Mid heavy bridge humbucker needed

[FourT6and2]

I actually play E standard most of the time with that band. Does it get annoying bright with that tuning? How is it compared to, let's say, a Distortion?

No, it's not overly bright. It just has an angry mid-range snarl/growl to it. Still a very pleasant sounding pickup for any style of music though.

So it sorta shifts the focus of the amp, taking away some bass and adding mids with that specific resistor value, am I right? Indeed interesting! And what if I needed a rawer upped end? Would it be a much more complicated kind of mod?

Just try it lol. Shouldn't take more than 15 minutes to test it out. Throw a 110K-120K resistor in parallel with the stock one and play for a while.

I don't know what a "rawer" upper end means. But the Yeti's bright caps are 2200pF on one side and 750pF on the other. If it were me, I would replace Bright 2 with a 4700pF cap and run the switch in that position. Then run Bright 1 in the center (off). Then use Gain 2 to control your bright/high-end gain and Gain 1 for your overall saturation. That... combined with the 33K slope resistor will get you closer to what you're after if I understand what you've been saying.

There are other things I would also do to the Yeti, but then you're just getting closer and closer to another amp lol

 

[Zado]

Now, i'd just say JB, more output than you're looking for but they definitely have crunch and enough high end, they're balanced... you really can't go wrong with one IMO. If not that, then EMG-81, those seem to be my go to pickups at the moment.

I find the JB particularly picky with guitars honestly. I had one (not JBJ) and put it in some of my guitars, but didn't shine in most of them (one being a Schecter Traditional, which came out of the factory with that pickup). I found it mushy, confused, not focused enough (and I'm far from being a fan of djent and all kinds of modern metal which require super focused and articulate sounds). I also tried swapping magnet there, with a rough cast Alnico III, but messed up and the pickup stopped working. And that's my story with JB.

Mos def does it cut!
My old, original take on it (it's probably still somewhere up on the Dimarzio forum...or maybe TGP) is that the Norton is the pickup that the JB wanted to be....but became too loose in the bottom and too screechy up top. Basically that pickup is a chunky 'Karen'.

The Air Norton as a bridge pickup is lower output than the Norton and seems to fare better in the classic rock realm (again, as a BRIDGE pickup!!!), whereas the Norton definitely does the 80's/90's metal thing better.
Now, mind you, at the time when I tried the Air Norton in the bridge of a Les Paul standard, I found it a very interesting, characterful tone. It behaved more polite and open than the more forward/punchy/focussed Norton.
Another thing is that the Norton as a bridge pickup doesn't suffer from that half-cocked wah tone that the PAF Pro has.

In my Charvel So-Cal (that originally came with Evo neck and ToneZone bridge, which I found too woofy/loose in the lows/low-mids), I swapped bridge pickups 4 or 5 times, before settling on the Norton. IMO, it's easier to cop EVH tones now, than when there was a Super D or a Duncan Distortion in there.
With the Duncan Distortion the guitar was a bonafide thrash-metal machine, but I wanted more nuance, without losing too much snarl and crunch, and that's where the Norton delivered.
Also had it in the Burny Les Paul standard (where originally I had the Air Norton in the bridge to try and it went to the neck position) and I swapped it finally with an AT-1, to bring out a tad more lows (at a slight loss of kerrang and crunch), but either the AT-1 or the Norton in that guitar would be totally fine. AT-1 is slightly thicker overall in tone, but a tad mellower up top.
See attachment. Tone pots are push-pull, for coil taps.

Very interesting, if the JB wasn't that loose I'd definitely like it more. Somehow the regular Norton is not something people talk about very often in forums, but I actually dig what I hear in samples (always taken cum grano salis). Had no idea it somehow delivered EVH tones as well, which is something very welcome, and that it still delivers thrashy tones (which is not my main dish, but something I gladly fiddle at times).
Between the AT-1 and the Norton I'd go with the latter as looks crispier, amirite?

