ADA Depot - A Forum To Support Users of ADA Amplification Gear
Non ADA Gear => Guitars => Topic started by: rabidgerry on September 28, 2015, 06:26:06 AM
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Hello all,
I have come across a company in the US selling pickups at like dirt cheap prices. I got a humbucker and two singles.
I am about to test them out. Rumour has it these pickups are made for Caliguitar but by good old Artec.
Anyone got any info on Artec? Apparently GFS and all their pickups are Artec made also.
When I get texting this out I shaLL post some clips.
So far all I can say is the build quality of the pickups seem really good. Here is a link to the pups I got.
http://www.caliguitar.com/pickup/h31.htm (http://www.caliguitar.com/pickup/h31.htm)
http://www.caliguitar.com/pickup/s26.htm (http://www.caliguitar.com/pickup/s26.htm)
http://www.caliguitar.com/pickup/s26.htm (http://www.caliguitar.com/pickup/s26.htm)
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Interested in hearing some clips. Those are a really good price. :thumb-up:
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the prices are insane. First off overall impression is they are made well.
The humbucker I bought only came in black so I decided to airbrush it white. I wanted the pups to be white on this guitar and keep with he original look. Photos and sounds on the way :)
So I know now if I ever wanna change the colour of pickup, airbrushing is the way to go. Tried a decal on another guitar before. The sticker just starts to come off. Airbrushing a paint of non metal element variety is the way to go :whoohoo!:
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I like to brush my paint on...letting a lot of it drip down the sides. Totally custom, one-of-a-kind type stuff.
Or, you can just dip the pickup in paint...if you can make it stick out of the guitar far enough. However, you will get paint on your strings. Be warned, I found out the hard way
Airbrush eh? Hmmmm...good thinking
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It appears I killed the pick up :facepalm:
How I have no idea! It was worth it to crack the air brushing technique. Ordered another one (they are so cheap why the f*ck not?)
When it arrives, I'll install it and record with it before I try painting it again. The single coils are installed though and looking good. No test yet. I wanna do them all together.
I think I may have killed the pup may be leaving in the sun too long? I get no reading on multimeter. I doubt the paint killed it.
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waiting on new pickup arriving since I bust the original Cali H32.
One thing I noticed about the guitar I installed the cali singles coils on. That it sounded like shit through my 3TM. I since messed about with a few things and now it sounds better. I changed pick material from my usual to a nylon version (I used to switch all the time but I haven't in a long time). The strat seems very bright but in an unpleasant way. When I changed the pick it was more pleasing. I also tried it in my Rockmaster rather than the 3tm. Much better again. Strange. Currently I have a dp100 installed until I get the Cali Guitar Humbucker through the mail.
Results of the single coils. Well they're single coilish. The neck I like better than the middle. The are loud so you can have them lower in the body which suits me because I hate when my pick bashes off the middle pup. They are also realtively quiet. But I guess this is going to vary from place to place. I did sheild the guitar so I know that has helped but I would go as far as saying I've played much noiser single coils.
I'll get a few clips of the single coils up soon.
Theory behind my strat perhaps seeming harsh through the 3tm. Well it's an actual stratocaster rather than the stagemaster/showmasters I normally play (which seem a lot darker). And I think the floyd rose II has actual steel saddles. I have yet to test this theory though. But I will. The zinc cheap ones do not stick to a magnet, the steel ones do :)
Another off topic theaory (I have actually read this somewhere else as well), perhaps the old cheapo zinc saddles have some tonal use after all??????????? Providing a less harsh hi end???????????????????? Anyone ever considered this? And to think, I have went a bought a load of steel saddles for my Licensed FR's and it turns out now I actually might prefer the zinc sound!! :facepalm: Although a comprimise is to use a nylon pick which takes the harshness down a bit. The material I normally use in a pick is called Fibre Plus see link http://www.awe-in-one.com/products_profound.htm (http://www.awe-in-one.com/products_profound.htm)
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Hey RG, (Anyone ever considered this?), absolutely, everything sounds and relates a bit differently :thumb-up: , brass saddles and nuts was the go go back in my day, they work ok, a guitar has many variables, trick is to tune them to what "you" want/need. E.g. I couldn't be happier with my Anderson Pro Am (Basswood body, Paul Fero (rosewood) finger board, sugar maple neck (tiger striped), Ultrasonic PUs, Original fully floating Floyd Rose), floats my boat... and then the JPLP, Nickel coated tail piece and bridge ?? whatever, sounds good, maple topped mahogany body, rosewood finger board, mahogany neck, well it's a 59 LP with the neck shaved so it's nice to play and has lotsss of sustain.
