FM9 - making a dark humbucker clean up...

Terry Adams

Terry Adams

New Member
Question for all the Fractal Guru's here............................

I have several Jackson PC1s and im trying to find a preset that cleans up the humbucker gives it a really clean and clear sound.

Any ideas or presets that you know of...............let me know.

Many thanks.
 
LOL, yup.................humbucker is a DiMarzio Super distortion........................

This very well may be an example of 'it's too hot'...........and if that's the case, no worries.................

Just looking to see if anyone has developed a solution.......................
 
Terry Adams said:
LOL, yup.................humbucker is a DiMarzio Super distortion........................

This very well may be an example of 'it's too hot'...........and if that's the case, no worries.................

Just looking to see if anyone has developed a solution.......................
Click to expand...
I just looked up the spec on the and it's already dark dy design, the only thing I could suggest is aside from using a bright amp Pre EQ and chop out some of the lowes prior to the amp block. I would say add some highs back but it's hard to put back what isn't there.
 
Spend some time playing with the Master Volume and the Input Gain. The higher up the Master Volume is, the more power amp distortion you’re getting and with a hot pickup it can turn to flub really quick.

Most of my guitars have fairly high output pickups, Dimarzio Evolutions, Fishman Fluence, EMG 707, they didn’t fair so well with the stock presets and often pushed things into an unpleasant spot. Backing off the Input Gain will reduce that, but if the MV is cranked, you’ll still be getting that power amp distortion in addition with any pre-amp distortion. For my high gain presets I generally have it between 2-2.5. Don’t think of the MV as a volume control, think of it as a flub/break-up control knob.
 
I don't think you're going to have any luck getting a pristine clean sound with those pups. That's not really what they were designed to do.
 
Can the pickup be wired for a coil split? If the pickup has that option, it can be as simple as replacing one of the pots with a push-pull pot. It probably won't sound as good as a dedicated single coil, but it'll be a better starting point, and then you can further tweak it with the FM9.
 
Ron_R said:
I don't think you're going to have any luck getting a pristine clean sound with those pups. That's not really what they were designed to do.
Click to expand...
I tend to agree with @Ron_R. However, a Parametric EQ before the amp can do wonders. I use one for a set of Sheptone Tribute 4 Humbuckers. They are an emulation of A2 Humbuckers but with an A4 magnet. With the Tribute 4 pickup, bass and low mids can be woofy, the high mids can be lacking and the extreme highs can be spikey. I only used it with Canabis Rex speakers in the before-analog-times, primarily because of spikiness. A PEQ completely changed that situation for me with the FM3. I simply add the PEQ in before the amp, and most pedals, on any preset. It is in my PEQ block library now. My method is this:

Type 1 = Blocking; Frequency 1 = 35 Hz; Slope 1 = 12 db

This helps to get rid of the low rumble/energy sink part of the sound.

Type 2 = Peaking; Frequency 2 = 250 Hz; Gain 2 = - 9.5 db; Q2 = 0.68

This puts a mid valley in the same place that the Mesa Fat switch does.
It cuts and controls the wooly, woofy part of the sound.

Type 3 = Peaking; Frequency 3 = 800 Hz; Gain 3 = 5.4 db; Q3 = 1.1

This produces a nice mid bump -- to make up for this particular pickup.
Sometimes the gain might be set at 0 -- or even a cut.
It depends on the sound I am trying to achieve.

Type 4 = Peaking; Frequency 4 = 1550 Hz; Gain 4 = 0 db; Q4 = 0.7

I use this to fine-tune the upper mids.
Sometimes, I add gain. Sometimes, I cut. Usually, it is at 0.

Type 5 = Peaking 2; Frequency 5 = 3550 Hz; Gain 5 = -14.7 db; Q5 = 5.9

This last filter is particular to the Sheptone Tribute 4 pickup.
I use the last, 5th, filter to cut any squeaks, whistles or annoying high frequency sounds.
Set the peak to the highest gain and than sweep the upper frequencies for hateful sounds.
Once you find them, cut the gain as much as necessary.
This allows me to keep the nicer high frequencies and still get rid of the annoying part.

I have also found that this allows me to set the amp's controls for the best tone and feel.
I don't have to compromise the amp's sound to fix what is lacking in the pickup.

This is a good starting point. I think 250, 800, and 1550 Hz
are particularly useful points to adjust around.
But, there are no rules. Adjust to taste.
Start with these numbers and then see what works best for you.

I hope this helps.
 

