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Post by rabidgerry on Jun 30, 2010 12:48:45 GMT -5
I need new pickups!!!
I want a neck single coil and middle single coil for a strat that has already some nice handwound pickups in it but one just wont stop squealing at loud volume (the middle)!!
I have checked out Dimarzio HS-3 and 4 and near died at the price, also Dimarzio FS-1, can't decide which is best choice.
I've also checked out Kent Armstrong and not got anything really for metal in the "true"single coil line (I know HS-3 AND 4 are humbuckers really).
I have checked out Bareknuckle and not saw anything really for the neck or middle position,
I have also checked GFS and not saw anything really for metal in the single coil line.
So help me out guys with some ideas.
All possible brand names here please.
Thanks
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Post by chuck on Jun 30, 2010 13:02:25 GMT -5
are you looking for true single coils , stacked 'buckers , or side by side 'buckers ?
are you looking for high output humbucker tone from the singles ? the Duncan Hotrails is a good pickup with some OOOMPH .
if you add a mid boost circuit , you can turn wimpy single coils into something heavier.
you might like the GFS Neovin pickups with the Neovin true bypass preamp wired in .
i have the Power Rock set in my strat , and the Neovin preamp really gives them a kick in the rear .
i also love the old Jackson J200 " Bi Level Humbuckers " and the Jackson JE1200 Mid boost system. the 6 dbs of mid boost really fattens up the tone you can find them on Ebay pretty cheap at times .
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Post by rabidgerry on Jun 30, 2010 13:18:44 GMT -5
Yes true single coils!! I don't really wanna fake it like a HS-3 or 4 does, they're stacked right?
Well I kinda was taking it for granted that the pups would be High output for metal. What would a low output true single coil do for metal other than make it harder to saturate right?
Checked the Neovins out, they offer a vintage single coil sound.....which I imagine isn't what I'm after since vintage is more Hank Marvin than Hank Sherman.
I know nothing about onboard preamps and I dunno If I wanna go down that route....batterys n crap!!! However I'm impressed at the idea!!! Its a really neat idea.
Whats a Power Rock set?
Also explain a little about onboard pre-amps, these are for making the output of a guitar louder right? therefore TONNES OF GAIN?? You'd need to turn it of for clean stuff right?
Chuck what kinda of music do you play? Metal right? Not Linkin Park or Slipknot stuff? just checking!!!
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Post by rabidgerry on Jun 30, 2010 13:25:08 GMT -5
Oh yeah, I'm already pressed for room in my strat since I've this on the go global series switch and bridge on and generally a lot of combos to play with
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Post by chuck on Jun 30, 2010 13:52:26 GMT -5
hey Gerry , i am an old school metal guy ... Sabbath , Maiden , Savatage , Manowar , etc ...
there are different Neovin models ... the Neo 9 is the highest output ( i believe ) and it might surprise you. the Neovin preamp has 0-25 db's of gain boost , and -12 to +12 dbs of Treble , Mid , and bass cut / boost.
i went for the true bypass version that is on a push/pull pot .
it is a pretty simple setup that is VERY versatile .
looking at your guitar diagram , you might be better off with Duncan Hotrails. they are passive , HOT , and are great for metal
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Post by chuck on Jun 30, 2010 16:10:19 GMT -5
ok .... i fired up my trusty old Peavey VTM60 , and grabbed my GFS Neovin equipped Strat .
i think you might like the Neo 9 for the neck , and maybe a Neo 7 in the middle . just like GFS says " they are clean thru a Bassman , and filthy thru a Soldano "
with the preamp bypassed the Neo's are crunchy as heck thru my VTM ... ... with the preamp on , gain boost at zero ( only getting the EQ boost/cut that i have preset under the pick guard ) the things scream . turning the preamp boost to the halfway detent ( 12 dbs ) the Neos are monsters ! crank the boost to about 75% and we are talkin out of this world pizazz .
the Neovins sound awesome , AND they are a GREAT value ....
spend a little time at the GFS website , and email them your questions ... i dont think you will be disappointed .