Anyway, hope your new PU works for you :thumb-up:
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Yeah man you're dead right! I can't actually believe it though.
I was wondering this guitar sounded like shit! I was like what the hell???
I want it to work on the MP1 though, so I shall have to test with the nylon pick.
Now things could change drastically once this other new pickup arrives, I could stick it in and it might be totally different from the DP100 that I have in there at the moment. DP100 was thrown in once I realised the Cali Humbucker was dead. I believed I killed it myself but I dunno how.
So hopefully the new one arrives soon. I'm counting on it being similar to the dp100. Cali Mega drive - H32, is quite a title. For all I know it;s a rip off of the DiMarzio Mega Drive which would actually be nice to try so fingers crossed it like either of these.
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Hey RG, well with all that hype it should at least sound "ok". Hopefully you'll be pleasantly surprised (and even better inspired >:D )
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I can't tell you how many of my guitars I've sold because they didn't sound 'right' and I just couldn't FEEL them. My guess is some of that may have had to do with nut and saddle materials.
I never even considered the idea
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I can't tell you how many of my guitars I've sold because they didn't sound 'right' and I just couldn't FEEL them. My guess is some of that may have had to do with nut and saddle materials.
I never even considered the idea
Hey man, I hear ya. Now I'm not saying that was the case with you, but it may well have been.
How I assessed my situation was simple. The guitar sounded good unplugged, it also sounded decent with the stock humbucker that was in there. So since the main thing was a change of pickup, I knew I had to look at the other elements at play.
Well I stuck in a dp100 in place of the stock pickup, and suddenly it was bright, or brittle and had too much "bite" I guess. So this left me scratching my head, "dimarzio super distortion sound bad? what the hell??? This cannot be" So I changed pick material for that guitar. Instantly less bite. It just so happened that pick material I normally use is designed to give a bite and I suppose generate some trebel. But in a sweet way. Kinda like human nail. Anyways, using that type of pick on the bright/too much bitey sounding guitar is gonna sound.......................well too harsh!! So the answer? Use a softer sounding pick........................or change saddles to something less bright. In my case I changed pick :)
But in a bizare table of balance I can show you the results:
Guitar A - non steel saddles - Bright/Bite/Trebel Sounding Pick - dp100 = GOOD!
Guitar B - Steel Saddles - Bright/Bite/Trebel Sounding Pick - dp100 = BAD!
ok so......................
Guitar B - Steel Saddles - Nylon Softer Sounding/ Softer Attack Pick - dp100 = GOOD!
I realise I have gone full on guitar geek here and I also realise that my explanation is very basic but it gets my point across about material.
There are other factors at play, I mean I'm comparing two strat esque guitars here, but one is a full on strat and the other is a more "super strat". I'm pretty sure one is also basswood (superstrat)and one is alder (stratocaster). But this also supports the reason why one guitar is brighter than the other, basswood is darker sounding than alder as far as I know. Both have bolt on necks.
What I might do to the stratocaster is further darken it by adding a big sustain block. Can anyone tell me if a big block will have this effect? Making the tone bolder is darkening in my opinion. I have only ever added a big block to one guitar and it definitley darkened it, nearly too much.
