Motor City Pickups 2nd Degree Black Belt Can Do Hard Rock!

[romanianreaper]

Well after thinking about it and hearing everyone's suggestions, I went with the Motor City Pickups 2nd Degree Black Belt Set in my Les Paul. Got them from Buckeyedog and then he trained me on the art of pickup installation.

I don't know what I was expecting but these are definitely some of the most versatile pickups I've ever used. It covers a lot of ground from super-sparkly cleans to Drop-D riffs. The clarity is the best thing about them. Even when playing with a lot of gain, I can hear the note separation way better than my JB.

When I first got them, my ears had to adjust to a more organic sound. I was used to hearing a certain tone and I don't think I was used to hearing so much string separation, etc. They really can do everything from Zeppelin to Alice In Chains, etc. Anyway, I posted a quick clip of just goofing off, going thru a bunch of different presets:

viewtopic.php?f=42&t=174867

Highly recommend this pickup!

 

[metalmaniac93]

Well after thinking about it and hearing everyone's suggestions, I went with the Motor City Pickups 2nd Degree Black Belt Set in my Les Paul. Got them from Buckeyedog and then he trained me on the art of pickup installation.

I don't know what I was expecting but these are definitely some of the most versatile pickups I've ever used. It covers a lot of ground from super-sparkly cleans to Drop-D riffs. The clarity is the best thing about them. Even when playing with a lot of gain, I can hear the note separation way better than my JB.

When I first got them, my ears had to adjust to a more organic sound. I was used to hearing a certain tone and I don't think I was used to hearing so much string separation, etc. They really can do everything from Zeppelin to Alice In Chains, etc. Anyway, I posted a quick clip of just goofing off, going thru a bunch of different presets:

viewtopic.php?f=42&t=174867

Highly recommend this pickup!

I have a bridge in my Heritage 150CM and it is a killer pickup. Very versatile!!!

 

[hammered]

I`ve got one in a single him mahogany strat style. Really nice pickup with clarity . I ordered a Detrotier just a few weeks ago

 

[romanianreaper]

I`ve got one in a single him mahogany strat style. Really nice pickup with clarity . I ordered a Detrotier just a few weeks ago

You'll have to let me know how you like that Detroitier man. I've heard good things about that pickup as well. I'm intrigued about the Afwayu but seems like some folks have said that the 2nd Degree BB is more versatile.

 

[hammered]

I`ve got one in a single him mahogany strat style. Really nice pickup with clarity . I ordered a Detrotier just a few weeks ago

You'll have to let me know how you like that Detroitier man. I've heard good things about that pickup as well. I'm intrigued about the Afwayu but seems like some folks have said that the 2nd Degree BB is more versatile.

I`ll let you know how the Detroiter works out . I`m gonna be putting that in a HS configuration strat style. Hopefully I`ll get it by the end of this month

 

[HilltopExplosion]

Sounds good! Pure Rock n Roll!

 

[hatrick00]

if you want a little hotter MCP in another guitar try the detroiter. i just put one in my PRS SC245 and really love it. Has a mean upper mid bite to it but still sounds organic and open, is a little hotter than the 2nd. I also run a 2nd Deg and Adwayu in 2 les pauls i have. love them all.

 

[hammered]

if you want a little hotter MCP in another guitar try the detroiter. i just put one in my PRS SC245 and really love it. Has a mean upper mid bite to it but still sounds organic and open, is a little hotter than the 2nd. I also run a 2nd Deg and Adwayu in 2 les pauls i have. love them all.

Good to know it`s a little hotter than the 2nd DBB , the ash Strat I`ll be putting the Detroiter in always seems to need a pickup with a little more punch than usual

 

[nigelpkay]

Can someone point out the specific differences between the 2nd Degree BB and Detroiter? I used to have a Detroiter, and it was a great pickup for sure but I sold the guitar. Had a real snarl in the upper mids although sometimes I found it slightly congested up there and could have used a little more bass. It's hotness level was perfect though, it sounded much hotter than the 9.2k that it was.

Considering trying MCP again and the 2nd Degree BB looks cool. Also for comparison I've already had a Wolfetone Marshallhead which was great too although sometimes I found it a little bright and lacking some mid grind.

From your clip it sounded like it nailed the Van Halen sound and Guns N Roses sound.

 

[hatrick00]

Can someone point out the specific differences between the 2nd Degree BB and Detroiter? I used to have a Detroiter, and it was a great pickup for sure but I sold the guitar. Had a real snarl in the upper mids although sometimes I found it slightly congested up there and could have used a little more bass. It's hotness level was perfect though, it sounded much hotter than the 9.2k that it was.

