How would Slash Alnico IIs compare with a Suhr Aldrich?

[romanianreaper]

I currently have a Suhr Aldrich in the bridge of my Les Paul. I've always liked Slash's tone and have considered going with Alnico Pro IIs for years. I'm afraid that the pickup won't be "hot" enough for the music I like to play. I know it will cover classic/hard rock but wonder when it comes to 80's metal, etc.

I'm playing thru a Friedman Marshall now so if anyone has used that pickup, would be curious how it would do. Thanks!

 

[JakeAC5253]

Haven't used either pickup myself, but I've used quite a few. If you are worried that the A2's aren't going to be hot enough, then just keep the ones you have now and hit the front of your amp with a treble cut. IMO Slash's tone didn't come from his pickups, I think he had 12at7's or some lower gain tube in his head too.

 

[ZR4400]

I currently have the Slash Anico II's, both neck and bridge, in my mahogany charvel right now. I had been looking for over a year to find the perfect pickup that was not too "hot" and allowed individual notes to ring through clearly with tone. I must admit, I am a huge fan of the 80's and wanted to find the right wood and pickup combination with this guitar. I tried the Duncan JB, Custom 5 and Warren Demartini RTM with mixed results. I then went to the Suhr Aldrich. I personally felt that it was a "too hot" and muddied things up a bit. By far the Aldrich was the best of the lot, until I went into the local music store a couple weeks ago. I was just "fishing" around and asked the guitar tech what he would recommend. He recommended the Slash Alnico II's, as he had just installed one into a strat earlier in the week, and he said, it sounded great. I asked what the tone compared to and he said it reminded him of the Duncan EVH pickup tone wise, but a bit hotter. I threw down $99 for the bridge pickup and went home to solder. I wasn't too optimistic, as I am not a huge Slash tone fan, but from what I read about the pickup, it is wound a bit hotter than his originals, so it can recreate his AFD tone in modern guitars.

I can honestly say, my quest for the ideal pickup in a mahogany bodied guitar with maple neck, is over for good. I loved the bridge pup so much, I went out and bought the neck, and love it as well. I couldn't be happier with these pickups. I am currently playing and learning the song from the 80's band XYZ "Inside Out" and absolutely love the tone and grind that I am getting.

 

[Anonymous]

i have Alnico 2 pros in all my guitars except an ibanez jem and one of my les pauls.

it's pretty much my go to pickup. 2 of which, are now 15 years old and getting sweeter by the minute!

 

[IntenseJim]

I've always liked Slash's tone and have considered going with Alnico Pro IIs for years.I'm playing thru a Friedman Marshall now so if anyone has used that pickup, would be curious how it would do. Thanks!

Slash used a Boss Graphic EQ pedal to boost the mids to help get that AFD tone. There are tons of threads on his tone and all kinds of anal debates about which Marshall(s) were used.

 

[romanianreaper]

I asked what the tone compared to and he said it reminded him of the Duncan EVH pickup tone wise, but a bit hotter.

Dude, that right there is even better! I am a huge Slash fan, but also a fan of EVH and Warren DiMartini, Lynch, etc. The EVH is another pickup I considered in the past. That is a bonus if it can cover alot of ground.

My Friedman has great mids so I'll have no problem getting nice tone. I agree with what you said about the Aldrich. I love that pickup but it does have alot on board. Same with the JB.

 

[romanianreaper]

Bump

 

[Nico]

I have both pickups:

Suhr Aldrich: In a Gibson Les Paul Custom, with coil splits in the tone knob. This pickups are amazing, one of my favorites maybe the best if not for the Bare Knuckle Mules (PAF copy) . Anyway I definatelly recommened them for hard rock / metal.

Seymour Duncan: Have these in a Les Paul Slash Signature Goldtop, although they are not the same as the new Slash signature SD they are mostly the same. That being said, I am about to change them (Just ordered a set of BKP Rebel Yells) I couldn't stand these pickups at all. I liked the neck pickup but the bridge is so low output, it has no bass response, I did not like it really. If you want the Slash tone then good luck the pickups are one of many many ingredients and don't have such a great influence in his tone. I myself am a huge Slash fan but did not like these Seymour Duncans...

Good luck!

 

[LP Freak]

I have both pickups:

Suhr Aldrich: In a Gibson Les Paul Custom, with coil splits in the tone knob. This pickups are amazing, one of my favorites maybe the best if not for the Bare Knuckle Mules (PAF copy) . Anyway I definatelly recommened them for hard rock / metal.

Seymour Duncan: Have these in a Les Paul Slash Signature Goldtop, although they are not the same as the new Slash signature SD they are mostly the same. That being said, I am about to change them (Just ordered a set of BKP Rebel Yells) I couldn't stand these pickups at all. I liked the neck pickup but the bridge is so low output, it has no bass response, I did not like it really. If you want the Slash tone then good luck the pickups are one of many many ingredients and don't have such a great influence in his tone. I myself am a huge Slash fan but did not like these Seymour Duncans...

Good luck!

Aldrich, right Nico?

 

[Nico]

I have both pickups:

Suhr Aldrich: In a Gibson Les Paul Custom, with coil splits in the tone knob. This pickups are amazing, one of my favorites maybe the best if not for the Bare Knuckle Mules (PAF copy) . Anyway I definatelly recommened them for hard rock / metal.

Seymour Duncan: Have these in a Les Paul Slash Signature Goldtop, although they are not the same as the new Slash signature SD they are mostly the same. That being said, I am about to change them (Just ordered a set of BKP Rebel Yells) I couldn't stand these pickups at all. I liked the neck pickup but the bridge is so low output, it has no bass response, I did not like it really. If you want the Slash tone then good luck the pickups are one of many many ingredients and don't have such a great influence in his tone. I myself am a huge Slash fan but did not like these Seymour Duncans...

Good luck!

Aldrich, right Nico?

Aldrich pups rock! Thank you Paul for making me discover them!!!