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Hey RG, mm, you raise some salient points. It's always going to be a "lots of variables" balancing act, guitars (and lots of other bits) are like that. Obviously in the end its what works for you and what makes "your" sound. I'd never considered using different picks to accommodate for other bits before. I get your point though (to take it to the extreme) using a soggy bit of nylon to tame the attack coz (in this instance) the PU is too bright with your normal (for me very hard/stiff pick), gets the sound you want. But then then soggy nylon slows you down.... (my take on it). My preference is to get the PUs that work for you with the pick you want to play with. To me picks are much less variable than other bits I can change e.g. PUs
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I had a basswood guitar with an Evolution in it that sounded too thin for me, ended up selling it. No worries, I like the guitar I have instead, but it gets me thinking that I could've probably kept it with different saddles / nut / picks.
I have put a brass block in several trems and I don't remember any of them getting darker, just better sustain :dunno:
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Hey RG, mm, you raise some salient points. It's always going to be a "lots of variables" balancing act, guitars (and lots of other bits) are like that. Obviously in the end its what works for you and what makes "your" sound. I'd never considered using different picks to accommodate for other bits before. I get your point though (to take it to the extreme) using a soggy bit of nylon to tame the attack coz (in this instance) the PU is too bright with your normal (for me very hard/stiff pick), gets the sound you want. But then then soggy nylon slows you down.... (my take on it). My preference is to get the PUs that work for you with the pick you want to play with. To me picks are much less variable than other bits I can change e.g. PUs
the soggy nylon pick as you say, is exactly the same pick size thickness and all that as the other pick that gives attack. The picks I use are all replicated in various materials for various tones. Come in like 5 variations. I wouldn't say 1.4mm nylon was soggy. Although it feels more like I have compression on say in comparison to the fibre material pick (the one that bites).
check link for details on the material
http://www.awe-in-one.com/products_profound.htm
I don't agree with the websites descriptions but I do know that each pick has it's own sound and the work.
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I remember back long ago in 1989...god I'm old, I read an interview with Phil Collen from Def Leppard and he was using metal picks for glossy cleans and sustain. So I thought I would try it, ended up not liking it because picks scrapes didn't sound as good and I could find a metal pick thick enough not to bend after playing 2 songs. He must be having some custom made or he is very light handed.
I mostly use fender mediums because they don't bend I could never get used to a thinner, floppy pick. I should experiment with some other picks thickness, might find something I like now and improves some dynamics.
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I think Billy Gibbons (from ZZ Top) uses a quarter. That's thick!
I tried it, and found the same thing...too tinny for my tastes. I had a stainless steel pick too, same thing, no likey
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also Brian May uses a quarter!
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I think Brian May uses a penny, but same idea. I tried a metal pick once (not sure who gave it to me) I think it's stainless steel, it was nice and stiff. I liked it but it destroyed the strings.
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Yeah I also tried metal picks. f**king awful!!!
The problem I found is no contouring so the scrape as Soloist said. If they were contoured they'd move of the strings better without scraping.
I cannot use a picks that have flat edges now or squared I should say. I need contours I can't actually play the guitar :o
When I use a pick I need the string to fly of the pick with no resistance. I used to back in the day add some string lub to the pick as well! I have many weird things I do to help playing. Probably to correct inadequacies hahahha
Still waiting on these bastard pickups arriving!!
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They're here!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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looks good, does it sound good?????????????
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Very nice looking PU, hope it sounds how you want :thumb-up:
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INSTALLATION DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! INSTALLATION DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! INSTALLATION DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Will do a before and after, so comparison will be with me and El's fav Dimarzio Super Distortion dp100.
Lets see how it hold up to the cheap and sucking chips Cali Mega Drive H32 (ceramic model as opposed to the neodymium)
Clips on the way
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Hey Guys,
Just a quick reply with regard to picks/plectrums ... before RG posts the results for his Cali pickup.
As RG noted earlier in this thread ... sometimes using a different pick material can make all the difference.