Considering trying MCP again and the 2nd Degree BB looks cool. Also for comparison I've already had a Wolfetone Marshallhead which was great too although sometimes I found it a little bright and lacking some mid grind.

From your clip it sounded like it nailed the Van Halen sound and Guns N Roses sound.

i'd say the main difference between the two is that the detroiter is a bit hotter, and def has more pronounced upper mids, and a tad less bass than the 2nd degree. i find if you back the mids down on the amp and increase the bass just a bit it more than compensates for it (i have been using it through my Friedman JJ). i love mids though so i like the added upper mid section. the 2nd prob sounds a little more organic and open and perhaps more versatile. i do love how pissed the detroiter sounds though. either way they both rock big time.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

So essentially a JB with an alnico 2 but tighter bottom end? I have a JB2 and love it. Also love the Aldrich though. It rips and has nice note separation but the sponginess of an A2 adds a terrific feel.

 

[glassjaw7]

I sound like a broken record but I absolutely love the 2nd Degree in the bridge of my LP! Just hot enough, balanced, clear. No spiky weirdness or hollow mids like some SDs sometimes give me.

 

[hatrick00]

I sound like a broken record but I absolutely love the 2nd Degree in the bridge of my LP! Just hot enough, balanced, clear. No spiky weirdness or hollow mids like some SDs sometimes give me.

+1 the best all around Les Paul pick up IMO!!

 

[romanianreaper]

So essentially a JB with an alnico 2 but tighter bottom end? I have a JB2 and love it. Also love the Aldrich though. It rips and has nice note separation but the sponginess of an A2 adds a terrific feel.

No, I might be wrong here but definitely does not feel like a JB to me. Don't get me wrong, I like the JB as well and it serves it's purpose but this thing is more raw and organic. So hard to describe but has more Guns and Roses than Metallica if that makes sense.

 

[metalmaniac93]

So essentially a JB with an alnico 2 but tighter bottom end? I have a JB2 and love it. Also love the Aldrich though. It rips and has nice note separation but the sponginess of an A2 adds a terrific feel.

No, I might be wrong here but definitely does not feel like a JB to me. Don't get me wrong, I like the JB as well and it serves it's purpose but this thing is more raw and organic. So hard to describe but has more Guns and Roses than Metallica if that makes sense.

Nothing like a JB with an A2 magnet.

 

[romanianreaper]

From your clip it sounded like it nailed the Van Halen sound and Guns N Roses sound.

Oh yeah. I have a custom Van Halen "Kramer" with an EVH "Frankenstein" pickup and this thing sounds very similar when I have my VH preset going. I have never heard the Slash pickups in person but I imagine they would be like these. Has those mids and that good "clank" sound.

I can tell you guys, I've always been more of a lower mids guy but this pickup sounds so good that I'm utilizing the higher mids to my advantage.

These pickups just have something in there that lets you know it is not off an assembly line. There are certain frequencies and tones in there that just seem to separate it from a "stock" pickup. I love all types of pickups but this has a certain mojo that you can hear. I'd like to try an Afwayu but wonder if it would not be as versatile as this.

 

[halebox]

AFWAYU is a little more fluid sounding for leads high up on fretboard and hotter rounder more gain

 

[Buckeyedog]

Glad you are digging them!!! Sounds great man.

 

[JiMB]

I have 2nd BB's in my R8's, great pickups!
2nd Degrree BB in the bridge here:

 

[firejack]

I sound like a broken record but I absolutely love the 2nd Degree in the bridge of my LP! Just hot enough, balanced, clear. No spiky weirdness or hollow mids like some SDs sometimes give me.

Totally agree.
I have a slightly underwound 2nd Degree BB Set in my Edwards LP tuned to Drop C and it's the best that guitar has ever sounded.

And I've tried some very reputable bridge pickups in that thing including Duncan Distortions, various BKP's (Aftermath, Abraxas, Emerald, Black Dog & Miracle Man), a Suhr Aldrich and a few other models I can't remember.

These pickups just have something in there that lets you know it is not off an assembly line. There are certain frequencies and tones in there that just seem to separate it from a "stock" pickup. I love all types of pickups but this has a certain mojo that you can hear. I'd like to try an Afwayu but wonder if it would not be as versatile as this.

I also hear a certain mojo in Wade's creations that's missing from other pickups I've tried.
For what it's worth, the Afwayu bridge can be setup further away from the strings to sound a lot less compressed and more like Wade's lower output models.
But it doesn't fall apart or lose it's focus. It just gets tight and crunchy and still has loads of punch.
I didn't like the Afwayu much until I tried this. It was way too compressed and round-sounding for my tastes.