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Comments
Who cares if it works for you though!
There are at least 100 amp models on the Axe FX I've never even played a note through, probably more
one of my students has active EMG's
can't say I like them that much myself..
they're a bit too one dimensional for my tastes..
I prefer a nice reasonably hot alnico 5
They're not the same as passives though they work for me very well. I like to use the plain strings a lot in chords under gain and getting those thick while keeping the low end tight and having it all cut is easier for me if I use EMGs, at least in the tuning I use.
I actually think passives feel and can usually sound better, but EMGs better solve the issue of how to translate what I write. They keep the guitar in a certain frequency and dynamic range quite well
it's as much about how you play as it is your tone needs and amp choices..
for riffing I really like super hot / tight ceramics, but head north of the 7th fret and they get shrill
for soloing a hot wound pup with an alnico 4 is soft and dynamic and sweet sounding, but not defined enough for riffing..
for me the moderately hot alnico 5 is the Goldilocks zone
note though that I have a gentle technique and to not pick extremely hard
but I tune D standard and use 11 gauge so the strings have a lot of mass and are a little tighter than 9's tuned concert..
But I love these pickups. I used to be a Bareknuckle fanboi, and I might go back at some point... but I just find the Duncan's a bit more instant gratification. Less carving up of the extreme lows and extreme highs required.
You do have an exceptionally dark sounding Les Paul though which I think keeps the potentially searing high end of those pickups a bit more in check. Plus you play lighter than me - the kind of attack I tend to play with brings out the upper mids a lot, which is possibly why I don't always get on with ceramic passives
PS: Why are we talking in two placez?!
I used to use Di'M Breed [bridge] and Di'M PAF Pro [neck] on my RG's [alder body / Hybrid 9's tuned concert] playing into a Digitect 2120 / Marshall 8008 power amp / Marshall 4x12 cabs..
worked an absolute treat for my playing style and tone choices
I switched to Bulldog.. these have a similar voicing to my previous choices but are more focused / tighter sounding..
the Di'M pups by comparison had a little more of a 'smear' to the tone..
this made them a little more forgiving, where my particular Bulldogs expose more..
but when you play well, the Bulldogs reward you in a way the Di'Ms cannot because of the definition..
note though that having the Bulldogs made this way was a deliberate choice on the part of me, Neil [Morgan] and Hayden [Bulldog].. it's a choice that I quickly realised [especially after my first recordings with them] was absolutely spot on..
interestingly.. my unforgiving pups, through an unforgiving VH4 ch3 [a real one] sounds absolutely spectacular..
I remember Doug [Black Machine] raising his eyebrows, nodding and saying 'yeah yeah' through big smiles at the show in Brum one year..
When I saw a guy like him - that I know has such a critical ear - nodding and smiling I knew I was onto a good thing..
View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
However, overall I really do like this unit
The areas where it is strong, it is very strong
The areas where it is weak, it is very weak
unfortunately for me, two of these weakness are in areas that I need this unit to be strong:
- Pitch Shifter
- multi-tap delay
I am genuinely quite disappointed..
for a moment there I though I had a viable solution that would only incur the loss of a few minor things that I can easily live without..
I have a Fractal AX8 but still prefer to run an EHX Pitch Fork in its FX loop as I'm not entirely happy with the pitch shifting on the AX8. That of course, could be user error but using the Pitch Fork also helps free up DSP
View my feedback at www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/comment/1201922
Good point on the loop.
I have a LT - which after an initial struggle with I love.
Two big turners for me:
Adding two pedals in front of the unit - King of Tone and MXR Phase 95.
Never liked the phaser in the Helix and the addition of drive in front (and a good buffer) spot on!
I probably could get there with more tweaking (and a better understanding of the pitch block!) but the Pitch Fork provided a quick fix with the added benefit of saving DSP.
I find the Pitch Block weak too. I'm seriously considering adding a rack tray and running a POG2 in a loop for octave down FX and 12-string sounds.
R.
Eqd Speaker Cranker clone
Monte Allums TR-2 Plus mod kit
Trading feedback: http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/60602/