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Post by rabidgerry on Jul 1, 2010 10:24:09 GMT -5
I'm getting confused man with all the Neo info you delivered. I can't fit anything more than I got in my strat realisticly so I don't think I have room for the Neovins and pre-amp.
Would I benfit from them as they are?
I wouldn't touch duncan hot rails as they're humbuckers with humbucker tones, and I could get a cheaper as goos as version from GFS for example or Kent Armstrong.
I'm looking at Di Marzio Chopper for the Neck and may be another for the middle with a full size Tone Zone in the Bridge.
The diagram above is already what is inside my guitar by the way, its not a work in progress.
Checking GFS site again.
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Post by rabidgerry on Jul 1, 2010 10:33:27 GMT -5
Ok Neovin 9s would be what I'd pick in the GFS scenario. I would use them passive, no room for preamp madness and the way my guitar wiring is I can turn them into a big humbucker as well if I ever wanted.
Just outta curiosity, why is common for people to pick a less hot pup for the mid position? Chuck you suggested Neovin 7 for the middle, why so? Just wondering. I'd not wanna weaker pup there cause then I'd need it closer to the strings which would affect the way I play with the pick.
So Neovin 9's..........what output are they in k ohms?
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Post by chuck on Jul 1, 2010 17:00:01 GMT -5
mixing the outputs of your pickups can make for a more versatile ax ... i say CAN make for . it really just depends on what you are shooting for ... if i had it to do over again , i might go with 3 Neo 9s , but i am happy with the Power Rock set i bought.
the Neovins stand on their own quite well ... you get very Strat-ish tone with more ooomph. i went with the preamp so i could have the option of the EQ and gain boost
you dont like the Hotrails , but you like the Dimarzio Chopper ? i have never been much of a Dimarzio fan , but thats just me . there is a pair of Tone Zones and a chopper in my Ibanez RG770DX , and i dont care for them ... i have a Gibson Dirty Fingers with a set of purple bobbin toppers to put in the bridge position to give me the scream and power i need. i am not sure what i will put in the middle and neck positions.
something to factor in about the GFS Neovins is that they need to be VERY close to the strings. if that will get in your way , then you might want to try something else. i do not remember the ohms of resistance on the Neovins ... they might have that info on the site.
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Post by rabidgerry on Jul 2, 2010 10:46:01 GMT -5
According to Dimarzio a Chopper sounds close to an FS-1 which is a true single coil, so that is why I mentioned this. I'd have the benefits of a humbucker then as well.
How close would I need the Neovin 9's? I asked GFS, not terribly talketive was their tech help, but the said Neovin 9's are 9ohms which is about the same as my neck single coil at the mo.
I could have the pup close to the strings if the pole pieces where flat or where blades, then my pick wouldn't get stuck between as it tends to do with raised pole pieces.
I'm all stuck for choce again.
I'm only likeing the sounds of DiMarzio cause I know malmsteen sound was made with these so thats not a bad thing for me. I was thinking of 2 neavins and one of their Power rails in the bridge till you said to me about having the pup close to the strings!!
back to square one again then!!!
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Post by chuck on Jul 2, 2010 11:44:46 GMT -5
if you were not intent on sticking with your switching setup you have now , i would suggest a set of Duncan Hot Strat Livewires 18v actives . i have one in the middle position of my 87 Charvel Model 6 with a Metal Livewire in the bridge , and a Classic Livewire in the neck. this is THE most over the top setup i have, the Metal Livewire is off the charts in output and tone... in fact is it SO over the top that it can be TOO much at times. i am not kidding , it is THAT hot. the Hot Strat has plenty of output , and is very clear. the Classic is my favorite Duncan pickup ... perfect for most anything i need a pickup to do. i am thinking about pulling the Metal LW from the bridge and putting a Classic back in.
i dont know how the new generation af Livewires are , i only have the original 18 volt versions from the late 80's / 90's
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Post by rabidgerry on Jul 3, 2010 8:39:04 GMT -5
I'm definately sticking with my wiring setup, 26 different wiring options is pretty good for me. I hate the idea of 9v battery dependancy so I'm staying well away from actives. Unfortunately for me I'm a little bit of a traditionalist. Hey chuck, check out the band I'm in/formed. Some rough and not so rough demos on there. www.myspace.com/rabidbitchyou mightn't like it but there ya go. Unfortunately we can't have all our songs on the page to show we tred from thrashy style to hard rock and all inbetween but were working on it.
