[Shooweri]

Hi guys! Just joined the forum after reading the posts for years. Lots of useful info around and generally nice ppl.

I bought PGM301 model made in '08 couple years ago which I really enjoy to play. It has become my 'desert island' guitar since it's capable to cover a lot of different genres and playing styles. HSH pickup routing obviously helps with the 5-way switch with auto splits for both hums. I haven't found a perfect bridge pup yet though, have tried all sorts of things from Tone Zone, Paf Pro, JB, 59/Custom Hybrid and the Norton which is in it right now. I've settled to SSL-1 in the middle and Paf Joe in the neck with Alnico II magnet.

I usually play all kinds of rock from blues to shreddy metal but need something with medium output to balance with other pickups and to split well with the middle single. Clean tone should be nice as well so I'm not looking for high output or ceramic magnet pickups. The guitar itself is bright sounding with punchy mid range. Looking for pickup that has little more output and less high end than the Norton which sounds a bit too bright. I really liked the 59/Custom Hybrid in humbucker mode but hated it's split tones.

I'm really interested in the Perpetual Burn since it might be what I want in terms of overall tone. Feel free to suggest other Duncan/DiMarzio pups.

[Strangeman86]

Just off the top of my head the SD Pegasus and Custom (with an unoriented A5 swapped in; that is easily my favorite version of the Custom) might be worth a look.  Also, a lesser known option, the Mojotone PW Hornet is a fantastic pickup that, from my experience, would do what you're asking of it.  Just my two cents though.

[Shooweri]

Thanks for the reply! I've been thinking about the Pegasus (which I happen to have in my Ibby 7-string RGD) and although it might be good choice overall tone and outputwise it sounds quite modern to me. I'm looking more vintagey sounding and feeling pickup for the PGM. Been wondering about the Custom too but after trying 59/custom hybrid and hating it's fat split coil tone I'm pretty sure I'm not trying it.

I look into PW Hornet, seems very interesting!

[DarthPhineas]

The Perpetual Burn is a little flat/even EQ wise. A little dry, overall.  The Nazgul/Sentient/Pegasus line come across as a bit lifeless and pretty compressed sounding.

The Mojotone Hornet bridge is an excellent suggestion. Very versatile and a nice musical voice. Not too hot or too mild. The Hornet neck is designed very well on its own merit, as well as being the designed pairing for the Hornet bridge.

I believe Pablo Gilberto is known to run a Super D in parallel.

[buddroyce]

Hello and welcome to the forum! Glad to see you've finally decided to join!

I love the PGM-301. Wanted one for a long time myself.

With regards to a new bridge pickup, I would probably go with the AT-1. While it's got less output than the Norton but I think tonally it might be what you're looking for moving from the Norton.


If not that, than the Breed I think would also make a good contender.

[Shooweri]

I've used Nazgul in the past and it's just too compressed and has 'stiff' feel due to ceramic magnet. I considering the Perpetual Burn but don't want to pull the trigger on it just yet.

If the DiMarzio AT has less output than Norton I don't think I'm going with that. However, I haven't tried Breed and it seems very interesting. Even more so than the Duncan PB.

Thanks for all the recommendations so far and keep them coming!

[DarthPhineas]

I've used Nazgul in the past and it's just too compressed and has 'stiff' feel due to ceramic magnet.

^^^  yep.  exactly.  ^^^

Perpetual Burn also has some of that stiff feel, which doesn't always need a certain magnet.  I was really wanting to like it and it was being sold to me by that company as being between a JB and a '59 Model, which it is not.  If it were described more accurately, I might have had expectations that would have been met. 


AT1 would be a good option.  From what I understand of the Breed, it would also be a contender.

also consider that you can balance the output by raising or lowering the pickups.

[Shooweri]

I've adjusted heights of middle/neck to where I really like them. In comparison Norton sounds bland and weak in output, even playing with clean tone. It doesn't pair well with the middle/neck pickups and that's why I'm looking for a replacement. I might have same problems with AT.

After some research, as I've already tried the Tone Zone and it being way too compressed and muddy to my liking the Breed seems most logical option.

[5150]

Ever consider looking for the DiMarzio made EVH/Axis pickups? They're hard to get a hold of but totally worth it IMHO.

[bluesman]

Maybe I'm wrong but wouldn't the extra mids and lows on the AT-1 compensate for the 10% drop in output?

[Shooweri]

I don't really see myself using EVH/Axis pup since I haven't seen one on sale in Finland. The reason I'm looking for DiMarzio/Duncan pickups is that they're easier to find here than most other brands.

Not sure about AT-1. Found a forum post where it was described as 'similar to JB with 250 pot'. I don't like JB tonally so the AT might not be what I'm looking for.

Finally, DiMarzio emailed me back and they're suggesting Satchur8. I know it's a new on market but have anyone had chance to compare it to Breed bridge?

[buddroyce]

The EVH/Axis pickups actually are made by DiMarzio, except the only way to get them is to rip them out of an EBMM EVH/AXIS guitar. You find them on sale on ebay from time to time.

Almost forgot about the Satur8. Haven't tested one myself so I can't comment much on it. Based on specs though, it does sound like something that would fit the bill for you.

[Shooweri]

I checked eBay and didn't find EVH/Axis on sale. I don't like buying pickups there since I need to pay sales taxes and customs fees if the seller is outside EU. That makes pickup purchases rather pricey from there.

I asked DiMarzio how Breed and Satchur8 compare: ''The Satchur8 is more open-sounding, with less emphasis on the mids and tighter lows.'' Very interesting, satchur sounds like a pickup I would really enjoy. Gonna buy one next month when I got some excess cash.

[corypheus]

Hi,

While I’m a big fan of SatchTrack, and Fred and MoJoe and Satch tone in general - I don’t really like Satchur8, I personally think it would sound too big for you. In many ways it sounds like a big fat FRED. But to my ears it lacks a character, sounds a bit dull.

Instead, in your case I’d try a JB — but with 250 kohm load, if you haven’t already. It sounds just like you describe you want it to sound. However that’s with the 250 k load, with 500 it sounds bigger, louder, spikier and like a high output pickup, with 250 it’s more sort of medium output - perceived anyway. I know you said you don’t like it tonally but 250 kohm load makes it imho into a different pickup altogether.

I’m not trying to persuade you against the Satchur8 - you may just love it - but I’m simply saying getting a used JB shouldn’t be a problem, and you can score them cheap on evilbay (or your local used ads site) if you look long enough for one, then you can compare. And flip back one you like less. FWIW, I think you’ll like JB more, I know I do.

Cheers

[Shooweri]

It's actually a good thing that you shared your opinion, made me thinking the whole thing from middle single point of view. It being SSL1, I need to be careful that bridge HB won't overpower it in terms of volume and output.

I am currently looking for a bunch of bridge HBs used, especially AT and Breed bridge. Mainly looking for DMZ HB since PGM has triangle-shape routings and Duncans won't fit without modification.

There's many JBs in sale locally but it's not what I'm after. If I would change pot to 250k it would change the tone of other pickups. Therefore looking for used AT.

Thank you all for your help!