[Drew]

Originally Posted by The Dark Wolf

And ironically, IIRC, Chris wasn't nuts about the 707 in the neck.

Diff'rent Strokes.

Look at the amount of gain he plays through, and the amount I do.

It's funny, because he absolutely loves the Blaze neck, whereas I kind of preferred the 707 neck if you overlook how sensitive to string noise all that treble makes it.

[noodles]

Originally Posted by The Dark Wolf

Uhm, Dave? I did a magnet swap (as I've posted on here many times. ) I know it has an Alnico 5... that's why my Air Norton 7 neck pickup now has an Alnico 5 magnet. I put a ceramic in there to tighten up the bottom. Still wasn't peanuts on the Blaze.

Oh, gotcha. You essentially made yourself a Custom.

But I've A/B'd the Blaze and the JB (with and without Alnico ) side by side in both guitars. To be honest, there is no comparison. The Blaze has a way more defined bottom.

Well, you're wrong.

[The Dark Wolf]

Originally Posted by noodles

Oh, gotcha. You essentially made yourself a Custom.



Well, you're wrong.

Heh

Yeah, I don't usually like to state things so unequivocally. There is mucho room for interpretation, especially regarding tone. I wish you could be hear it for yourself, though, and I could show you. Maybe I'll have to post some A/B clips for you using my Squier 7. It's alder, so it's closer to basswood.

The JB has much more of a 'pretty' sound, and nicer mids and treble, but man o man, that's why I said it the way I did before. The difference in the clarity of the bass register and the low strings is not only obvious, but dramatic. Much as I wanted to love the JB, I just couldn't get past that darn woooly bass.




Oh, btw! The JB with a ceramic magnet is a Distortion, essentially, IIRC. The Distortion just uses a huge, mondo magnet. IIRC...

[noodles]

Originally Posted by The Dark Wolf

The JB has much more of a 'pretty' sound, and nicer mids and treble, but man o man, that's why I said it the way I did before. The difference in the clarity of the bass register and the low strings is not only obvious, but dramatic. Much as I wanted to love the JB, I just couldn't get past that darn woooly bass.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not worshiping the thing. It just happens to be the best pickup (for what I play) that I have found so far. I'm anxiously awaiting the Wolfetone Mike has coming in. If he can tighten up the low end, while keeping the "singing" character of the pickup, then I'm sending mine out to get rewound.

The only perfect pickup I have come across thus far is the Duncan Jazz neck. I can't think of anything I would want to change about it.

Oh, btw! The JB with a ceramic magnet is a Distortion, essentially, IIRC. The Distortion just uses a huge, mondo magnet. IIRC...

I thought the Custom was the JB windings with a ceramic magnet, the Distortion was that with thinner wire and more windings, the Custom Custom was the JB with an Alnico II, and the Custom 5 was a Custom Custom with more windings. I never remember, since they all started from the JB base, and changed from there.

[The Dark Wolf]

Originally Posted by noodles

Don't get me wrong, I'm not worshiping the thing. It just happens to be the best pickup (for what I play) that I have found so far. I'm anxiously awaiting the Wolfetone Mike has coming in. If he can tighten up the low end, while keeping the "singing" character of the pickup, then I'm sending mine out to get rewound.

The only perfect pickup I have come across thus far is the Duncan Jazz neck. I can't think of anything I would want to change about it.



I thought the Custom was the JB windings with a ceramic magnet, the Distortion was that with thinner wire and more windings, the Custom Custom was the JB with an Alnico II, and the Custom 5 was a Custom Custom with more windings. I never remember, since they all started from the JB base, and changed from there.

I'm actually talking to Wolfe via e-mail right now about some pickup questions. I want to try the DS7 with an Alnico magnet. I love my Air Norton that way. I';m with you on the jazz, BTW. Great pickup.

I just checked the Duncan forum, and they say a JB A5 magnet swapped with a ceramic is a DD. AS for the rest, I don't know.

[noodles]

OK, so I'm wrong.

Hmm, I wonder what a TZ7 with an Alnico magnet would sound like. I really liked the TZ, and am disappointed in Dimarzio's ceramic and only ceramic for the seven stringers approach.

[The Dark Wolf]

Originally Posted by noodles

OK, so I'm wrong.

Hmm, I wonder what a TZ7 with an Alnico magnet would sound like. I really liked the TZ, and am disappointed in Dimarzio's ceramic and only ceramic for the seven stringers approach.

You're probably right on the rest, though.


I agree with you. See, I love the TZ, too. But the 7-string? Bleah. I dunno... it seems to lack fundamentally those highs and bass that make a pickup have any sort of clarity or fideltiy. But it has mids aplenty...

With the Air Norton, it has a rounded character, but nice bass, and smooth mids. It had just a touch of ceramic sterility, though. Almost like it didn't quite breathe. I put the A5 in, and the treble softened in a subtely beautiful way, almost like an old Strat neck pickup. The mids became a bit more open, and uncompressed. Bass stayed the same, output dropped off just a tiny bit, and overall clarity remained the same, if not improving a bit because of the sweeter mids and increased dynamics.

I'm thinking the DS7 is already so clear, there won't be any real loss of clarity if I swap magnets. And if it sweetens up just a bit, it'll probably be terrific. The only issue is finding 7-string sized Alnico magnets. FrankFalbo says a 2.5" P-90 type magnet will work, and he has a few. I can't wait to get my new DS7 prototype from Steve, see how that works.

[noodles]

Originally Posted by The Dark Wolf

I'm thinking the DS7 is already so clear, there won't be any real loss of clarity if I swap magnets. And if it sweetens up just a bit, it'll probably be terrific. The only issue is finding 7-string sized Alnico magnets. FrankFalbo says a 2.5" P-90 type magnet will work, and he has a few. I can't wait to get my new DS7 prototype from Steve, see how that works.

Why not buy up Duncan Designed pickups, and take the magnets out of them. That is probably the only thing those pickups are good for.

[The Dark Wolf]

Originally Posted by noodles

Why not buy up Duncan Designed pickups, and take the magnets out of them. That is probably the only thing those pickups are good for.

Are you certain those use Alnico?

[noodles]

Some of them do, some of them don't.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/product...igndescr.shtml