Low output pickups + VH4

[spirit7]

One word: wow! My PRS with HFS/VB sounds a bit muddy and messy through my VH4 (though absolutely stunning through the Herbert). My other Custom 24 with 57/08s though...amazing! Literally the punch and sound of Channel 3 with these pickups is stunning - yet they are worse than the HFS's through the Herbert! Can anyone explain why?

Changing the 57/08s to Bareknuckle Nailbomb / Cold Sweat combo, though. Hopefully it'll sound just as epic through the V...

V, if you're reading this: after firing up my VH4 for the first time in a week (ie since I got the Herbert), I simply cannot bear to sell it. I'll just need to play lower-output guitars through it, or roll the gain back. Such an incredible sound for hard rock, and phenomenal brutal sound on Ch.3 with a Maxon OD808. Then I'll use the Herbert for the ultimate brootz.

Cheers for reading what is, admittedly, a bit of a stream of consciousness!

C

 

[Ventura]

Ya man, I'm reading this

The V sounds epic with 7k to 9k output pups. No lies. Epic. And oddly enough, I'm finding this more and more with so many of my rigs. Nevertheless, I've picked up a few new sets - all BKP, and I'm stoked to hear how they'll sound.

But bottom line, glad the love's still there man... The V is the MasterTone and Godfather amp of all things Diezel

Peace,
V.

 

[racerevlon]

This is starting to hit home in a big way. All of a sudden the tones I've been hating on has been cured with a healthy dose of lower-output pickups and a Tube Screamer, if needed. Go figure...

 

[spirit7]

It's really odd. The same low-output PRS sounds nowhere near as good through the Herbert, yet through the VH4 it absolutely shines. The higher output PRS, on the other hand, gets muddy unless I roll the gain back or use the Maxon, but sounds utterly crushing through the Herbert.

 

[philbag]

I used to be an EMG player, exclusively. Boy, how owning Diezel Amplifiers has changed that. Low output passive pickups are definitely the way with the VH4, and the Schmidt too (though you can stand to push the schmidt a bit more than the VH4). The schmidt is more forgiving of active circuitry all round, but the VH4 - forget. about. it.

I'm now in the process of having to change ALL the pickups in my guitars to passive because I simply avoid playing them when using my Diezels. I have one guitar with passive pickups, a telecaster with a bareknuckle piledriver (aprox 13k) in the bridge and a brown sugar in the neck. That guitar out chunks my EMG guitars. Huge sounding, leads absolutely sing. The difference is astonishing.

Seriously, if you have a VH4 and use EMG's - you are doing yourself and that amp a massive, MASSIVE disservice. It becomes a completely different monster.

 

[Peter Diezel]

It´s a matter of taste but I stay more and more
away from high output pickups. There are also
low output pickups available for 7 string and
8 string guitars.

 

[Joeytpg]

man one of THE ABSOLUTELY BEST SOUNDS out there is a Strat with VERY low output single coils into a VH4......it's AMAZING!

 

[Joeytpg]

now, I love EMGs too specially for LIVE MEtal shows.....quiet and tight! everything has it's place.

 

[Ventura]

Two schools of thought, either let the pup do the work (higher output pick up) in which case turn back the preamp gain; or let the amp do the work (lower pick up) and rely on either/or the preamp gain and the output saturation.

Amps often breathe nicer and offer more tonal coloration with lower output pups and the volume cranked. But there are a lot of fine amps out there that sound terrific with high-output pups but just EQ'd slightly different to compensate for this additional signal strength.

One thing that can be said is that at bedroom levels, this means nothing... But when one gets to work an amp at noon or above, these tonal nuances become very, very apparent. I've had success with higher output pups with my VH4S, but I had to EQ the gain/preamp to compensate. Overall, I find it easier to use a 7k to 8k pup with the VH4S and just keep the EQ constant. But I have had great tone from the V with the higher output pups... I just prefer lower in 'most' applications.


Peace,
Mo

 

[spirit7]

Two schools of thought, either let the pup do the work (higher output pick up) in which case turn back the preamp gain; or let the amp do the work (lower pick up) and rely on either/or the preamp gain and the output saturation.

Amps often breathe nicer and offer more tonal coloration with lower output pups and the volume cranked. But there are a lot of fine amps out there that sound terrific with high-output pups but just EQ'd slightly different to compensate for this additional signal strength.

