F*ck with a CS Star?

[84sups]

As long as it works! How do they sound? Been wanting to try those out but not 100% sure I'll like them.

[vector]

It works. The Gus G's have some killer note articulation, harmonics scream but lacks low end crispness or tightness. If they could customize me a set that had better low end definition, I'd say they were the best I've heard.

[84sups]

Hmmmm, you can put other passives in there and it will tweak the sound from what SD is saying. If you have other Duncans laying around I'd throw something else in there. You should have that down to a science now

[vector]

Hmmmm, you can put other passives in there and it will tweak the sound from what SD is saying. If you have other Duncans laying around I'd throw something else in there. You should have that down to a science now

Yeah, I've heard that recently as well. Just a matter of finding the right p'up and then getting over the fact that I just dropped 120 on p'ups that I'm gonna be getting rid of in short order.

[84sups]

I would say try something you already have and see how it tweaks your sound. Never know a JB may sound amazing with that preamp

[vector]

JB's might be okay but I've grown fond of Customs lately...

[bombtek]

I still think that you should try out a Jackson J-95 man. It's one TASTY sounding pickup! Might be exactly what you're looking for.

[vector]

bombtek- the more I play the new Gus G's, the more I like them. There is a certain ease to which I can coax nuances and various effects out of the guitar, no doubt made possible by the pre-amp. Oddly enough, it's the neck p'up that really sounds good for sweeping and fast, upper register flurry of notes. I'll be the first to admit that they still lack something in the low registers of tone. Needs some tightening, emphasizing of the lows, imo.

[leftykingv2]

After 2+ years pf playing my Custom Shop Star, I've decided I really like passive p'ups better. There's cases to be made for both types, but as a unapologetic waste-product of the 80's shred/hair metal era, I just dig the sound of a good passive humbucker. Leads to my two questions:

1) Do I risk fucking with a CS ax and go for the sound I'm really wanting- passive?

2) If so, which p'ups for it?

I'm a fan of SD JB's, Customs, EVH Frankensteins, WCR Murkat Floyd Specifics. Wondering which would work best for an 80's sound with a little more bottom than, say, the EVH or JB. No scooped mids, easy pinch and open harmonics and well-suited for lots of Floyd work are a must.

The ax has an alder body with maple bolt on neck and rosewood board. Very warm and crunchy sounding.

The Screamin Demon Trembucker sounds great. Harmonics just fly off of it but it's not very hot. It's like a modded 59 with more mids. I have it in three of my guitar. Ones Mahogany, one basswood and one maple and it sounds great in all three and distinctively different as well. I am with you on the fact that you like Passive more than active.

[BigE13]

I tell you, if you are looking for a deep but focused low end with all the great harmonics and note articulation, I have to go with the BKP Nailbombs. Excellent pups. I have one in a model 2 that just screams. I went with the Alnico vs the ceramic. It is really versatile too. I have no problem getting heavy chugs all the way to AC/DC and 80's rock/metal.

[vector]

I tell you, if you are looking for a deep but focused low end with all the great harmonics and note articulation, I have to go with the BKP Nailbombs. Excellent pups. I have one in a model 2 that just screams. I went with the Alnico vs the ceramic. It is really versatile too. I have no problem getting heavy chugs all the way to AC/DC and 80's rock/metal.

I shouldn't be condemning BKP's because of one bad experience but truth is, it really soured me to using them. The Holy Diver didn't even arrive in good working order and rather than waste time and money sending it back over the big pond, I allowed my luthier, who is EXCEPTIONALLY knowledgeable about pickups, to effect the repair. Still, the pickup was weak and sounded anemic. It had a nice rhythm sound but was just blah for leads.

I still want to try a SD BMP 1 or an EMG preamp with a low output p'up like the Screamin' Demon. Just want tighter, defined lows but with the same response dynamics I get with the Gus G's.

[leftykingv2]

The Demon is a really under rated pick up. I love it and I am not even using a preamp. If you have a nice tube amp they sound awesome.

[vector]

The Demon is a really under rated pick up. I love it and I am not even using a preamp. If you have a nice tube amp they sound awesome.

My concern would be that, as a lower output p'up I would not be able to achieve the effortless picking dynamics and various "tricks" like pinch, open and and tapped harmonics, whammy bar responsiveness, etc.

[leftykingv2]

My concern would be that, as a lower output p'up I would not be able to achieve the effortless picking dynamics and various "tricks" like pinch, open and and tapped harmonics, whammy bar responsiveness, etc.

Trust me on one thing Harmonics scream on the demon. Be it tapped pinch or open they fly off the strings even on my basswood Ibanez. It really is such an under rated pick up in so many ways. Not to mention how incredible it sounds when you really drive the amp. It's got a big wide open sound and a ton of balls and mids and highs. Go try one out in another guitar if you can first. Play one and you'll love it bro. Plus you can play anything on it from Metal to Jazz, blues anything. Oh yeah sorry I didn't mention it before but that is a fucking killer axe bro!!!

[j2379]

The lower the pickup out put the more dynamics and nuances it can produce. I had a long conversation with one of Duncans CS guys when i ordered a custom filtertron. the higher the output the smaller the frequency response, as output goes up you tend to lose tone, overtones and harmonics. this is part of the reason high output pups seem to have a tone focused in a certain range, and why active pickups have a broader frequency range and that sound that you can't get from a passive.

My concern would be that, as a lower output p'up I would not be able to achieve the effortless picking dynamics and various "tricks" like pinch, open and and tapped harmonics, whammy bar responsiveness, etc.