SL1 vs SL2H Sustain

[emperor_black]

please dont start another thread about bolt on's vs neck-thru's. There are a LOT of threads about that topic.

I once ordered a Ibanez RG350DX and I swear it had such an incredible sustain...but unfortunately I had to return it because of a defect. I ordered another one but I could never get the sustain of the one I returned. Tried everything...professional setup, strings...no use. I wish I had not returned the former.

BTW, a great setup also helps improve sustain.

[Holy Diver]

I had two RR1s a while back. One sustained for days, the other didn't sustain well and just never felt right. I should have kept the good one. It had the lightning bolt finish. Bad ass guitar. The other was metallic black. I didn't care for the color. It figures it didn't sound as good. lol

[excon]

I'm surprised some acoustic engineer doesn't do a scientific test to answer questions like this. In fact I'll bet someone has. I don't think it would matter much if you were playing rock through a loud amp though.

[Holy Diver]

Didn't Alan Holdsworth use to use one pickup because he felt the neck one took some of the sustain away? It took away some of the string vibration or something like that. I think I remember reading that somewhere.

[Mazrim]

Well, if you're a good lead player or a shredder I figure you'll either use one medium-low output pup in the bridge or most likely something hot in the bridge and a medium output pup in the neck position.

As for sustain. I have never played a Jackson USA that didnt hold a note for all eternity. If it didnt, I'd first look to the set up and electronics. All guitars are different but a Jackson USA should hum forever as standard.

[pro-fusion]

As for sustain. I have never played a Jackson USA that didnt hold a note for all eternity.

Oh, I have. They vary tremendously. Interestingly, the most resonant Jackson I've ever played is my current 1990 Soloist Pro. It's all down to the individual pieces of wood and the way they interact in each guitar. No two sound alike.

[Carbophos]

About sustain and pickups

When we say "sustain" we obviously mean "audible sustain". So there's a natural sustain of string vibration and there is a signal chain making it audible.
The first element in this chain is a pickup.
Now. What we call sustain formally consists of actually sustain (note ringing on a certain level) plus a "tail end" of signal decay. Hotter PU is making decay more audible thus enhancing the sustain. The part of "hot" (we talk about passive pu's) though is a stronger magnetic field that is actually damping string vibration.

So there a crosspoint after where string pull (depends on magnet strength and distance to the strings) makes going "hotter" useless for the sustain.
Too much string pull also distorts the string vibration producing "wolf notes", affecting the pitch etc.

Also there a crosspoint after which having less string pull is useless, because "decay bonus" is lost. Setting pu too far from the strings also steals some top end.

AND. Besides all the wood qualities, neck joints and electronics, in many (if not most) musical situation the key factor to the sustain is our freakin' vibrato.

[Mazrim]

What he said.

[excon]

When you're using a loud amplifier and you strike a note, the amp sends the signal vibration through the air, through the floor, and eventually back to the guitar string. Under these conditions couldn't you sustain a note indefinately, if not longer that normal?

[j2379]

When you're using a loud amplifier and you strike a note, the amp sends the signal vibration through the air, through the floor, and eventually back to the guitar string. Under these conditions couldn't you sustain a note indefinately, if not longer that normal?

YEP. seriously how long do u actually hold one note for. i think the differences in routes for pickups is not enough to make a difference, at all. even my worst sustaining guitar is not much different than my best one.
& as much as i dont like EMGs IMHO they sustain better than passives.

[delt]

When you're using a loud amplifier and you strike a note, the amp sends the signal vibration through the air, through the floor, and eventually back to the guitar string. Under these conditions couldn't you sustain a note indefinately, if not longer that normal?

That's called feedback

[wakeUPdead]

AND. Besides all the wood qualities, neck joints and electronics, in many (if not most) musical situation the key factor to the sustain is our freakin' vibrato.

Now thats the truth.

[roodyrocker]

Bottom line is you can't go wrong with a USA Jackson. Whether its sustain, tone, playability, whatever... They kick much ass!

P.S. If sustain is a really, really, big deal to you just buy a PC-1. It will sustain forever The other option is to buy any other USA Jackson and play it through a Bogner, that will sustain forever too

Rudy

https://www.wickedrocks.com

[Mazrim]

Or use a MT-2 pedal and play around with the settings. Or get a Keeley modded one.


Speaking of Soloists. (I dont own one yet and have always wanted to but the pointy shaped ones got in the way) I think I'm in love.....

http://www.fullersguitar.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&category_id=7&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=63&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=40

[emperor_black]

MT-2 is a lil extreme. just get an OD pedal like the TS or a Bad monkey. Use as lil gain as possible and keep level parked at 50%. You should have enough sustain with as lil coloration as possible.