No, it's not overly bright. It just has an angry mid-range snarl/growl to it. Still a very pleasant sounding pickup for any style of music though.

So it's not a one trick pony as the Distortion right? It's often reviewed as the best thing market has to offer for death metal (along with black winter), but it's described as an always super hyper pissed chainsaw. Sort like the Distortion itself, curiously.

Just try it lol. Shouldn't take more than 15 minutes to test it out. Throw a 110K-120K resistor in parallel with the stock one and play for a while.

I don't know what a "rawer" upper end means. But the Yeti's bright caps are 2200pF on one side and 750pF on the other. If it were me, I would replace Bright 2 with a 4700pF cap and run the switch in that position. Then run Bright 1 in the center (off). Then use Gain 2 to control your bright/high-end gain and Gain 1 for your overall saturation. That... combined with the 33K slope resistor will get you closer to what you're after if I understand what you've been saying.

There are other things I would also do to the Yeti, but then you're just getting closer and closer to another amp lol

Rawer meaning a lil less smooth. It's not that I don't like how it sounds already, but I guess a lil more presence (like, say, a JCM800) would be for the best in a dense mix? Nothing exxxxagerated, as it gest very annoying when playing alone. Nothing major, just a lil tonal detail really.

 

[Speeddemon]

@Zado then the Norton would do the trick. It has more character than the Duncan Distortion, which I felt at times responded a bit congested. You're right, the Norton sounds crispier than the AT-1, which Dimarzio's EQ specs seem to mirror.

Maybe, based on the EQ specs, output and description on the. DiMarzio site, the DiMarzio Evo 2 would also work, at it seems relatively close to the Norton. never tried it myself though.
The original Evo I did have and after enjoying it for years, I found it a tad too bright in my Ibanez S540 and could use more low-end. Apparently DiMarzio addressed this with the Evo 2.
The ToneZone (from my Charvel So Cal) is now in that Ibanez after a stint with a Super Distortion, which I found a tad too much.
Now the Ibanez (already for a decade or so) has a great HSH combination of ToneZone bridge, Fast Track 1 middle and Air Norton neck.

The Norton has a pinch more lows than the Duncan Distortion, but less output and slightly less of that laser beam focus.
Another good Duncan option with more low end and a more laid back mid would be the SH-14 Custom 5.

Also splits great, but the Norton wins in the mid-push and harmonics department.

 

[Soundstorm]

Motor City pickups. I love the 2nd Degree Black Belt, but there's other pickups for all styles and applications. You can email him and he'll recommend one for your situation. He's at about a 3 to 4 week lead time right now. Highly recommend.

 

[anomaly]

I find the JB particularly picky with guitars honestly. I had one (not JBJ) and put it in some of my guitars, but didn't shine in most of them (one being a Schecter Traditional, which came out of the factory with that pickup). I found it mushy, confused, not focused enough (and I'm far from being a fan of djent and all kinds of modern metal which require super focused and articulate sounds). I also tried swapping magnet there, with a rough cast Alnico III, but messed up and the pickup stopped working. And that's my story with JB.



Very interesting, if the JB wasn't that loose I'd definitely like it more. Somehow the regular Norton is not something people talk about very often in forums, but I actually dig what I hear in samples (always taken cum grano salis). Had no idea it somehow delivered EVH tones as well, which is something very welcome, and that it still delivers thrashy tones (which is not my main dish, but something I gladly fiddle at times).
Between the AT-1 and the Norton I'd go with the latter as looks crispier, amirite?



So it's not a one trick pony as the Distortion right? It's often reviewed as the best thing market has to offer for death metal (along with black winter), but it's described as an always super hyper pissed chainsaw. Sort like the Distortion itself, curiously.



Rawer meaning a lil less smooth. It's not that I don't like how it sounds already, but I guess a lil more presence (like, say, a JCM800) would be for the best in a dense mix? Nothing exxxxagerated, as it gest very annoying when playing alone. Nothing major, just a lil tonal detail really.

