Questions about the Alpha/Omega set

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

So, yeah couple of questions:

Hows it compare to the Nazgul or Distortion in the bridge, and the the Jazz, Sentient, or '59 in the neck?

Would I dig the set if I'm an EMG 81/60 fanboy? Something similar to the extreme surgical tightness and midrange punch of the 81, and the glassy, scooped, piano-like cleans of the 60?

Will I eventually go back to the 81/60 set?

I'm possibly getting this set for a passive-loaded 7-string, and I don't wanna go through the effort of slightly routing the guitar for actives. Nor re-wire the guitar. I'm lazy as shit

 

[KnightBrolaire]

none of those pickups are anything like emgs.
omega is snarlier in the midrange than the nazgul, which is croakier/nasally/has more upper mids. the nazgul feels a little bit tighter in the low end.
distortion is tight too, but has more grease/hair to the high end iirc.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

none of those pickups are anything like emgs.
omega is snarlier in the midrange than the nazgul, which is croakier/nasally/has more upper mids. the nazgul feels a little bit tighter in the low end.
distortion is tight too, but has more grease/hair to the high end iirc.

I don't mean to ask if it's a 1:1 comparison to the EMG. I'm just wondering if it's kinda in that vein of being super tight in the lows and very cutting in the mids.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

I don't mean to ask if it's a 1:1 comparison to the EMG. I'm just wondering if it's kinda in that vein of being super tight in the lows and very cutting in the mids.

depends where in the mids you want the emphasis. either the nazgul or omega will do what you want, but the nazgul is a bit better if all you care about is brootz and chugs.

 

[AirForbes1]

I'm not sure you will like them if you are an 81/60 fanboy. They are definitely not scooped. I think they are excellent for down tuned guitars as the bottom end doesn't get flubby and they have really good note separation and stay very clear.

The have a consistent growl to them, all the time, which is nice. To compare, I'd say that the Black Winters sound more pissed off all the time. It's been a while since I played an 81/60 set, but for me those pickups just scream thrash. Other people may not share my opinion, but the Alpha/Omega set (I should just say Omega since I use the bridge mostly) don't thrash at all for me, they are missing that little bit of bite.

 

[Flappydoodle]

I don't think you'll like them, if you like EMGs

At the end of the day, they're a djent pickup. Think about what Holcomb plays. They have a nice clean, but they are really designed for downtuned, tight, stop-start stuff, and loads of clarity for weird chords he plays.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

I'm still tempted to give it a shot. I tuned this thing to B, so I do downtune... kinda. The guitar currently has a Distortion in the bridge, which is what I'm kinda curious about how the two compare. I dig the distortion ATM, but it needs a little more tightness in the low end and more attack. That's why I was gonna check out the Alpha/Omega, because I've seen the Omega described as super tight with lots of attack. I was gonna check out the Omega because of the scooped EQ and the emphasis on the high end, which looks a lot like the 60. Plus I love scooped neck pickups.

 

[Dumple Stilzkin]

I'm still tempted to give it a shot. I tuned this thing to B, so I do downtune... kinda. The guitar currently has a Distortion in the bridge, which is what I'm kinda curious about how the two compare. I dig the distortion ATM, but it needs a little more tightness in the low end and more attack. That's why I was gonna check out the Alpha/Omega, because I've seen the Omega described as super tight with lots of attack. I was gonna check out the Omega because of the scooped EQ and the emphasis on the high end, which looks a lot like the 60. Plus I love scooped neck pickups.

Based on what you are looking for, it might be worth looking into other companies too.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Based on what you are looking for, it might be worth looking into other companies too.

Kinda curious aboout what you had in mind

 

[AirForbes1]

I'm still tempted to give it a shot. I tuned this thing to B, so I do downtune... kinda. The guitar currently has a Distortion in the bridge, which is what I'm kinda curious about how the two compare. I dig the distortion ATM, but it needs a little more tightness in the low end and more attack. That's why I was gonna check out the Alpha/Omega, because I've seen the Omega described as super tight with lots of attack. I was gonna check out the Omega because of the scooped EQ and the emphasis on the high end, which looks a lot like the 60. Plus I love scooped neck pickups.

They aren't that scooped. The EQ graph shows a lot of treble, but they really aren't overly bright like the Nagul (for example). If you take that EQ curve and combine it with a down tuned guitar, you'll get quite a balanced tone. The bottom end isn't flubby, in fact, it's super clear. Like an above poster mentioned, they are great for weird chords with a ton of gain. There's no flub to muddy up the complexities of the chords. But, I wouldn't call it "attack" in the same sense as what you get from an 81. You may want to try the Black Winters instead, IMO.

Of course, I understand that you may just have an itch, and you have to try them out for yourself anyway. I get it. If so, try to buy them used because I don't think you're going to dig them.

 

[lewis]

well I absolutely despised the Nazgul. Probably the worst pickup ive ever tried.

and given we seem to have similar EMG tastes, if it were me, i would just go 81/60 hahaha

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

When i say i want a scooped pickup, i just mean the neck. I like having a growly mid heavy bridge pickup. I like the neck pickup to be scooped because it reminds me of a fatter single coil. Kinda piano like.

And i may just bite the bullet and get the 81/60. I'm just on the hunt for something that has those qualities without dumping all the money and effort in a beater.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Fuck it, i found a brand new 81-7h/60-7h for a good as fuck price. Probably the cheapest ill ever find them.

 

[Dumple Stilzkin]

Well

Kinda curious aboout what you had in mind

When you say surgical tightness I immediately think of Lundgren M series.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Well

When you say surgical tightness I immediately think of Lundgren M series.

I was considering it.
But alas.

 

[AkiraSpectrum]

You wont get the same level of 'punch' with the Omega as you would with the EMG81 but you're getting a very tight bass response with great clarity, and with enough gain you can still get a good amount of punch from an Omega.

If it's not too late, I would buy an Alpha/Omega set just to try them out. It sounds to me like you want something a little different and want to experiment with a new set of pickups. I say go for it.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Unfortunately it's too late. Maybe one day down the road I'll test one of my 81-loaded sixers with them. Just to compare them.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Man, there's barely any decent comparison videos comparing the Omega to the SH-6 or Nazgul. Only Merrow's, and I d like the Omega a bit, more. Definitely sounds tighter.

 

[AirForbes1]

Man, there's barely any decent comparison videos comparing the Omega to the SH-6 or Nazgul. Only Merrow's, and I d like the Omega a bit, more. Definitely sounds tighter.

But, that video is so good.

 

[NoodleFace]

well I absolutely despised the Nazgul. Probably the worst pickup ive ever tried.

and given we seem to have similar EMG tastes, if it were me, i would just go 81/60 hahaha

What didn't you like about the NAzgul? It's my favorite passive pickup I've ever played. Had one in my caparison (6) and my universe.