@kikiriki94 The DiMarzio Evolution has ceramic magnets and higher output. The Seymour Duncan Alternative 8 has Alnico 8 magnets, and is prob the hottest Alnico magnet pick-up you will come across.
I have very little, if any experience with the HZ4, but they never really impressed me. I'd say that if your guitar is a bight bright, or more neutral sounding, go for the A8. It's a very powerful pickup and I never had problems with pinch harmonics or playing metal with it. Can't say I know how well the H4 does them though.
I wouldn't put an A8 in a Mahogany set neck guitar; it'd have a great singing lead voice, but could be a little dark. Look into a Distortion or Custom I'd say :)
I cant decide whether to get this or the EMG HZ H4 for my new bridge pickup. I play metal and alot of rock and I cant decide. The main thing I want from the pickup is great pinch harmonics. Which pickup is better for pinch harmonics?
@RockaRollaZombie i think it would work for any guitar. this pick up is reccomended for bridge postion. but it all depends on what kind of music u play. if u play alternative rockl then this is the pick up for u but if ur more into metal go for something more heavy like an invader or something
I already tried the Invader and I didn't really like it. This seems good for me since it is high output and can keep up with pups like the Invader and whatnot, but it uses Alnico magnets (beats ceramics by a long shot). Yeah I may be a metal guitarist, but this seems the best to me.
thats a nice pickup. It has a nice high output but retains a smooth and fairly tight low end and good mid and biting highs. The sound is really thick and cuts through really good. The Alnico magnet retains a slight PAF but not glassy like a ceramic magnet. But its not turned all the way up
Seymour Duncan came up with one hell of a pickup. I have one of these in my Jackson the sound is awesome. Presence would be up if you amp had a way to produce it is my guess. I have a tube amp with a few pedals eq for one and this thing is alive on all levels you can go from old to nu with eq change and the sustain is awesome. It will change your mind about active pups gain with tone its a win win.
Fantastic demo. The sound could definitely be improved. If you have in mind to do more reviews, try to keep the equipment and the settings the same, but buy a real mic! ;) I'll paypal you a dollar if you do.
the Synyster coustom guitar uses the Seymour Duncan Invaders...and that bridge....what kind of bridge is that? the one i have i can't do dive bombs very well so i want to change my bridge out for that one.
why do you ask stupid questions that have nothing to do with the review of this pick up?
@ frenchpott great review im getting new pots in the near future and i decided on the sh2 jazz in the neck but couldn't find a bridge pickup, , almost sure this is the one very unique sound,
Surely it's the proximity to the amp that matters most, and yes unfortunately my room was so small I was sat as far from my amp as I could... no other choice.
Man I hope you read this. I want to thank you for posting this video. I love the pick-ups and I'll try to buy them someday. Thanks for being the 1st person in uploading a vid with this pickups up! Thanks man! take care n merry xmas!
How u like the pup? Too bad the cam mic isnt good enough to hear how good it is.
The sounds I want for metal tones are the Adam Jones tone. For solo sounds more subtile, like always with me always with you from satch. I want thick blues tones. Amps brunetti xl-r, marshall superbass, marshall dsl 50. Its this or the Dimarzio air norton.
Thick is the world for the Alt8, much more than you can hear on this. Since the Alt8 doesn't behave as much like uber high output pickups out there you can use it with very gainy amps too without having as much mush, but if you use A LOT of gain and want clarity, you could probably go for a FullShred or Custom. But the Alt8 will give you thicker lower gain tones.
Thick lower gain sounds, and brihgter high gain sounds. Thats exactly what I want. I think I should buy one, but too bad I cant try or hear it before I buy one. The patb-1 I got now isnt really my thing for the bridght.
Have you ever tried it? It makes you work harder to get your tones, which I personally prefer. I play more with my fingers/picks than with switches. This guitar can pretty much do anything anyway and I didn't want overly complicated electronics. The clip is mostly done with the pickup wired straight to the output. And this has nothing to do with looks either.
Well it's a bolt on axe. It's slightly warmer and thicker sounding than a Strat (Basswood and Floyd) but essentially it'll have a similar core tone. If I put the split on I can get a stronger strat vibe.
hey, im stuck between the Seymour Duncan Alnico 2 Pro and the Seymour Duncan Alternative 8. I dont know which one will best fit my playing. I play aload of Rock, Bits of Metal, I'm playing quite a bit of Satriani and I like to play some Clean Stuff. Slash is also a big influence on me, i play alot of similar licks to his but my tone is far heavier than his. Can you guys help in which one to buy???????
Can someone people get back to me as quick as possible please!
alternative 8 is perfect for your style, even if i never played the other one! it's more dirty and mid-trebly than a JB, with slightly less saturation and basses... it has a great personality if played with light distortion, but with heavy settings i still prefer the JB
I've never had an Invader but I've played a bunch... from what I recall, it's a different kind of fat. The Invader is big and full of output, the A8 is clearer, less bassy... but I prefer the A8's bass to say, the Distortion's. The Invader is basically a Distortion with more magnets and huge polepieces.
