What "modern" pickups do you like?

[CID Vicious]

Talking 21st century pickups. EMG 81 is damn near old as I am. 

Was on a research tear sparked by other stoner/doom boards. Started with the Lace Winos and checked out all of Fluff's videos.

Am still really impressed by the Alumatone stuff but not enough to make it my tone.

The Fishman Fluence are on my short list of ones to try. Absolutely not your daddy's pickup, & since you effectively get twice the pickup via mode switching actually quite worth the dough. Want actives on a guitar as a "problem solver" axe. Noise, electrocution hazards, etc. RIP EMG.

Wanted to like the 57/61 more but meh, same with the Het Set.

Then I try a Blackjack with the Nazgul/Sentient set.

First off I was just "ok, djent djent djent next..." but subsequent visits on a DSL100 (my GC tester foe going on 2 decades) & a Shiva had me hooked more.

Never played this fluid and took a similar neck thru Schecter with 81/85 to compare. The EMGs similarity in fast playing was good, but not the "leap" single notes have on the Nazgul.

Play Sabbath though and the old "fuck EMGs" comes right back. The Duncans actually, while not precisely "classic" sounding did classic stuff like Hendrix & Cream just fine. Single coil mode is actually pretty dope.

So ok, my rig doesn't sound like a DSL and Bogner is 2300 used for a reason...I had to drag my Laney in.

Holy shit...perfection squared.

Every Keith & Ola vid has the super djent tone going on, & Fluff can't set up a reference tone to save his OCD.

These through a "classic high gain Marshall" style amp is the best of both worlds. Does the classic tones with new clarity, & not the "processed" OG EMG type clarity you wish could be switchdd off.

Just now, wow, didn't know how much extra sludge was up in that same tone. DD103b/Distortion has a certain kinda old school warmth to it in comparison - Keith & Ola actually reference ithe Distortion against the Nazgul in a vid - but falls apart at high speed.

My AOR100 just morphed into a high speed grind machine before my eyes, became 100% more useful to my overall musical quest, & lost IMO no mojo at all for slower doomier shit.

They even do clean.

The Sentient actually really opens the neck pickup back up for sludgier riffage, still clear. Used to be a neck hum addict at first, after getting into detuning though they became almost superfluous. Main guitar is still a single hum Melody Maker, these are likely going in the Epi SG though. If the Nazgul seems a bit too sharp, the Sentient is just right.

Goofy "Dimmu Burger" marketing aside, these are some of the best pickups I've ever played. Dammit Duncan, thought I could quit you...

Going to really have to consider the SH5 Custom's place in the Gibby now, too. I think though that that slot is destined for a Fluence Modern. Two pickup styles and both styles can be split...on versatile single pickup guitar. The DD103s and SH5 will just wind up on lower tier axes anyway :-).be had. Was expecting to hate em and denounce the things as super specialised one trick ponies, now I'm itching to order a set...

Do share...I think classic pickups are fine and all, but in many cases like mine surprising results xann

[CID Vicious]

Mod, should be in Jam Room, my fault.

[ron]

I thought this was going to be about trucks.

[MadJohnShaft]

I like these Korean numbers


Modern pickups? Yo B I got an Apple Watch™ imma tweet that fine ass. From my wrist.

[dogfood]

I'm not a modern pup kinda playa.  Give me alnico pickups and I'm ballin'.  That being said, those Lace Alumitone fuckers look cool as shit.

[MadJohnShaft]

Doesn't this belong in the gear forum?

Hobbies:  nothing is better than when a new interest grabs you and you can't get away.


Someone gives you a "kit" and it's really fun to use and it takes over your mind.  Where has this been on all my life?

After excited research, you buy an insane amount of gear and you try to get it all working but it's all completely useless.   But now - you know the right questions to ask and what stuff to get right.

Then you tearfully replace all those expensive inferior items with platinum equipment that you can use as an expert because now you know what you're doing.


Nick Offerman from Parkson rack goes on these titles and he keeps talking about how important it is to do stuff with your hands I think that's right I don't think if you sit and type into computer work all day... Ugh.

That gear discussion forums seems so fun in there.

[CID Vicious]

Actually the Sentient & I believe Pegasus are Alnico V. The Nazgul is absolutely ceramic, like most pickups I like actually.

As far as the 'gear hunt' thing goes, meh. Been using the MM four over ten years, Tech 21 Tri AC just as long, & the "modern" type Marshall gain it emulates since the 90's. Pickups flavor the basic stew, & as good as the Custom & Distortion are, not perfect.

Seymour Duncan is a man obviously good at what he does; why should his best work necessarily be from when I was in diapers? These are some really great pickups, & much like effects, the era when ypu could say all the cool shit is old shit is past. My M13 does things the pedals it models can't and without the noise a comparable amount of pedals would generate. I'm sold on a Crate Powerblock as a backup or even second head for my effects chain only, leaving the path to the Laney pure.

And good solutions are fairly cheap.

