X2N-7 and D-Sonic-7 installed

[j7899]

Well both my D-Sonic-7 and my X2N-7 arrived yesterday, I just finished installing them. I played with them for about 30 minutes, first impressions the X2N-7 sounds great in the bridge. I wired them up the same Schecter wires their guitars, 5-way toggle bridge, bridge coil tap, neck and bridge(coil tapped I think), neck coil tap and neck. It is pretty versatile I need to mess with the height adjustment of both pickups. The D-Sonic sounds good in the neck, I have the bar facing the bridge and may try having the poles face the bridge later on. Its hard to describe the tone of the D-Sonic in the neck, and I need to experiment with the height of the pickup, but I am limited with my free time right now. They both sound really good with one another, much happier with the tone than that of the SD JB and '59 that came stock. Both respond really well to palm mutes, and have a nice warm thick, but not muddy tone, highs come through well too. I suggest both, especially the X2N for the bridge. As for those wondering how they compare to EMG's, I don't use them as I always found them to be cold/sterile. I would suggest them over EMG though, as from all the six string EMG's I have played the X2N blows them away. Any questions go ahead and ask.

 

[Drew]

1.) do they tonally sound anything like an EMG?

2.) If not, what WOULD you compare them to, for existing 7 string pickups?

3.) I presume this is a mahogany bodied Schecter? 25.5" or 26.5"?

 

[j7899]

The closest they may sound to an EMG would be the EMG 85, which I think is the 707 for 7-strings. I have played many 6 string pickups, and the only thing coming to mind is the EMG 85 just not as sterile/cold sounding, much fuller/warmer. The only 7 string pickups I have used besides these were the SD JB and 59. They are much beefier than either of those, responding much better to picking, bends, and slides. They are also louder. It is the Schecter C-7 Blackjack so a mahogany body, and 26.5" scale.

EDIT: I just took a mini break of too many and raised the D-Sonic's height in the neck. It made a HUGE difference in the tone, this thing sounds awesome up there, I usually stick to the bridge, but this thing holds it own well, not muddy at all

 

[zimbloth]

No DiMarzio pickup, no matter how hot, could sound like an EMG. All DiMarzios, eventhough each model is unique in its own right, have similar characteristics. Just as EMGs do. So, I wouldn't worry about an X2N or Evo or anything sounding like an EMG81 just because they're superhot

 

[VforVendetta00]

No DiMarzio pickup, no matter how hot, could sound like an EMG. All DiMarzios, eventhough each model is unique in its own right, have similar characteristics. Just as EMGs do. So, I wouldn't worry about an X2N or Evo or anything sounding like an EMG81 just because they're superhot

u're right, they'll just sound better

 

[Mastodon]

Anychance of sound clips in the near future?

 

[j7899]

Anychance of sound clips in the near future?

I would but honestly my playing isn't very good, mainly do to my complete lack of time. If I do get some time and can find a good 7-string song(that I can play) I will post a clip.

 

[Drew]

Whatever dude, we're all family here - if you want, just bust out a few B powerchords.

 

[Kagami]

Play it ... open, some palm mutes and some ridiculously fast crap just to check out the tracking & stuff.

 

[j7899]

Alright I will see what I can come up with, hopefully the tone will sound good recorded as I am playing a podXT through an Atomic 1x12. I just upgraded the XT so I only have the stock modal packs none of my favorites on there.

 

[j7899]

Ok here it is, I had to upload it to MegaUpload.com, anyways I played through a PodXT 3.01 with a stock JCM800 modal pack. I will try it later with my modal packs. The first one you hear is the X2N in the bridge, the second being the D-Sonic in the neck(I need to adjust the height again, a little bit lower), and finally the X2N again. The gain was a bit to high, and the only non-palm muted part is the very end, and the clean part(I did a hack job on the intro to Metallica's Welcome Home Sanitarium). That was the first time I have played for more than a couple minutes in about 3 months

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=8LCD08RF

Edit: After listening to it again I need to lower the pickup height on both a little bit, and I definitely need to tweak that modal pack.

 

[bostjan]

Ahh, I almost missed the button to download the file, since it was covered in ads.

 

[Kagami]

Just for the record, it would've been better if you had uploaded to a real site like putfile or something than that craptastic site. btw when the download is ready it pops up a "mega links" thing and you click the X...I was like...it disappeared! and then I noticed that.

It sounded kinda fuzzy, lol, but pretty good on that last part.

 

[bostjan]

The clean part sounds almost like a single-coil to me.

Thanks for posting that!

 

[j7899]

Megaupload is the only site I could remember for hosting, I know it sucks.

As for the clean tone, it might sound single coil'ish as I was playing it through a clean modal pack, which kind of adds an acoustic tone. It's also possibe I had it coil tapped and I didn't realize it, I am not quite used to the 5-way switch, mainly the 3-ways.

The recording sounded fuzzy, but yet when playing through the PodXT into my Atomic amp it doesn't, kind of weird. I will try recording something later on with another modal pack, the gain turned down, and the pickups lowered some.

 

[goth_fiend]

am I the only one here that wants pics!!!!!

 

[j7899]

am I the only one here that wants pics!!!!!

Here you go, X2N is all black, D-Sonic has chrome bar and pole pieces.

 

[goth_fiend]

awesome!

 

[usagi]

Cool I didn't know they came in different colors. Can you compare Drop Sonic (in the neck) to the Duncan Distortion?

 

[j7899]

I never played the Duncan Distortion, they dont come in different colors of now just what I mentioned.