The clean sounds are nice and fat. That's pretty much the only way to describe them... thicker and fatter than the SH6, less treblye and smoother than the Custom.
i bought one, and played it not too much yet. nice and full of life and personality like every SD pickup. anyway i think that JBs are more deep and tight, and i prefer their overall performance...
great playing, man! thanks for the test!
vsabadazh 2 months ago
wtf
bufuzerra 3 months ago
Hottest passive Alnico pick up that is..:)
Timbo051969 1 year ago
@kikiriki94 The DiMarzio Evolution has ceramic magnets and higher output. The Seymour Duncan Alternative 8 has Alnico 8 magnets, and is prob the hottest Alnico magnet pick-up you will come across.
Timbo051969 1 year ago
Great Kurt Cobain's ghost, somebody should put this puppy in the bridge of a Hi-Flier!
StAraqiel 1 year ago
SD alternative 8 or DiMarzio evolution?
kikiriki94 1 year ago
Seymour Duncan Alternative 8 or DiMarzio Evolution, pls help
kikiriki94 1 year ago
I have very little, if any experience with the HZ4, but they never really impressed me. I'd say that if your guitar is a bight bright, or more neutral sounding, go for the A8. It's a very powerful pickup and I never had problems with pinch harmonics or playing metal with it. Can't say I know how well the H4 does them though.
I wouldn't put an A8 in a Mahogany set neck guitar; it'd have a great singing lead voice, but could be a little dark. Look into a Distortion or Custom I'd say :)
Frenchpott 1 year ago
@Frenchpott:
I'd put this baby in my Gibson SG Special ... I can say that this one is THE PU!
Hard, rough, clean as hell and splits thorugh all types of Overdrive or Dist. The best PU I've ever heard of hear something of. i love this one :D
IxLuckyxI 1 year ago
I cant decide whether to get this or the EMG HZ H4 for my new bridge pickup. I play metal and alot of rock and I cant decide. The main thing I want from the pickup is great pinch harmonics. Which pickup is better for pinch harmonics?
LifeLongGamer 1 year ago
I like your demo. Do you think this pickup is good on a maghony guitar (i.e. Gibson, Epiphone)? The ceramics on my V are nice but I want Alnico tone.
RockaRollaZombie 1 year ago
@RockaRollaZombie i think it would work for any guitar. this pick up is reccomended for bridge postion. but it all depends on what kind of music u play. if u play alternative rockl then this is the pick up for u but if ur more into metal go for something more heavy like an invader or something
yoghmoob232 1 year ago
@yoghmoob232
I already tried the Invader and I didn't really like it. This seems good for me since it is high output and can keep up with pups like the Invader and whatnot, but it uses Alnico magnets (beats ceramics by a long shot). Yeah I may be a metal guitarist, but this seems the best to me.
RockaRollaZombie 1 year ago
@RockaRollaZombie well it jus all matters on what works best what sounds best to u. otherwise great job in the vid man
yoghmoob232 1 year ago
thats a nice pickup. It has a nice high output but retains a smooth and fairly tight low end and good mid and biting highs. The sound is really thick and cuts through really good. The Alnico magnet retains a slight PAF but not glassy like a ceramic magnet. But its not turned all the way up
leegeddyfan 2 years ago
cool...i jus dropped off my Strat HSS to get one of these pick ups in it..cant wait to get it back.
apieceofice 2 years ago
Seymour Duncan came up with one hell of a pickup. I have one of these in my Jackson the sound is awesome. Presence would be up if you amp had a way to produce it is my guess. I have a tube amp with a few pedals eq for one and this thing is alive on all levels you can go from old to nu with eq change and the sustain is awesome. It will change your mind about active pups gain with tone its a win win.
rmxrider20032000 2 years ago
Fantastic demo. The sound could definitely be improved. If you have in mind to do more reviews, try to keep the equipment and the settings the same, but buy a real mic! ;) I'll paypal you a dollar if you do.
chrisapede 2 years ago
to what styles of music is that pickup recommended ?
chassless 2 years ago 2
the Synyster coustom guitar uses the Seymour Duncan Invaders...and that bridge....what kind of bridge is that? the one i have i can't do dive bombs very well so i want to change my bridge out for that one.
sylarstwin3 2 years ago
original floyd rose
PooPoo2U 2 years ago
*Eslap* Invaders should let you dive bomb fine, this is the Seymour Duncan alternative-8
Zaspor 2 years ago
Hehe I spotted the Spinal Tap riff :)
It really is a great pickup. I have it in my Dean Vendetta right now, but I plan on moving it into my Schecter Sunset Custom with a JB-4 in the neck.
UltimateWheelman 2 years ago
a hah, tonite i'm going to rock you...but you are playing it slightly wrong...one of the later chords is different than you play.
progjazzfusion 2 years ago
Nice sounding pickup
You ever on UG?
slanderoushalo 2 years ago
umm what?
it only affects the versatility if you replace it with freaking silly putty
if that pick up is better than the stock pick up then it will help his tone
thats why youd replace them
nickfromdtown1992 2 years ago
why do you ask stupid questions that have nothing to do with the review of this pick up?
