[Zepp88]

Thanks! Very informative, this inspires me to play around with magnet swaps

[noodles]

UPDATE: I did some more recording last night on Division's preproduction demo, so I really got to put the pickup through the paces.

Before you ask, no, you can't hear it yet. Yes, once we get some vocals on it and Mike has a chance to give it the rough mix/master job, you'll get to hear it. So, on to the observations.

I was having a tough time dialing up a good rhythm tone with the JB. The only effect difference between the guitars Mike and I are using is the body sides. We're both play maple neckthru guitars with ebony fretboards, both have synthetic nuts, both have Spertzel tuners, and both are string-thru TonePros TOM bridges. His is a Soloist with alder wings, mine is a V with mahogany wings. We both use 1mm picks (ultex versus acetate), we both use D'addario strings (mine are significantly heavier), we both plays Rectos, and we both use a G-Major effects. In this case, we are using a Zoom modeler for all the demos, with effects from the Roland hard drive recorder.

The net effect of this is extremely similar sounds, which has two negative effects. First, any slight deviance in our playing on unison is amplified, making it readily apparent. I was spending a lot of time punching in little things to get it sounding right. When we're both on, though, it sounds like one huge guitar. Second, the lighter strings and alder body sides make Mike's guitar much brighter than mine. I had to keep the bass control down, or anything below the A string would fart out from all that mahogany. The heavier strings killed some of the snap I would get from the initial attack. I was literally getting lost in the mix.

Well, not anymore. The Custom5-7 does a much better job of complimenting the tonal response of my guitar. Rather than riding the bass knob and worrying about muddy bass response, I was riding the bass knob and worrying about burying our bassist. In the end, I maybe moved it down a hair--the bass response on this pickup is far punchier and more authoritative than the JB-7. It was easy to get too scooped with this pickup, so I brought the mids up a notch, really filling out the lower midrange, complimenting the aggressive upper midrange attack of Mike's guitar. I was able to tweak the treble knob to get the right level of attack without sounding thin.

Before, things sounded like one big guitar, with a lot of fighting for the same frequency range. In a situation like this, alder is always going to beat out mahogany, because it is an extremely bright, percussive wood. Things still sound like one big guitar, but that is because I am now filling the holes left behind by Mike's guitar. I'm letting the thick lower mids of mahogany flesh out the sound, as well as giving a thick punch to the bass response, almost as if I'm connecting the dots between Mike's guitar and Ron's bass. It was far easier on me to get comfortable and play with authority, because I wasn't straining to hear myself in the mix.

I'll be excited to hear how this mixes with the Wolfe rewind Mike now uses. Between my Custom5-7 and the rewound JB-7, I am no longer satisfied with the standard JB-7: the bass is too wooly and the mids lack the authoritative growl I'm looking for in metal.

I won't hesitate to recommend this pickup swap to anyone with a mahogany bodied guitar that is still searching for their sound. I also highly recommend talking to Wolfe Macleod if your name is Bob and you think the JB is a great lead pickup, but is just too flubby for rhythm.

[GWD]

Thanks for that Noodles. I was thinking more, after my last post, about putting an Alnico V into the M7 again. Was wondering if it would sound too dark with Alnico in my all mahogany S7320. But based on your analysis of the result in your pickup I should be more than alright.

[Zepp88]

Excelent, I happen to play a Mahogany guitar, and my custom will also be Mahogany.

Does the Custom - 7 come in green by any chance?

Edit: I just answered my own question, yes, it does Custom5-7 may be a good pickup to try..I wonder if it is better than the Evo7?

[noodles]

Originally Posted by Zepp88

Does the Custom - 7 come in green by any chance?

Edit: I just answered my own question, yes, it does Custom5-7 may be a good pickup to try..I wonder if it is better than the Evo7?

No, it doesn't. Duncan only makes their seven string pickups in black.

[Zepp88]

Originally Posted by noodles

No, it doesn't. Duncan only makes their seven string pickups in black.

Damn, the website didn't specify that. That's my favorite thing about DiMarzio, everything comes in many colors!

I wonder if I could get similar results using/modding DiMarzios?