I've been using brass picks for a while now, with good results (I think Harry Cody used metal picks too). I bought a small sheet of 1.5mm brass and cut the shape out to match a Jazz III, then filed and chamfered the edges (there's quite a noticeable chamfer on the red Jazz IIIs), and finished it all off with some fine wet/dry paper. I did the same with 1.2mm and 0.9mm brass sheet.
1.5mm = very heavy pick
1.2mm = still a heavy pick
0.9mm = just a heavy pick (but probably the favourite, and frequently used)
I may drill a few holes, just to reduce the weight some more?
Sound wise ... cos they're chamfered they slip across the strings nice and easy, there is some scraping but I kinda like that, and the brass produces a really nice strong/powerful tone. Also, I was expecting the brass to be slippery to hold ... but it's the exact opposite, the chemicals/sweat from your fingers react with the brass and this holds the pick in place.
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Hey DR, very interesting, thanks for the heads up :thumb-up:
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Hey Guys,
Just a quick reply with regard to picks/plectrums ... before RG posts the results for his Cali pickup.
As RG noted earlier in this thread ... sometimes using a different pick material can make all the difference.
I've been using brass picks for a while now, with good results (I think Harry Cody used metal picks too). I bought a small sheet of 1.5mm brass and cut the shape out to match a Jazz III, then filed and chamfered the edges (there's quite a noticeable chamfer on the red Jazz IIIs), and finished it all off with some fine wet/dry paper. I did the same with 1.2mm and 0.9mm brass sheet.
1.5mm = very heavy pick
1.2mm = still a heavy pick
0.9mm = just a heavy pick (but probably the favourite, and frequently used)
I may drill a few holes, just to reduce the weight some more?
Sound wise ... cos they're chamfered they slip across the strings nice and easy, there is some scraping but I kinda like that, and the brass produces a really nice strong/powerful tone. Also, I was expecting the brass to be slippery to hold ... but it's the exact opposite, the chemicals/sweat from your fingers react with the brass and this holds the pick in place.
This sounds awesome man!! Good work! when you say chamfered you mean like contoured edges rather than like a squared flat edge?
Picks defo make the difference, feel sound and all that. I've played a lot of picks over the years an experimented a lot with material. I've stayed with the same pick for a good while now.
DR are you actually in Dorset? Could I buy a pick of you to check it out? I like the shape of a jazz III so it would suit me.
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Hey RG,
Drop me an email with your address details ... I'll post one across to you. I've only made the three prototypes (cos I figured they'd last a life time), I'll send you the 1.5mm, and make myself another one next time I'm out in the garage. Yes, completely chamfered/contoured (not a square edge in sight), just like a red Jazz III
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Hey DR, that would be excellent. I'll pm ya.
As for the pickups. Ok I have not installed the bridge pup yet. Why? I have been a little busy and also trying to make decent examples of the dp100 in my strat before I do the same playing but using the Mega Drive H32.
I'm going to do clean (finger picked hopefully)
Clean Chords Strummed
Medium Gain - Chords and lead
High Gain - Chords and lead
want it to be thorough.
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Ok have recorded all the clips I wanted using the dimarzio. So now just the Caliguitar H32 Super Drive.
Haven't got to install is as I was just too busy this week. Tonight is the night though!!
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ok I installed the Cali H32 SUPER DRIVE.
Its pretty good. I would say it was less bassy compare to the dimarzio. It really has raunchy mids and a lot of bite. I was expecting more lo end though so I was totally taken by surprise. Perhaps it's because of the guitar? I dunno. But when the companies website say's it's a bold tone I kinda expect bold and dark lo mids. Instead I got savage upper mids. Easily balance with the bass controls on pre amp or equalizer so no issue really.
When I post the clips I want detailed analysis and opinion. I find string definition is perhaps a little better on the H32 :dunno: It is very good at it and chords can really get all the strings sounding.
More to come.
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Hey RG, I had almost the same thing happen but with Seymour Duncan JB's!
