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The Pickup Place / Re: new neck pickup: gravity storm or EVO neck?

« on: December 08, 2015, 03:49:38 AM »

What type of music are you playing?  What sort of pedals and amp?  Is there an example of a song that has the ideal neck tone you are wanting?

I'm playing in a band general hard rock and instrumental progressive rock/metal. I use my ibanez mostly for the instrumental progressive rock/metal, my other guitar makes it for 70's to 90's hard rock for now (maybe a SD in the bridge one day...)
My amp is a flextone III and I use often a modded crybaby wah and nothing else.
There is not really a "perfect neck pup tone" I'm wanting, I'm more following my ears than rather trying to imitate a tone I like, but I like Vai's sound, the petrucci sound too (on Black clouds) but this is liquifire and highly processed.

Can you be more specific about what's going on with the PAF Pro, the AN and the PAF Joe?  What about them do you like and don't like?  What are you looking for more and/or less of?

Paf pro: very good overall, but I'd like to have more punch, more bite and more personality. It lacks of agressivity but I'm not sure I put the right words on my feeling. Really like the open wah sound

AN: way too much damped, doesn't go out of the mix in a band situation with my amp settings (I go out of the mix with either the Paf Pro or Paf Joe).

Paf Joe: Really liked the harmonics and the open wha sound, but in the end it's too bright and too dull/soft attack for progressive metal / progressive rock leads. Much better on a 22-fret guitar for hard rock style.

I used to have a double whammy (DP150) in the neck slot for several years, the higher output, the particular EQ and the ceramic magnet gave a higher punch / agressivity. I liked that punch/agressivity. Obviously my sound was very unique and I liked that but became bored of the overwhelming mids after ca. 5 years.

So the PP is quite good but I'd like something as I tried to describe above. The EVO neck description on the DImarzio website states: "fat, punchy and loud".

The guys at DiMarzio said that neither the GS nor the EVO neck would make it, and proposed the Illuminator neck and the transition neck, I must say that I'm surprised and upset...
The pickup picker never stops to propose the GS, illuminator or liquifire (I had a chance to test a liquifire on a JP6 and was disappointed).

I'd like a tight sound with a great pick attack response and harmonics.

17

The Pickup Place / Re: new neck pickup: gravity storm or EVO neck?

« on: December 06, 2015, 10:45:35 AM »

i use the evo bridge and it's fatttt, but a bit dark and ice picking

you're talking about the bridge version, but I'm searching for a new neck pup.

Neither of them is fatter than the PAF Pro. Breed neck maybe? GS neck sounds great from what I've heard.

In fact the PP is great one, but I'm searching for some more agressivity / attack so my thinking drives me towards the evo neck.

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The Pickup Place / Re: new neck pickup: gravity storm or EVO neck?

« on: December 01, 2015, 03:50:48 PM »

no one to help me? 

19

The Pickup Place / new neck pickup: gravity storm or EVO neck?

« on: November 23, 2015, 04:21:35 PM »

hey there


time for a new neck pickup for my '95 ibanez rg 550 ltd (basswood body and 1 piece maple neck), the neck pup is a paf pro for the moment but I'd like a more agressive sound (more bite) and a bit fatter.
The bridge is the EVO2.
I already tried an Air norton (not for me) and a paf joe: too bright (but great overtones)
My initial research drove me to the EVO neck (ceramic in the neck is a good option, plus all the reviews and sounds gave me a good confidence in my choice but I've been advised that the gravity storm neck might fit my needs. It's a different animal, but I pretty much like the sounds I've heard. Not many reviews on internet, which make me ask the question here, considering my wish, which of the EVO neck or the GS neck would you advise me?
I'm not really willing to have the SV sound, but I'd like more personality than with the paf pro (which is good but still not enough)


thanks for your help!

20

The Pickup Place / Re: Pickups that have left you less than impressed?

« on: November 17, 2014, 03:22:08 AM »

Air Norton: too smooth, kinda dampening all notes, didn't like it at all

Have you tried flipping it? It becomes a bit brighter and open sounding. I agree it's kinda smooth, but too me not too smooth.

Yes I tried, but considering how smooth it was, the flipping was not enough. I must say I was very disappointed as this was the neck pup of Petrucci for years and though it would fit well the neck slot of my basswood body ibanez RG. But if fact, it was a fail...

21

The Pickup Place / Re: Pickups that have left you less than impressed?

« on: November 13, 2014, 04:22:19 AM »

Tone Zone: way too bassy even in a bright guitar
Air Norton: too smooth, kinda dampening all notes, didn't like it at all
Fred: kinda thin to my ears, but still like Satch tone (like to hear but not to have that tone with my guitar)

22

Everything you wanted to know about .... / Re: PAF Joe

« on: October 31, 2014, 11:51:40 AM »

I really like it in the neck position due to its enhanced treble (compared to most humbuckers) and slight bass cut. It gets a nice bubbly sound with distortion and clean, it's smooth and clear. My reference points are other neck pickups I have tried or have like the Air Norton, PAF Pro, Humbucker from Hell, 36th PAF Neck and the Chopper.

I really agree with Matt_B, I absolutely love this pickup and can't understand how you cannot like it! The classic rock n' roll vide is awesome!

23

Everything you wanted to know about .... / Re: PAF Joe

« on: November 18, 2013, 05:06:10 AM »

Hi.
I've A/B a Paf Joe I own for more than 2 years (neck position of RG550: basswood body with maple neck and rosewood fingerboard).
The Joe lacks of bass in the situation, the Pro is just what I was looking for.
But after reading many reviews of the Joe looks to be very sensitive to the wood configuration and position (22frets or 24 frets).