Seymour Duncan Invader - Opinions

[Greg Crowe]

What do you guys think of the Invader? I'm not much of a fan of Seymour Duncan pickups. I've never found one that had the right balance of output and low/mid/highs. The JB is OK but too weak on the low end. The Duncan Distortion has great output but once again isn't voiced for much low end. The Screamin' Demon sounds like a mild JB to me. The Invader has always seemed to be too high output with crazy feedback and harmonics.

Today I took a neck-thru Jackson with an Invader and lowered the pickup in the pickup cavity. It's actually starting to sound pretty good. I've never seen another pickup that had harmonics like the Invader. The Invader just oozes with wild harmonics. I'm almost starting to like it..... as far as Duncans go. JB's have always been ultra sensitive to pickup height and sound muddy with no string definition if they're too close to the strings. This darn Invader is actually sounding pretty good with it fairly low in the cavity. What do you guys think of the Invader?

For reference, my favorite pickups are the DiMarzio Super Distortion, Lawrence L-500, EMG89 in alder/basswood guitars and EMG81 in mahogany guitars.

[straycat]

Re: Seymour Duncan Invader - Opinions

My only experience was with a B.C.Rich stealth.Alder body bolt on maple neck and 2 Duncan invaders.2 vol 2 tone and 3 way toggle.
This guitar had so much bottom end it was scary.I too lowered the pickups and found harmonics all over the fretboard.The guitar was an 84 NJ import and the pickups were original to the guitar.I purchased it from the original owner in 1996.The paper work from B.C.Rich stated STEALTH 2 HUM DI FROST BLUE REV.I love the old invaders, haven't tried the new ones they may have a different sound altogether. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[jgcable]

Re: Seymour Duncan Invader - Opinions

Me too. The trick to using the Invader is having it far away from the strings and suspended with pickup bezels. There are only 2 reasons why I don't use them. 1. they look like ass with the fugly large poles. 2. They don't balance well with single sized pickups unless you are using something really hot like a hot rail.

[toejam]

Re: Seymour Duncan Invader - Opinions

Yep, the Invader is great and has lots of gain, harmonics and overtones, but it can be overkill if it's too close to the strings. It's got lots of bass and low mids. I bought two old non-logoed Invaders off Doc and put them in the Kelly XLR I used to have (alder body, or maybe it was poplar?)... talk about low end punch with clarity!!! I traded the guitar and sometimes miss it, but I would definitely go with Invaders again if given the chance.

[mm2002]

Re: Seymour Duncan Invader - Opinions

I just bought another Invader a couple of weeks ago and now 6 of my guitars are equipped with them. They are my absolute favorite bridge pup! (don't really like 'em in the neck pos.) You guys are right about backing them away from the strings a little, and if you want a total shred raise 'em up closer. I've got one of mine set up with a coil tap (bridge pos., inner coil) and it sounds awesome! If they are set up right they have great warmth and clarity and can flat out scream if you want them to!
Oh and BTW, I love those big huge ugly pole pieces!! [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/poke.gif[/img] at John

[bombtek]

Re: Seymour Duncan Invader - Opinions

You guys might not agree, but I find that the Invader (my favorite non-stock p/u) is ALOT like the Jackson J-95 (my favorite stock Jackson p/u)found in the Model 88, the Model 5A and the Model 5FX. The harmonics are so damn easy to produce its scary.

[toejam]

Re: Seymour Duncan Invader - Opinions

Eh, the J95 is okay, but I don't think it's anywhere near to what the Invader is. I think the J95 in my Model 5A could use a bit more of something.

[Black Mask]

Re: Seymour Duncan Invader - Opinions

Greg - I really don't have an opinion on the Invader, but I think you're dead wrong about the JB and the Screamin Demon. It's all about opinion and personal experience of course, but I've found the JB to be a great all-arounder. The Demon, although lower in output, is neither weak nor a JB clone. It's a lot "huskier" than what some people are used to, especially if you dig the squealing metallic highs of EMGs. But it's all about personal opinion, so rock on.

I've heard good things about Invaders, too. mm2002's review makes me want to get one myself.

[JACKSONFREAK]

Re: Seymour Duncan Invader - Opinions

I had an Invader in one of my guitars back in the 80's and i liked it alot although I did have feedback problems with it but then it could've been my rig at the time too. To me the INvader sounded like a really hot and midrange heavier JB. I've thought about trying one again just to refresh my memory on them and too try differant things in a few guitars that just don't seem 100% tone wise. Although 99% is sometimes close enough.
Gil

[jack w]

Re: Seymour Duncan Invader - Opinions

i've never played with a one but a hade a detonator which is suppose to be a "clone" of the invader and it lack some high and had to much mid.i know this is not the same pup but it turn me off to the idea of having a real invader.are those 2 pup's realy different...where i live i cant try them all before i buy.

[Greg Crowe]

Re: Seymour Duncan Invader - Opinions

Originally posted by Black Mask:
Greg - I really don't have an opinion on the Invader, but I think you're dead wrong about the JB and the Screamin Demon. It's all about opinion and personal experience of course, but I've found the JB to be a great all-arounder.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">You know, I used to be a hater of Duncan JB's. I think they changed something in them over the years. The old ones that came in Kramer Barettas in the 80's sounded pretty decent. The newer ones are very, very fickle and sensitive to installed pickup height. I think they are also very inconsistent in output. I'm starting to come around though as I mess with them more and play with pickup height. The newer ones sound like ass and get all muddy if you get them close to the strings. This guitar that I put the Invader in(99 King Kelly Custom) had a stock JB that sounded terrible no matter what I did with it. Other Jacksons I have with stock JB's sound OK as long as you spend some time adjusting the pickup height. They are well balanced and the output is fairly good. If they just had more low end I'd like them better.

[shreddermon]

Re: Seymour Duncan Invader - Opinions

I used to have a single-hum SD 'vel with an Invader. Great for the chugga-chugga, not so good for the meedly, meedly. A one trick pony, IMHO. Not particularly versatile, tone-wise.

[toejam]

Re: Seymour Duncan Invader - Opinions

Originally posted by Greg Crowe:
Other Jacksons I have with stock JB's sound OK as long as you spend some time adjusting the pickup height. They are well balanced and the output is fairly good. If they just had more low end I'd like them better.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">The '95 Hamer Special FM I bought from Pete had the JB/'59 combo. I thought the JB had a nice treble and high mid sound, it just was lacking a little low end to balance it out. It's got two EMG 81s in it now and sounds much better and brought out what the JB was lacking.

[straycat]

Re: Seymour Duncan Invader - Opinions

I did some work on a les paul recently that had 3 invaders and it sounded like ass.The guy had the pole pieces cranked all the way up as well as the pickups.The vol and tone pots were 250 k (why I have no idea).So in went an R&S pot kit (Hovland capasitors and CTS pots 500k)cranked down the pole pieces and adjusted the pickups and she wails now very fat and punchy.The neck pickup gets all kinds of harmonics,I'm not one to use pinch harmonics or squeals but I had no problem achieving them in the neck position.If the guitar were mine I'd go with DiMarzio PAFs JMO. [img]graemlins/band.gif[/img]

[HeWhoIs]

Re: Seymour Duncan Invader - Opinions

I had an Invader in my SL1 and thought it was great for soloing but got too muddy for rythm work. Maybe I should have tried playing with it a little more before replacing it but the SD Custom I have in there now is a huge improvement in my opinion.