I really liked how my JB's sounded in my Jackson so I thought I would put them in my cheap ass ESP to beef it up. After they were in they didn't sound anything like the p/u's in my Jackson at all. They were exactally as you described it mid-raunchy with a lot of bite, but in a good way.
Pinch harmonics have a richer "squeal" to them and seem to just fly off the neck with little effort. :metal:
Also cleans sound really good, clear well defined chords and arpeggios.
I think it's the guitar, wood is different, neck is different ect. The basic differences between a $400 guitar and a $1200 guitar.
It does a great Scholtz or Lynch tone with the extra mids, adds a different flavor compared to my other axes with JB's as well as my super distortions. :thumb-up:
Looking forward to hearing your clips! :whoohoo!:
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Dante I hear ya man!! It's crazy how different sounds can be from one axe to the other.
The main goal for me here though is to tell whether these cheap ass pickups which you can get for $18.90 are any good. And even worth installing and keeping.
Well how can I say this, they are good!! A ridiculously cheap alternative. I would really like someone else to try them purely because I think I'm going insane. It would be nice to have some validation that these cheap ass pups are GOOD!
Here is a question before I post any comparisons, what is the best way to compare the tone? Clean sounds or distorted?
I have done both!! But I want peoples opinions. Purely because on the hi gain clips it is hard to tell the difference, the sound very "Peavey Rockmaster" which is the preamp I recorded with.
Also there is something that cannot be detailed in sound clips and that is the "feel". The Cali feels different from the dimarzio. This could be down to the lo end that the dimarzio seems to possess more off.
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Mmm good question RG. Off the top of my head I'd say clean, medium and high gain, to get a good coverage (but there are so many variables, guitar, strings, playing style, pick, preamp etc etc). It's not an easy comparison to do, if you think they sound good and you like them, I appreciate your opinion, your not one to hold back. So, so far these PUs are seeming good :thumb-up: .
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I believe that the best way to compare pickups is using great classic tube amps because they have more interaction with the guitar than a modern amp... that being said the same settings on clean, medium high gain sounds will be ok to compare but keep in mind to try and play stuf that makes you listen to the subtle IMPORTANT differences on each sound. For example, I think its better to do short runs of chords, arpegios, single sustain notes and licks rather than be playing a 45 secs because then its hard to remember what every part sounded like.
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Personally, I test them with open chords. Both clean and half-drive-gain type sounds. I want to hear the articulation of each note in the chord, rather than a wall of mud. I also use a couple signature riffs that I use as a reference point:
- Opening riff to Limelight (RUSH) - this is my go-to Classic Rock tone
- Semi Charmed Life (Third Eye Blind) chorus part - big open chords (G / D / C) that really tell you if you can hear each note
- Breakin the Law (Judas) - really becomes evident when I hit that big A chord in the verse - very similar to the Limelight tone
That's how I test pickups. Again, just my technique
I too run the same riffs with each guitar when comparing. Short runs, so that it's easy to recall, as Richard says. I find that the high gain sounds will be there if I have a pickup that sounds 'clear' - testing with high gain doesn't do me any good, because it tends to hide muddiness (again, for me).
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Agreed Dante, I figured not piling on the gain would be best.
The pickups are close but different when A and B'd. For what it's worth you can get a really good pickup for a silly cheap price of these guys! Caliguitar that is.
Ok clips, I'll upload all the dimarzio dp100 clips first then the calig h32
first is the clean finger picked dp100 clip
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dp100 clean but with a 1.4mm thick nylon pick
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ok guys I can't upload a file again >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(.
I get no type of error message. I cannot upload my crunch wav file which is under the limit. The limit is 15mb my file is 14.1mb
can anyone help me out?
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Hey RG, Made it 20mb (in case of overheads), see how that goes, otherwise it's not us :crazy:
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ok I tried it again it still will not let me. It keeps just bringing me up a blank new message template. :facepalm:
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Suggested work-around: set up an account at Soundcloud and just embed the soundcloud-clips (should work like youtube >> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=url )
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good idea sc
I already have an account with nothing uploaded so here goes
where do I find the code SC? Can't see it anywhere.
