[satch_jr]

Hi
I'im new here, but I know the jemsite forum for years now. A big amount of information! Great!

I own a 1995 RG550LTD (basswood body, maple neck, HSH configuration installed on pickguard, lo pro edge floyd rose, no more tone control (RC circuit soldered to the volume pot) which I modified the pickups several years away now. I have a DP215 EVO2 in bridge position, a DP408 (forler version virtual 2 middle) in the middle, an I formerly had a double whammy DP150 which I moved in my other lovely in the bridge position (I felt tired with this big amount of middles!
But now I have a dilemna between 2 pickups in the neck position. I firstly decided to choose the DP213 Paf Joe, and then hesitated with the Air Norton DP193. Both do not have the same sound, for sure: I'm afraid the paf joe would be too bright, and the AN not bright enough.
I'm playing in a style between Satriani, Vai, Vinnie Moore, progressive rock-metal (from Shadow Gallery to Iron Maiden, IQ, Dream Theater, etc), and jazz-fusion (Franck Gambale, Al Di Meola), and things in clean sound, with my personnal feelings. Some samples on my website: http://www.myspace.com/mathiasremy.
I'm not into real shred anymore, so I don't think a paf 36th anniversary would fit my expectations. I'm searching for something with a great feeling: a pickup that would reflect the intentions I have while playing, with a warm sound, not that fat, but fatter than the double whammy. I think the paf joe would make it but I'm just afraid it would be too bright, too close to the sound of a bridge pickup. But what about the Liquifire? Would it meet my expectations?
My amp is a line 6 flextone 3, and the only pedal I have is a GCB95 crybaby with a true bypass mod.
Does someone have any input to help for my decision?
It would be much appreciated.

 

[abracadabra]

why not go for the Paf Pro? somewhere between the Paf Joe and the AN in terms of lows-highs.

 

[Alan0354]

I like the PAF Pro on the neck. I like the "wow" sound in distortion and I really like the split coil clean sound. The clean split sound sounds similiar to the popular D Allen strat pups that is very full and glassy.

BTW, what is the meaning of "tubular" sound of the PAF Joe?

 

[satch_jr]

why not the paf pro: because I was told it was too bassy (on a JS1000), even after modifying the amp EQ. But this was a personal feeling from a friend of mine. I haven't tried by myself.
But I also read that this pup has big mids, and I removed my double whammy for this exact reason.

 

[satch_jr]

BTW, what is the meaning of "tubular" sound of the PAF Joe?

I supposed it means "round"

 

[AlaskaBat]

I supposed it means "round"

It means it can only be installed in surf guitars.....bwaaaah haaaaa haaaaa!

 

[RGTFanatic]

FWIW... I would absolutely put another Evo2 in the neck. I have one in the neck of my USA custom. The tone through my B-52 At-100 is just what your asking for, plus when in distortion it goes into beautiful harmonic overtone with ease.

As a note: My B-52 is naturally glassy sounding with its Sovtek 12ax7's (4 in the pre-amp) and 6L6's (4 in the power section). The EVO2 was able to tame the glassyness and still allow enough cut to be heard very well in a mixed setting.

 

[Alan0354]

I supposed it means "round"

are you serious or joking?, if serious, what is round?!!

 

[Alan0354]

why not the paf pro: because I was told it was too bassy (on a JS1000), even after modifying the amp EQ. But this was a personal feeling from a friend of mine. I haven't tried by myself.
But I also read that this pup has big mids, and I removed my double whammy for this exact reason.

Not at all!!! I put the PAF Pro on the Les Paul, it brighten up the guitar. It sound so much better than the original pup in my Les Paul. It is brighter than the 36th Aniv. The split coil sounds almost as bright as the strat pups. PAF Pro sound good both in the Les Paul and strat which are totally different characteristic.

One more reference, it is brighter than SD SH11 Custom Custom on the neck and as bright as Air Classic. I would say it is on the bright side of the HBs.

 

[satch_jr]

are you serious or joking?, if serious, what is round?!!

listen to the paf joe mini sound clip of Satriani on the DiMarzio website, called the mini colossal. Maybe round is not the correct word, but I thought it would explain what is my perception of that sound

 

[satch_jr]

Not at all!!! I put the PAF Pro on the Les Paul, it brighten up the guitar. It sound so much better than the original pup in my Les Paul. It is brighter than the 36th Aniv. The split coil sounds almost as bright as the strat pups. PAF Pro sound good both in the Les Paul and strat which are totally different characteristic.