The JB ain't the tightest pickup ever but it's got a really great wide midrange spectrum to it. In a mix they really shine. I've got one in a cheap Ibanez LP copy with a thinner body to it. It sounds perfect in that guitar with a Mesa Mark IV. Gives that amp a wide sound that I really love. Mesa Marks are really tight, focused sounding amps so a pickup like the JB works perfect with it, but I find that pickup works great with a lot of amps.

 

[anomaly]

@Zado then the Norton would do the trick. It has more character than the Duncan Distortion, which I felt at times responded a bit congested. You're right, the Norton sounds crispier than the AT-1, which Dimarzio's EQ specs seem to mirror.

Maybe, based on the EQ specs, output and description on the. DiMarzio site, the DiMarzio Evo 2 would also work, at it seems relatively close to the Norton. never tried it myself though.
The original Evo I did have and after enjoying it for years, I found it a tad too bright in my Ibanez S540 and could use more low-end. Apparently DiMarzio addressed this with the Evo 2.
The ToneZone (from my Charvel So Cal) is now in that Ibanez after a stint with a Super Distortion, which I found a tad too much.
Now the Ibanez (already for a decade or so) has a great HSH combination of ToneZone bridge, Fast Track 1 middle and Air Norton neck.

The Norton has a pinch more lows than the Duncan Distortion, but less output and slightly less of that laser beam focus.
Another good Duncan option with more low end and a more laid back mid would be the SH-14 Custom 5.

Also splits great, but the Norton wins in the mid-push and harmonics department.

I find the Duncan Distortion has a blurry quality to the mids sometimes, that's something I don't like about it. But it sounds great in some guitars.

 

[FourT6and2]

So it's not a one trick pony as the Distortion right? It's often reviewed as the best thing market has to offer for death metal (along with black winter), but it's described as an always super hyper pissed chainsaw. Sort like the Distortion itself, curiously.

No, not a one-tricker at all. I use it for everything. But no matter what I play, I've always got 'my' sound.

Rawer meaning a lil less smooth. It's not that I don't like how it sounds already, but I guess a lil more presence (like, say, a JCM800) would be for the best in a dense mix? Nothing exxxxagerated, as it gest very annoying when playing alone. Nothing major, just a lil tonal detail really.

The Yeti is an inherently dark, smooth, and scooped amp. Try the suggestions I mentioned. Bare minimum would be the slope resistor change. Then NFB if you're curious (47K/8 ohm). Then if those are sounding good and headed in the right direction, changing Bright 2 cap to 4700pF and only using that one engaged (Bright 1 off).

 

[Zado]

Motor City pickups. I love the 2nd Degree Black Belt, but there's other pickups for all styles and applications. You can email him and he'll recommend one for your situation. He's at about a 3 to 4 week lead time right now. Highly recommend.

Not avaiable in Europe I fear

The JB ain't the tightest pickup ever but it's got a really great wide midrange spectrum to it. In a mix they really shine. I've got one in a cheap Ibanez LP copy with a thinner body to it. It sounds perfect in that guitar with a Mesa Mark IV. Gives that amp a wide sound that I really love.

I guess it depends on the amp as well, it never met my preferences. I'm not obsessed with tightness or aggression, but always sounded flubby. I tried tweaking the height and the screw poles as well, but worked very marginally (opposite as many others pickups I've tried)

I find the Duncan Distortion has a blurry quality to the mids sometimes, that's something I don't like about it. But it sounds great in some guitars.

Blurry as undefined?

No, not a one-tricker at all. I use it for everything. But no matter what I play, I've always got 'my' sound.


The Yeti is an inherently dark, smooth, and scooped amp. Try the suggestions I mentioned. Bare minimum would be the slope resistor change. Then NFB if you're curious (47K/8 ohm). Then if those are sounding good and headed in the right direction, changing Bright 2 cap to 4700pF and only using that one engaged (Bright 1 off).

Understood, as soon as I collect the stuff from the room I'm trying the mod. Really curious to hear how the amp will end up sounding!