<iframe width="100%" height="450" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/231660284&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true"></iframe>
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Hmmmm, maybe just try and copy the url you have on your browser when you select one of your soundcloud files....
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https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-crunch (https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-crunch)
https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-medium-hi-gain (https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-medium-hi-gain)
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Works....second one sounds juicy, dig it!
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SC how did you embed that youtube video? I went to embed one and it didn't work either? see below
SC edit..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
edit...
original
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cIGCAGRbEVE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Works....second one sounds juicy, dig it!
these aren't for anything other than comparison of pickup and I have no uploaded the other pickup yet for comparison.
I posted two clean clips earlier, I'll stick those on sound cloud too. f**king annoying me that I can't embed it!
https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-clean-with-pick (https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-clean-with-pick)
https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-clean-finger-picked (https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-clean-finger-picked)
https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-crunch (https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-crunch)
https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-medium-hi-gain (https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-medium-hi-gain)
https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-medium-hi-gain-2 (https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-medium-hi-gain-2)
[/soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-medium-hi-gain-2]https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-medium-hi-gain-2[/soundcloud]
Note all clips bar the clean expand into double tracking after some playing using a single track to begin with.
I'll post the Calig 32 after this and then do up A/B clips to hear side by side.
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Calig - H32 Megadrive
https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/calig-h32-clean-finger-picked (https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/calig-h32-clean-finger-picked)
https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/calig-h32-clean-with-pick (https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/calig-h32-clean-with-pick)
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SC how did you embed that youtube video? I went to embed one and it didn't work either? see below
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Click "modify" on your post and check the way I entered it ;-)
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SC how did you embed that youtube video? I went to embed one and it didn't work either? see below
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Click "modify" on your post and check the way I entered it ;-)
How can I see how you embedded it by looking at my post?
I see what you mean. Still doesn't work for the soundcloud code. How the f*ck did you know how to do that with the youtube code? Why have the code if the way I posted it if it doesn't work where as all you did was http://www.youtube.com/watch?v= with the url between that.
:facepalm: >:(
[soundcloud url="https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/231677561" params="auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" width="100%" height="450" iframe="true"/]
[soundcloud url="https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/calig-h32-clean-with-pick" params="color=ff5500&auto_play=true&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false" width="100%" height="166" iframe="true" /]
[cloudset]https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-medium-hi-gain[/cloudset]
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Sorry Gerry, we are limited to the 'shortcodes' of the forum software that we have. Because this forum software is free, it has it's limitations. Richard and I have talked about trying new things in a development type atmosphere, but I'm a lagger in that regard :wave:
Let me look into options with the existing setup, there may be a third party plugin out there. Y'never know.
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not it's ok Dante ;)
at least I know what it is. I was thinking there was something wrong with the code just. I can live without the embedding feature but I was only pursuing that route as I was unable to upload anymore wav files. Even after Richard increased the limit I still could not upload a 14.1mb wav file. I'll just post soundcloud links in future.
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https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-clean-with-pick
(https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-clean-with-pick)
https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-clean-finger-picked
(https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-clean-finger-picked)
https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-crunch (https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-crunch)
https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-medium-hi-gain (https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-medium-hi-gain)
https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-medium-hi-gain-2 (https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/dp100-medium-hi-gain-2)
https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/calig-h32-clean-finger-picked (https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/calig-h32-clean-finger-picked)
https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/calig-h32-clean-with-pick (https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/calig-h32-clean-with-pick)
https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/calig-h32-crunch (https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/calig-h32-crunch)
https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/calig-h32-crunch-drums (https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/calig-h32-crunch-drums)
https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/calig-h32-medium-hi-gain-2 (https://soundcloud.com/rabidgerry/calig-h32-medium-hi-gain-2)
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The DP100 sounds better then the H32 which i find sounds really thin.My 2 cents.
