New Slash sig pickups. Been told they're "weak". Comments?

[dano8180]

Hey everyone, new-b here. I've got an Epi Slash tobacco burst from '07 and came with the Alnico II Pro's. I've been thinking of getting the new sig set with 500K CTS pots, caps, etc. and was told by my local tech in town that they were "weak by todays standards" and recommended going with a set of Pearly Gates instead. I'm pretty happy with the tone of the standard A2P's but figured the new set would be a bit better. Tone wise and musically I'm pretty much classic-blues rock based. So any comments from those that have heard/own these pickups and can comment on the "weak" statement would be appreciated. Thanks in advace!

[Gingrel]

Hi, welcome to the forum. The sound clips I've heard gave me this impression:

The neck was almost too round and fat. Some people might like it, but I preferred the PGn.

The bridge was awesome. Just the right amount of bite, while still maintaining that fat A2 tone.

However, if you're happy with the standard A2P set, I say save yourself the cash.

[Diocletian]

Hey everyone, new-b here. I've got an Epi Slash tobacco burst from '07 and came with the Alnico II Pro's. I've been thinking of getting the new sig set with 500K CTS pots, caps, etc. and was told by my local tech in town that they were "weak by todays standards" and recommended going with a set of Pearly Gates instead. I'm pretty happy with the tone of the standard A2P's but figured the new set would be a bit better. Tone wise and musically I'm pretty much classic-blues rock based. So any comments from those that have heard/own these pickups and can comment on the "weak" statement would be appreciated. Thanks in advace!

Comments?

Ha ha ha.


How's that? Not even worth replying to. If you're for real, your "tech" is an idiot.

[dano8180]

Yeah I'm for real; I was quite surprised myself. That comment is the reason I actually joined this forum! Thanks for the reply.

[LoFiBrian]

IDK man, the regular AIIpro set you have in there is already awesome. Unless there is something you just hate about them then I recommend keeping them. The Slash sigs are just a slighty hotter variation with older style construction.

Your tech may not be too duncan savvy. The PG set is not too much stronger than any of the PAF style sets. It does have more top end bite and the bridge and neck pickups are very different in a good way...

But the stock A2P's are a awesome thick variation on a classic PAF style pickup.

[Diocletian]

Yeah I'm for real; I was quite surprised myself. That comment is the reason I actually joined this forum! Thanks for the reply.

Well, no offence. "Today's standards" mean nothing. Everyone wants 60s, 70's or 80's standards anyway. Your "tech" is an idiot. I can't even imagine why anyone would come out with a statement like that.
Learn to do your own setups, and never speak to that guy again.

[aneyekay1]

why not change the bridge with the slash model n leave the neck one stock

[Diocletian]

The pickups you already have are fantastic. You're not going to notice much, if any difference with the Slash models.
Slash used stock A2Pros on much of his recordings. But even then, if you read his book he doesn't in the least suggest he used Duncans exclusively, far from it.

If you like the tone you already have, leave it alone. If not, look for a different pickup altogether. IMO.

[J Moose]

The slash pickups aren't night & day different from the regular old AII's... there is indeed a difference but its more in 'feel' then tone, not to say that they sound exactly the same. Sort of hard to describe...

By comparison the bridge pickup is ever so slightly (!!!) hotter while the neck is more 'open' sounding... more treble/harmonic content for sure.

If you want to make a switch and get some different sounding pickups in there, then I'd maybe think about going in another direction entirely... '59s or Full Shreds or something.

On the flip side if you're happy with the AII's but want a little more out of 'em... bit richer, faster transients/more connected to the amp, more sustain and definition then go for the slashers.

I posted a thread on here several weeks ago with audio clips... they'd probably help some, though the differences which were small to begin with were even smaller after being recorded AND dumped over to MP3.

[tab]

I pulled up a video that shows a lot of similarities between the new Slash A2 Pros and the first run SD A2 Pros from '86.

I've never A-B'd them, but construction and component wise, the new Slash pickups appear to be a recreation of the A2 Pros from 1986.

