Replacing Nazgul/Sentient 7: Duncan Alpha/Omega, Guitarmory Atlas, Elysian Trident II, or ?

[JesperX]

I’m looking for a tight, aggressive, mid-forward modern metal sound. Not really wanting anything super dj0nty, at best I mildly approach that territory occasionally for effect, but I don’t live there.

Guitar:
Carvin DC7X. 27” scale, tuned to either Drop G# or Drop A. Walnut/maple 5pc neck thru, Swamp Ash Body Wings & Top, Ebony Board w/ stainless frets.

Issues:
Originally found the Kiesel Lithium bridge lacking in output and “good” low end, also brittle and “papery” in the mids. Just sounded flat. Loved the Kiesel Lithium neck though, more than the Sentient.

So I installed a Nazgul/Sentient set, the goal being to not drastically change sound but get more output, tight low end, and move the brittle mids to more of a “grindy” mids. It mostly worked, although I recently sold my 6505+ for an EVH 5153 50w. The 6505+ had more low mid roar than the 5153, so now I feel like I’ve got way too much upper mids in the chain- guitar, pickups, amp, all focused there. Kind of sick of EQing around it and introducing noise into the chain.

Also the 5153 has just ass tons of low end in very pleasing areas, so I really don’t want much from the pickup.

So I’m looking for something tight, grindy or snarly or growly, but with a bit more fundamental low mid content than the Nazgul and a little less high mid/treble. For the neck I’m not terribly picky but I find the Sentient a little scooped and “plucky”. I like a good smooth ambient clean sound, which the Lithium neck did perfectly in this guitar but I definitely a prefer matching pickup set.

Short list:
- Seymour Duncan Alpha/Omega
- Elysian Trident II
- Guitarmory Atlas

A/O set is intriguing because it seems to have more mid & low mid and less high mid than the Naz, and the lesser low end should work great with the 5153. A little worried the Alpha might be a step in the wrong direction, but hard to say.

Definitely curious to hear from those with experience with the Trident II and Atlas sets to get a better idea where they fall.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

trident ii is more upper mid and snarly sounding. so prob not what you need

 

[JesperX]

trident ii is more upper mid and snarly sounding. so prob not what you need

Ahh, thanks. Yea my main goal is to dial that back a little bit relative to the Nazgul.

 

[nateispro]

I recorded this in drop A or G (I cant remember at the moment). With a set of Trident II's and a 5150 and Dual Recto model on my Kemper. I do find it is a little bit more geared on the higher end but I find it has the right frequencies to cut for the lower tunings and keep everything from being muddy

 

[Lorcan Ward]

A lundgren M7 with an alnico V magnet addressed a lot of the problems I was having with the Nazgul. Thicker, tighter smoother top end, low mid chug to palm mutes. I’m not sure how well that would work in a Kiesel that’s bright sounding.

 

[JesperX]

I recorded this in drop A or G (I cant remember at the moment). With a set of Trident II's and a 5150 and Dual Recto model on my Kemper. I do find it is a little bit more geared on the higher end but I find it has the right frequencies to cut for the lower tunings and keep everything from being muddy

Thanks for the clip! Yea, I’m not opposed to a pickup with some high mid bite, just less so than the Naz and a bit more “meat”. Sounds good there though.

A lundgren M7 with an alnico V magnet addressed a lot of the problems I was having with the Nazgul. Thicker, tighter smoother top end, low mid chug to palm mutes. I’m not sure how well that would work in a Kiesel that’s bright sounding.

Ahh interesting choice. Yea I’d be curious to see how the mids react with an M7 in this guitar. So expensive though. Aside from the wood/construction, the 27” scale I think really translates the midrange differently. Tons of harmonic content but can get a bit crazy right in the upper midrange, hence wrestling with the Lithium bridge and Nazgul.

Basically to EQ around the Nazgul I’m running into an MXR 10 band before amp/OD with lows and highs pulled down, and everything in the mids pulled down less except I left 500 at 0. Would definitely like more control between 500 and 2k though. Boosting 500 is a no go, and boosting 1k is honk city.

 

[nateispro]

Thanks for the clip! Yea, I’m not opposed to a pickup with some high mid bite, just less so than the Naz and a bit more “meat”. Sounds good there though.

I didnt really eq it very crazy either. I may have pulled some bass back to help with the boominess in the low end and boosted the prescence slightly for some upper sizzle. But core tone wise remained unchanged more or less

 

[Zoobiedood]

I'd think the Black Winters should be considered, too.

 

[JesperX]

I'd think the Black Winters should be considered, too.

Yea, honestly the midrange voicing sounds perfect for what I need. My concern with that set is the amount and tightness of the low end in Drop G# or A.

 

[henryocq]

Lol just watch this thread,maybe you have to try Invader man,really midrangey not so trebly and gain monster

 

[PRS_Baritone_Vito]

Yea, honestly the midrange voicing sounds perfect for what I need. My concern with that set is the amount and tightness of the low end in Drop G# or A.

I'd recommend trying out the Black Winters as well. I've got them in my 6 string baritones and use tunings as far down as G. They really add a lot of clarity to the sound and also keep the low end nice and tight and heavy sounding.

 

[Carl Kolchak]

Ahh, thanks. Yea my main goal is to dial that back a little bit relative to the Nazgul.

Have you considered a parametric type eq?