One thing that can be said is that at bedroom levels, this means nothing... But when one gets to work an amp at noon or above, these tonal nuances become very, very apparent. I've had success with higher output pups with my VH4S, but I had to EQ the gain/preamp to compensate. Overall, I find it easier to use a 7k to 8k pup with the VH4S and just keep the EQ constant. But I have had great tone from the V with the higher output pups... I just prefer lower in 'most' applications.

Interesting...but why do the same principles not apply to the Herbert? Presumably because it has more preamplifier gain? It LOVES high output pups!

Peace,
Mo

 

[spirit7]

I appear to have included my comment in your quote. Hmmm. I AM MO!

 

[angelspade]

I really like the way a bridge position Duncan JB or Gibson 500T (both pretty high output) works with the VH4...I like the EMG 81 and 85 sound with the Herbert...But definately not with the VH4. Frankly, I am surprised Hetfield makes it work as well as he does.

 

[Ventura]

I appear to have included my comment in your quote. Hmmm. I AM MO!

Whoa....like....some weird, like, space-time vortex duality relativistic parallel, like, universe thing, man...

Whoa.

 

[spirit7]

I appear to have included my comment in your quote. Hmmm. I AM MO!

Whoa....like....some weird, like, space-time vortex duality relativistic parallel, like, universe thing, man...

Whoa.

Like...whoa

 

[Sigma.Xiria]

I really like the way a bridge position Duncan JB or Gibson 500T (both pretty high output) works with the VH4...I like the EMG 81 and 85 sound with the Herbert...But definately not with the VH4. Frankly, I am surprised Hetfield makes it work as well as he does.

I am jamming the JB through my VH4. sounds sexy wicked.

 

[steve39stripes]

A Duncan JB or Custom Custom sounds great through the VH4 (Custom Custom adds great mids to the amp), but anything hotter will compress and just make it sound smaller. I have a newer 2011 Blue Face and found the stock TAD preamp in V1 was compressing the amp way too much as well. It might be quiet, but the compression was just too much. Replaced it with a newer Tung-Sol and the amp just came to life. Replaced the Ruby tubes in V2, V3, & V4 as well and just got better. Just my opinion

 

[Ventura]

I appear to have included my comment in your quote. Hmmm. I AM MO!

Whoa....like....some weird, like, space-time vortex duality relativistic parallel, like, universe thing, man...

Whoa.

Like...whoa

Like, um, SERIOUS 'whoa'...man...

Unviverse cosmos clarity, bro. Goes deep man... Whoa.

V.

PS - back ON track, Riff Raffs KILL with the VH4

 

[spirit7]

I appear to have included my comment in your quote. Hmmm. I AM MO!

Whoa....like....some weird, like, space-time vortex duality relativistic parallel, like, universe thing, man...

Whoa.

Like...whoa

Like, um, SERIOUS 'whoa'...man...

Unviverse cosmos clarity, bro. Goes deep man... Whoa.

V.

PS - back ON track, Riff Raffs KILL with the VH4

Like...yah, spectral stratospheric telepathic unity maaaan, you know it.


I'm sure Riff Raffs absolutely destroy it. Ceramic Nailbomb bridge and Cold Sweat neck will soon be in my new Custom 24. Here's hoping they will still sound amazing through the VH4 (pretty sure they will rip the Herbert a new one!). I suspect it will require a bit of re-EQ'ing. In any event, I can just use the OD-808 on Ch.3 of the VH4 and it'll clear up any flub caused by too much output!

 

[spirit7]

I appear to have included my comment in your quote. Hmmm. I AM MO!

Whoa....like....some weird, like, space-time vortex duality relativistic parallel, like, universe thing, man...

Whoa.

Like...whoa

Like, um, SERIOUS 'whoa'...man...

Unviverse cosmos clarity, bro. Goes deep man... Whoa.

V.

PS - back ON track, Riff Raffs KILL with the VH4

Like...yah, spectral stratospheric telepathic unity maaaan, you know it.


I'm sure Riff Raffs absolutely destroy it. Ceramic Nailbomb bridge and Cold Sweat neck will soon be in my new Custom 24. Here's hoping they will still sound amazing through the VH4 (pretty sure they will rip the Herbert a new one!). I suspect it will require a bit of re-EQ'ing. In any event, I can just use the OD-808 on Ch.3 of the VH4 and it'll clear up any flub caused by too much output!

 

[spirit7]

Mispost.