Tightest Pickup?

[braintheory]

Sorry to mention another pick-up, but what about the Rock Monkey Neo-Bucker (also uses a neodymium magnet)? 

Neodymium pickups seem like they could be awesome and am really looking forward to the HDN that I ordered, so I can finally hear what a neodymium pickup sounds like.  I wonder how tight an emg (or other active pickups) would be if they used neodymium instead of ceramic magnets.

[braintheory]

I just got the HDN's installed and so far I'm very impressed.  They replaced an aftermath bridge and painkiller neck in my Dean CFH.  Like everyone said the HDN is the tightest passive I've played, but I compared it side by side with the EMG 81 in my Schecter Damien Elite and the EMG 81 is still considerably tighter and the chugs were thicker with the EMG 81. 

I like the HDN so far way better than the aftermath.  It's tighter, more open (but this could be due to the pu height, which I haven't tweaked yet), more aggressive, more and sharper highs.  The HDN's also clean up beautifully.  I haven't played around with the neck that much yet for high gain, but I'm impressed with the little bit I have.  Again I still haven't tweaked the pole pieces or pu height yet, so my opinion may change later.

I'm starting to think that neodynium magnets do what the ceramic pu's do even better.  I might experiment in the future with having neodynium magnets in my miracle man and lundgren.

[MDV]

Tell yourself that. There are very few death metal guys with 'a whole rack of digital effects'.

Absolute BS, most death metal bands these days lean to the deathcore/technical side, and always have G-Major type rack units over pedals for even just delay for their solos. Obscura, Necrophagist, Arkaik, Deeds of Flesh, Decrepit Birth etc all tour/toured with racks.

Case of misinterpretation on all counts I think, and you already said it: The solos, yes, even if not much. Ownership of rack units, sure. Extensive use of effects in rhythm sounds (which was the implication in the post I replied to), no.

Brain: Yeah, the HDN is a great pickup. My main electrics are currently 81-60, 81-85, AM-2xtrilogy, HDN set. They all have their strengths and weaknesses, but I prefer the HDN to the aftermath as well.

[Toe-Knee]

I find that the HDN is extremely guitar sensitive. In basswood it's not so much tight as insanely bright but in mahogany and alder theyre crushingly tight.

But as has been said not quite as tight as the 81.

[Toe-Knee]

I'm starting to think that neodynium magnets do what the ceramic pu's do even better.  I might experiment in the future with having neodynium magnets in my miracle man and lundgren.

Be VERY careful wth this. The HDN has a pretty low wind with thin magnets due to the strength of neo mags. In certain pickups you will get a completely overkill & overhyped sound.

I tried it in an Iron Gear hot slag and a duncan JB. It sounded as if there were two overdrives in front of the amp with insanely tight lows that were massive. It was fun for a while but kind of unusable with how saturated it was.

[braintheory]

That's good to know.  I wasn't actually that serious about putting neodynium magnets in those pickups.  Didn't you though have neodynium magnets in a nailbomb or was that someone else on this forum?

[Toe-Knee]

That's good to know.  I wasn't actually that serious about putting neodynium magnets in those pickups.  Didn't you though have neodynium magnets in a nailbomb or was that someone else on this forum?

Yes I did. It worked well in the nailbomb. It was very tight and precise. I did have to run the pickup very far from the strings though but it sounded great.

[bazie]

According to the spec chart the dark star ND should also have more highs and lows than the HDN.

Where do you found spec chart? I'm afraid in the 'official' data on Entwistle web page there's no such information.

[braintheory]

According to the spec chart the dark star ND should also have more highs and lows than the HDN.

Where do you found spec chart? I'm afraid in the 'official' data on Entwistle web page there's no such information.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ENTWISTLE-HDN-GUITAR-HUMBUCKER-SET-SEYMOUR-GREAT-/141034267460?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item20d64c2344

[bazie]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ENTWISTLE-HDN-GUITAR-HUMBUCKER-SET-SEYMOUR-GREAT-/141034267460?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item20d64c2344

I've seen that, but since this is not from official web page, or at least from authorised distributor, who knows if it's true.

[braintheory]

I'm now also interested in the Entwistle Nemesis AFG because it's the only pickup I know that uses a combination of ceramic and alnico magnets.  Does any other pickup maker do this?  How does the Nemesis compare to the HDN or other pickups that we'd be familiar with?

[braintheory]

Brain: Yeah, the HDN is a great pickup. My main electrics are currently 81-60, 81-85, AM-2xtrilogy, HDN set. They all have their strengths and weaknesses, but I prefer the HDN to the aftermath as well.

I'm curious, what strengths do the Aftermath's have that the HDN's don't?  I've had the HDN's for over a month now and I still don't miss the Aftermath's at all.  However, if I had to choose between the EMG 81 and HDN, I would choose the EMG 81, but luckily I don't.

[bazie]

I'm now also interested in the Entwistle Nemesis AFG because it's the only pickup I know that uses a combination of ceramic and alnico magnets.  Does any other pickup maker do this?  How does the Nemesis compare to the HDN or other pickups that we'd be familiar with?

I think Gibson Tony Iommi signature pickups are also with mixed alnico/ceramic magnets.

I have tried some Entwistle pickups in Ibanez RG270 and Epiphone Explorer. In Ibanez, I first replaced stock Powersound humbuckers with Entwistle X2, which gave brighter sound, but still not what I was looking for. Then I tried for a short moment Nemesis (ceramic only magnet), but I didn't hear much difference. But I immediately fell in love with HDN sound so I installed a set of HDN's plus XS62N middle single coil. The sound is warm in a similar manner to classic PAF-like humbuckers, but has much more power. The sound is not very sharp (treble-rich) but is good both clean and overdriven. To my ear, the output of XS62N is higher than of HDN in split coil mode.
Now, I'm looking for something cheap but good-sounding for Explorer. The stock Epi Alnico Classic Plus sound nice, but lack some power. On the other hand, Epi Alnico Classics (non-pro) taken from Epi LP Studio are a bit muddy, maybe they have enough power but at the cost of clarity and, to my needs, lack some top end. I tried Tesla Plasma-3, high power, but even less treble, so I probably won't keep them.
In this Explorer I tried Entwistle X2 and ceramic-only Nemesis. The sound is cold, slightly soul-less, but has enough power and top end that I need. Nemesis has more treble. Now I'm going to try Nemesis AFG with mixed alnico/ceramic magnets, Dark Star ND, and, for comparison, "Artec Alnico V humbucker", whatever it is:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111075420202?var=410177402886&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
If you know what to expect, please let me know before it arrives.

[Toe-Knee]

I'm now also interested in the Entwistle Nemesis AFG because it's the only pickup I know that uses a combination of ceramic and alnico magnets.  Does any other pickup maker do this?  How does the Nemesis compare to the HDN or other pickups that we'd be familiar with?

bulldog have a model called the dropzone that has alnico and ceramic mix

[braintheory]

I'm now also interested in the Entwistle Nemesis AFG because it's the only pickup I know that uses a combination of ceramic and alnico magnets.  Does any other pickup maker do this?  How does the Nemesis compare to the HDN or other pickups that we'd be familiar with?

bulldog have a model called the dropzone that has alnico and ceramic mix

What's that sound like?  How's it compare to the Nemesis?  Also, not to be rude, but aren't bulldog pickups like a poor man's bkp?