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warlockII said:
I'm a huge Dimarzio SuperDistortion fan. I found that wiring it in Parallel instead of coil split to be FAR more pleasing to my ear. The SD isn't really "Hot" compared to todays pickups...remember it's what Al Di Meola, etc. used.
Click to expand...
The spec on the Super 3 says that it's a 25k output! that's pretty hot! though I will admit I don't go for pickups that hot so I'm not in the know when it comes to that.

Either way the comments that have been made to get some clarity out of that pickup via input gain reduction and Pre EQ'ing should help!
 
Sixstring said:
The spec on the Super 3 says that it's a 25k output! that's pretty hot! though I will admit I don't go for pickups that hot so I'm not in the know when it comes to that.

Either way the comments that have been made to get some clarity out of that pickup via input gain reduction and Pre EQ'ing should help!
Click to expand...
Off the top of my head, the Original Super DIstortion that I'm talking about is 12 or 14...although resistance is only part of the story. They are voiced with a good chunk of low mids, but feel that they are a very versatile pickup.
 
RevDrucifer said:
Spend some time playing with the Master Volume and the Input Gain. The higher up the Master Volume is, the more power amp distortion you’re getting and with a hot pickup it can turn to flub really quick.

Most of my guitars have fairly high output pickups, Dimarzio Evolutions, Fishman Fluence, EMG 707, they didn’t fair so well with the stock presets and often pushed things into an unpleasant spot. Backing off the Input Gain will reduce that, but if the MV is cranked, you’ll still be getting that power amp distortion in addition with any pre-amp distortion. For my high gain presets I generally have it between 2-2.5. Don’t think of the MV as a volume control, think of it as a flub/break-up control knob.
Click to expand...
Many thanks for this! I never really looked at it that way before.................................
 
Sixstring said:
Have you thought of changing out the pickup for something not as dark or hot?
Click to expand...
Truth be told, the Jackson's that I have are very special custom shop pieces so not really looking to change the pick ups. I did the PEQ recommendation by Ron_R and it REALLY helped. I'm a LOT happier with my tone now.
 
Postretro said:
I tend to agree with @Ron_R. However, a Parametric EQ before the amp can do wonders. I use one for a set of Sheptone Tribute 4 Humbuckers. They are an emulation of A2 Humbuckers but with an A4 magnet. With the Tribute 4 pickup, bass and low mids can be woofy, the high mids can be lacking and the extreme highs can be spikey. I only used it with Canabis Rex speakers in the before-analog-times, primarily because of spikiness. A PEQ completely changed that situation for me with the FM3. I simply add the PEQ in before the amp, and most pedals, on any preset. It is in my PEQ block library now. My method is this:

Type 1 = Blocking; Frequency 1 = 35 Hz; Slope 1 = 12 db

This helps to get rid of the low rumble/energy sink part of the sound.

Type 2 = Peaking; Frequency 2 = 250 Hz; Gain 2 = - 9.5 db; Q2 = 0.68

This puts a mid valley in the same place that the Mesa Fat switch does.
It cuts and controls the wooly, woofy part of the sound.

Type 3 = Peaking; Frequency 3 = 800 Hz; Gain 3 = 5.4 db; Q3 = 1.1

This produces a nice mid bump -- to make up for this particular pickup.
Sometimes the gain might be set at 0 -- or even a cut.
It depends on the sound I am trying to achieve.

Type 4 = Peaking; Frequency 4 = 1550 Hz; Gain 4 = 0 db; Q4 = 0.7

I use this to fine-tune the upper mids.
Sometimes, I add gain. Sometimes, I cut. Usually, it is at 0.

Type 5 = Peaking 2; Frequency 5 = 3550 Hz; Gain 5 = -14.7 db; Q5 = 5.9

This last filter is particular to the Sheptone Tribute 4 pickup.
I use the last, 5th, filter to cut any squeaks, whistles or annoying high frequency sounds.
Set the peak to the highest gain and than sweep the upper frequencies for hateful sounds.
Once you find them, cut the gain as much as necessary.
This allows me to keep the nicer high frequencies and still get rid of the annoying part.

I have also found that this allows me to set the amp's controls for the best tone and feel.
I don't have to compromise the amp's sound to fix what is lacking in the pickup.

This is a good starting point. I think 250, 800, and 1550 Hz
are particularly useful points to adjust around.
But, there are no rules. Adjust to taste.
Start with these numbers and then see what works best for you.

I hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Postretro,

MANY thanks for this! I tried this last night and it made a WORLD of difference!
 
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