Suggestion of new Topic in Review section

[I_M_Ken]

Hi admins/mods,

Just curious, would it be a good thing to have a Pickup Review topic oin the Review section?

Lately there are alot of people asking about pickups and it would benefit them if we had a section like that so that they can get their information there instead of having different people ask the same questions over and over again.

Well, of course when each review is put up, a mod/admin will have to screen it to see the validity of the review just to make sure that the user isnt giving out false/wrong info. And if the info is wrong, just remove the post/thread or have it edited by someone who knows about the product.

Thanks,
Ken

 

[Crawldaddy]

Hmm.

Maybe we could set a guideline in terms of the content of the review... Because to many, and I'm sure you'll agree Mr I_M_Ken that tone is subjective. Hopefully can see something like:

1st para: intro (manufacturer, humbucking / non-humbucking etc), construction / build etc.

2nd para: tone generated pertaining to musical genres, tonal flexibility (cleans vs overdrive/dist/fuzz).

3rd para: colour availability, miscellaneous stuff


Essentially my point is that since tone is subjective, the review ought to provide a more in-depth insight into the tonal palette of the pickup compared to information already provided on the manufacturer's website. Otherwise we can just read the webby for ourselves.

 

[I_M_Ken]

Hi Crawl, thanks for the support on this.
Well i was thinking that the description would be more technical rather than based one how one feels.

Sorta like you'd have to describe how it sounds in general rather than it how it sounds just for metal or for rock. Maybe like saying how the bass, mids and treble responses are rather than "oh this pup sounds sweet and gives a nice boomy tone, etc...

Also important is the type of amp you are using and it should not have any pedals come into the picture of testing it for the review.

Anyway i guess more details could be worked out once the admins decide that it would be a good thing to put up these reviews.

Currently what i do is that i have one guitar just purely for testing how pickups sound and i always use the same amp and the same EQs on the amp.
That way it will be more consistent.


-Ken

 

[Crawldaddy]

Hmm.

I agree with you on the issues regarding the frequency response... instead of subjective words such as "muddy", "sweet" etc.

The issue is the difficulty in providing a *true* pickup sound due to the inherent tonal properties of different body styles (LP, strat, RG, tele etc) because one pickup will sound different in different body styles.

Perhaps you could use a default rig like a basswood body guitar to test the sound because basswood (as I'm sure you'd have long known) is a very neutral wood?

 

[I_M_Ken]

Well, i guess definitely you would need to put down the specs of the guitar as well. Because things such as the bridge and type of neck wood/fretboard wood also affects how it sounds, as well of pot values and type of circuit(parellel/series), tone capacitor, etc..

All these must be factored in, tahts why i always use 1 standard guitar to test pups which makes things simpler.

ALso maybe have a Sticky post that sort of describes the majority of the wood's characteristic such as alder, basswood, mahogany, swamp ash, etc

Hmm now that i think about it in details, theres alot of factors on/in the guitar that affects how it sounds. But its also a good way to educate people.

As for the guitar i use to test out pups, its an alder guitar with a floyd rose bridge, maple neck w/ rosewood fingerboard

 

[Crawldaddy]

Hmm.

Ah I see. Then perhaps it's alright to mention the inherent tone of the guitar, and how the pickups augment the sound. Then it's up to softie's imagination or experimentation to determine if that pickup is for them.

I do hope to see it happen... right now got so many misconceptions and heresay amongst players and gear-heads alike.

Good luck man!

 

[I_M_Ken]

Well, im not getting anything from the admins yet....
Wonder what they think.. haha

 

[soft]

I_M_Ken

thanks for the suggestion. setting the forum section is the easy part. packing it with content is the difficult part.

do we have more volunteers who are willing to write these reviews?

 

[I_M_Ken]

Hey there Admin,

Well, honestly, few people look here into the Suggestions section, so maybe post a sticky somewhere like Gear or Buy/Sell to start some kinda awareness and getting volunteers.

Well, i hope this works out.
Personally i can do reviews for a decent amount of pups from dimarzio and seymour duncan as for the rest i'm hoping volunters will come forth and put in their 2 cents for the other pup reviews.

Thanks.
Ken

 

[soft]

would you like to come up with something first? at least we can start somewhere. if the response is good, we will create the section.

for now, maybe we can add it to the Guitar section?

 

[I_M_Ken]

i dont mind doing a few reviews first. where do i post them?
Reviews for Guitar?

 

[soft]

yup, that would be good. maybe you would like to contact 'subversion', he has written alot of reviews here. just in case he is already working on similar product as you were thinking.

http://soft.com.sg/web/modules.php?name=Forums&file=profile&mode=viewprofile&u=427

 

[I_M_Ken]

alright admin, thanks for the heads up.
i'll contact him and try to get some reviews maybe next week or so.
have a very busy schedule now and i dont have my gear with me to test pups out in detail.

-Ken

 

[soft]

thanks. anyone else like to help out?

 

[I_M_Ken]

Due to the extension of my stay in the US, im unable to post reviews of pickups at the moment.
WIll start doing so once i return to Singapore, cause all my gear is back home.

Cheers
Ken