@ frenchpott great review im getting new pots in the near future and i decided on the sh2 jazz in the neck but couldn't find a bridge pickup, , almost sure this is the one very unique sound,
cheers, Mike
Mikesplaidjacket 3 years ago
When demoing like this dont sit with ur guitar so close to the camera, it affects to sound badly.
timjatomnee 3 years ago
Surely it's the proximity to the amp that matters most, and yes unfortunately my room was so small I was sat as far from my amp as I could... no other choice.
Frenchpott 3 years ago
Man I hope you read this. I want to thank you for posting this video. I love the pick-ups and I'll try to buy them someday. Thanks for being the 1st person in uploading a vid with this pickups up! Thanks man! take care n merry xmas!
latinrockfusionfreak 3 years ago
Always good to read these, thanks a bunch!
Frenchpott 3 years ago
How u like the pup? Too bad the cam mic isnt good enough to hear how good it is.
The sounds I want for metal tones are the Adam Jones tone. For solo sounds more subtile, like always with me always with you from satch. I want thick blues tones. Amps brunetti xl-r, marshall superbass, marshall dsl 50. Its this or the Dimarzio air norton.
timjatomnee 3 years ago
Thick is the world for the Alt8, much more than you can hear on this. Since the Alt8 doesn't behave as much like uber high output pickups out there you can use it with very gainy amps too without having as much mush, but if you use A LOT of gain and want clarity, you could probably go for a FullShred or Custom. But the Alt8 will give you thicker lower gain tones.
Frenchpott 3 years ago
What you say is my pickup :)
Thick lower gain sounds, and brihgter high gain sounds. Thats exactly what I want. I think I should buy one, but too bad I cant try or hear it before I buy one. The patb-1 I got now isnt really my thing for the bridght.
timjatomnee 3 years ago
hehe, Spinal Tap
lilviking3 3 years ago
Have you ever tried it? It makes you work harder to get your tones, which I personally prefer. I play more with my fingers/picks than with switches. This guitar can pretty much do anything anyway and I didn't want overly complicated electronics. The clip is mostly done with the pickup wired straight to the output. And this has nothing to do with looks either.
Frenchpott 3 years ago
love the family guy poster in the background.
ajdajd663 3 years ago
does this pickup come in white?? thanks:)
blinkdude182 3 years ago
nice sound, im either getting one of these or an sh-6. and im thinking of combining this in the bridge and an sh-6 in the neck as an experiment.
chrisfur2 3 years ago
I was considering getting one of these and it helps that you showed what you're using for equipment before the review. Thanks!
zubaosuop 3 years ago
Hey, good review. Was considering these babies (2 of them combined with a Tonerider Hot Classic single coil) and now I'm almost sure.
snowblood82 3 years ago
Is the twang from the pickup? or did it sound like that even before you put the pickup in?
Leftyguitarplayer123 3 years ago
Well it's a bolt on axe. It's slightly warmer and thicker sounding than a Strat (Basswood and Floyd) but essentially it'll have a similar core tone. If I put the split on I can get a stronger strat vibe.
Frenchpott 3 years ago
UG FTW
Neiliorox 3 years ago
maybe sound maybe guitar maybe camera maybe youtube but i prefer my alnico II pro
felipescalador 3 years ago
hey, im stuck between the Seymour Duncan Alnico 2 Pro and the Seymour Duncan Alternative 8. I dont know which one will best fit my playing. I play aload of Rock, Bits of Metal, I'm playing quite a bit of Satriani and I like to play some Clean Stuff. Slash is also a big influence on me, i play alot of similar licks to his but my tone is far heavier than his. Can you guys help in which one to buy???????
Can someone people get back to me as quick as possible please!
Cheers
jackedwards94 3 years ago
alternative 8 is perfect for your style, even if i never played the other one! it's more dirty and mid-trebly than a JB, with slightly less saturation and basses... it has a great personality if played with light distortion, but with heavy settings i still prefer the JB
dh3im 3 years ago
would you recommend this for alternative rock?
borkborkborkonurmom 3 years ago
It depends on your amp, playing style and tastes man. not much else. Anyone can play heavy rock using a bog standard strat too!
Frenchpott 3 years ago
how would you compare this to the Invader?
-cleans?
-crunchy / fat / big sound?
trying decide on pups for my new guitar
fender101punk 3 years ago
I've never had an Invader but I've played a bunch... from what I recall, it's a different kind of fat. The Invader is big and full of output, the A8 is clearer, less bassy... but I prefer the A8's bass to say, the Distortion's. The Invader is basically a Distortion with more magnets and huge polepieces.
The clean sounds are nice and fat. That's pretty much the only way to describe them... thicker and fatter than the SH6, less treblye and smoother than the Custom.
Frenchpott 3 years ago
i bought one, and played it not too much yet. nice and full of life and personality like every SD pickup. anyway i think that JBs are more deep and tight, and i prefer their overall performance...
dh3im 3 years ago