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Post by sumgai on Jul 3, 2010 12:17:53 GMT -5
Alright, rg, I caught that reference to "some other guy"!
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Post by chuck on Jul 3, 2010 12:20:53 GMT -5
it seems like there is no "perfect" answer when it comes to single coils and heavy music . for me the Neovin pickups / Neovin preamp combination is the closest i have gotten to the ideal of having both traditional-ish Strat tones , and the high output humbucker power i need . it seems like for you and your switching setup that the Chopper might be the best choice. i have a purple one that i will be selling as soon as i find something to replace it with ... you interested ?
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Post by chuck on Jul 4, 2010 11:48:22 GMT -5
hey Gerry , what bridge bucker are you using ?
i am still wracking my brain trying to think of pickups that will work for you ....
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Post by rabidgerry on Jul 5, 2010 9:03:51 GMT -5
Alright, rg, I caught that reference to "some other guy"! Sumgai? do you mean on our myspace? at the nicknames section? lol...........if you don't and I've dreamt this up then thats pretty funny!! Yeah we like to have a bit of humour in our band!!! Chuck, I have a Dirtytwang Bucker from Rock Monkey Guitars in my bridge currently. Its started to squeal on me. You know this feedback thing I've having may be all my fault you know, I may have the mids up too high, in that case how does one have a certain tone that they like loud but with no feedback? Yes my strat has 3 Rockmonkey guitars pups in it at the mo. Chuck if you have listened to our recordings and on that basis are asking my what my bridge pup is I can only say that, I don't think I used a bridge pup on any of those songs!!!!!! Also some tracks are with my Flying V and some are with Flying V and Strat DUAL tracked. Why are you selling your Chopper? Look I like the sound of these GFS Neovins, but how close are we talking that they need to be to the strings? Its the middle one that I hit with the pick so thats the one stopping me get a set of Neovins. I would not go for the Pre-amp however your new avatar and that classic metal look your sporting are enough to convince me.............. I DUNNO!!! I'm all messed up over this!!. Do me a favour, measure how high your Neovins are protruding from your scratchplate will ya please? Now I don't mean distance from the strings just how high the pup is out of its cavity, I'll measure mine later.
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Post by chuck on Jul 5, 2010 9:51:31 GMT -5
i tried to listen to your songs Gerry , but the page wouldnt load for me. i will give it another try.
the Neovins protrude up from the pick guard about 1/4" , or 6.35 mm on my Strat .
i have yet to hit the pole pieces while picking , but we all have our on picking style.
the Tone Zones in the 770 sound ok , just weak and boring , and the Chopper is the same way .... its just there ... you know what i mean ? it dosent inspire me to use it. the main problem in selecting pickups for the RG770 is that the guitar is violet metallic with matching headstock , inlays on the maple board , and pickups. ( i guess purple is as close as Ibanez could get ) perhaps i will be stuck with using those bobbin topper pickup stickers to "make" purple pickups . OR ... when i feel like spending a fortune i could use metal covers , and have them plated , anodized , or some other method to match the guitar. if i can ever find a set of proper Ibanez pickups for it , i will snag 'em up and return the guitar to its original state.
the guitar in the pic is my trusty old Ibanez RG760 ... it has the stock Ibanez/Dimarzio F2 bucker , and a pair of C2 stacked "singles". they are ok , not AWESOME , but i want to leave it original.
you should be able to crank your mids as much as you like without feedback ... at least i would think so . are your pickups wax potted ?