One more reference, it is brighter than SD SH11 Custom Custom on the neck and as bright as Air Classic. I would say it is on the bright side of the HBs.

The paf pro seems to me, to be used for metal, and I don't want to play only metal, I'd like to have a versatile pickup which allows me to playh different stuff!

 

[LonePhantom]

The paf pro seems to me, to be used for metal, and I don't want to play only metal, I'd like to have a versatile pickup which allows me to playh different stuff!

It is no way a metal pickup. It's doesn't have a high enough output. You don't hear of many metal players using a PAF Pro.

 

[Alan0354]

The paf pro seems to me, to be used for metal, and I don't want to play only metal, I'd like to have a versatile pickup which allows me to playh different stuff!

Actually I think the split coil of the PAF Pro has a very full soft sound that is good for mellow music. I like to play finger picking like the classical guitar because of the glassy and full sound.

I don't play metal, if anything, it is better for classical rock. It sound very good with medium gain type of amp. When I use my Marshall JCM900, I set the preamp volume to only little past midway to get the distortion, I don't go all the way to liquid type of distortion. I can see this one in heavy hard rock with power chords.

 

[RGTFanatic]

Satch: I gotta tell you, you've really got the wrong impression of the Paf Pro. I have two of them in my RGT3120 (neck-thru, Mahogany wings) and it is EXACTLY as described by Alan. Don't ever use the DiMarzio clips to judge a pickup. Those clips have NOTHING in common with the actual sound you'll get. I'm sure you already know this, but the Paf Pro has been the mainstay in the neck of all JS-1000's from the first one in 1990 to present day.

 

[RGTFanatic]

If this helps at all.... watch this video from 4:55 on, it shows what the Paf Pro can sound like through a dry amp with only a little reverb added in the mix (as the uploader states)

 

[Alan0354]

If this helps at all.... watch this video from 4:55 on, it shows what the Paf Pro can sound like through a dry amp with only a little reverb added in the mix (as the uploader states)

yep, that's the PAF Pro, natural distortion, strong, simple and bow that the classic rock guitarist sound before all the modern effect, cascade gain and liquid fluid sound that a lot of modern guitarist going for. it has character, standout, demand presence. Not like the really modern stuff it just flow through and you can just miss it.

At the neck position, it demand attention like Toy Cowald of Marshall Tucker Bank that is strong, in your face, that demand your attention. Like Lesley West that refuse to stay in the background.

It shine just as much in the dark Les Paul as the light bright Strat.

 

[satch_jr]

Tahnks for your advices and sample. what about this spike in the mids?

 

[dark_void86]

A guitar teacher I used to see a long time ago had an S series with a PAF Joe in the neck and he hated it because it sounded too much like a bridge pickup. I have been playing around with neck pickups for quite sometime, I feel that I have found pretty much my ideal pickup and I have two of the pickups mentioned here in guitars.

I find that on the high strings that the PAF Pro is too thin and brittle on the high strings, rolling up the bass to compensate for this then just makes the bridge pickup too muddy and the low strings too boomy. The Air Norton is IT for me at the moment. I have this pickup in a mahogany guitar with a maple top and it sings, however I have set it up a little unconventionally. The pickup sits quite high up, is reversed in the cavity so the adjustable screws are facing the bridge and are slightly raised. These qualities combined with a 1 meg volume pot have given me an extremely articulate neck pickup that really sings, has great body on the high strings and is very clear on the lows for tons of alternate picking. Rolling the bass down on the amp and using a tubescreamer also helps take this pickup into gambale neck territory. The pickup really is quite amazing and what is even greater is the sustain it has. It really is amazing and the weak magnetic field really helps in a way where other pickups can choke the life out of a guitar.

A big part of what makes a great neck pickup is sweep picking on all six strings and hearing every note. The air norton is one of the best sweeping pickups I have heard and the cleans are just great to boot. For Gambale, Petrucci and Iron Maiden neck solos I think it would be an amazing fit.

 

[Alan0354]

Do you split the coil on the Air Norton, how does it sound? I had looked at the Air Norton, the tone chart show the highs are lower than mid and bass, that was the reason I did not choose it.

 

[satch_jr]

Do you split the coil on the Air Norton, how does it sound? I had looked at the Air Norton, the tone chart show the highs are lower than mid and bass, that was the reason I did not choose it.

I eventually chose the paf Joe, for the exact same reason. This pup was my first intention, I'll see if i like it or not!