[m00qi]

Hi everyone,

I want to upgrade the pickups of my Squier Jagmaster. It's one of the Silver Sparkle ones from 2002 which featured a 25.5" scale, an alder body and a maple neck with rosewood fretboard.
Two humbuckers, 3-way switch and I like the idea of a push-pull option for splitting. I will keep this guitar tuned low (B to b)

What I need:
- great cleans from the neck pickup
- a bridge pickup for heavy riffs
- push/pull for coil splitting to have even more sound variations

Is the Air Norton a good one for the neck?

Thank you!

[darkbluemurder]

Hi and welcome to the forum!

For a low tuned guitar I would choose a neck pickup that is on the brighter side, and not more than medium output. I had the Air Norton in the neck of a bright guitar and it was ok - warm single notes with an overdriven amp, bass notes a bit indistinct. I cannot really remember the clean tone as I played it overdriven mostly but I don't think it would be my first choice. My favorite humbucker for bright tones in the neck is not a DiMarzio - it is the Seymour Duncan Full shred neck (SH-10n). 

The same considerations apply for the bridge pickup. As the guitar is tuned low already you have more low end naturally so you probably would not want to accent that further with the pickup choice. Medium output again would be my choice. Difficult to point to a specific model as I only use a low tuned guitar for twang tones.

What amp are you using?

Cheers Stephan

[m00qi]

Thank you, Stephan.

I will use amp modelling for playing at home and recording. Mainly Neural DSP Plini and Nolly.

Never thought the 'Full Shred' would be a good option for me...based on the name of the pickup. But there's also Dimarzio's Humbucker From Hell, which is supposed to be great for clean sounds!? Have you tried it?

[darkbluemurder]

No, I never tried the Humbucker from Hell so far. It is supposed to be a clean sounding humbucker.

Cheers, Stephan

[HeyNorton!]

I will second the full shred for any tuning.

What a great pickup set.

[greenlion]

I know this will sound weird, but it works. Seymour Duncan Invader Bridge, and 59 Neck. They mesh pretty well, and you would have heavy tones from the bridge and wonderful cleans from the neck.

For something more modern, the Dimarzio Norton bridge and Liquifire neck.

The Air Norton neck is already a muddy mess at standard tuning. It would not be my choice for drop tuning.

[darkbluemurder]

I know this will sound weird, but it works. Seymour Duncan Invader Bridge, and 59 Neck. They mesh pretty well, and you would have heavy tones from the bridge and wonderful cleans from the neck.

Not weird at all to me. Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme used a very similar combination, even though he tuned only to Eb.

Cheers Stephan

[HeyNorton!]

I know this will sound weird, but it works. Seymour Duncan Invader Bridge, and 59 Neck. They mesh pretty well, and you would have heavy tones from the bridge and wonderful cleans from the neck.

Not weird at all to me. Nuno Bettencourt of Extreme used a very similar combination, even though he tuned only to Eb.

Cheers Stephan

Nuno used forever, and still uses an l-500xl bridge and 59 neck.

Unless he is using his tele.

[darkbluemurder]

Correct, and the SD Invader was modelled after the L-500 (even though it remains unclear after which variety of them) so very similar combination.

[buddroyce]

Give the Gravity Storm set a go or maybe go with a Bluesbucker in the neck with a Super Distortion in the bridge.

Also.. welcome to the forum!

[mobys436]

I have a prs se baritone tuned to A with a d-activator bridge, and bluesbucker neck. Exactly what you described: bridge gets that heavy, tight chug, and the neck is spanky without being too thin.