[WarriorOfMetal]

Originally Posted by noodles

UPDATE: I did some more recording last night on Division's preproduction demo, so I really got to put the pickup through the paces.

Before you ask, no, you can't hear it yet. Yes, once we get some vocals on it and Mike has a chance to give it the rough mix/master job, you'll get to hear it. So, on to the observations.

I was having a tough time dialing up a good rhythm tone with the JB. The only effect difference between the guitars Mike and I are using is the body sides. We're both play maple neckthru guitars with ebony fretboards, both have synthetic nuts, both have Spertzel tuners, and both are string-thru TonePros TOM bridges. His is a Soloist with alder wings, mine is a V with mahogany wings. We both use 1mm picks (ultex versus acetate), we both use D'addario strings (mine are significantly heavier), we both plays Rectos, and we both use a G-Major effects. In this case, we are using a Zoom modeler for all the demos, with effects from the Roland hard drive recorder.

The net effect of this is extremely similar sounds, which has two negative effects. First, any slight deviance in our playing on unison is amplified, making it readily apparent. I was spending a lot of time punching in little things to get it sounding right. When we're both on, though, it sounds like one huge guitar. Second, the lighter strings and alder body sides make Mike's guitar much brighter than mine. I had to keep the bass control down, or anything below the A string would fart out from all that mahogany. The heavier strings killed some of the snap I would get from the initial attack. I was literally getting lost in the mix.

Well, not anymore. The Custom5-7 does a much better job of complimenting the tonal response of my guitar. Rather than riding the bass knob and worrying about muddy bass response, I was riding the bass knob and worrying about burying our bassist. In the end, I maybe moved it down a hair--the bass response on this pickup is far punchier and more authoritative than the JB-7. It was easy to get too scooped with this pickup, so I brought the mids up a notch, really filling out the lower midrange, complimenting the aggressive upper midrange attack of Mike's guitar. I was able to tweak the treble knob to get the right level of attack without sounding thin.

Before, things sounded like one big guitar, with a lot of fighting for the same frequency range. In a situation like this, alder is always going to beat out mahogany, because it is an extremely bright, percussive wood. Things still sound like one big guitar, but that is because I am now filling the holes left behind by Mike's guitar. I'm letting the thick lower mids of mahogany flesh out the sound, as well as giving a thick punch to the bass response, almost as if I'm connecting the dots between Mike's guitar and Ron's bass. It was far easier on me to get comfortable and play with authority, because I wasn't straining to hear myself in the mix.

I'll be excited to hear how this mixes with the Wolfe rewind Mike now uses. Between my Custom5-7 and the rewound JB-7, I am no longer satisfied with the standard JB-7: the bass is too wooly and the mids lack the authoritative growl I'm looking for in metal.

I won't hesitate to recommend this pickup swap to anyone with a mahogany bodied guitar that is still searching for their sound. I also highly recommend talking to Wolfe Macleod if your name is Bob and you think the JB is a great lead pickup, but is just too flubby for rhythm.

that's awesome....i'm really interested to see what the ceramic magnet does to the JB-7. i'll try to record before/after clips.

[noodles]

Originally Posted by WarriorOfMetal

that's awesome....i'm really interested to see what the ceramic magnet does to the JB-7. i'll try to record before/after clips.

It turns it into a Duncan Distortion.

[WarriorOfMetal]

Originally Posted by noodles

It turns it into a Duncan Distortion.

from what i understand, the Distortion actually has an oversized magnet, so the likely smaller one from the Custom should make it a little lower output than the Distortion, right?

but what i'm really hoping for, is that it'll tighten up the bottom and make it maybe a little punchier, and maybe help w/ the clarity...what do you think?

[eaeolian]

Originally Posted by WarriorOfMetal

from what i understand, the Distortion actually has an oversized magnet, so the likely smaller one from the Custom should make it a little lower output than the Distortion, right?

but what i'm really hoping for, is that it'll tighten up the bottom and make it maybe a little punchier, and maybe help w/ the clarity...what do you think?

I think you should send it to Wolfe at Wolfetone, and you'll get exactly what you want without ceramic harshness. Seriously.