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The DP100 sounds better then the H32 which i find sounds really thin.My 2 cents.
Hmmmm I take your point and I see what you are getting at.
But I don't agree. It wouldn't take much to balance that. I could tap any amount of bottom end from the EQ should I chose. I always record guitar with hardly any bass because it all gets cut out anyways in a mix because that's what bass guitar and kick are for. But I see what you mean.
I did say early in the post that was the only real difference between the two, a bit of bottom end. But I also hear the DP100 has a different mid range but it's more detectable with a clean sound I find.
I'll make A/B clips also.
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The DP100 sounds better then the H32 which i find sounds really thin.My 2 cents.
I have to agree with MJMP! Although the H32 doesn´t sound bad I miss the complexity in the mids (what I tend to call juice or cream).
DiMarzios are very characteristic in there and to my tastes, in direct comparison, I prefer the (low-)mid crunch that the DP100 gives
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for $18 you could do a hell of a lot worse. I think it performs really well.
That said I agree where it differs in comparison although I'm not gonna say there is huge amounts of difference when you hear them back to back. Certainly none that the audience will hear.
It doesn't sound bad at all. Thinner than the dimarzio yes. Then again it could sound different in a different guitar. The strat I put it into may not suit it at all. Perhaps it would suit a darker guitar??
I think the single coils sound good. I must post some clips of them too.
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not it's ok Dante ;)
at least I know what it is. I was thinking there was something wrong with the code just. I can live without the embedding feature but I was only pursuing that route as I was unable to upload anymore wav files. Even after Richard increased the limit I still could not upload a 14.1mb wav file. I'll just post soundcloud links in future.
I tried to upload it also with limit increase and it wouldn't work (took me off to start a new topic ??). May be other settings we need to look at. Mike and I were discussing it Friday night thinking it may be a MySQL data type size issue, but it gets stored in an attachment directory and referenced, not as a DB blob data type, the DB just has posts, references and meta data.
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no pickup analysis Richard? :( I did the clean stuff just for you :lol:
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Hey RG, Sorry, have been flat out and totally stressed with work :facepalm: , I'll try and have a listen later tonight.
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Hey RG, Sorry, have been flat out and totally stressed with work :facepalm: , I'll try and have a listen later tonight.
Boy don't know that feeling :facepalm:
Sure man no worries :)
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Hey RG just had a listen to the 14.5 MB file, sounds very nice to me (but so much is in the fingers and you do very well in that area :thumb-up: IMHO). Getting more clinical (which isn't easy given so many variables), the PU sounds quite nice, interesting, open. a bit middy (but nice articulation), depends what you want. I still like my Ultrasonics more, but hey it's a contender :thumb-up: (again IMHO). But then you made it sing >:D
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Glad you liked it Richard. Could you notice much in the more gainier clips?
There is a bit of body missing sure but jeeez it cost $18. I think it has a nice articulation. It may sound better though in another guitar. That squier has unusual holes in the body going from the bridge pickup cavity through to the trem spring cavity. They are quite large holes so I believe these holes have caused some extra brightness in the axe and also less bottom end. So perhaps the guitar needs a darler pickup and not the H32. Just thinking out loud here.
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Het RG, I hear what you are saying, but for an $18 PU it's pretty decent. PU rolling is a pain, I like some of the newer wiring harnesses that use connectors and PCB in the guitar (well sort of like them) as you could do PU swapping a bit more easily. Wonder what the holes between cavities in the squire are all about :crazy: only one I'm familiar with is for the bridge earth wire (the "god" connection LoL), like the jaws of life on a Floyd Rose (vital...). Seems a good idea to put it in another guitar (you have a few >:D ) and hear the difference. You can probably eq a bit of body into the sound, what you can't eq in easily (if at all) is articulation, and I though it did very well in that area :thumb-up: It sounded as good (if not better (i.e. seemed to have a nice character, like my latest MP2 purchase, it's got a really nice character to it)) as the SD JB I tried in my Epiphone SG years ago, it's still in the cupboard with the SD Alnico neck PU (the standard swap out for a Gibson style guitar in the day), neither floated my boat, so I went for Gibson 57 re-issue (~$300 ouch, but sound great, again have character).