Vintage style construction without the price?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp23MWoqHE4

[ACH91332]

A lot of "techs" I've run in to seem like idiots. It looks like they know enough about guitar to wow their employer to get the job and then pass off lots of their preferences as the best interest for your guitar. Like for instance I know a guy who owns a pawn shop. He was/is a drummer and knows a lot about music but doesnt know anything about guitar. I needed a setup because I dont know how to properly intonate a guitar (my guitar was wayyy out of wack) so I went and had his guitar guy at his pawn shop do it. When I got my guitar back he was like "Do you have the stock pickups in?" I said no because I had SD A2Ps in at the time. Right after I said that he was like "Yeah, I thought so because they were really hot when I measured them." Right there was a red flag for me seeing how the bridge is like 7.85k. I've run into him a few times at the pawn shop and talked to him, he doesnt know sh!t about anything. He thinks he knows a lot because he is a guitar tech but I know more about guitars and amps than he does know. Hearing him talk now makes me feel like an idiot for ever listening to him in the past.

Your tech sounds like a hotter is better guy. If he really sad "Naw man they are weak try the PG." then honestly the guy is an idiot. The PG isnt much hotter than the A2P and from what I hear the A2P Slash is supposed to be hotter than a regular A2P. But anyways, in general to reject a pickup because it is or isnt hot is just plain blasphemy and shows how narrow minded he is. Find out how to set up your guitars and do it yourself. Save yourself the trouble of talking to know it all techs who know nothing. I only have two techs I bring my guitar to and when I do odds are the guitar is in two pieces or needs a fret job.

[dmandude123455]

Think of it like this,

The pick-ups are Slashs set, fine tuned to his tone. Not everone is going to like them. And if your happy with your tone keep it. Save money and the work :P

[jmh151]

I have a new set I'll be installing next week. They'll be going in a 1986 Les Paul Custom into a JCM 800 2210 to see how close I get to the ADD tone, or at least the Live At The Ritz tone

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

[Gearjoneser]

IDK man, the regular AIIpro set you have in there is already awesome. Unless there is something you just hate about them then I recommend keeping them. The Slash sigs are just a slighty hotter variation with older style construction.

Yeah. Slash prefers low output pickups, but not everyone does.

If you want to keep your current neck pickup, but beef up your bridge, just buy a Custom 5 or Custom. If you want more beef either of those will do it for you.

[John_L]

Well, no offence. "Today's standards" mean nothing. Everyone wants 60s, 70's or 80's standards anyway. Your "tech" is an idiot. I can't even imagine why anyone would come out with a statement like that.
Learn to do your own setups, and never speak to that guy again.

Translation of 'weak' "Please buy these more expensive EVH, Bareknuckle or EMG pickups so I can make more commission"

+1 for learning to do things yourself.

[uOpt]

The APH bridge is not only low output, it also has very low bass and low-mids. It can sound very sharp. It is about the only common pickup that can sound sharp in a Les Paul. That is the point about Slash'es tone, IMHO, bright, forward, in your face, but with the sustain and drive of a Les Paul.

A lot of people will be unhappy with that and are better off with a Pearly Gator.

Neck is a different matter altogether.

[jmh151]

Years ago (in the AFD days) I read a Slash interview in which he stated he prefers the neck pickup for most of his tone and solos, and only uses the bridge for crunchy rhythms, citing the bridge as too harsh. That was many years ago though.

This may be why alot of people don't like the APH2 in the bridge and instead choose a Pearly Gates or Custom Custom for the bridge.

[uOpt]

I actually think the APH1 neck is lame and the APH1 bridge is very good for what it does.

I can't say that I hear a neck pickup on many of Slash'es recordings

[LtKojak]

I can understand EVH being object of such a cult, but I really can NOT understand why Slash. I just don't think he's such a great player.

Oh, well... to each its own, I guess.

[John_L]

I had a look at some live shots of Slash and he does have the selector in the up position a lot of the time. So maybe he does use the neck a lot.
Slash is okay he's made a lot out of a little which seems to be a trade mark for people from Stoke, Gorillas have made a career from one joke.