the Fast Track 1 is a good option, but I’m aiming for the sound of a true single coil and I don’t particularly care for the tone of two rail pickups together nor do I care for them split and combined in parallel. I could work with them in series but it’s a lot of trouble and I don’t want to spend the time.
« Last Edit: January 23, 2023, 10:39:20 PM by gregr »
Area 58, 61, 67 & Hot T; VVB, 54P & HB2; InjN. FT 1 & 2, Satch Track.
BNIB, PAF Pro, HFH, Air Norton, LiquiFire, EJ Neck. V Mini N & B. Corgan & Timmons sets.
Duncan SSL-2 & 6T, Lil Demon, JBJrN, HotRailN. 59, Jazz/APH & Full Shred sets. JB, Custom 2, 5 & Ceramic, Seymourizer II, Screamin’ Demon

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Offline RayBarbeeMusic

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Re: HB2 vs. Injector Neck
« Reply #1 on: January 23, 2023, 03:58:50 PM »
HS 2 is what you mean by HB2?  Much weaker and thinner than Injector Neck.  If you're finding injector neck to thin, next up in order of output/darkness are VV Heavy Blues 2, Virtual Solo, then Injector Bridge (which is meatier than the V Solo in spite of what the tone charts say).

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Offline gregr

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Re: HB2 vs. Injector Neck
« Reply #2 on: January 23, 2023, 10:23:26 PM »
HB2 is my shorthand for Heavy Blues 2.

I edited my original post to remove some extraneous information. To distill it down further, I want Hendrix/SRV tone in the middle that I can switch to from the Chopper in the bridge and not have it sound pathetically thin and weak. I’m also hoping I can recover some glass through splitting like I can with an Injector Neck.
« Last Edit: January 23, 2023, 10:48:41 PM by gregr »
Area 58, 61, 67 & Hot T; VVB, 54P & HB2; InjN. FT 1 & 2, Satch Track.
BNIB, PAF Pro, HFH, Air Norton, LiquiFire, EJ Neck. V Mini N & B. Corgan & Timmons sets.
Duncan SSL-2 & 6T, Lil Demon, JBJrN, HotRailN. 59, Jazz/APH & Full Shred sets. JB, Custom 2, 5 & Ceramic, Seymourizer II, Screamin’ Demon

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Offline darkbluemurder

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Re: HB2 vs. Injector Neck
« Reply #3 on: January 24, 2023, 04:09:57 AM »
Heavy Blues 2 and Injector neck are very close in output. The nominal output increase  of the Heavy Blues 2 is compensated by the brighter tone of the Injector neck.

Cheers Stephan
Area 67, Area 58, Area 61, VV Pro 54, Injectors, VV HB2, Virtual Solo, SDS-1, Area T, Area T 615, Virtual Hot T, Chopper T, Bluesbucker, Breed set, Air Norton, Super Distortion, DLX+ set, DLX-90, DP240, DP198, DP168, VPAF b, AT-1, Mo' Joe, FRED, Super 2; GS b

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Offline gregr

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Re: HB2 vs. Injector Neck
« Reply #4 on: January 24, 2023, 10:30:19 AM »
I was hoping that the additional output that is spec’d goes into the bottom end with the mids and low treble being the same. If so this could work, especially if I can get just a little glass by splitting. If I can’t get the glass then maybe I would just use a 3-way switch and forgo the attempt at clean quack.

I’m not sure what I want to try next with this Chopper/Satch Track combination or how much more money I’m willing to throw at it. I’m not quite ready to give up but it’s getting closer to that point.
Area 58, 61, 67 & Hot T; VVB, 54P & HB2; InjN. FT 1 & 2, Satch Track.
BNIB, PAF Pro, HFH, Air Norton, LiquiFire, EJ Neck. V Mini N & B. Corgan & Timmons sets.
Duncan SSL-2 & 6T, Lil Demon, JBJrN, HotRailN. 59, Jazz/APH & Full Shred sets. JB, Custom 2, 5 & Ceramic, Seymourizer II, Screamin’ Demon

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Offline RayBarbeeMusic

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Re: HB2 vs. Injector Neck
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2023, 05:58:50 PM »
Might try fast track 1.  Very bright with 500k, and more output than heavy blues 2 or injector neck.

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Offline gregr

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Re: HB2 vs. Injector Neck
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2023, 08:24:02 PM »
Quoting myself from my original post:

I’m sure the Fast Track 1 is a good option, but I’m aiming for the sound of a true single coil and I don’t particularly care for the tone of two rail pickups together nor do I care for them split and combined in parallel. I could work with them in series but it’s a lot of trouble and I don’t want to spend the time.

But I have no doubt that the voicing and relative level would be the best option. I’ve used one in the bridge with an Area 61 in the neck; a very good pairing.  There’s one in the middle of my HSH guitar. It’s great in the neck position as well. DiMarzio hit that one out of the park

After height adjustments the Injector is doing pretty well in positions 2 & 4 and when I’m partially splitting the Satch Track and Chopper.

Now I’m curious about whether the Lace Silver will complement the Injector. You helped me with this a long while back but I shelved the project shortly after. I chose a Lace Sensor to flank the Satch Track after DiMarzio tech support raised a concern about magnetic interference using traditional single coil pole pieces. Before it’s all said and done I might end up replacing the Injector with a second Lace if only for aesthetic reasons. I do like the way they sound and feel so it wouldn’t be much of a loss.
« Last Edit: January 28, 2023, 11:55:34 AM by gregr »
Area 58, 61, 67 & Hot T; VVB, 54P & HB2; InjN. FT 1 & 2, Satch Track.
BNIB, PAF Pro, HFH, Air Norton, LiquiFire, EJ Neck. V Mini N & B. Corgan & Timmons sets.
Duncan SSL-2 & 6T, Lil Demon, JBJrN, HotRailN. 59, Jazz/APH & Full Shred sets. JB, Custom 2, 5 & Ceramic, Seymourizer II, Screamin’ Demon