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Hey RG,
Just a thought ... have you considered swapping out the magnet in the pickup? Maybe use a roughcast Alnico V in place of the Ceramic magnet, or perhaps an Alnico II to get more organic? It's quite an inexpensive way of experimenting with pickups, just a few quid per magnet and 20 mins work.
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hey DR, not thought of that. They actually sell an Alinco 2 version so they do :)
Also I get very different results using the MP1 3TM.
The Peavey Rockmaster as much as I adore it can be thin in certain scenarios or less bassy depending on your perspective. I personally find this no issue for DI recording because I find I take all the bass out of guitar anyway once I start to mix it so it sits well with me. The DP100 seemed to have more body using the Rockmaster in comparison. H32 has plenty of body using the 3tm, I'll post some results when I get round to it to let you all hear the difference.
DR what is involved in swapping out a magnet? I have never thought of such a modification before. I dunno where the magnet is either, I guess its behind the brass plate?
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Hey RG, generally, magnets are either on the bottom of the PU (1 or sometimes 2) and the pole pieces (made of ? mostly iron) bring the magnetic field up to the strings (typically humbucker type/size PUs) or the pole pieces are the magnets (Alnico generally) so they don't need/have a big magnet underneath (strat PUs). Adjusting how close a pole piece is to a string will change it's (the strings) volume. But also the magnetic field can (and does) affect the strings spin (pitch etc), so close enough for best signal to noise, not to close to affect tuning and you can balance across string gauges for volume of each string (pedantic but possible (e.g. staggered stat PUs))
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ok I made that sound like I was stupid there, I know where the magnets are on pickups that you can see it beneath like a lot of single coil;s etc but on this humbucker it has a brass plate underneath. Like most humbuckers I see it has a baseplate. Is the magnet on the other side of this? I doubt I'll swap it but good to know how to these things.
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Hey RG, on the other side of the baseplate is where the magnet will be, under the pole pieces of each coil. Designs vary, and earlier PUs didn't have a baseplate, some had a big(ish) magnet centered between the coils, some had individual magnets centered under each coil.
While it's good to understand the many variables in PU design etc. in the end we just want a PU that sounds good and exemplifies our playing with the rest of our gear.
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There's a few posts on the Seymour Duncan forum regarding magnet swapping ... they get quite enthusiastic about it.
I did one recently with a Dimarzio Paf Pro neck pickup ... swapped the Alnico V for Alnico II. Rather than buy a replacement pickup I listened to what I did/didn't like with the Paf Pro in my guitar and selected a new magnet accordingly. I based my decision on the information below (from the SD forum), and my results matched.
A2 - Lots of mids, not much treble, loose low end, low output, and lots of vintage dynamics. Used in the bridge and neck.
A3 - Like an A2 but with more treble and less low end. Pretty much used in the neck slot, but has potential for fattening up the bridge.
A4 - Flat EQ, and for that reason some consider it bland. Lets the natural EQ of the guitar and PU come thru. Moderate output. Good in the neck or bridge.
A5 - Most popular alnico. Fairly high output, lots of treble and bass, scooped mids. Great in the neck slot (if not too bassy), and can be thin in the bridge.
All of these can be found as 'roughcast' too (lumpy pitted surfaces), that smooth out the high end, probably due to a more complex magnetic field. RC's are probably used mostly in the bridge location.
A2, A3, and A4 are all unoriented. A5's are almost always oriented. Unoriented A5's (UOA5) became available recently from Addiction FX and sound like a blend of the best characteristics of A2's and A5's. They're much warmer than a typical A5, but with more treble than an A2. Lots of dynamics.
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That's some very interesting info, thanks DoresetRatt!