Recommend me a pickup

[Mailman1971]

I am really digging the Suhr Aldrich Pickup. Sounds really good. Tight and crunchy with a Great growly 'voice'...

 

[glip22]

I am really digging the Suhr Aldrich Pickup. Sounds really good. Tight and crunchy with a Great growly 'voice'...

A man after my own heart.

 

[Mailman1971]

I am really digging the Suhr Aldrich Pickup. Sounds really good. Tight and crunchy with a Great growly 'voice'...

A man after my own heart.

Man....everyone LOVES the tone of this pickup that plays or hears my guitar.
I was a DIEHARD EMG user for YEAAAAAAAAAAARSSSSS!!!
Buddy brang over his Suhr with the Aldrich in it ........
made me set my guitar down.

What a great pickup!!

 

[firejack]

Since you already know what the JB sounds like, this should help a bit:

The Duncan Custom kinda sounds like a JB with some of that upper high/midrange cut out and maybe a bit more bass added. It works well in alder to help thicken the guitar up.
The Duncan Distortion is a very tight and punchy pickup with some strong bite/grind. While I've heard this is just a JB with a big ceramic magnet inside, it really sounds completely different to me.

I should be getting a Painkiller in the mail in a few weeks, hopefully. By the way people describe it, it almost sounds similar to the Distortion.

I agree that the Custom works great in alder.
I love the Distortion and the Painkiller, but I've only ever tried them in mahogany/maple guitars.
Don't know how they fare in a strat.

In regards to the Painkiller being similar to a Distortion, I'd have to agree.
Here's two clips with the same amp settings and signal chain:

BK Painkiller Set:
http://netmusicians.org/?section=id&value=4336

Duncan Distortion Set:
http://netmusicians.org/?section=id&value=3220

The bass track on the Duncan Distortion clip is removed so you can really hear the guitar tones.
The Painkiller is like a clearer, more hi-fi Duncan Distortion with just a touch more upper-mid sizzle.
I love both for different applications.

 

[JakeAC5253]

I agree that the Custom works great in alder.
I love the Distortion and the Painkiller, but I've only ever tried them in mahogany/maple guitars.
Don't know how they fare in a strat.

In regards to the Painkiller being similar to a Distortion, I'd have to agree.
Here's two clips with the same amp settings and signal chain:

BK Painkiller Set:
http://netmusicians.org/?section=id&value=4336

Duncan Distortion Set:
http://netmusicians.org/?section=id&value=3220

The bass track on the Duncan Distortion clip is removed so you can really hear the guitar tones.
The Painkiller is like a clearer, more hi-fi Duncan Distortion with just a touch more upper-mid sizzle.
I love both for different applications.

WOW! That is great. And is this a true A/B comparison or two clips recorded at different points in time? Same amp/setting/pedals/mic/cab?

 

[LVC]

Suhr Aldrich or SSH+. I like Bareknuckles also but for the money the Suhr is excellent. Great Mids and no ice pick.

Suhr rules the single coil world for me. You can't go wrong with any of his pickups -- you just have to pick the flavor you want.

Personally, my favorites are the FL (Fletcher-Landau)

... but he has one for every tastes ---
http://www.suhrguitars.com/pickups.aspx

and the Silent single coil system is the absolute bomb

http://www.suhrguitars.com/pickups.aspx#bpssc

-- I have it in my Suhr Landau strat.

 

[firejack]

I agree that the Custom works great in alder.
I love the Distortion and the Painkiller, but I've only ever tried them in mahogany/maple guitars.
Don't know how they fare in a strat.

In regards to the Painkiller being similar to a Distortion, I'd have to agree.
Here's two clips with the same amp settings and signal chain:

BK Painkiller Set:
http://netmusicians.org/?section=id&value=4336

Duncan Distortion Set:
http://netmusicians.org/?section=id&value=3220

The bass track on the Duncan Distortion clip is removed so you can really hear the guitar tones.
The Painkiller is like a clearer, more hi-fi Duncan Distortion with just a touch more upper-mid sizzle.
I love both for different applications.

WOW! That is great. And is this a true A/B comparison or two clips recorded at different points in time? Same amp/setting/pedals/mic/cab?

Thanks mate.

It was two different songs I recorded approx 5 months apart.
But everything in the signal chain was exactly the same.
Same amp settings, same boost settings, same cables, same valves in amp, same V30 speaker impulse, etc.
Just two different guitars and different drum software for each song.
One guitar was an Edwards Sykes LP with Duncan Distortions.
The other was a Schecter Omen Extreme 7 with Painkillers.

The chain goes like this:
Guitar > Maxon OD9 > Peters Gryphon > Palmer PDI03 > PC > Vintage 30 Speaker Impulse.

 

[JakeAC5253]

Think I have finally decided. Thanks to lots of help, I think I am going to go with these combos. Feel free to chime in and argue a point one way or the other, I am not purchasing for a week at least anyway.

Was:
Fender Strat/Poplar/Bb Standard/Invader (too boomy/too much high mids, no mid definition, no cleans)
Jackson RR3/Alder/Drop C/JB (too bright, not enough bass, good mids though)

Will Be:
Fender Strat/Poplar/Bb Standard/Duncan Custom
Jackson RR3/Alder/Drop C/Duncan Distortion

 

[JakeAC5253]

Any last words of wisdom?

 

[Code001]

Swap them. Custom in the guitar that is too bright and Distortion in the guitar that has too much bass. That's what I'd do, at least.

 

[firejack]

Swap them. Custom in the guitar that is too bright and Distortion in the guitar that has too much bass. That's what I'd do, at least.

Agreed.
I had a Duncan Custom in a bright sounding alder Edwards Snapper and it sounded killer for rhythm and lead tones.

 

[JakeAC5253]

Swap them. Custom in the guitar that is too bright and Distortion in the guitar that has too much bass. That's what I'd do, at least.

Agreed.
I had a Duncan Custom in a bright sounding alder Edwards Snapper and it sounded killer for rhythm and lead tones.

Yeah I remember you guys saying that before. I went to the SD website and compared the clips of each. The custom seemed like a calmed down Invader and the Distortion seemed like a calmed down JB LOL, whatever that means. The clips on the site could be shit for all I know, I think I'll go with your recommendations and swap them



EDIT: although in regards to the RR3. I don't think the guitar itself is too bright, just the pickup. I could be mistaken.

 

[Drkorey]

Sweet clips firejack! I'll be getting a PK in a week or two should be sweet

 

[firejack]

Yeah I remember you guys saying that before. I went to the SD website and compared the clips of each. The custom seemed like a calmed down Invader and the Distortion seemed like a calmed down JB LOL, whatever that means. The clips on the site could be shit for all I know, I think I'll go with your recommendations and swap them

EDIT: although in regards to the RR3. I don't think the guitar itself is too bright, just the pickup. I could be mistaken.

The lead tones in the clip below are my alder/maple Edwards Snapper with the Duncan Custom in the bridge:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=713239&songID=8313973

The lead guitar kicks in at around 1:45.
I added some delay from a Tech21 Boost DLA and a touch of reverb from my Hermida Reverb.
The Duncan Custom gives really clear, singing, articulate lead tones.

Sweet clips firejack! I'll be getting a PK in a week or two should be sweet

Thanks mate.
Sweet, the PK should sound killer through the Chimera.
Post clips if you can.

 

[JakeAC5253]

Sounds great dood