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Post by rabidgerry on Jul 5, 2010 10:41:28 GMT -5
Yeah my pickups are wax potted, my middle was sent back to the pickup maker and then he allegedly potted it in epoxy and still it squeals when I use certain setups, one that springs to mind is a Metalzone patch, with wha in a stuck position, some EQ and then Stereo Chorus and reverb for a bit of ambience and colour.
I don't understand but I'm through with it. As you say about the mid in my eqing, I should be able to have as much as I want so therefore I deduct it not my fault!!!
The pick up maker suggested to me that my switch (and by that I think he meant pickup selector switch) was microphonic, well I've never heard of a microphonic switch before so I deduct BS of the highest order. I love the tone of the pickups I have, however they don't like the volume I play at. I stand at least 10 ft away from my amps and still the feedback keeps coming!!! The safest pickup is the neck (my fav pickup believe it or not) so I'm limited by the squeals as too what combos and stuff I can use or patches on my boss GT-6.
I have a new 5 way selecter switch I may install as an experiment to see if there is truth in the micophonic switch theory but I severly doubt it, I just think I was sold pickups that can't handle what I want them to do. I have my pups screwed so far down into my body to help but still nothing and that sarifices the tone too as it sounded much better higher up to the strings, growlier.
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Post by chuck on Jul 5, 2010 11:20:49 GMT -5
i would really love to try a set of Q-Tuner pickups .... but they are a bit expensive to "try" www.q-tuner.com/having very limited funds sure stinks !
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Post by rabidgerry on Jul 5, 2010 12:04:48 GMT -5
Totally!!! Hey man what do you read into my last post??? Q tuner pups look INSANE!! I wouldn't have one of 'em in my guitar looking like that. I thought about this: Neovin 9 9k - Neck Lil Killer Modern 10k - Middle Power Rails 15k - Bridge
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Post by rabidgerry on Jul 5, 2010 12:19:20 GMT -5
Hmmmm read a review and someone said you need the Neovins right close to the strings!! Not sounding good!! If the pole pieces aren't even part of the pickup and act as a shield why didn't they just make 'em flat? especially since they need to be close to the strings? I'm about to crack up now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by chuck on Jul 5, 2010 13:26:11 GMT -5
you mean about the switch ? i am not electrical genius or expert by ANY stretch of the word , but i have never had a problem with a microphonic selector switch. i have had them become scratchy , cut out , and make popping noises , but never had one feedback.
you can always file the pole pieces to suit your needs ....
as for the rail pickups .... dont they usually attempt to give humbucker tone and power in a single coil sized pickup ? like the Duncan Hotrail .... of course Duncan has the Coolrail , and the Duckbucker , but they are expensive like the Hotrails , and different Dimarzios , etc.
the GFS pickups are cheap enough that you can afford to try them and not be stuck with an overpriced pickup you dont like .
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Post by rabidgerry on Jul 5, 2010 13:44:49 GMT -5
Yes man the rails are more a humbucker, but this is me trying to work out a comprimise. Also in my reading of the the reviews on Harmonay central the Power rails buckers for my bridge position does not seem like the ticket for me, but intstead the Crunchy Rails is more what I'm after according to those folks.
You reckon I could file down the poles? I'd be afraid to. If this was the case I'd get two of them man and stick one in neck and middle, then file the middle accordingly.
Ok man how far away are your pole pieces away from your strings with your Neovin pup in the middle?
I was going for their Modern Lil killer rails at 10k cause the pick probably wont touch the pick up and if it does the rail allow a pick to slide off no problem. This is all a bit of a nightmare. I may have to try and buy.
If I was using the LilKiller Modern 10k in the middle I'd almost certainly ad a switch for parallel/split/series operation for maximum flexibility. I wonder what one of those spilt sounds like?
I have two lil killers in the house in their boxes but of the 15k variety. I might try it with them.
I'm saving those lil Killers for my other strat and replace the two Kent Armstrong HR1R hotrails in there at the mo. They are sweet pickups but I wanna try the GFS rails instead.