The pickups SD makes are 169 a set vs 249+ for most of the comparable pickups in this vein. If the old school stuff that's all over CL was what I needed, or GFS had anything truly comparable (nope), I'd go that route. Meanwhile, cheaper than many used beater guitars & 'generates' a set of Duncan Designeds I don't hate for said beater.

And...WAY cheaper than buying a head that would give me a similar tone.

Seems like a win to me...basically if you're not that into the Nazgul, the Pegasus & Black Winter all pair up with the Sentient & offer less aggro flavors of the same deal.

As far as working on your playing, I notice even with EMGs my playing improves with clearer pickups. Probably helps aid the ear, but also clearer pickups are less tolerant of slop. Which in many opinions is why some players hate em and want the muck.

Meh...to me that's what pickups are for. Totally intend on building a smokey, vintage sounding beater with some Mean 90s in it. The Gibby may yet retain the Custom, but gotta say the appeal to me of the Fishman Fluence is their ability to elimiate the need for another guitar, having a choice of pickup profiles in it. They also have the quick swapping ability like EMGs so if I wanted one Fluence Modern & one Classic, & you're covered no matter where the writing process goes.

IMHO in some cases it wasn't better back when...who would want a Pignose over a Mini3?

Meanwhile, same ol' Laney, & a guitar that Leslie West coulda played...:-)

[black aspirin]

Don't worry, Godshifter will move this to the Jam Room by 2016.

[deleted account]

isn't this one Volv0)))))))'s responsibility?  and just what is the Mod Squad jurisdictional hierarchy?

[juan11]

They equally hate us equally.

[VOLVO)))]

I can't move shit in Gen disc.

[jibberish]

hey CID.   

one day I was in guitar center checking out those nice re-issue fender 85w combos and I needed a guitar off the wall
so I look and I see a used schecter string thru with a strap hahaha. yeah, so I grab it because of the strap.

anyway, I start auditioning combos and everything is sounding amazing. so I went over to a different brand of tube amp and tried the schecter on those.
that guitar sounds better thru tube amps than any other guitar I have, so I bought the little fucker on the spot.
it is one of those solid slabs with string thru and passive EMG's, and bat wing fretboard inlays.  draculaxe!!!

so now fast forward to me having an Egnator Tweaker(shutup juan lol) and any  fender/AC3/Marshall tonestack combo I can come up with, sounds godly.  no pedals.

regarding pedals, just get a phucking pharaoh supreme.  it has not 1 but 2 tone boosters to put all your detail back into the fuzz. it's like a box of pedals in one pedal.

and to think musician's friend had swollen pickles in their "stupid deal of the day" for $49 one time. ...we all missed that boat

[jibberish]

MadToneShaft, get this and the matching 1x12" speaker cabinet with a, now pay attention and repeat after me, "greenback celestion" in it. if you say that, they will know you mean business.  

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Tweaker

edit: ps never turn on your new tube amp without a speaker plugged in. you can toast 3 of the 4 most expensive things inside the amp.

[Dunedin]

I thought this was going to be about trucks.

Shocker thought it was about single moms.

[Muffin Man]

I smell something fishy, edit: about this entire thread. Its placement, supposition and rollcall

[RacerX]

I favor P-90s.

They've been around a little longer than I have & can be a bit noisy, but I remain in love with their bark & grunt.

[bitter]

I use too much gain for more "modern" pups. I think the classic sets keep the tone warm without getting thin.

I'd still like to try something modern that isn't too hot in the bridge and maybe a humbucker sized p90 for the neck. Maybe something with a different eq structure.

[Sleazy Cortez]

i like the Ford Ranger. it's better on gas than a full size and still has juuust enough room in the bed to fit an an entire 3piece band's gear. and just enough room in the cab to fit the 3piece band. Made to last too. My last one had 244,000 miles on it when I sold it for $1300.

[Dylan Thomas]

Small ones.  The Toyota S10 is my favorite.

[VOLVO)))]

Modern kills it. Datsun/Toyota Hiluxes plz

[khoomeizhi]

my ol' lady drives a '95 nissan xe...that's a pretty sweet li'l truck.

[RalphSnart_2]

Just today saw a massive pickup roll over the front of a tiny hatchback in the parking lot of a grocery store. Demolished the front drivers side of the hatchback but curiously the headlight appeared to be intact. Pickup had the rear passenger side tire blow. My first thought was "what an idiot". Drove by on my way out and saw that it was a young woman with a baby, waiting on the tailgate of the truck for the owner of the hatchback to come out of the store. Then I felt bad.

[mortlock]

im digging the 'staple' pick ups in my hofner club bass. not modern, but totally killer. they work well with fuzz.

im not really into modern pickups. the emg 81 is as modern as i want to get.

[Danny G]

Dimarzio P-rails sound interesting. A humbucker sized P90 with a thin rail. Coil tapable of course

Sent from my QTAQZ3 using Tapatalk

[juan11]