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Post by chuck on Jul 5, 2010 13:53:49 GMT -5
the quest for tone is indeed eternal .... and a MAJOR pain in the butt !
and a major pain in the wallet as well .
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Post by rabidgerry on Jul 6, 2010 12:04:55 GMT -5
Chuck, how close are your Neovins to the strings?
I've an idea, if the cover of the neovins is removeable, I could slip on a flat cover may be? I'd obviously need to put something at either end the same height as the highest pole pieces so the cover would sit straight but thats do able.........providing the Neovins have a cover and aren't just pole pieces stuck onto a cover.
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Post by cynical1 on Jul 6, 2010 13:01:36 GMT -5
I know you're working on a tight budget, but let me toss out a suggestion on a Rio Grande pickup. It sounds like the Muy Grande for Strat might fit the bill. Click me! I'm a link!Here's a quick sound sample with the single coil in the neck playing lead and a Muy Grande humbucker in the bridge playing rhythm: Under the InfluenceI know the list price is $90.00 US (59.42 GBP or 71.2523 EUR), however, I have seen them for as low as $35.00 US (23.1096 GBP or 27.71 EUR) on eBay. I scored a Halfbreed RWRP for $30.00 delivered off of eBay...however patience was the virtue of choice on that occasion... Just my 2 cents...(0.0132054 GBP or 0.0158373 EUR) Happy Trails Cynical One
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Post by chuck on Jul 6, 2010 13:07:44 GMT -5
hmmmmm .... if i remember correctly , the pickups are sealed .
i do know that the pole pieces are not the magnets , they are part of the shielding system.
i still wonder if you could safely file the pole pieces to a flatter radius ... i think i will shoot GFS a quick email and find out what they think.
with the strings fretted at the 22nd fret they sit about 1.2mm above the pole pieces on my Strat
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Post by rabidgerry on Jul 15, 2010 9:32:27 GMT -5
Ok as a temporary experiment I stuck in my GFS LIL Killers hot rails into the middle, I'm having lots of fun now!!! Its a humbucker though and I don't want that so I've made my choice as to whatto go with and its www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/Bareknuckle Trilogy Neck and Middle single coil + Holydiver humbucker in bridge Talked to the maker and these seems like a good choice. Its gonna take me a while to save up though!!!
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Post by chuck on Jul 15, 2010 9:43:54 GMT -5
sounds like a fine choice indeed.
i want the Holydiver just for the name ;D i love the old Viv / Dio stuff
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Post by rabidgerry on Jul 16, 2010 9:51:13 GMT -5
sounds like a fine choice indeed. i want the Holydiver just for the name ;D i love the old Viv / Dio stuff Yes well I musta been blind not to see those trilogy singles on their website. The guy who makes 'em didn't actually say they was a good choice for metal, he just said they were a good choice together so I'm taking it he thinks they're good for metal cause I directly asked him that in an e-mail: [glow=red,2,300]see below what he said[/glow] Hi Gerry
yes the Trilogy Suite mid and neck would partner a Holydiver or Painkiller very well and a lot of players go for this type combination. The HD is sweeter and warmer but plenty of output while the PK is tight, aggressive and clear in the highs. I would suggest going with 2 stock wound coils for the mid and neck if you're using series wiring on the in between settings instead of parallel as you'll get much better definition that way. The Trilogy coils aren't actually overwound - I wind them with 44 AWG and they're about in the middle of their range for that gauge wire so you shouldn't get any feedback problems(I also pot the coils thoroughly too!).
kindest regards
TimNever got into to Dio my man, I do like his cousins band though........the Rods!! I have always respected Dio he is and was a legend. Chuck, Viv was from Northern Ireland same as me.....he totally turned his back on metal, still think he's in Def Leppard and they suck b-lls!! I'm currently tripping out on Mercyful fate and just started King Diamond 1st two albums as an intro to his solo stuff. So in love with the sound of the first Mercyful fate album its unreal. My current neck pup gives me a lot of good glassy tones in the same vein, I'm just being ana-l about getting anew set....you kow how it is being a guitarist!!!!
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